The NBA betting action continues with Week 4 and plenty of interesting matchups on Monday’s slate, so here’s the best betting pick for the Phoenix Suns vs. Washington Wizards showdown along with the latest odds update on DraftKings Sportsbook.
The Suns have won just two of their last ten games against the Wizards, but they are still firm favorites for Monday’s clash. Phoenix is one of the most pleasant surprises of the season, topping the Western Conference alongside the reigning champs LA Lakers.
The Phoenix Suns are healthy and ready to rumble
After they’ve opened a three-game road trip with a 110-105 overtime loss at Detroit, the Phoenix Suns (7-3; 7-3 ATS) beat the Indiana Pacers 125-117 as 3-point underdogs this past Saturday. Mikal Bridges accounted for a career-high 34 points, while his Suns scored 69 second-half points to hold off the Pacers.
Phoenix plays at the slowest pace in the league, averaging only 96.3 possessions per 48 minutes. The Suns have the fifth-best offensive rating of 113.8 points per 100 possessions and the ninth-best defensive rating of 107.5.
Seven Phoenix players average points in double figures, though Dario Saric (10.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG) has just six appearances this season. Devin Booker leads the way with 22.0 points and 4.7 assists per game, while Chris Paul adds 13.2 points and 8.5 dimes a night. Paul’s arrival was a huge boost for the Suns who show some great depth at the start of the season.
The Wizards continue to struggle
The Washington Wizards (2-8; 5-5 ATS) had high hopes for the 2020-21 NBA season, but it seems like everything is falling apart at the moment. Thomas Bryant suffered a season-ending knee injury; Bradley Beal is on the sidelines due to the medical protocols, while the Wizards are riding a three-game losing streak once more.
Washington is coming off a 128-124 home loss to the Miami Heat last Saturday. The Wizards missed both Beal and Russell Westbrook (quad), so rookie Deni Avdija led the way with 20 points, five boards, and five assists.
Bradley Beal is the Wizards’ best player, tallying 35.0 points per game, and his return will mean a lot. Washington scores 112.2 points per 100 possessions (12th in the league), but the Wizards have been terrible defensively thus far, allowing 115.0 points per 100 possessions (28th).
[metabet_core_odds_compare query=”nba/wizards” size=”300×250″ site_id=”atsio” css=”float:right; margin-left:10px”]Trends:
Phoenix:
- 15-3 ATS in the last 18 games overall
- 9-4 ATS in the last 13 games against Washington
Washington:
- 1-5 ATS in the last six games against Western Conference
- 2-12 ATS in the last 14 home tilts against Phoenix
The Winner Prediction
Unlike the Suns, Washington loves up-tempo basketball, playing at the highest pace in the league of 106.7 possessions per 48 minutes. I’m not sure that’s the right recipe for a victory over Phoenix, and the Wizards will have to bring their best defensive game if they want to stand a chance against the Suns.
I’m backing the visitors to win and cover, as they look like a much better team than Washington at the moment. As I’ve mentioned, the Suns execute well offensively and have a lot of in-form players in their rotation, so I think they will be too much for the struggling Wizards.
Pick: Take Phoenix -4.5 at -110
The Total:
This is a tough wager with high chalk at 231.5 points. Considering the Wizards’ awful defense and their style of play, we should expect to see a proper high-scoring affair, but just two of the Suns’ ten games this season produced 232 or more points in total.
The under is 8-3 in the Suns’ last 11 outings, and it is 5-1 in their previous six showings on the road. On the other hand, the over is 5-1 in the Wizards’ previous six games overall, and it is 6-1 in the last seven encounters between Washington and Phoenix.
I would take the under in this one, hoping for the Wizards to finally make some defensive stops.
Pick: Go under 231.5 points at -110