January 7, 2008

Trends for Thursday

By Jimmy Sirody
Don Best Senior Writer

Since their dispiriting 1-4 start to the season, the San Antonio Spurs (23-11) have steadily risen to the top of the Southwest Division and to third in the Western Conference.

With Manu Ginobili back in the fold after offseason ankle surgery, and Tony Parker playing like an All-Star after recovering from a November ankle sprain, the Spurs have won eight of their last nine, 14 of their past 17 and rank as the hottest team in the NBA over the past month.

San Antonio is giving up 93.5 points per game, the fifth stingiest mark in the league and a far cry from the 105 points the Spurs yielded during their sorry start.

After taking the past two nights off following a road win at Miami, San Antonio returns to the court Thursday to host the hapless Los Angeles Clippers, who have lost eight straight.

The Spurs will have to avoid looking ahead to a Sunday showdown with Orlando and a Wednesday war with the Los Angeles Lakers, the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last season and the current gold standard in the Western Conference.

San Antonio beat the Clippers at Staples Center on Nov. 17 as 2 1/2-point dogs, 90-88, ending a four-game series spread losing skid in the process. The road team has cashed in six of the last seven meetings and the dog is 5-0.

Los Angeles has been competitive of late, getting the green in its last three outings and cashing four of five on the road and seven of eight against conference foes.

The Spurs have failed to 'cover' four straight at the AT&T Center, but they have grabbed the cheese in their last five tries against Pacific Division opponents.

The 'over' is 6-2-2 in the last 10 series skirmishes in Texas, though the teams have ended on the low side at a 20-8-3 clip overall.

San Antonio has slipped 'under' in 12 of 13 against Pacific Division denizens. The Clippers have eclipsed the number in five of their last six on the road.

NEW YORK at DALLAS

Dallas hosts the struggling New York Knicks in the only other game on Thursday's NBA menu.

The Mavericks have been one of the worst home teams spread wise in the league, coming up short in 13 of 17 this season. However, they have 'covered' six of their last seven against the Knicks at American Airlines Center.

Dallas whipped New York at the Garden as 1 1/2-point favorites in the initial clash, 124-114.

The Knicks opened a four-game trip by losing Tuesday at Oklahoma City, 107-99. They have dropped eight of their last 10 SU and failed to 'cover' six of eight. Coach Mike D'Antoni's crew has cashed seven of their last nine on the road.

The Mavericks have dribbled 'under' in five of their last seven at home and in 10 of 14 outings overall. New York has slipped below the 'total' in nine of its last dozen on the highway.

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