Game 26 Preview: SA @ New York Knicks

Note:  Thoughts regarding MIL game are posted below.

Tonight's starting lineups:

SA (19-6, 8-5 away)
PG Tony Parker
SG Michael Finley
SF Bruce Bowen
PF Tim Duncan
C Rasho Nesterovic

NYK (6-17, 3-6 home)
PG Stephon Marbury
SG Quentin Richardson
SF Tervor Ariza
PF Channing Frye
C Jerome James

The Sickness is out again tonight.  He may miss the rest of the week, including the much anticipated Christmas day match up against the Pistons.  Eddy Curry may not play due to a sprained left ankle.

A quick rundown of my opinion of the Knicks organization:

-Larry Brown is spineless, selfish, deceitful and egomaniacal.
-Isiah Thomas has no idea how to put together a successful basketball team.

Tonight is another second game of a back-to-back (SEGABABA).  The Spurs are currently 0-4 in the SEGABABAs, with losses @DAL, @WAS, @ATL and @NO by 19, 15, 10 and 13 points respectively.  Yes, you read that correctly, all double digits losses, and 3 of those teams have losing records.  So just what in the hell is going on here?

Well, the Spurs are the oldest team in the league and that probably has something to with the Spurs being outscored by 58 points in the second halves of SEGABABAs.  Considering they lost the four games by a total of 57 points it is obvious the Spurs are folding down the stretch.  Even Parker looked tired in the fourth quarter of the NO game.  Take a look at the chart below, which shows how key Spurs perform in SEGABABAs compared to all games (MIL game stats not included).

Draw your own conclusions.

Tonight's line:  -5
Tonight's total:  185
My picks:  SA | Under
Matty da Blade's plays:  SA | Under
The Spurs are 10-15 this year ATS.  I am 9-15 ATS | 1-0 TOT.  Da Blade is 12-10-1 ATS | 9-6 TOT.