NBA Betting: Spurs hit the road

Basketball / Nick Shiambouros / 02 February 2010 / Leave a Comment

"Over the years the Spurs have used this trip to refocus their energy and assess where they are at the halfway point of the season."

The San Antonio Spurs leave Texas behind this week to embark on their annual Rodeo Road Trip which starts in Sacramento on Wednesday. Nick Shiambouros assesses their chances of emerging victorious.

The Spurs will play eight road games in a long trip, covering over six thousand miles. The reason for such a long trip is to make way for the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo which takes place in their arena every year.

Over the years the Spurs have used this trip to refocus their energy and assess where they are at the halfway point of the season. Many of the senior players like Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobil will spend valuable time bonding with the younger and less experienced players in the rotation.

This will be the first trip for rookie DeJuan Blair who has been the find of the season in my opinion. This forward from Pittsburgh is having an outstanding first year as a professional and is a star in the making. I am sure Tim Duncan will spend some time mentoring this player who has a big future ahead of him.

The Spurs start this road trip with a record of 27-19 and are currently in fifth place in the Western Conference. This is not an ideal situation and they will be anxious to have a winning record over the next eight games. This is not a young team but their wealth of experience will serve them well on this trip.

The schedule is not particularly demanding for San Antonio with the exception of a trip to the Lakers on the 8th and Denver on the 11th. I think the rest of the fixtures are well within their capabilities.

San Antonio has to travel to the East coast in the middle of the month to face Indiana on the 17th, Philadelphia on the 19th and Detroit on the 21st. This is the softest part of the trip and I will be surprised if they do not win all three games.

My banker of this road trip has to be the final game against the Detroit Pistons. Detroit are in the midst of a terrible run and are second from bottom in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons have nothing left to play for and are playing like it. The Spurs will take full advantage of a team in turmoil.
　
On February 14, the Spurs visit Dallas to take part in the All-Star game. This year the game will take place at the new Cowboys Stadium but most of the players will just be relaxing and enjoying the celebrations.

San Antonio coach Greg Popovich will use this valuable time to sit down with his players in a relaxed atmosphere and prepare them for the second half of the season. Popovich is one of the most respected coaches in the NBA. If he cant motivate a team, I don't know who can.

Recommended wagers:

Back San Antonio with advertised handicap against Sacramento Feb 3rd, Portland 4th, Los Angeles Clippers 6th , Indiana 17th, Philadelphia 19th, Detroit 21st .