76ers Look To Get Back On Track At Home
By Dan Bruno
The Philadelphia 76ers play host to the Minnesota Timberwolves at Wells Fargo Center on Saturday evening.
This marks the first game back home after a six-game road trip for the 76ers (10-9), where they went, 2-4, including a loss in Golden State in their most recent contest. They will be looking to get back on track at home, where they have a, 4-4, record. Tobias Harris (hip) has missed the last two games, while Joel Embiid (COVID-19) has missed the last nine contests, and they both remain questionable for action on Saturday. On a positive note, Tyrese Maxey continues his strong play, as he is averaging 22.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.0 steals, over the last 10 games. Seth Curry is averaging 15.9 points on 50 percent shooting, including 41 percent from long range, while Shake Milton is averaging 12.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. The Sixers are averaging 107.1 points per game, and they are holding opponents to an average of 106.2 points per game.
Meanwhile, this marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Timberwolves (9-10), as they are coming off a rough loss in Charlotte on Friday night. The contest got out to a tight start, as the Timberwolves trailed, 30-28, after one quarter. However, they fell behind by 15 points in the second, before they cut it back to a 10-point game by halftime. They had no answers in the second half, as they saw the deficit grow to 16 points, by the end of three quarters. They trailed by a game-high 24 points mid way through the fourth and took the loss, which marked the end of a five-game winning streak. Karl-Anthony Towns led the Timberwolves with 25 points, seven rebounds, six assists and a steal. D'Angelo Russell tallied 18 points, six rebounds and five assists, while Malik Beasley added 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting, off the bench. Patrick Beverley (groin) did not play in the contest and remains questionable for action on Saturday.
This marks the first game back home after a six-game road trip for the 76ers (10-9), where they went, 2-4, including a loss in Golden State in their most recent contest. They will be looking to get back on track at home, where they have a, 4-4, record. Tobias Harris (hip) has missed the last two games, while Joel Embiid (COVID-19) has missed the last nine contests, and they both remain questionable for action on Saturday. On a positive note, Tyrese Maxey continues his strong play, as he is averaging 22.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.0 steals, over the last 10 games. Seth Curry is averaging 15.9 points on 50 percent shooting, including 41 percent from long range, while Shake Milton is averaging 12.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. The Sixers are averaging 107.1 points per game, and they are holding opponents to an average of 106.2 points per game.
Meanwhile, this marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Timberwolves (9-10), as they are coming off a rough loss in Charlotte on Friday night. The contest got out to a tight start, as the Timberwolves trailed, 30-28, after one quarter. However, they fell behind by 15 points in the second, before they cut it back to a 10-point game by halftime. They had no answers in the second half, as they saw the deficit grow to 16 points, by the end of three quarters. They trailed by a game-high 24 points mid way through the fourth and took the loss, which marked the end of a five-game winning streak. Karl-Anthony Towns led the Timberwolves with 25 points, seven rebounds, six assists and a steal. D'Angelo Russell tallied 18 points, six rebounds and five assists, while Malik Beasley added 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting, off the bench. Patrick Beverley (groin) did not play in the contest and remains questionable for action on Saturday.
Knicks and Hawks Tangle in Atlanta
The New York Knicks take on the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on Saturday night.
Friday night, the Knicks (10-9) had the misfortune of tangling with a team even hotter than the Hawks squad they'll face Saturday night, and they dropped a 118-97 decision to those Phoenix Suns, New York's fifth loss in the last eight contests. Kemba Walker led the way with 17 points, adding three rebounds, two assists and one steal. Immanuel Quickley furnished 16 points, four assists and two rebounds. Evan Fournier netted 11 points, five rebounds and one assist, while R.J. Barrett mustered just 10 points, three boards and one steal.
The Knicks will likely list Derrick Rose (ankle) and Taj Gibson (groin) as no better than questionable for Friday's game.
The Hawks (11-9) continue to leave an ugly six-game skid firmly in the rearview mirror, as they've recorded seven straight wins following that stretch. Their most recent success came Friday night at the expense of the Memphis Grizzlies, which lost Ja Morant to a knee injury in the first half during a 132-100 win for Atlanta. Trae Young led the Hawks with 31 points, adding 10 assists. Clint Capela followed with a 23-point, 17-point double-double that included two assists, three blocks and one steal. John Collins delivered 21 points, eight boards, two assists, one steal and one block. Cam Reddish led the second unit with 14 points.
The Hawks project to go into Saturday's game without any long-term injuries to report.
