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The San Antonio Spurs have been able to topple all comers on the hardwood this season, but finally lost to their biggest opponent – age - this past week.
The Spurs will be without point guard Tony Parker for at least two weeks due to a calf injury, heading into Tuesday’s road date with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Injuries to its backcourt have plagued San Antonio for the past few seasons, keeping the veteran-laden Spurs from competing with the Lakers, Mavericks and Nuggets in the Western Conference.
Last season, Parker missed 26 games with a bevy of different ailments – everything from hip and hand injuries to food poisoning. San Antonio head coach Greg Popovich is as savvy as they come and has been through this before. He’s inserting backup guard George Hill into the starting five and will rely on shooting guard Manu Ginobili to handle the ball handling duties.
"It's going to be even rougher," Ginobili told reporters. "Of course, when Tony's on the court, the whole dynamic of the team changes because he is so good at breaking the first line, finding open teammates or finishing."
Ginobili is no spring chicken either, missing 38 games due to ankle troubles two years ago. And, much like a car with a clunk in the engine, one broken part can easily lead to another.
The Spurs enter Tuesday with an impressive 34-23-2 ATS mark, despite being the top team in the NBA – a role that can suck the line value out of even the most consistent clubs.
Parker’s injury could be the tipping point for this team’s success against the spread. It may in fact, already be on the way down. San Antonio is 0-4 ATS despite going 3-1 SU in its last four outings. The Spurs failed to cover as 8.5, 11 and 7-point chalk in their last three – all victories. The one SU loss in this span was a 109-99 defeat in Chicago as 2-point underdogs before the All-Star break.
San Antonio faces a tough stretch in the coming weeks, hosting the likes of Los Angeles and Miami following two road games this week. Then, it plays six of eight games away from the AT&T Center in the middle of March.
The Spurs’ stranglehold on the Western Conference may hold firm during Parker’s absence, but their betting value could be little long in the tooth for the remainder of the season.
The Spurs will be without point guard Tony Parker for at least two weeks due to a calf injury, heading into Tuesday’s road date with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Injuries to its backcourt have plagued San Antonio for the past few seasons, keeping the veteran-laden Spurs from competing with the Lakers, Mavericks and Nuggets in the Western Conference.
Last season, Parker missed 26 games with a bevy of different ailments – everything from hip and hand injuries to food poisoning. San Antonio head coach Greg Popovich is as savvy as they come and has been through this before. He’s inserting backup guard George Hill into the starting five and will rely on shooting guard Manu Ginobili to handle the ball handling duties.
"It's going to be even rougher," Ginobili told reporters. "Of course, when Tony's on the court, the whole dynamic of the team changes because he is so good at breaking the first line, finding open teammates or finishing."
Ginobili is no spring chicken either, missing 38 games due to ankle troubles two years ago. And, much like a car with a clunk in the engine, one broken part can easily lead to another.
The Spurs enter Tuesday with an impressive 34-23-2 ATS mark, despite being the top team in the NBA – a role that can suck the line value out of even the most consistent clubs.
Parker’s injury could be the tipping point for this team’s success against the spread. It may in fact, already be on the way down. San Antonio is 0-4 ATS despite going 3-1 SU in its last four outings. The Spurs failed to cover as 8.5, 11 and 7-point chalk in their last three – all victories. The one SU loss in this span was a 109-99 defeat in Chicago as 2-point underdogs before the All-Star break.
San Antonio faces a tough stretch in the coming weeks, hosting the likes of Los Angeles and Miami following two road games this week. Then, it plays six of eight games away from the AT&T Center in the middle of March.
The Spurs’ stranglehold on the Western Conference may hold firm during Parker’s absence, but their betting value could be little long in the tooth for the remainder of the season.
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