Follow Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter VI Mobile College Basketball March Mayhem Picks College Basketball March Mayhem Picks VegasInsider.com VegasInsider.com
Handicapper Bios Sports Picks Free Odds Contests Sportsbook
Sports Betting Home NFL NBANHLMLBNCAA FBNCAA BKGolfAutoHorsesBoxingVI More Sports
 
NBA Scores Matchups Teams Standings Schedules Injuries News
 
 · Latest News
 · Player Updates
 · Transactions
Buy Picks Vegas Odds
 
 · Vegas Odds
 · Offshore Odds
 · Future Odds
 
Preview: Spurs (58-24) at Pistons (29-53)
BT Movements  ·  Line Movements
Date: February 08, 2013 7:30 PM EDT
  

Although Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili have missed the majority of San Antonio's last 11 games, the Spurs have managed to win each one thanks to the strong play of Tony Parker and the supporting cast.

It certainly seems like the Spurs should be able to keep their win streak intact Friday night, when they visit the struggling Detroit Pistons.

The Spurs own the NBA's best record at 39-11 and are currently riding the 14th double-digit winning streak of coach Gregg Popovich's tenure. It's come despite Duncan (sprained left knee) missing six of the last eight games and Ginobili (hamstring) sidelined for six of 10. Both have played in the same game just once during the streak - the first win - and are listed as day-to-day for Friday.

Advertisement

Parker has simply continued to play some of the best basketball of his career, and has been particularly effective over the winning streak, averaging 23.2 points on 58.3 percent shooting with 9.3 assists. He scored 31 and added eight assists in a 104-94 win at Minnesota on Wednesday, the opener of a season-high nine-game road trip.

"We've gotten used to playing without them," said Parker, whose averages of 20.3 points, 7.6 assists and 53.2 field goal percentage are all the second-highest marks of his career. "Obviously I'd rather have them because it would be a lot easier to have Timmy and Manu, but it definitely helps the other guys."

Danny Green, who knocked down eight 3-pointers on the way to a career-high 28 points against the Timberwolves, is hitting 44.4 percent of his shots from long distance during the winning streak. Kawhi Leonard added 19 points and 10 rebounds Wednesday for his second straight double-double.

"The system doesn't change when guys are out," Popovich said. "If Tony was out, somebody else would play. We just run the same stuff, we don't change anything. I think they're pretty used to the execution no matter who's on the court."

Detroit (18-32) has lost seven of nine, with three of those defeats coming by three points or fewer. The latest was a 93-90 home loss to Brooklyn on Wednesday.

Greg Monroe cut the Nets' lead to one with 10.4 seconds left, but Joe Johnson hit free throws after the Pistons' ensuing foul. Will Bynum's potential game-tying 3-pointer in the final moments came up short, resulting in the Pistons' sixth loss in nine games at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Detroit suffered a 98-97 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers three days earlier in a game they could have won on the final possession.

"There were many opportunities and controlled situations and we didn't do a very good job," coach Lawrence Frank said. "All those things add up. We had opportunities at the rim and didn't convert."

The Pistons were also plagued by yet another poor 3-point shooting performance, going 3 of 17. They're shooting just 28.9 percent from beyond the arc over the last nine games.

These teams haven't met since San Antonio's 99-95 win at Detroit last February, the Spurs' fifth victory in the last six matchups.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2013
The Associated Press
All Rights Reserved

 CURRENT LAS VEGAS LINE
 Team  ML   SPR   O/U 
 SAS  -230   -5   197.5 
 DET  +190   +5   
LAS VEGAS LINE MOVEMENTS

 CURRENT SPORTSBOOK LINE
 Team  ML   SPR   O/U 
 SAS  -240   -5.5   197.5 
 DET  +200   +5.5   
OFFSHORE LINE MOVEMENTS

 BETTING TRENDS
 Team  ML   SPR   O/U 
 SAS  87%   64%   53% 
 DET  13%   36%   47% 
BT MOVEMENTS

 NBA PREVIEWS
 Friday, Feb 8
 
  •  Nets at Wizards
7:05 PM EDT
  •  Raptors at Pacers
7:05 PM EDT
  •  Lakers at Bobcats
7:05 PM EDT
  •  Hornets at Hawks
7:35 PM EDT
  •  Magic at Cavaliers
7:35 PM EDT
  •  Spurs at Pistons
7:35 PM EDT
  •  Clippers at Heat
8:05 PM EDT
  •  Trail Blazers at Rockets
8:05 PM EDT
  •  Knicks at Timberwolves
8:05 PM EDT
  •  Suns at Thunder
8:05 PM EDT
  •  Warriors at Grizzlies
8:05 PM EDT
  •  Bulls at Jazz
10:35 PM EDT
 
 
 
  
GOLD Membership
Over 150 Member Plays free each month. Signup Today!
 
 

NFL
NFL Sports Picks
NFL Vegas Odds
NFL Online Odds
NFL Matchups
NFL Scores

More Sports
Golf
Auto Racing
Horse Racing
Boxing
WNBA

MLB
MLB Sports Picks
MLB Vegas Odds
MLB Online Odds
MLB Matchups
MLB Scores

Features
Free Odds
Contests
Newsletters
VI Radio
Las Vegas Travel
Follow us on Twitter
Add us on Google+
Join us on Facebook

NBA
NBA Sports Picks
NBA Vegas Odds
NBA Online Odds
NBA Matchups
NBA Scores

Sports Betting Tools
Live Odds
Mobile Odds
Parlay Calculator
Gaming Terms
TV Listings
Handicapping Records
Sports Betting
About Sports Betting
Sportsbook Reviews

NHL
NHL Sports Picks
NHL Vegas Odds
NHL Online Odds
NHL Matchups
NHL Scores

VegasInsider Info
About Us
Help Center
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Refund Policy
Contact Us
User Feedback

College Football
NCAA FB Sports Picks
NCAA FB Vegas Odds
NCAA FB Online Odds
NCAA FB Matchups
NCAA FB Scores

Sportsbooks
CarbonSports · Review
SportBet · Review
Sportsbook · Review
TopBet.eu · Review

College Basketball
NCAA BK Sports Picks
NCAA BK Vegas Odds
NCAA BK Online Odds
NCAA BK Matchups
NCAA BK Scores

Rotation Schedules
Baseball: Mar 31 - June 02

Copyright © 1997-2013, VegasInsider.com Inc., The Global Leader In Sports Gaming Information. All rights reserved.
For questions or comments, please contact us at 1-800-211-4759.