San Antonio Spurs at Brooklyn Nets: Predictions, Injuries, Key Matchups, More

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The San Antonio Spurs play game three of their four game road trip tonight against the Brooklyn Nets.

The game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT and will be televised on Fox Sports Southwest. The game can also be heard on the radio on WOAI 1200 AM.

How will San Antonio fare against Brooklyn? We take a look at recent history, injuries, and key matchups to predict the outcome of the game!

Recent Games

San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs head into this game streaking. Winners of eight in a row and 11 of their last 12 games, the Spurs look to keep rolling tonight against an under .500 Brooklyn team.

San Antonio won its previous game 109-103 in Philadelphia versus the 76ers. The final score was a lot closer than many expected, especially considering the 76ers are yet to pick up a win this season. The Spurs were without stars Tony Parker and Tim Duncan so the hope is that their return will bring the spark back to this team tonight.

Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets come into this game looking to win back-to-back games for the third time this season. After a poor 4-7 start to the season, the Nets have alternated wins and losses, currently sitting at 7-9.

Brooklyn did win their last game against the Knicks so a loss could be in the works tonight if their recent alternating win-loss pattern holds true. Consistency is definitely key for the Nets tonight, something they have severely been lacking.

Injuries

San Antonio Spurs

Patty Mills, Point Guard – Mills is still healing from surgery on his torn rotator cuff. Expect his minutes to go to Cory Joseph.

Tony Parker, Point Guard – Parker is still suffering from a broken rib. He is currently listed as probable. If Parker is unable to go, look for Cory Joseph to pick up another start for the Spurs

Tiago Splitter, Center – Splitter re-aggravated his right calf injury in the game against the Hawks and is expected to miss tonight’s game. Look for Boris Diaw and Matt Bonner to pick up his minutes.

Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets have no significant injuries.

Key Matchups

Tonight’s key matchup features an emerging star and one of the league’s underrated but overpaid veterans. If you guessed the San Antonio Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard and the Brooklyn Nets’ Joe Johnson, you were right. Leonard and Johnson are two of the better small forward’s in the league and it will be fun to see how the two matchup for the second time this season. Leonard got the better of Johnson in the previous outing between the Spurs and the Nets so it will be interesting to see if the Brooklyn star can get some revenge against the 2014 NBA Finals MVP.

Kawhi Leonard is coming off a game in which he tied his career high in points, scoring 26 on 9-of-15 shooting in the Spurs win over the 76ers. Leonard also added 10 rebounds, four assists, and two steals, making for a very nice final line. The former first-round pick won’t have as many plays called for him with Tim Duncan and possibly Tony Parker returning to the floor, but, that does not mean he can’t have a big game. Leonard won’t be asked to burden too much of the offense with the two future Hall-of-Famers back but he will be relied on to play lock-down defense on Joe Johnson who is also coming off a good game.. SF. San Antonio Spurs. KAWHI LEONARD. SF

SF. Joe Johnson, much like Kawhi Leonard, had a night to remember in his team’s last outing. Johnson finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals in the Nets win over the Knicks. Overall, Johnson is having another solid year at 33-years-young. The Arkansas native is averaging 16.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists this season. Johnson will have to bring the offense and the defense if Brooklyn wants to make it two in a row. The Spurs have a lot of offense firepower and some of that will need to be slowed down and countered for the Nets to have a shot at the win tonight.. SF. Brooklyn Nets. JOE JOHNSON

Prediction

It’s another night and it’s going to be the same result for the San Antonio Spurs. This team is just in too much of a groove to let an under .500 Brooklyn Nets get in the way of their win streak.

Still, expect this game to be close. I’m sure many of the Spurs will be looking forward to Friday’s matchup against the NBA’s best Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio could let this game slip if they lose too much focus. Sure the game against Memphis is important but San Antonio needs to get the game right in front of them before they can think of a battle with the Grizzlies.

94. 147. . 98. 29

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