Saturday's contest marks the first of four meetings between the teams this season. The Knicks swept the three-game 2020-21 regular-season series from the Hawks but then fell to Atlanta by a 4-1 margin in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.
Friday night, the Knicks (10-9) had the misfortune of tangling with a team even hotter than the Hawks squad they'll face Saturday night, and they dropped a 118-97 decision to those Phoenix Suns, New York's fifth loss in the last eight contests. Kemba Walker led the way with 17 points, adding three rebounds, two assists and one steal. Immanuel Quickley furnished 16 points, four assists and two rebounds. Evan Fournier netted 11 points, five rebounds and one assist, while R.J. Barrett mustered just 10 points, three boards and one steal.
The Knicks will likely list Derrick Rose (ankle) and Taj Gibson (groin) as no better than questionable for Friday's game.
The Hawks (11-9) continue to leave an ugly six-game skid firmly in the rearview mirror, as they've recorded seven straight wins following that stretch. Their most recent success came Friday night at the expense of the Memphis Grizzlies, which lost Ja Morant to a knee injury in the first half during a 132-100 win for Atlanta. Trae Young led the Hawks with 31 points, adding 10 assists. Clint Capela followed with a 23-point, 17-point double-double that included two assists, three blocks and one steal. John Collins delivered 21 points, eight boards, two assists, one steal and one block. Cam Reddish led the second unit with 14 points.
The Hawks project to go into Saturday's game without any long-term injuries to report.
Saturday's contest marks the first of four meetings between the teams this season. The Knicks swept the three-game 2020-21 regular-season series from the Hawks but then fell to Atlanta by a 4-1 margin in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.
Nets Host Suns Aiming To End Their Winning Streak
The Brooklyn Nets will host the Phoenix Suns at Barclays Center on Saturday night.
The Nets (14-5) are coming off a 123-104 win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, a win that extended their winning streak to four contests. Patty Mills has been thriving as a starter for the Nets this season and led the team offensively with 23 points, while Kevin Durant notched 21 points and eight assists. LaMarcus Aldridge had 17 points and nine rebounds, and James Harden came close to a triple-double with 20 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Cam Thomas added 13 points and looked quite good off the bench as well. The Nets have also gone 6-3 at home this season.
The Suns (16-3) are coming off another sounding win Friday, as they got past the Knicks by a 118-97 score that pushed their winning streak to 15 contests. Devin Booker led the way for the Suns with 32 points and three assists, while Chris Paul chipped in with 14 points and 10 assists. Deandre Ayton also had a double-double since he contributed 14 points and 13 rebounds, while Mikal Bridges ended with 10 points and Jae Crowder added 11 points of his own. Cameron Payne had 13 points and six dimes off the bench. The Suns are also scorching hot on the road where they've gone 8-1 this season so far.
The Nets (14-5) are coming off a 123-104 win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, a win that extended their winning streak to four contests. Patty Mills has been thriving as a starter for the Nets this season and led the team offensively with 23 points, while Kevin Durant notched 21 points and eight assists. LaMarcus Aldridge had 17 points and nine rebounds, and James Harden came close to a triple-double with 20 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Cam Thomas added 13 points and looked quite good off the bench as well. The Nets have also gone 6-3 at home this season.
The Suns (16-3) are coming off another sounding win Friday, as they got past the Knicks by a 118-97 score that pushed their winning streak to 15 contests. Devin Booker led the way for the Suns with 32 points and three assists, while Chris Paul chipped in with 14 points and 10 assists. Deandre Ayton also had a double-double since he contributed 14 points and 13 rebounds, while Mikal Bridges ended with 10 points and Jae Crowder added 11 points of his own. Cameron Payne had 13 points and six dimes off the bench. The Suns are also scorching hot on the road where they've gone 8-1 this season so far.
Bulls Host Heat on Saturday
The Chicago Bulls play host to the Miami Heat at United Center on Saturday.
The Heat (12-7) come into this matchup winning five of their last seven games, beating some of the worst teams in the NBA in that stretch. That overshadows a somewhat disappointing stretch prior, with Miami posting a 6-6 record over their last 12 games. They've also lost most of those games against tough competition, and it has a lot of people wondering if this is one of the elite teams in the Eastern Conference. In any case, this record would indicate that they are, and the roster would too. Tyler Herro has arguably been the most critical piece for this team, averaging over 20 points per game and establishing himself as the frontrunner for Sixth Man of the Year.
