Hawks Face Pistons In Motown Showdown
The Atlanta Hawks take on the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday afternoon.
The Hawks (8-23) have been enduring the growing pains that are part and parcel of any rebuilding effort, but they've had plenty to smile about of late. Atlanta has notched two straight victories, a modest feat that they nevertheless have only accomplished on two other occasions this season. The Hawks' most recent success came at the expense of the New York Knicks, which they toppled by a 114-107 score on Friday night. Kent Bazemore led the way with 22 points, a total he supplemented with six rebounds, one assist and one steal. John Collins followed with a 17-point, 16-rebound double-double that also included four assists. Kyle Huerter poured in 16 points. Tre Young registered 15 points, 10 assists, three rebounds and one steal. DeAndre Bembry and Alex Len managed 12 points apiece, while Jeremy Lin contributed 11.
The Hawks will continue to be without Taurean Prince (ankle) and Miles Plumlee (knee) in Sunday's contest. Meanwhile, Alex Poythress (ankle) will be listed as probable, Collins (ankle) as questionable and Omari Spellman (hip) as doubtful.
The Pistons (15-15) have crashed back to earth after a red-hot start, and they'll come into Sunday's game having dropped eight of their last 10 games. Detroit's most recent stumble came versus the Charlotte Hornets, which toppled them by a 98-86 score on Friday night. Blake Griffin led the way for the Pistons with 23 points, supplementing them with seven rebounds, five assists and one block. Andre Drummond contributed a 17-point, 16-rebound double-double that also included three steals. Reggie Jackson managed 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and one steal. Reggie Bullock poured in 11 points.
The Pistons will continue to be without the trio of Ish Smith (groin), Glenn Robinson (ankle) and Henry Ellenson (ankle) on Sunday.
Sunday's game marks the second meeting of the season between the two teams. The Pistons notched a 124-109 victory in the first meeting on Nov. 9.
The Hawks (8-23) have been enduring the growing pains that are part and parcel of any rebuilding effort, but they've had plenty to smile about of late. Atlanta has notched two straight victories, a modest feat that they nevertheless have only accomplished on two other occasions this season. The Hawks' most recent success came at the expense of the New York Knicks, which they toppled by a 114-107 score on Friday night. Kent Bazemore led the way with 22 points, a total he supplemented with six rebounds, one assist and one steal. John Collins followed with a 17-point, 16-rebound double-double that also included four assists. Kyle Huerter poured in 16 points. Tre Young registered 15 points, 10 assists, three rebounds and one steal. DeAndre Bembry and Alex Len managed 12 points apiece, while Jeremy Lin contributed 11.
The Hawks will continue to be without Taurean Prince (ankle) and Miles Plumlee (knee) in Sunday's contest. Meanwhile, Alex Poythress (ankle) will be listed as probable, Collins (ankle) as questionable and Omari Spellman (hip) as doubtful.
The Pistons (15-15) have crashed back to earth after a red-hot start, and they'll come into Sunday's game having dropped eight of their last 10 games. Detroit's most recent stumble came versus the Charlotte Hornets, which toppled them by a 98-86 score on Friday night. Blake Griffin led the way for the Pistons with 23 points, supplementing them with seven rebounds, five assists and one block. Andre Drummond contributed a 17-point, 16-rebound double-double that also included three steals. Reggie Jackson managed 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and one steal. Reggie Bullock poured in 11 points.
The Pistons will continue to be without the trio of Ish Smith (groin), Glenn Robinson (ankle) and Henry Ellenson (ankle) on Sunday.
Sunday's game marks the second meeting of the season between the two teams. The Pistons notched a 124-109 victory in the first meeting on Nov. 9.
Wizards and Pacers Do Battle In Midwest Showdown
The Washington Wizards take on the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday afternoon.
The Wizards (13-20) will be tested significantly in terms of energy level, as they'll come into Sunday's game fresh off a triple-overtime 149-146 win against the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night. The hard-fought victory was only their second in the last eight games. Bradley Beal paced the Wizards with a 40-point, 15-assist, 11-rebound triple-double and also posted one block. Bryant turned in 31 points, 13 rebounds and two assists. Green had 20 points and eight boards. Markieff Morris matched Green's scoring total off the bench and also recorded three rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Satoransky offered 17 points, nine assists, four rebounds and one steal. Trevor Ariza provided 14 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals.
