The Phoenix Suns season has been filled with highs and lows, and they seem to be in the middle of a hot streak, going 8-2 over their last 10. They will be facing the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, a team seemingly on the edge of collapsing in on itself.
In the Suns’ last game Saturday, they beat the Detroit Pistons 116-100, the second of five straight road games. The Nets did lose in the first of a home back-to-back against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday, 124-116, but Cam Thomas continued to play well, scoring 47 points.
Let’s check the latest NBA news, stats, injury report and NBA lines for Suns vs Nets. We’ve got plenty of NBA picks for you to consider.
Suns Hoping For Reinforcements
All signs point to Devin Booker returning to the court for the Suns Tuesday. Booker has missed the last 20 games and only played in three, dating back to December 9th. His absence has been surely felt, along with other injured players. The time since Booker’s injury has led to most of the low points of the Suns’ season.
However, the prospect of Booker’s return has not been the only recent highlight. Deandre Ayton has finally started to assert himself on the court, being one of the highest-paid players on the roster. Over the last six games, he has averaged 21.5 points and 12.7 rebounds. He finished with 31 points and 16 rebounds in the win over the Pistons. Sure, it was against arguably the worst team in the league, but it could help him trend upwards.
Many role players had to step up in the win over the Pistons, in which Chris Paul had two points, not making a field goal, but ended with 14 assists. The wing combo of Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson combined for 44 points. Bridges has been solid over the last 10 games, averaging 23.4 points.
Nets Kind of Have Good Vibes
Nearly two weeks ago, when Cam Thomas was still getting spot minutes with Kevin Durant injured, a reporter asked him why he doesn’t smile. His response was, “Ain’t s*** funny.” Now he is regularly smiling on the court, likely helped by scoring 91 points in the Nets’ last two games since Kyrie Irving requested a trade.
With Durant and Ben Simmons injured and Irving being traded, Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn has had to go deep into his bench to find playing time. Thomas has been hiding there for a while, being a ball-dominant player on a team with elite scorers. It’s hard to get an opportunity when Durant and Irving are in front of you, but that may change now.
Thomas is not the only player taking advantage of the extra minutes, with Edmond Sumner scoring 29 points in the win over the Washington Wizards and 23 in the Clippers’ loss. Allowing the young players to go out and play hard has given them confidence, creating a “good vibe” around the team despite the circumstances.
Simmons could be making his return against the Suns, along with the possibility of Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith playing their first game with the Nets.
Suns vs Nets Game Injuries
Suns vs Nets Head-to-Head
The Suns have won the last three games against the Nets, including 117-112 in Phoenix this season on Jan. 19. That game started this 8-2 run, with Bridges scoring 28 points.
Suns vs Nets Game Information
- Game: Suns (29-26) vs Nets (32-21)
- Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
- Day/Time: Tuesday, Jan. 7th, 7:30 p.m. EST
- Suns vs Nets Live Stream: NBA Game Pass
Suns vs Nets Betting Lines
Suns vs Nets Picks & Prediction
The Suns and the Nets may need to integrate players into the rotation for this game. Devin Booker’s return to the court is very likely, which should boost the Suns. Ben Simmons hasn’t played well for the Nets, and his return may disrupt the team’s energy right now. On top of that, Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith, who were traded for in the Irving deal, have a chance of playing.
Booker obviously would be a seamless integration back, while the Nets could struggle to find a rhythm with new players.
The Phoenix Suns are listed at -220 in our Vegas NBA lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Suns, you have a chance to win $45. The Brooklyn Nets are +180, offering a chance to win $180 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Phoenix Suns a 68.75% chance to win, with the Brooklyn Nets at 35.71%.
Suns vs Nets Trends
Suns vs Nets Edge
Suns vs Nets Results
Suns vs Nets Game Summary
Nets vs Suns Previous Game (Jan. 19, 2022)
The Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns are two NBA Finals hopefuls amid rough patches. The Nets are losers of three in a row, while the Suns’ season, which got off to a great start, has been a mess since late December.
The Nets may be dealing with some injury issues to key players, but the Suns are an absolute mess right now without Paul leading the offense. Until Phoenix gets some guys off the injury report, they aren’t a team we are willing to trust most nights.