The Bulls (13-7) have one of the best records in the NBA, and they continue to stifle their opponents. This new-look Chicago club ranks Top-5 in both points allowed and defensive efficiency, gelling beautifully on that end of the floor. That's amazing since they've been playing without Nikola Vucevic for the last two weeks, with the big man returning two days ago after a battle with COVID. He's had down numbers by his standards, and it's incredible that this club has done so well with him struggling. The wing duo of Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan has been the key for this club, averaging over 50 points per game combined. That's scary since Vooch will inevitably get back to his 20-10 ways, making this one of the most dangerous teams in the NBA.
These teams played three times last year, with Miami winning two of three. That gives the Heat 10 wins in their previous 13 meetings with the Bulls, dating back five years.
The Heat (12-7) come into this matchup winning five of their last seven games, beating some of the worst teams in the NBA in that stretch. That overshadows a somewhat disappointing stretch prior, with Miami posting a 6-6 record over their last 12 games. They've also lost most of those games against tough competition, and it has a lot of people wondering if this is one of the elite teams in the Eastern Conference. In any case, this record would indicate that they are, and the roster would too. Tyler Herro has arguably been the most critical piece for this team, averaging over 20 points per game and establishing himself as the frontrunner for Sixth Man of the Year.
The Bulls (13-7) have one of the best records in the NBA, and they continue to stifle their opponents. This new-look Chicago club ranks Top-5 in both points allowed and defensive efficiency, gelling beautifully on that end of the floor. That's amazing since they've been playing without Nikola Vucevic for the last two weeks, with the big man returning two days ago after a battle with COVID. He's had down numbers by his standards, and it's incredible that this club has done so well with him struggling. The wing duo of Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan has been the key for this club, averaging over 50 points per game combined. That's scary since Vooch will inevitably get back to his 20-10 ways, making this one of the most dangerous teams in the NBA.
These teams played three times last year, with Miami winning two of three. That gives the Heat 10 wins in their previous 13 meetings with the Bulls, dating back five years.
Cavaliers Host Magic on Saturday
The Cleveland Cavaliers play host to the Orlando Magic at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on Saturday.
The Magic (4-16) come into this matchup in the midst of a five-game losing streak, grabbing just one win through their last nine games in total. That's a horrific run in what's been a nightmarish decade, and it's really tough to see a silver lining for this club right now. The only thing fans can look forward to is this frontcourt, with Wendell Carter Jr and Mo Bamba both thriving in the starting lineup. It's rare to see two traditional centers play well with one another, but Orlando has figured it out. Where they need to see some improvement is in their backcourt. Cole Anthony was looking like the star of the show through the first month, but an ankle injury has kept him out of the lineup for the last week.
The Cavaliers (9-10) have been one of the surprises of the NBA, battling for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. What's really encouraging is the growth of this young core, with Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen all playing well together. That makes the Collin Sexton (knee) injury even more devastating, but it'll be interesting to see how they look when he returns. It won't be anytime soon, though, and it's allowed Ricky Rubio to have a huge role off the bench. He's been a pleasant surprise in what's been a career year, and it's made this one of the most dangerous teams in the Eastern Conference. With all that said, Cleveland enters this matchup in the midst of a five-game losing streak, seeing a lot of that good early-season work going right down the drain.
Orlando has dominated this series over recent years, winning nine of their last 10 games in this series. Before that, the Cavaliers won 19 of their previous 20 games over the Magic.
The Magic (4-16) come into this matchup in the midst of a five-game losing streak, grabbing just one win through their last nine games in total. That's a horrific run in what's been a nightmarish decade, and it's really tough to see a silver lining for this club right now. The only thing fans can look forward to is this frontcourt, with Wendell Carter Jr and Mo Bamba both thriving in the starting lineup. It's rare to see two traditional centers play well with one another, but Orlando has figured it out. Where they need to see some improvement is in their backcourt. Cole Anthony was looking like the star of the show through the first month, but an ankle injury has kept him out of the lineup for the last week.
The Cavaliers (9-10) have been one of the surprises of the NBA, battling for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. What's really encouraging is the growth of this young core, with Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen all playing well together. That makes the Collin Sexton (knee) injury even more devastating, but it'll be interesting to see how they look when he returns. It won't be anytime soon, though, and it's allowed Ricky Rubio to have a huge role off the bench. He's been a pleasant surprise in what's been a career year, and it's made this one of the most dangerous teams in the Eastern Conference. With all that said, Cleveland enters this matchup in the midst of a five-game losing streak, seeing a lot of that good early-season work going right down the drain.
