Spurs at Suns
The San Antonio Spurs will be without standout point guard Tony Parker when they visit the streaking Phoenix Suns on Wednesday. Parker suffered a bruised right shin in Monday’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers and will miss at least two games while recuperating. Phoenix is a bad team for the Spurs to be without Parker as the Suns’ early-season success is largely due to starting two point guards – Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe – in its backcourt.
Phoenix has won five consecutive games and has been one of the NBA’s biggest surprises with a 14-9 record. The Suns are a little bit shy in the post but have no such issues at guard with Bledsoe (19.5) and Dragic (19.1) both posting career-best scoring averages. San Antonio had a four-game winning streak snapped by the Clippers and were outscored by 15 points in the fourth quarter of the 115-92 loss that serves as its worst defeat of the season.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (San Antonio), FSN Arizona (Phoenix)
ABOUT THE SPURS (19-5): Power forward Tim Duncan has made it a practice to step up even more than usual whenever Parker is sidelined and he is in the midst of four consecutive double-doubles while averaging 18 points and 13.3 rebounds during the stretch. Backup point guard Patty Mills figures to see plenty of action against Phoenix’s two point-guard attack, and Cory Joseph will also see increased time. Mills averages 7.8 points and is a solid threat from 3-point range, shooting 45.1 percent from behind the arc.
ABOUT THE SUNS (14-9): Bledsoe has blossomed as a scorer in his first season with the Suns after being primarily a ball-handler in his three seasons with the Clippers. He has scored 20 or more points eight times this season after hitting the mark just four total times in his first three campaigns. Bledsoe is averaging 26 points, eight assists and three steals over his past two games, while Dragic has put together three straight strong games – averaging 27 points going 10-of-15 from 3-point range.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. San Antonio has won 10 of the past 12 meetings, including a 99-96 victory on Nov. 6.
2. The Spurs committed a season-worst 22 turnovers – leading to 37 points for the Clippers - in Monday’s game.
3. Suns F Markieff Morris had 23 points on 11-of-13 shooting and grabbed 12 rebounds in last month’s loss to the Spurs.