Pacers and Celtics Set for Beantown Battle
The Indiana Pacers take on the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Friday night.
The Pacers (15-15) appeared to be on their way to a potentially strong stretch of play with three wins over a four-game span, but they then saw their season briefly paused in the form of two postponements due to winter weather (vs. the Rockets) and COVID-19 protocols (vs. the Spurs). Indiana did return to the floor Wednesday night, but they dropped a 111-107 decision to the Golden State Warriors. Malcolm Brogdon led the way for the Pacers with 24 points, adding three rebounds, three assists and one steal. Domantas Sabonis generated a 22-point, 16-rebound double-double that also included four assists, two steals and one block. Doug McDermott furnished 15 points, three rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. Myles Turner supplied 14 points, eight boards, two assists, two blocks and one steal.
The Pacers will list JaKarr Sampson (COVID-19 protocols) as questionable for Friday's game.
The Celtics (15-17) come into Friday's game in the midst of a shockingly poor stretch, as they've dropped eight of their last 11 games, including three straight. Their most recent stumble came Wednesday night, when they dropped a 127-112 decision to the Atlanta Hawks. Jaylen Brown paced the Celtics with 17 points, complementing them with five assists, four rebounds and one steal. Jeff Teague delivered 14 points, five rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block. Tristan Thompson generated a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double that also included one steal. Jayson Tatum and Aaron Nesmith both matched Thompson's scoring tally.
The Celtics will continue without Marcus Smart (calf) and Romeo Langford (wrist) in Friday's contest.
Friday's game marks the third and final meeting between the teams this season. The series is tied 1-1, with the Pacers having notched a 108-107 win Dec. 27 and the Celtics having countered with a 116-111 victory Dec. 29.
The Pacers (15-15) appeared to be on their way to a potentially strong stretch of play with three wins over a four-game span, but they then saw their season briefly paused in the form of two postponements due to winter weather (vs. the Rockets) and COVID-19 protocols (vs. the Spurs). Indiana did return to the floor Wednesday night, but they dropped a 111-107 decision to the Golden State Warriors. Malcolm Brogdon led the way for the Pacers with 24 points, adding three rebounds, three assists and one steal. Domantas Sabonis generated a 22-point, 16-rebound double-double that also included four assists, two steals and one block. Doug McDermott furnished 15 points, three rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. Myles Turner supplied 14 points, eight boards, two assists, two blocks and one steal.
The Pacers will list JaKarr Sampson (COVID-19 protocols) as questionable for Friday's game.
The Celtics (15-17) come into Friday's game in the midst of a shockingly poor stretch, as they've dropped eight of their last 11 games, including three straight. Their most recent stumble came Wednesday night, when they dropped a 127-112 decision to the Atlanta Hawks. Jaylen Brown paced the Celtics with 17 points, complementing them with five assists, four rebounds and one steal. Jeff Teague delivered 14 points, five rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block. Tristan Thompson generated a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double that also included one steal. Jayson Tatum and Aaron Nesmith both matched Thompson's scoring tally.
The Celtics will continue without Marcus Smart (calf) and Romeo Langford (wrist) in Friday's contest.
Friday's game marks the third and final meeting between the teams this season. The series is tied 1-1, with the Pacers having notched a 108-107 win Dec. 27 and the Celtics having countered with a 116-111 victory Dec. 29.
Raptors Host Struggling Rockets
By Dan Bruno
The Toronto Raptors play host to the Houston Rockets at Amalie Arena on Friday evening.
This marks the first game of a three-game home stand for the Raptors (16-17), as they look to end a two-game slide and add to their, 7-7, home record. The Raptors have had some trouble with their offensive efficiency, as they are shooting an average of 45.2 percent from the field, which is eighth worst in the league. However, they have been solid on the defensive end, holding opponents to an average of 110.4 points per game, which is eighth fewest in the league. They are holding opponents to an average of 45.3 percent shooting from the field, which is seventh lowest in the league. Pascal Siakam leads the Raptors, averaging 20.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game. Fred VanVleet is averaging 20.0 points, 6.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.7 steals, while Kyle Lowry is averaging 18.0 points, 6.5 assets, 5.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game.
Meanwhile, the Rockets (11-19) are in the midst of an ugly slide, as they have lost their last nine games. This marks their second and final game of their current road trip, as they look to contribute to their, 6-12, road record. The Rockets have been hampered by injuries for most of the season, while Christian Wood (ankle) remains doubtful for action on Friday. John Wall and Victor Oladipo have each had a few solid games for their new squad, but they have yet to have much time to build together. However, they looked good in their most recent contest, where Wall finished with 20 points, three assists, two steals and two blocks, and Oladipo added 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals. The Rockets are shooting an average of 44.4 percent from the field, which is fourth worst in the league. They are also shooting a league-worst, 33.9 percent from long range.