The Wizards will likely list John Wall (illness) as questionable for Sunday's game after he missed Saturday's contest. Meanwhile, Otto Porter, Jr. (ankle) is likely to remain out.
The Pacers (21-12) come into Sunday's game trending in the opposite direction of their opponents, as they sport a stellar 8-2 record over their last 10 games. Indiana's latest success came at the expense of the Brooklyn Nets, which they toppled by a 114-106 margin on Friday night. Victor Oladipo led the way with 26 points, a total he supplemented with nine rebounds, six assists, and two steals. Thaddeus Young provided 21 points. Bojan Bogdanovic managed 17 points, four assists, two rebounds and one steal. Domantas Sabonis matched Bogdanovic's scoring total off the bench and added two rebounds and three steals. Myles Turner posted a 15-point, 12-rebound double-double that also included three assists, five blocks and one steal.
The Pacers will list Tyreke Evans (knee) as questionable for Sunday's game.
Sunday's game marks the second meeting of the season between the teams. The Pacers hold a 1-0 lead, having notched a 109-101 win on Dec. 10.
The Wizards (13-20) will be tested significantly in terms of energy level, as they'll come into Sunday's game fresh off a triple-overtime 149-146 win against the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night. The hard-fought victory was only their second in the last eight games. Bradley Beal paced the Wizards with a 40-point, 15-assist, 11-rebound triple-double and also posted one block. Bryant turned in 31 points, 13 rebounds and two assists. Green had 20 points and eight boards. Markieff Morris matched Green's scoring total off the bench and also recorded three rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Satoransky offered 17 points, nine assists, four rebounds and one steal. Trevor Ariza provided 14 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals.
The Wizards will likely list John Wall (illness) as questionable for Sunday's game after he missed Saturday's contest. Meanwhile, Otto Porter, Jr. (ankle) is likely to remain out.
The Pacers (21-12) come into Sunday's game trending in the opposite direction of their opponents, as they sport a stellar 8-2 record over their last 10 games. Indiana's latest success came at the expense of the Brooklyn Nets, which they toppled by a 114-106 margin on Friday night. Victor Oladipo led the way with 26 points, a total he supplemented with nine rebounds, six assists, and two steals. Thaddeus Young provided 21 points. Bojan Bogdanovic managed 17 points, four assists, two rebounds and one steal. Domantas Sabonis matched Bogdanovic's scoring total off the bench and added two rebounds and three steals. Myles Turner posted a 15-point, 12-rebound double-double that also included three assists, five blocks and one steal.
The Pacers will list Tyreke Evans (knee) as questionable for Sunday's game.
Sunday's game marks the second meeting of the season between the teams. The Pacers hold a 1-0 lead, having notched a 109-101 win on Dec. 10.
Celtics Play Host to Hornets on Sunday
The Charlotte Hornets travel to Beantown to play the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Sunday.
The Hornets (16-15) are surprisingly one of the hottest teams in the league, as they come into this matchup winning five of their last seven games. That run has landed them with the best record in their division, which is a downright shock from a team who struggled throughout the 2017-18 season. It's been the Kemba Walker show, as he's leading this team with 25 points and 6.3 assists per game. Those numbers are actually down recently, as Walker was arguably the best player in the league across the opening month. He needs some help though, as Jeremy Lamb is the only other Hornets reaching expectations. The player they really need to get going is Nicolas Batum, as he's posting career-low averages across the board. If they can get him back to his all-star form, this team may truly be a threat in the east.
The Celtics (18-13) come into this matchup losing three-straight, as that snapped their best stretch of the season. In fact, Boston won eight-straight games prior to this three-game slide, as it's hard to understand why this team is slumping right now. What makes it even more bizarre is the competition in those losses, as Boston lost to the Detroit Pistons and Phoenix Suns while getting destroyed at home in their most recent game against the Milwaukee Bucks. A loss to Milwaukee is nothing to be concerned with but when it's a thorough domination in your home building, that's definitely an eye-opening defeat. The good news is that Al Horford is expected to return from his seven-game absence for this game, as he continues to deal with a knee issue. Getting him back is even more critical since Aron Baynes just recently broke his hand, as this system needs a center. Having a rim-protecting center is critical when you have a defense like this and Boston fans can't wait to see Horford back in the fold.
