NBA Sunday Tips: Durant’s extra punch has Phoenix looking for knockouts

Kevin Durant insists it’s ‘just another game’, but Sunday’s clash between the Suns and Mavericks is a must-watch as he faces Kyrie Irving for the first time since departing Brooklyn.

Phoenix Suns @ Dallas Mavericks

Tipoff: 6pm Sunday GMT (Sky Sports Arena) 

Is Kevin Durant the difference maker that will propel the Phoenix Suns towards an NBA Championship in June? The early signs look promising for one of the two superstars shipped West out of Brooklyn last month.

His new team is 2-0 since KD’s introduction into their line-up with the future Hall of Famer grabbing 23 points in his debut against the Charlotte Hornets, before scoring 20 in Friday’s 125-104 stampeding past the Chicago Bulls.

Positive signs for the 2021 beaten finalists, who were already rolling nicely following an injury-complicated first half of the regular season. The Suns have won 14 of their last 19 games to rise up to fourth in the Western Conference. Still great value at 5.8 in the NBA title odds, it’s no wonder they’ve been slashed to just 1.81 for the Pacific Division on top.

Durant, even at 34, brings an extra dimension. He’s averaging 29.5 points in 40 games this term while averaging career-highs in field-goal and free-throw percentage. That efficiency is an ideal add for a Suns team which needs more offensive va-va-voom in sitting 21st in scoring output with 112.8 points per contest. Their seventh-ranked defence passes muster, but the additional firepower adds to their threat. 

The other Nets exile is Kyrie Irving, who will face off against his former team-mate when Dallas hosts Phoenix on Sunday. Only 4% of the markets believe the Mavs can grab a title – despite their acquisition’s pairing with Luka Doncic in the backcourt.

The new duo combined for 82 points in Thursday’s 133-126 win over the 76ers - the first time in franchise history that two Dallas dynamos have scored at least 40 points in a single game.

The chemistry between two ball and shot-hungry guards will be fascinating to watch. The Mavericks have gone 2-3 in their reshaped form, conceding 119.0 points. Anything close to that again and the Suns will surely keep rising. 

Prediction: Phoenix Suns -3 @ 2.26

Golden State Warriors @ LA Lakers

Tipoff: 8.30pm Sunday GMT (Sky Sports Arena)

Can the Los Angeles Lakers reach the NBA Play-In places with LeBron James sidelined for at least three weeks with a foot injury?

After winning four out of five – including a 124-111 battering of the Warriors – the Lakers lost 110-106 to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday to drop to 6-11 without the league’s leading all-time scorer. 

Yet, having improved their depth considerably at the deadline, the Lakers are better placed to cope than previously – and have a relatively soft schedule with 11 of their 18 remaining games at home. They might be worth a punt to make the post-season.

However, the Warriors are beginning to heat up again with five straight wins in a homestand since that Lakers loss on a net differential of +14.2, while holding their vanquished foes to a clip of exactly 100 points. 

To stand any shot at a repeat, they need to improve their woeful 7-23 road record. With Steph Curry expected to return on Sunday, LA is as good a place as any for an uptick. If they win, it will be in a low-scoring duel. 

Prediction: Under 230 points @ 2.6

San Antonio Spurs @ Houston Rockets

Tipoff: 12am Monday GMT

Sunday night is ‘Fright Night’ as the two weakest teams in the West battle to not be the worst in two games over two nights. 

Remarkably, the Spurs have built a winning streak of two games for only the fourth time this term, holding Utah and Indiana below 100 points. Meanwhile, Houston has lost 11 straight and allowed 126 per game, going down by an average of 16.8. A sure bet: this won’t be pretty.

Prediction: San Antonio Spurs +4 @ 2.3  

NBA Sunday Tips

Phoenix Suns @ Dallas Mavericks: Suns -3 @ 2.26
Golden State Warriors @ LA Lakers: Under 230 points @ 2.6
San Antonio Spurs @ Houston Rockets: Spurs -4 @ 2.3