Orlando has dominated this series over recent years, winning nine of their last 10 games in this series. Before that, the Cavaliers won 19 of their previous 20 games over the Magic.
Hornets Look To Keep Rolling On Second Night Of Back-To-Back
By Dan Bruno
The Houston Rockets play host to the Charlotte Hornets at Toyota Center on Saturday evening.
This marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Hornets (13-8), as they are coming off an impressive home win over the Timberwolves on Friday night. The contest got out to a tight start, but the Hornets gathered momentum in the second quarter and rallied to 10-point game by halftime. They kept it going in the third quarter and pushed their lead to 16, heading into the final frame. The Hornets stayed in control through the fourth and charged to a game-high 24-point lead mid way through the quarter, which was enough to hold on for their third straight win. It was a great team effort for the Hornets, as seven players scored in double digits, led by Kelly Oubre, who totaled 27 points on 10-of-17 shooting, off the bench. Miles Bridges and Gordon Hayward added 18 points each, while LaMelo Ball tallied 10 points, six rebounds, 13 assists and a steal. The Hornets will look to keep rolling, as they face the first game a of a four-game road trip, with the hopes of building on their, 6-6, road record.
Meanwhile, the Rockets (2-16) are coming off an impressive home win over the Bulls in their most recent contest, on Wednesday. The win marked only their second of the season, while they improved to, 2-5, at home. They will look to keep building in the right direction as they get set for the second game of a three-game home stand. Christian Wood leads the team, averaging 15.5 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. Rookie, Jalen Green is averaging 14.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists, while Eric Gordon is averaging 12.9 points on 45 percent shooting, including 42 percent from long range. The Rockets have had their troubles on the defensive end, as they are giving up an average of 111.5 points per game, which is fourth most in the league, however, the Hornets have not done any better, giving up an average of 112.4 points per game, which is third most.
This marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Hornets (13-8), as they are coming off an impressive home win over the Timberwolves on Friday night. The contest got out to a tight start, but the Hornets gathered momentum in the second quarter and rallied to 10-point game by halftime. They kept it going in the third quarter and pushed their lead to 16, heading into the final frame. The Hornets stayed in control through the fourth and charged to a game-high 24-point lead mid way through the quarter, which was enough to hold on for their third straight win. It was a great team effort for the Hornets, as seven players scored in double digits, led by Kelly Oubre, who totaled 27 points on 10-of-17 shooting, off the bench. Miles Bridges and Gordon Hayward added 18 points each, while LaMelo Ball tallied 10 points, six rebounds, 13 assists and a steal. The Hornets will look to keep rolling, as they face the first game a of a four-game road trip, with the hopes of building on their, 6-6, road record.
Meanwhile, the Rockets (2-16) are coming off an impressive home win over the Bulls in their most recent contest, on Wednesday. The win marked only their second of the season, while they improved to, 2-5, at home. They will look to keep building in the right direction as they get set for the second game of a three-game home stand. Christian Wood leads the team, averaging 15.5 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. Rookie, Jalen Green is averaging 14.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists, while Eric Gordon is averaging 12.9 points on 45 percent shooting, including 42 percent from long range. The Rockets have had their troubles on the defensive end, as they are giving up an average of 111.5 points per game, which is fourth most in the league, however, the Hornets have not done any better, giving up an average of 112.4 points per game, which is third most.
Mavs Look To Stay Strong At Home
By Dan Bruno
The Dallas Mavericks play host to the Washington Wizards at American Airlines Center on Saturday evening.
This marks the first game back home after a four-game road trip for the Mavs (10-7), where they went, 1-3, with two losses in Phoenix and a loss in L.A. against the Clippers, before they they bounced back with a win in L.A., against the Clippers, in their most recent contest. They will look to build off the recent win and stay strong at home, where they have an impressive, 6-1, record. Jalen Brunson (foot) has been playing great lately but is listed as questionable for action. Luka Doncic continues to lead the team, averaging 25.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Kristaps Porzingis is averaging 21.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks, while Tim Hardaway Jr. is averaging 14.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
Meanwhile, this marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Wizards (12-7), as they are coming off a hard-fought win in OKC on Friday night. The contest got out to a tight start, as they trailed, 27-25, after one quarter. They saw the deficit grow to 10, mid way through the second, but they closed the half on a, 19-7, run to take a two-point lead into the break. The Wizards came out strong in the third and pushed their advantage to eight points, heading into the final frame. They lost control early in the fourth and the game was tied at 84, with 6:37 left. However, the Wizards quickly reclaimed the edge and did not look back on their way to the road win, ending a two-game slide. Bradley Beal and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope poured in 20 points each to lead the way in the win. Montrezl Harrell followed up with 14 points and five rebounds, off the bench, while Kyle Kuzma totaled 11 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. The Wizards will look to keep rolling as they face the third game of their current four-game road trip, where they have gone, 1-1, so far, while hoping to build on their, 5-5, road record.