Charlotte prevailed in their one game against Boston earlier this season, 117-112, on November 19. Prior to that, the Celtics won seven-straight games over the Hornets and 11 of their last 12 in total
The Hornets (16-15) are surprisingly one of the hottest teams in the league, as they come into this matchup winning five of their last seven games. That run has landed them with the best record in their division, which is a downright shock from a team who struggled throughout the 2017-18 season. It's been the Kemba Walker show, as he's leading this team with 25 points and 6.3 assists per game. Those numbers are actually down recently, as Walker was arguably the best player in the league across the opening month. He needs some help though, as Jeremy Lamb is the only other Hornets reaching expectations. The player they really need to get going is Nicolas Batum, as he's posting career-low averages across the board. If they can get him back to his all-star form, this team may truly be a threat in the east.
The Celtics (18-13) come into this matchup losing three-straight, as that snapped their best stretch of the season. In fact, Boston won eight-straight games prior to this three-game slide, as it's hard to understand why this team is slumping right now. What makes it even more bizarre is the competition in those losses, as Boston lost to the Detroit Pistons and Phoenix Suns while getting destroyed at home in their most recent game against the Milwaukee Bucks. A loss to Milwaukee is nothing to be concerned with but when it's a thorough domination in your home building, that's definitely an eye-opening defeat. The good news is that Al Horford is expected to return from his seven-game absence for this game, as he continues to deal with a knee issue. Getting him back is even more critical since Aron Baynes just recently broke his hand, as this system needs a center. Having a rim-protecting center is critical when you have a defense like this and Boston fans can't wait to see Horford back in the fold.
Charlotte prevailed in their one game against Boston earlier this season, 117-112, on November 19. Prior to that, the Celtics won seven-straight games over the Hornets and 11 of their last 12 in total
Cavaliers Host Bulls in Battle of Bottom-Dwellers
The Chicago Bulls travel to Ohio to play Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena on Sunday.
The Bulls (8-25) have an ugly record but there's a lot of promise around this team. What's really encouraging is the fact that they have a ton of talented young players, with youngsters like Zach LaVine, Lauri Markkanen and Kris Dunn all balling out. The main issue is that they can's stay healthy, as all three of those players have been in and out of the lineup. It's not just them either, as Bobby Portis is dealing with an injury of his own. That's the main core for this team and it's easy to see why they have just eight wins with the training room being so packed with players. It's landed this club with the worst offense in the league, with the Bulls barely cracking 100 points per game. That's simply not good enough in today's NBA and that should improve the more these players start returning and gelling with one another. The Jabari Parker saga is another thing that needs to get solved though, as he's out of the rotation after signing a monster contract in the offseason.
The Cavaliers (8-25) have also been playing better than their record would indicate, as they have six wins in their last 17 games. While that sounds ugly, it's actually a solid stretch from a team who had just two wins in their first 16 games. Much like Chicago, it's the young players that have stepped up. Players like Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. have all been much better over recent weeks and it's a great sign that they finally have a young core moving forward after the LeBron James departure. Getting Kevin Love back will only add to the development, as he should return from his foot injury sometime in the next 30 days.
Chicago prevailed in their one game over Cleveland earlier this season, 99-98, on November 10. With that said, Cleveland swept their four-game season series last year over Chicago, despite the fact that the Bulls swept the 2016-17 season series.
The Bulls (8-25) have an ugly record but there's a lot of promise around this team. What's really encouraging is the fact that they have a ton of talented young players, with youngsters like Zach LaVine, Lauri Markkanen and Kris Dunn all balling out. The main issue is that they can's stay healthy, as all three of those players have been in and out of the lineup. It's not just them either, as Bobby Portis is dealing with an injury of his own. That's the main core for this team and it's easy to see why they have just eight wins with the training room being so packed with players. It's landed this club with the worst offense in the league, with the Bulls barely cracking 100 points per game. That's simply not good enough in today's NBA and that should improve the more these players start returning and gelling with one another. The Jabari Parker saga is another thing that needs to get solved though, as he's out of the rotation after signing a monster contract in the offseason.
