The Brooklyn Nets host the San Antonio Spurs in a cross-conference matchup on Wednesday evening. Both teams are in the midst of playoff chases, with the Nets jockeying for position at the top of the Eastern Conference and the Spurs battling for the play-in in the West. Brooklyn boasts a 25-8 record at the Barclays Center, with San Antonio entering at 19-15 away from home this season.
Tip-off is at 8 p.m. ET in Brooklyn. William Hill Sportsbook lists the Nets as 5.5-point home favorites, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 232.5 in the latest Spurs vs. Nets odds. Before you make any Nets vs. Spurs picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned over $9,100 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past two-plus seasons. The model is up over $1,100 on its top-rated picks this season and entered Week 21 of the 2020-21 NBA schedule on a stunning 99-64 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread dating back to last season. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Spurs vs. Nets. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting trends for Nets vs. Spurs:
- Spurs vs. Nets spread: Nets -5.5
- Spurs vs. Nets over-under: 232.5 points
- Spurs vs. Nets money line: Nets -215, Spurs +185
- SAS: The Spurs are 6-4 against the spread in the last 10 games
- BKN: The Nets are 6-4 against the spread in the last 10 games
Why the Spurs can cover
The Spurs are coming off arguably their most impressive performance of the season against the Bucks on Monday. San Antonio scored a franchise-record 87 points in the first half on the way to a lopsided victory, and the Spurs have plenty to play for with playoff positioning at the forefront. DeMar DeRozan leads San Antonio's offense, averaging 21.5 points, 7.1 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game, and the Spurs are No. 2 in the NBA in ball security, committing a turnover on only 11.4 percent of possessions. San Antonio should also be able to take advantage of a Brooklyn defense that is below-average in overall defensive efficiency this season.
Defensively, San Antonio is stout, yielding only 111.5 points per 100 possessions, well above the NBA average. The Spurs are No. 6 in the NBA in free throw rate allowed, and they are a top-10 defense in limiting transition opportunities, giving up only 11.6 fast break points per game.
Why the Nets can cover
Brooklyn's offensive firepower is undeniable, even when accounting for injuries to some of its stars during the season. The Nets lead the NBA in scoring 117.1 points per 100 possessions, and that stems from being the league's most efficient shooting team. They are No. 1 in true shooting percentage (60.8 percent) and No. 1 in effective field goal percentage (57.3 percent), with top-flight marks in free throw creation rate (No. 8 in the NBA) and free throw accuracy (80.8 percent). The Nets commit a turnover on only 13.5 percent of offensive possessions, and they are No. 6 in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.95.
On the defensive side, Brooklyn limits opponents to a modest 53.5 percent effective field goal shooting mark, with above-average free throw prevention. The Spurs are just 27th in the league in both shooting efficiency and offensive rebound rate, and San Antonio doesn't have a punishing interior scorer to take advantage of Brooklyn's size concerns.
How to make Nets vs. Spurs picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 228 points. The model also says one side of the spread has all the value. You can get that pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Spurs vs. Nets? And which side of the spread has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is on a roll on NBA picks.
