Sport: NBAPick Selection: Suns
At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Phoenix Suns minus the points over New Orleans. The big news in the NBA, at the moment, is the proposed deal between Phoenix and Miami that would send Shaquille O'Neal to the desert for disgruntled Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. But before Shaq arrives, Phoenix has this big home game vs. the surprising New Orleans Hornets. The Hornets had won nine straight games to take the lead in the Western Conference, but have not been able to handle success, with three straight losses following that win streak. Certainly, New Orleans isn't sneaking up on anyone right now, and it won't sneak up on Phoenix either, having already won twice vs. the Suns this season. Steve Nash summed up how important this game is to the Suns when he said, "It's very important, that's a team that we haven't beaten yet. It's a team that's in second place and it's a double win right there." New Orleans' current struggles can be traced to poor defense. In its nine-game win streak, the Hornets held their foes to 86.9 ppg, but over their three losses, that number has increased to a whopping 112.7 ppg. And against the run-and-gun Suns, if you don't play defense, you can get run out of the building. Phoenix is 14-4 ATS when playing with same-season revenge over the past two seasons, including 8-1 when facing a foe off a loss, and 6-0 when priced from -3 to -8 points. Take Phoenix.
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