The Cavaliers (8-25) have also been playing better than their record would indicate, as they have six wins in their last 17 games. While that sounds ugly, it's actually a solid stretch from a team who had just two wins in their first 16 games. Much like Chicago, it's the young players that have stepped up. Players like Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. have all been much better over recent weeks and it's a great sign that they finally have a young core moving forward after the LeBron James departure. Getting Kevin Love back will only add to the development, as he should return from his foot injury sometime in the next 30 days.
Chicago prevailed in their one game over Cleveland earlier this season, 99-98, on November 10. With that said, Cleveland swept their four-game season series last year over Chicago, despite the fact that the Bulls swept the 2016-17 season series.
Suns Continue East Coast Swing Against Nets
The Phoenix Suns take on the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on Sunday evening.
It may not yet reflect in their record, but the Suns (8-25) continue to show considerable signs of improvement as the season unfolds. A recent four-game win streak that included road wins over the Celtics and Knicks certainly speaks to that, as does their tremendous effort in a losing cause Saturday evening. The Suns fell in triple overtime to the Wizards by a 149-146 score, a game that saw two of their players log over 50 minutes apiece. Devin Booker led the Suns with 33 points, and he added 14 assists, four rebounds, one steal and one block. T.J. Warren finished with 28 points, eight rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks. Deandre Ayton contributed a 26-point, 17-rebound double-double that also included one assist, one steal and one block. Kelly Oubre, Jr. was productive against his old team, delivering 20 points, five rebounds and one steal. Richaun Holmes pitched in 12 points, five rebounds, one steal and one block, while De'Anthony Melton and Jamal Crawford generated matching 10-point tallies.
The Suns come into Sunday's game weary, but without any injuries to report.
The Nets (15-19) have made significant strides in recent weeks, as they'll come into Sunday's game having notched seven victories in their last eight contests. However, their most recent time on the court produced their only loss during that stretch. Brooklyn dropped a 114-106 decision to the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. Rodions Kurucs led the way with 24 points and added three rebounds, one steal and one block. DeMarre Carroll led the bench with 16 points and supplemented them with four rebounds. Spencer Dinwiddie had a near double-double with 15 points, nine assists, one rebound and one steal. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Joe Harris generated matching 13-point efforts, also hauling in five and four rebounds, respectively. Jarrett Allen and Jared Dudley contributed matching 10-point tallies.
The Nets will be without Caris LeVert (foot) and Allen Crabbe (knee) on Sunday, while Treveon Graham (hamstring) is likely to be questionable at best.
Sunday's game marks the second and final meeting between the teams this season. The Nets notched a 104-82 win on Nov. 6 in the first contest.
It may not yet reflect in their record, but the Suns (8-25) continue to show considerable signs of improvement as the season unfolds. A recent four-game win streak that included road wins over the Celtics and Knicks certainly speaks to that, as does their tremendous effort in a losing cause Saturday evening. The Suns fell in triple overtime to the Wizards by a 149-146 score, a game that saw two of their players log over 50 minutes apiece. Devin Booker led the Suns with 33 points, and he added 14 assists, four rebounds, one steal and one block. T.J. Warren finished with 28 points, eight rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks. Deandre Ayton contributed a 26-point, 17-rebound double-double that also included one assist, one steal and one block. Kelly Oubre, Jr. was productive against his old team, delivering 20 points, five rebounds and one steal. Richaun Holmes pitched in 12 points, five rebounds, one steal and one block, while De'Anthony Melton and Jamal Crawford generated matching 10-point tallies.
The Suns come into Sunday's game weary, but without any injuries to report.
The Nets (15-19) have made significant strides in recent weeks, as they'll come into Sunday's game having notched seven victories in their last eight contests. However, their most recent time on the court produced their only loss during that stretch. Brooklyn dropped a 114-106 decision to the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. Rodions Kurucs led the way with 24 points and added three rebounds, one steal and one block. DeMarre Carroll led the bench with 16 points and supplemented them with four rebounds. Spencer Dinwiddie had a near double-double with 15 points, nine assists, one rebound and one steal. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Joe Harris generated matching 13-point efforts, also hauling in five and four rebounds, respectively. Jarrett Allen and Jared Dudley contributed matching 10-point tallies.
