Streaking Suns visit shaky Spurs in San Antonio

Basketball Betting Lines

02/28/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A pair of Western Conference contenders jockey for playoff position in south Texas this afternoon when the Phoenix Suns visit the San Antonio Spurs.

The streaking Suns, who are fifth in the conference, 1 1/2 games behind Utah, won their fifth game in a row Friday when Robin Lopez made 13-of-16 shots from the field on his way to a career-high 30 points as Phoenix continued its recent dominance over the Los Angeles Clippers with a 125-112 victory at US Airways Center.

The Suns have won seven straight versus the Clippers and have taken 18 of the last 23 matchups between the clubs.

Lopez also had a career-best 12 rebounds in the contest and is averaging 13.1 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting a gaudy 63.9 percent since taking over as a starter.

"I just try to be very efficient out there," Lopez said. "Whenever my teammates run an option, I've just got to put the ball in the basket and to shoot with that kind of efficiency; it just tells me I'm doing my job out there."

Amare Stoudemire added 20 points for the Suns. Grant Hill tallied 18 points, six rebounds, and six assists. Channing Frye donated 15 points off the bench while Jason Richardson ended with 14 points and six boards for Phoenix.

The Spurs, who currently hold the seventh seed in the West, have dropped three of their past four after bowing to in-state rival Houston, 109-104, on Friday.

Kevin Martin finished with 33 points, Aaron Brooks had 31 and Luis Scola ended with a career-high 30, as the Rockets made team history in the win. It was the first time that three Rockets players had at least 30 points in a single contest, as the trio combined to go 30-of-64 from the field and 32-of-32 from the foul line.

George Hill had 26 points to pace the Spurs. Tim Duncan added 17 points and eight rebounds, but the other three San Antonio starters finished with zero points, going 0-for-8 from the floor.

The Spurs, playing without Tony Parker because of food poisoning, got 15 points from Richard Jefferson. Manu Ginobili hauled in a season-high 10 boards but shot only 1-for-8 and had eight points.

"We turned the ball over early and shot poorly tonight," Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said. "[The Rockets] were real crisp and sharp in execution, offensively, and that was a bad combo with our bad team defense, bad shooting and turnovers."

Parker, who also has an ailing hip, is questionable for this afternoon's game.

The Suns snapped a three-game skid to San Antonio with a 116-104 win in the desert on Dec. 15.

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Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .

''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''

Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.

He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.

''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''

Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.

Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.

With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.

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