3rd Quarter Report
Down eight at the end of the second quarter, the Suns now have the lead. It’s still anybody’s game after three quarters, but they are currently ahead of the Nets 88-86. The finale is shaping up to be a lot like these teams’ last head-to-head, which was decided by just four points.
With eight games having already gone down to the wire, it’s been a real nail-biter of a season for the Suns, and they’re locked in yet another close battle with the Nets. Maybe the Suns will pull away, but we predict a narrow margin.
Who’s Playing
Brooklyn Nets @ Phoenix Suns
Current Records: Brooklyn 12-10, Phoenix 13-10
How To Watch
- When: Wednesday, December 13, 2023 at 9 p.m. ET
- Where: Footprint Center — Phoenix, Arizona
- TV: KTVK Phoenix
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $35.49
What to Know
The Suns and the Nets are an even 5-5 against one another since November of 2018, but not for long. Having just played yesterday, the Phoenix Suns will get right back to it and host the Brooklyn Nets at 9:00 p.m. ET on December 13th at Footprint Center. Coming in fresh off a win as the underdog, the Suns will stroll into this one as the favorite.
On Tuesday, Phoenix narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past Golden State 119-116. The Suns were down 40-27 with 7:53 left in the second quarter but they still came back for the handy three-point win.
The Suns’ success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Devin Booker led the charge by scoring 32 points along with seven assists. Another player making a difference was Jusuf Nurkic, who dropped a double-double on 17 points and 13 rebounds.
Meanwhile, the matchup between the Nets and the Kings on Monday hardly resembled the 101-96 effort from their previous meeting. Brooklyn fell 131-118 to Sacramento. The Nets’ defeat signaled the end of their three-game winning streak.
Phoenix’s victory bumped their record up to 13-10. As for Brooklyn, their loss dropped their record down to 12-10.
Fans should be in for an exciting game on Wednesday as both teams are among the highest scoring teams in the league right now. The Suns haven’t had any problem running up the score this season, having averaged 115.3 points per game. However, it’s not like the Nets struggle in that department as they’ve been averaging 117 points per game. With both teams so easily able to put up points, the only question left is who can run the score up higher.
The Suns didn’t have too much breathing room in their matchup against the Nets when the teams last played back in February, but they still walked away with a 116-112 victory. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was the Nets’ Cameron Thomas, who scored 43 points along with five rebounds. Now that he’s got a second chance to win this matchup, will the Suns still be able to contain him? Check CBSSports.com after the match to find out.
Odds
Phoenix is a 4.5-point favorite against Brooklyn, according to the latest NBA odds.
The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 4.5-point spread, and stayed right there.
The over/under is set at 231.5 points.
See NBA picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get picks now.
Series History
Phoenix and Brooklyn both have 5 wins in their last 10 games.
- Feb 07, 2023 – Phoenix 116 vs. Brooklyn 112
- Jan 19, 2023 – Phoenix 117 vs. Brooklyn 112
- Feb 01, 2022 – Phoenix 121 vs. Brooklyn 111
- Nov 27, 2021 – Phoenix 113 vs. Brooklyn 107
- Apr 25, 2021 – Brooklyn 128 vs. Phoenix 119
- Feb 16, 2021 – Brooklyn 128 vs. Phoenix 124
- Feb 03, 2020 – Brooklyn 119 vs. Phoenix 97
- Nov 10, 2019 – Phoenix 138 vs. Brooklyn 112
- Dec 23, 2018 – Brooklyn 111 vs. Phoenix 103
- Nov 06, 2018 – Brooklyn 104 vs. Phoenix 82
Injury Report for the Suns
- Eric Gordon: out (Calf)
- Grayson Allen: out (Groin)
- Damion Lee: out (Knee)
- Josh Okogie: out (Hip)
Injury Report for the Nets
- Ben Simmons: out (Back)
- Dennis Smith Jr.: out (Back)
- Lonnie Walker IV: out (Hamstring)
- Dariq Whitehead: out (Foot)