The Nets will be without Caris LeVert (foot) and Allen Crabbe (knee) on Sunday, while Treveon Graham (hamstring) is likely to be questionable at best.
Sunday's game marks the second and final meeting between the teams this season. The Nets notched a 104-82 win on Nov. 6 in the first contest.
Magic Play Host to Heat on Sunday
The Orlando Magic play host to the Miami Heat at Amway Center on Saturday.
The Heat (15-17) have dealt with as many injuries as any other team this season but they finally appear to be finding their rhythm. Not only do they come into this matchup in the midst of a four-game winning streak, but Miami has also won eight of their last 11 games in total. The nature of those wins is just as impressive, as the Heat are coming off a victory against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday in which they held Milwaukee to a season-low point total. They also have wins against the Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans, Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets in that span, as that alone shows just how much they've improved. What is notable about that stretch is the fact that it came against the Western Conference, as Miami has some work to do in their own conference if they want to get back into contention.
The Magic (14-16) come into this matchup losing five of their last seven games, as the offense has really been regressing over recent weeks. In fact, Orlando has fallen all the way to 28th in scoring, as that's a sad regression after a promising start. It's no fault of Nikola Vucevic though, as he's leading this team with 20.5 points, 12 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 blocks per game. Those are all-star caliber numbers and it's made Orlando competitive all season long. It does muddle up the future of this franchise though, as many skeptics had Vucevic pegged as a trade candidate at the trade deadline in February. It's impossible to move Vucevic when he's playing like this and it opens up the door for the Magic to do some interesting things. They do need more from Evan Fournier and Aaron Gordon though, as the inconsistency from those two has brought this team down recently.
Not only has Orlando won both of their games over Miami this season, but they've also beaten them in six of their last eight games in total dating back three years.
The Heat (15-17) have dealt with as many injuries as any other team this season but they finally appear to be finding their rhythm. Not only do they come into this matchup in the midst of a four-game winning streak, but Miami has also won eight of their last 11 games in total. The nature of those wins is just as impressive, as the Heat are coming off a victory against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday in which they held Milwaukee to a season-low point total. They also have wins against the Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans, Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets in that span, as that alone shows just how much they've improved. What is notable about that stretch is the fact that it came against the Western Conference, as Miami has some work to do in their own conference if they want to get back into contention.
The Magic (14-16) come into this matchup losing five of their last seven games, as the offense has really been regressing over recent weeks. In fact, Orlando has fallen all the way to 28th in scoring, as that's a sad regression after a promising start. It's no fault of Nikola Vucevic though, as he's leading this team with 20.5 points, 12 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 blocks per game. Those are all-star caliber numbers and it's made Orlando competitive all season long. It does muddle up the future of this franchise though, as many skeptics had Vucevic pegged as a trade candidate at the trade deadline in February. It's impossible to move Vucevic when he's playing like this and it opens up the door for the Magic to do some interesting things. They do need more from Evan Fournier and Aaron Gordon though, as the inconsistency from those two has brought this team down recently.
Not only has Orlando won both of their games over Miami this season, but they've also beaten them in six of their last eight games in total dating back three years.
Kings Host Pelicans on Sunday
The Sacramento Kings play host to the New Orleans Pelicans at Golden One Center on Sunday.
The Pelicans (15-18) have been downright terrible away from home this season, as they own a 4-13 road record. That's been especially notable recently, as the Pelicans come into this matchup losing three-straight, with all those games coming on the road. That stretch emphasizes a very poor stretch for these Pelicans, as they're just 5-11 across their last 16 games. It's clear what the issue is, with New Orleans sitting 26th in points allowed. The offense has been impressive though, with the Pelicans sitting second in both scoring and assists. That's all you can ask for and some consistency on the defensive end would get this team right back to where they want to be. Getting players like Julius Randle, Nikola Mirotic and Elfird Payton all healthy would be a huge boost too, as all three of those guys have missed games recently. Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday are amazing players but they can only do so much with such little around them.
