NBA Play of the Day for January 22nd, 2020

by Raju Byfield |
Jan 22, 2020

The Indiana Pacers are set to take on the Phoenix Suns on a busy and exciting Wednesday slate. Indiana and Phoenix have both been playing well despite each opening the week with a loss. At 28-16, the Pacers are the stronger team than the 18-25 Suns, but the -1 consensus point spread for this contest has flipped from the visiting Pacers to the hosting Suns. This should be an intriguing contest. Let's dig in.

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Details

Opening Lines: Indiana -1, O/U: 222
Current Line: Phoenix -1
O/U: 221.5
Location: Talking Stick Resort Arena, Phoenix, Arizona
Start Time: 9:00 p.m. EST
Last Meeting: Indiana defeated Phoenix, 131-97, on January 15, 2019

Overview

Indiana has been one of the more impressive teams this season. Star player Victor Oladipo has yet to play a game, but the Pacers still find themselves sixth in the Eastern Conference. Theyâ€™re on a bit of a roll recently, winning five straight games before the Utah Jazz snapped the streak on Monday. Former Sun T.J. Warren has been critical to the Pacersâ€™ success this season, and he should make for a strong number two option once Oladipo gets back into game shape. With Oladipo set to return to action next week, Indiana should cruise to the playoffs.

The Suns fell to 11th place in the West following Mondayâ€™s loss to the ninth-place San Antonio Spurs. They stormed back from a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter, but Devin Booker missed what would have been a game-winning buzzer-beater. Booker has still powered the Suns to four wins in their last six games. While the Suns are unlikely to make the playoffs this season, they are starting to show glimpses of an immensely promising future. Phoenix could be just a year away from becoming a true playoff contender in the West.

Trends

Indiana is 24-19-1 ATS on the season.
Indiana is 12-10 ATS on the road this season.
Phoenix is 22-20-1 ATS on the season.
Phoenix is 10-13 ATS at home this season.
Indiana is 5-5 ATS in its last 10 contests.
Indiana is 4-1 ATS in its last five road contests.
Indiana is 9-4 ATS in its last 13 contests as a favorite.
Indiana is 4-1 ATS in its last five contests following a win.
Phoenix is 4-6 ATS in its last 10 contests.
Phoenix is 0-5 ATS in its last five home contests.
Phoenix is 2-6 ATS in its last eight contests.
Phoenix is 2-5 ATS in its last seven contests played on one day of rest.
Over is 6-2 in Indiana's last eight road contests.
Over is 10-4 in Indiana's last 14 contests.
Over is 4-1 in Indiana's last five road contests against teams with a losing home record.
Under is 5-2 in Indiana's last seven contests against teams with a losing record.
Under is 4-1 in Phoenix's last five home contests.
Over is 18-6 in Phoenix's last 24 contests following a loss ATS.
Under is 5-2 in Phoenix's last seven Wednesday contests.
Over is 21-10 in Phoenix's last 31 contests following a loss.

Prop Bets

Devin Booker over 27.5 points (-104)
On fire recently, Booker has averaged 36 points over his last four contests and 31.4 points per game in 10 January contests. The juice is currently on the under even though Booker has cleared the 27.5 total in 11 of his last 13 games. Posted at 28.5 against San Antonio on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the 27.5 number for this contest is the result of the Suns facing a much tougher defense. The Pacers have allowed the eighth-fewest points per game on the season, and they sit with the ninth-best defense in terms of field-goal percentage against at .481. Booker is going to need to score in bunches if the Suns are to knock off the Pacers, so expect him to hoist up shots with regularity and be aggressive about getting to the stripe. This prop has more risk than our usual player picks, so lock this one in at FanDuel as a one or two-unit play at most.

Bottom Line

The Suns have played some strong basketball as of late. Indiana has also been hot. However, the Suns have been ice-cold against the spread in their most recent home games. Phoenix has lost against the spread in each of its last five home contests. Indiana, on the other hand, is 4-1 against the spread in its last five road contests. Even without Oladipo, the Pacers have looked like the much stronger team this season. The Suns have the star power, but the Pacers are the much more complete team.

The consensus point spread for this contest has seen a complete reversal despite 70 percent of the betting publicâ€™s action coming in on the Pacers. This suggests that sharp money has been placed on the Suns. With that said, Indiana has won five straight games against Phoenix and opened as favorites for a reason. The spread will very likely flip once again, making the Pacers the favorites, so lock in the +1 at FanDuel before the line changes.

Pick: Indiana Pacers +1 (-110)