Spurs at Suns
The Phoenix Suns looked like they were surrendering their chances at a playoff spot in the Western Conference with five straight losses but are back to building positive momentum. The Suns will try to post a third straight win when they host the road-weary San Antonio Spurs on Saturday. The Spurs have finally reached the conclusion of their nine-game rodeo road trip and ended a four-game slide with a win at Sacramento on Friday.
Phoenix went through a major shakeup at the trade deadline but finally put it together in a win over the Denver Nuggets before keeping their playoff hopes strong with a 117-113 overtime victory over the eight-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday. San Antonio looked as though it was ready to pack it in after falling at Portland on Wednesday to match its longest slide of the season and was down early at Sacramento before rallying Friday. Tony Parker pulled out of a slump with 19 points as the Spurs improved to 3-5 on the trip.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBATV, KENS (San Antonio), FSN Arizona (Phoenix)
ABOUT THE SPURS (35-23): Parker went 3-of-21 from the floor and totaled nine points in three games before coming through against the Kings. The veteran point guard and fellow veteran guard Manu Ginobili had been among several players on the team slumping but both, along with forward Kawhi Leonard, rebounded nicely Friday. Ginobili went 0-of-5 from the floor on Oct. 31 in a 94-89 loss at Phoenix.
ABOUT THE SUNS (31-28): Phoenix made Eric Bledsoe the unquestioned leader of the team when it traded away Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas at the deadline, and Bledsoe stepped up Thursday. The Kentucky product battled Oklahoma City Star Russell Westbrook and ended up with 28 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists and four blocks in the win. The Suns brought in Brandon Knight to share backcourt duties, and he has knocked down 10 3-pointers in the last three games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The home team has taken the last four in the series, with the Spurs last winning in Phoenix on Dec. 18, 2013.
2. Suns C Alex Len has recorded double-digit rebounds in each of the last five games.
3. San Antonio G Danny Green is 5-of-11 from 3-point range in the last two games after going 1-of-7 in the previous three contests.