The Kings (17-15) continue to be one of the surprises of the NBA, as they're coming off a win against the Memphis Grizzlies in their most recent game. That marked Sacramento's seventh win in their last 11 games, as they're shockingly still in the hunt in the Western Conference. This is a team no one expected to see compete this season and it's a testament to how much these youngsters have improved. Players like De'Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield have truly taken a major step in their respective games and it's got this franchise in good hands moving forward. Much like the Pelicans, it's all about offense with this club. In fact, Sacramento currently sits fourth in scoring and 28th in points allowed. That's common for a young team like this, as this could be a high-scoring battle.
These teams played a barnburner in their one game this season, as New Orleans prevailed, 149-129, back on October 19. These teams did split their four-game season series last year though.
The Pelicans (15-18) have been downright terrible away from home this season, as they own a 4-13 road record. That's been especially notable recently, as the Pelicans come into this matchup losing three-straight, with all those games coming on the road. That stretch emphasizes a very poor stretch for these Pelicans, as they're just 5-11 across their last 16 games. It's clear what the issue is, with New Orleans sitting 26th in points allowed. The offense has been impressive though, with the Pelicans sitting second in both scoring and assists. That's all you can ask for and some consistency on the defensive end would get this team right back to where they want to be. Getting players like Julius Randle, Nikola Mirotic and Elfird Payton all healthy would be a huge boost too, as all three of those guys have missed games recently. Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday are amazing players but they can only do so much with such little around them.
The Kings (17-15) continue to be one of the surprises of the NBA, as they're coming off a win against the Memphis Grizzlies in their most recent game. That marked Sacramento's seventh win in their last 11 games, as they're shockingly still in the hunt in the Western Conference. This is a team no one expected to see compete this season and it's a testament to how much these youngsters have improved. Players like De'Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield have truly taken a major step in their respective games and it's got this franchise in good hands moving forward. Much like the Pelicans, it's all about offense with this club. In fact, Sacramento currently sits fourth in scoring and 28th in points allowed. That's common for a young team like this, as this could be a high-scoring battle.
These teams played a barnburner in their one game this season, as New Orleans prevailed, 149-129, back on October 19. These teams did split their four-game season series last year though.
Thunder Looking To Build On Four-Game Winning Streak
By Dan Bruno
The Oklahoma City Thunder play host to the Minnesota Timberwolves, at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Sunday evening.
This marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Thunder (21-10), who are coming off a solid win in Utah on Saturday night. Paul George came up huge with 43 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, five steals and a block, while Steven Adams added 15 points and 10 rebounds in the win. Paul George has tallied a double-double with 43 points and rebounds in his last two games, and has been playing MVP basketball for the Thunder, averaging 26 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals per game. Russell Westbrook fouled out of Saturday's contest, but still made a significant contribution, as he does almost every night, averaging 20 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and two steals per game. The Thunder have won five straight at home, where they are 12-3 this season.
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves (14-18) have dropped seven of their last 10 games, including their last two in a row, as they have dropped to 14th place in the bunched up West. This marks the second game of a three-game road trip for the Timberwolves, who have lost five straight on the road, and are just 2-13 on the road this season. Karl-Anthony Towns leads Minnesota with an average of 21 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two blocks per game, while Andrew Wiggins has put up modest numbers so far this season, averaging 16 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal per game. Robert Covington has been solid with his new team, and is averaging 13 points, five rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block per game.
This marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Thunder (21-10), who are coming off a solid win in Utah on Saturday night. Paul George came up huge with 43 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, five steals and a block, while Steven Adams added 15 points and 10 rebounds in the win. Paul George has tallied a double-double with 43 points and rebounds in his last two games, and has been playing MVP basketball for the Thunder, averaging 26 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals per game. Russell Westbrook fouled out of Saturday's contest, but still made a significant contribution, as he does almost every night, averaging 20 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and two steals per game. The Thunder have won five straight at home, where they are 12-3 this season.
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves (14-18) have dropped seven of their last 10 games, including their last two in a row, as they have dropped to 14th place in the bunched up West. This marks the second game of a three-game road trip for the Timberwolves, who have lost five straight on the road, and are just 2-13 on the road this season. Karl-Anthony Towns leads Minnesota with an average of 21 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two blocks per game, while Andrew Wiggins has put up modest numbers so far this season, averaging 16 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal per game. Robert Covington has been solid with his new team, and is averaging 13 points, five rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block per game.
