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Star forward Kevin Durant is expected back in the lineup for the Brooklyn Nets when they host the Phoenix Suns on Sunday afternoon. Durant has been sidelined for 30 of the last 36 games for the Nets (40-20), who are holding down the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference despite alternating wins and losses over their last eight games. The No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, Phoenix (42-17) is 2-1 on its five-game road trip through the East and will be out to avenge a stunning home loss to Brooklyn on Feb. 16, when the Suns coughed up a 21-point halftime lead.

Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET at Barclays Center. William Hill Sportsbook lists the Nets as 1.5-point favorites while the over-under for total points scored is 232.5 in the latest Suns vs. Nets odds. Before you make any Nets vs. Suns 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 it has returned over $9,200 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past two-plus seasons. The model is up over $1,200 on its top-rated picks this season, and dating back to last year, it entered Week 18 of the 2020-21 NBA schedule on a stunning 96-60 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Suns vs. Nets. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting trends for Nets vs. Suns:

  • Suns vs. Nets spread: Nets -1.5
  • Suns vs. Nets over-under: 232.5 points
  • Suns vs. Nets: Nets -120, Suns +100
  • PHX: The Suns have the NBA's best road record at 19-8
  • BKN: The Nets are 5-1 in the last six vs. Phoenix

Why the Suns can cover

Phoenix started its grueling road trip in impressive fashion by knocking off Milwaukee and Philadelphia -- two of the best teams in the East -- before stumbling at Boston on Thursday in the second of a back-to-back. Point guard Chris Paul failed to score in double figures in three of four games entering the road trip but he has been sensational over the past three contests. He is averaging 24.0 points and 9.7 assists while hitting 10-of-19 3-pointers.

Guard Devin Booker leads the Suns in scoring at 25.1 points per game, but he is averaging 18.0 points over the last six contests while hitting 5-of-28 3-point attempts. Phoenix struggled mightily from long range in Thursday's 99-86 setback in Boston, going only 6-of-35 from behind the arc, but the Suns hit a combined 32 3-pointers against the Bucks and 76ers. Forward Mikal Bridges is having a strong road trip, averaging 18.0 points per game.

Why the Nets can cover

Durant and Kyrie Irving each shoot better than 50 percent from the field and are averaging a combined 54.4 points between them. They are big reasons why Brooklyn leads the NBA in field goal percentage at 49.7 and has the league's second-highest scoring offense at 118.6 points per game. In the two games prior to suffering a thigh injury a week ago, Durant scored 56 points while shooting 19-of-27 overall and 7-of-11 from 3-point range.

Irving came up just shy of a triple-double in each of his last two games and has handed out 9.0 assists while collecting 2.5 steals over the last four contests. Joe Harris has reached 20 points in three of the last five games, knocking down 19-of-36 3-pointers in that span. The Nets are 12-1 when he scores 20 points. 

How to make Nets vs. Suns picks

SportsLine's model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 233 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time. You can get that pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Suns vs. Nets? And which side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time? 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.