Sky Sports showing a record 48 weekend NBA Primetime games in the 2019-20 season
Monday 16 December 2019 04:55, UK
Who will prevail in this weekend's NBA Primetime games live on Sky Sports? Ovie Soko previews Spurs @ Suns in Mexico City and Magic @ Pelicans.
Watch via free live stream on skysports.com, Sky Sports mobile app and Sky Sports YouTube channel
I've got to go with the Suns. It's compulsory. This is my squad. I'm picking them even if they are facing the Lakers!
There is only one Western Conference team involved in these Primetime games this weekend that is in genuine contention to reach playoffs and that is the Suns.
In their match-up with the Spurs, we're looking at two completely different teams going in different directions this year. Devin Booker is playing very well and my guy Kelly Oubre is playing great on both sides of the ball. The Suns are going to take care of business.
I think the Spurs are coming to the end of the Gregg Popovich era. Obviously he will go down in history. What he has achieved over the last 20 years is unbelievable.
Now I believe it is a new generation of players that he is working with and to build a winning culture means doing things differently as far as working with these new young guys coming into the league.
But we are in a different time. The way he has been able to coach - and he is famous for it - is of getting into his superstar players, holding them accountable. I don't think today's players are built for that. They don't take coaching the same way as the guys like Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, the guys 'Pop' built his name around, did.
We are getting towards a handover time in San Antonio and I think the Spurs will go in a new direction soon. This is the season where their 22-year playoff streak comes to end, especially given the strength of the Western Conference. It is no joke.
Watch via free live stream on skysports.com, Sky Sports mobile app and Sky Sports YouTube channel
This is a game where you have two teams that are not yet on everyone's radar. They are both going to be out to get this 'W'. But I think the Pelicans will take care of this one at home.
Zion Williamson is still out and I'm not sure how much we will get to see of him this season. If he does come back, the Pelicans will definitely use some form of load management with him, especially given his style of play. At 100 per cent, he is very physical and extremely active.
A lot of people have said they are worried that he won't be able to play like that at his weight and, to be honest, that wouldn't surprise me. People have been very vocal about the longevity of his style of play.
Given the Pelicans current record (6-19) and the number of losses they could potentially have suffered by the time Zion gets back, it wouldn't surprise me if the team shuts him down for the season. We've seen the Sixers do that with Joel Embiid before.
Someone like Zion, you desperately don't want to rush him back because he is going to want to get out on the court and show everyone that the hype is real. Doing that could be a little bit dangerous for him physically. The Pelicans must make sure his body is ready.