Warriors, Clippers Clash On Second Night Of Back-To-Backs
By Dan Bruno
The Golden State Warriors play host to the Los Angeles Clippers, at Oracle Arena on Sunday evening.
This marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Warriors (22-11), who are coming off a well-earned home win over the Mavericks on Saturday. The Warriors' stars came up big in the win, as Kevin Durant led the way with 29 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists and one block. Stephen Curry followed up with 22 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals. Draymond Green finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two blocks, while Klay Thompson finished with 14 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block. However, it was Jonas Jerebko who added 23 points on 10-of-12 shooting, in 21 minutes off the bench, to help push the Warriors over the hump. This marks the second game of a four-game home stand for the Warriors, who have won three of their last four at home, and are 14-3 at home this season. The Warriors are tied for first place in the West.
Meanwhile, this also marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Clippers (19-13), who are coming off an impressive home win over the Nuggets on Saturday night. Danilo Gallinari and Tobias Harris finished with 21 points each in the win, while Montrezl Harrell added 20 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. The Clippers are just 4-6 in their last 10 games, as they struggled while Lou Williams was sidelined for just over a week, however, they have now won two straight to help them stay among the upper echelon in the West. Williams has been an x-factor for the Clippers all season, as he is averaging 17.5 points, 4.6 assists and 2.5 rebounds, in 25 minutes per game. The Clippers have dropped their last two road games, and are 8-9 on the road this season.
This marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Warriors (22-11), who are coming off a well-earned home win over the Mavericks on Saturday. The Warriors' stars came up big in the win, as Kevin Durant led the way with 29 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists and one block. Stephen Curry followed up with 22 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals. Draymond Green finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two blocks, while Klay Thompson finished with 14 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block. However, it was Jonas Jerebko who added 23 points on 10-of-12 shooting, in 21 minutes off the bench, to help push the Warriors over the hump. This marks the second game of a four-game home stand for the Warriors, who have won three of their last four at home, and are 14-3 at home this season. The Warriors are tied for first place in the West.
Meanwhile, this also marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Clippers (19-13), who are coming off an impressive home win over the Nuggets on Saturday night. Danilo Gallinari and Tobias Harris finished with 21 points each in the win, while Montrezl Harrell added 20 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. The Clippers are just 4-6 in their last 10 games, as they struggled while Lou Williams was sidelined for just over a week, however, they have now won two straight to help them stay among the upper echelon in the West. Williams has been an x-factor for the Clippers all season, as he is averaging 17.5 points, 4.6 assists and 2.5 rebounds, in 25 minutes per game. The Clippers have dropped their last two road games, and are 8-9 on the road this season.
Mavericks and Trail Blazers Set For Western Conference Showdown
The Dallas Mavericks take on the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on Sunday night.
The Mavericks (15-16) continue to have drastic home/road splits, as they've been successful in only two of 15 tries outside of their home floor. Their latest road stumble occurred Saturday, when they dropped a tight 120-116 decision to the Golden State Warriors. Wesley Matthews led the way with 25 points and added four assists, three rebounds and one steal. Luka Doncic managed 19 points, five assists, three rebounds, one steal and one block. Harrison Barnes produced 17 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. DeAndre Jordan generated a 12-point, 23-rebound double-double that also included five assists, two steals and one block. J.J. Barea led the bench with 11 points and six assists, adding two rebounds and one steal. Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith posted matching 10-point tallies.
The Mavericks will continue to be without Dennis Smith, Jr. (wrist) on Sunday.
The Trail Blazers (18-14) have been on an upswing for the most part of late, as they'll come into Sunday's game having won three of their past four contests. However, their one loss during that stretch came in their last game, when they fell to the Utah Jazz by a 120-90 score on Friday night. Damian Lillard paced the Blazers with 19 points and added four rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks. C.J. McCollum went for 12 points, four rebounds, two assists and three steals. Evan Turner matched McCollum's scoring total and added six rebounds. Jusuf Nurkic generated a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double that included four assists, two blocks and one teal.
The Trail Blazers are likely to continue without Anfernee Simons (illness) on Sunday.
Sunday's game marks the second of four meetings between the teams this season. The Mavericks own a 1-0 lead, having notched a 111-102 win on Dec. 4.