This marks the first game back home after a four-game road trip for the Mavs (10-7), where they went, 1-3, with two losses in Phoenix and a loss in L.A. against the Clippers, before they they bounced back with a win in L.A., against the Clippers, in their most recent contest. They will look to build off the recent win and stay strong at home, where they have an impressive, 6-1, record. Jalen Brunson (foot) has been playing great lately but is listed as questionable for action. Luka Doncic continues to lead the team, averaging 25.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Kristaps Porzingis is averaging 21.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks, while Tim Hardaway Jr. is averaging 14.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
Meanwhile, this marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Wizards (12-7), as they are coming off a hard-fought win in OKC on Friday night. The contest got out to a tight start, as they trailed, 27-25, after one quarter. They saw the deficit grow to 10, mid way through the second, but they closed the half on a, 19-7, run to take a two-point lead into the break. The Wizards came out strong in the third and pushed their advantage to eight points, heading into the final frame. They lost control early in the fourth and the game was tied at 84, with 6:37 left. However, the Wizards quickly reclaimed the edge and did not look back on their way to the road win, ending a two-game slide. Bradley Beal and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope poured in 20 points each to lead the way in the win. Montrezl Harrell followed up with 14 points and five rebounds, off the bench, while Kyle Kuzma totaled 11 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. The Wizards will look to keep rolling as they face the third game of their current four-game road trip, where they have gone, 1-1, so far, while hoping to build on their, 5-5, road record.
Jazz Host Pelicans on Saturday
The New Orleans Pelicans travel to Salt Lake City to face the Utah Jazz at Vivint Arena on Saturday.
The Pelicans (5-16) come into this matchup winning their last two games, posting a 3-3 record across their previous six games in total. That's easily their best stretch of the season, owning one of the worst records in the NBA. They had just two wins before this most recent run, but getting Brandon Ingram back in the fold has certainly helped. The next step is to get Zion Williamson back from his foot issue, and they finally got some good news on him Friday afternoon. The big man had his first full practice of the season, and it looks like he'll make his season debut sooner rather than later. He's one of the most dominant players in the NBA, and getting him back can't be overlooked.
The Jazz (12-7) come into this matchup winning four of their last six games, suffering a loss against these Pelicans on Friday night. That was actually the largest upset of the season, and it's definitely an outlier in an otherwise impressive run. Taking care of the ball was the big difference in that defeat, with New Orleans having 27 assists to 13 turnovers while Utah matched their 17 assists to 17 turnovers. That's a rare feat from this well-run team, and it likely won't happen again here. This club still ranks second in points scored, fourth in rebounding, and Top-10 in defensive efficiency and points allowed, making them one of the most dangerous teams in the NBA.
Even with New Orleans winning on Friday, Utah has won 14 of their last 20 games over New Orleans.
The Pelicans (5-16) come into this matchup winning their last two games, posting a 3-3 record across their previous six games in total. That's easily their best stretch of the season, owning one of the worst records in the NBA. They had just two wins before this most recent run, but getting Brandon Ingram back in the fold has certainly helped. The next step is to get Zion Williamson back from his foot issue, and they finally got some good news on him Friday afternoon. The big man had his first full practice of the season, and it looks like he'll make his season debut sooner rather than later. He's one of the most dominant players in the NBA, and getting him back can't be overlooked.
The Jazz (12-7) come into this matchup winning four of their last six games, suffering a loss against these Pelicans on Friday night. That was actually the largest upset of the season, and it's definitely an outlier in an otherwise impressive run. Taking care of the ball was the big difference in that defeat, with New Orleans having 27 assists to 13 turnovers while Utah matched their 17 assists to 17 turnovers. That's a rare feat from this well-run team, and it likely won't happen again here. This club still ranks second in points scored, fourth in rebounding, and Top-10 in defensive efficiency and points allowed, making them one of the most dangerous teams in the NBA.
Even with New Orleans winning on Friday, Utah has won 14 of their last 20 games over New Orleans.