The Mavericks (15-16) continue to have drastic home/road splits, as they've been successful in only two of 15 tries outside of their home floor. Their latest road stumble occurred Saturday, when they dropped a tight 120-116 decision to the Golden State Warriors. Wesley Matthews led the way with 25 points and added four assists, three rebounds and one steal. Luka Doncic managed 19 points, five assists, three rebounds, one steal and one block. Harrison Barnes produced 17 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. DeAndre Jordan generated a 12-point, 23-rebound double-double that also included five assists, two steals and one block. J.J. Barea led the bench with 11 points and six assists, adding two rebounds and one steal. Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith posted matching 10-point tallies.
The Mavericks will continue to be without Dennis Smith, Jr. (wrist) on Sunday.
The Trail Blazers (18-14) have been on an upswing for the most part of late, as they'll come into Sunday's game having won three of their past four contests. However, their one loss during that stretch came in their last game, when they fell to the Utah Jazz by a 120-90 score on Friday night. Damian Lillard paced the Blazers with 19 points and added four rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks. C.J. McCollum went for 12 points, four rebounds, two assists and three steals. Evan Turner matched McCollum's scoring total and added six rebounds. Jusuf Nurkic generated a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double that included four assists, two blocks and one teal.
The Trail Blazers are likely to continue without Anfernee Simons (illness) on Sunday.
Sunday's game marks the second of four meetings between the teams this season. The Mavericks own a 1-0 lead, having notched a 111-102 win on Dec. 4.
Lakers Look To Take Advantage Of Reeling Grizzlies
By Dan Bruno
The Los Angeles Lakers play host to the Memphis Grizzlies, at Staples Center on Sunday evening.
The Lakers (19-13) have won their last six games at home, and are 12-4 at home this season. They are coming off an impressive 112-104 win at home over the Pelicans in their last contest, where LeBron James led the way with 22 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds. James has recorded triple-doubles in two of his last four contests, as he has been playing at an incredibly high level, to lead the Lakers to one of the top records in the extremely competitive Western Conference. James is averaging 27.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.3 steals, in 35 minutes per game. The Lakers' young players have also contributed to their success so far, as Kyle Kuzma put up a team-high 23 points in the win over the Pelicans, and is averaging 18.3 points on 48 percent shooting, 5.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Lonzo Ball has been looking more and more comfortable running the point for the Lakers, averaging 9.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.5 steals. Ball also recorded a triple-double earlier this month.
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies (16-16) have hit a bit of a slide since their great start to the season, as they have dropped seven of their last 10 games, including their last five in a row. This marks the fourth and final game of a road trip for the Grizz, who have dropped their last four road games. They are 7-10 on the road this season. Mike Conley leads the Grizzlies with an average of 20.6 points, 6.5 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals. Marc Gasol has been solid as well, averaging 16.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. The Grizzlies have dropped out of the top eight in the conference and are just 2.0 games ahead of the 14th seed.
The Lakers (19-13) have won their last six games at home, and are 12-4 at home this season. They are coming off an impressive 112-104 win at home over the Pelicans in their last contest, where LeBron James led the way with 22 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds. James has recorded triple-doubles in two of his last four contests, as he has been playing at an incredibly high level, to lead the Lakers to one of the top records in the extremely competitive Western Conference. James is averaging 27.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.3 steals, in 35 minutes per game. The Lakers' young players have also contributed to their success so far, as Kyle Kuzma put up a team-high 23 points in the win over the Pelicans, and is averaging 18.3 points on 48 percent shooting, 5.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. Lonzo Ball has been looking more and more comfortable running the point for the Lakers, averaging 9.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.5 steals. Ball also recorded a triple-double earlier this month.
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies (16-16) have hit a bit of a slide since their great start to the season, as they have dropped seven of their last 10 games, including their last five in a row. This marks the fourth and final game of a road trip for the Grizz, who have dropped their last four road games. They are 7-10 on the road this season. Mike Conley leads the Grizzlies with an average of 20.6 points, 6.5 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals. Marc Gasol has been solid as well, averaging 16.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. The Grizzlies have dropped out of the top eight in the conference and are just 2.0 games ahead of the 14th seed.