This marks the first game of a three-game home stand for the Raptors (16-17), as they look to end a two-game slide and add to their, 7-7, home record. The Raptors have had some trouble with their offensive efficiency, as they are shooting an average of 45.2 percent from the field, which is eighth worst in the league. However, they have been solid on the defensive end, holding opponents to an average of 110.4 points per game, which is eighth fewest in the league. They are holding opponents to an average of 45.3 percent shooting from the field, which is seventh lowest in the league. Pascal Siakam leads the Raptors, averaging 20.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game. Fred VanVleet is averaging 20.0 points, 6.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.7 steals, while Kyle Lowry is averaging 18.0 points, 6.5 assets, 5.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game.
Meanwhile, the Rockets (11-19) are in the midst of an ugly slide, as they have lost their last nine games. This marks their second and final game of their current road trip, as they look to contribute to their, 6-12, road record. The Rockets have been hampered by injuries for most of the season, while Christian Wood (ankle) remains doubtful for action on Friday. John Wall and Victor Oladipo have each had a few solid games for their new squad, but they have yet to have much time to build together. However, they looked good in their most recent contest, where Wall finished with 20 points, three assists, two steals and two blocks, and Oladipo added 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals. The Rockets are shooting an average of 44.4 percent from the field, which is fourth worst in the league. They are also shooting a league-worst, 33.9 percent from long range.
Suns and Bulls Set for Windy City Showdown
The Phoenix Suns take on the Chicago Bulls at United Center on Friday night.
The Suns (20-11) had been one of the hottest teams in the NBA heading into a Wednesday night clash with the Charlotte Hornets, having won nine of their previous 10 games. However, Phoenix was tripped up by Charlotte in that contest, dropping a 124-121 decision. Devin Booker led the way for the Suns with 33 points, adding three assists and one steal. Chris Paul contributed a 20-point, 10-assist double-double that also included eight rebounds, one steal and one block. DeAndre Ayton provided 16 points, 10 rebounds, one assist and one block. Cameron Johnson supplied 14 points, five boards, one assist and one steal. Mikal Bridges and Jae Crowder contributed 12 points each while pulling down four and five rebounds, respectively.
The Suns will come into Friday's game without any injures to report.
The Bulls (15-16) have progressively made strides as the season has gone on, and they'll enter Friday's battle having won five of their last six games. Their most recent success came at the expense of the Minnesota Timberwolves, which they toppled by a 133-126 score in overtime Wednesday night.
Zach LaVine paced the Bulls with 35 points, complementing them with two rebounds and two assists. White finished with 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Wendell Carter generated a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double that also included two assists, two steals and two blocks. Tomas Satoransky supplied 16 points, five rebounds and four assists. Thaddeus Young registered 14 points, six assists, two rebounds and four steals, while Patrick Williams offered 13 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block.
The Bulls will continue without Lauri Markkanen (shoulder), Otto Porter (back) and Chandler Hutchison (personal) for Friday's contest.
Friday's game marks the first of two meetings between the teams this season. The Suns won their only game against the Bulls during the 2019-20 season.
The Suns (20-11) had been one of the hottest teams in the NBA heading into a Wednesday night clash with the Charlotte Hornets, having won nine of their previous 10 games. However, Phoenix was tripped up by Charlotte in that contest, dropping a 124-121 decision. Devin Booker led the way for the Suns with 33 points, adding three assists and one steal. Chris Paul contributed a 20-point, 10-assist double-double that also included eight rebounds, one steal and one block. DeAndre Ayton provided 16 points, 10 rebounds, one assist and one block. Cameron Johnson supplied 14 points, five boards, one assist and one steal. Mikal Bridges and Jae Crowder contributed 12 points each while pulling down four and five rebounds, respectively.
The Suns will come into Friday's game without any injures to report.
The Bulls (15-16) have progressively made strides as the season has gone on, and they'll enter Friday's battle having won five of their last six games. Their most recent success came at the expense of the Minnesota Timberwolves, which they toppled by a 133-126 score in overtime Wednesday night.
Zach LaVine paced the Bulls with 35 points, complementing them with two rebounds and two assists. White finished with 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Wendell Carter generated a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double that also included two assists, two steals and two blocks. Tomas Satoransky supplied 16 points, five rebounds and four assists. Thaddeus Young registered 14 points, six assists, two rebounds and four steals, while Patrick Williams offered 13 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block.
The Bulls will continue without Lauri Markkanen (shoulder), Otto Porter (back) and Chandler Hutchison (personal) for Friday's contest.
Friday's game marks the first of two meetings between the teams this season. The Suns won their only game against the Bulls during the 2019-20 season.
Pistons Host Struggling Kings
By Dan Bruno
The Detroit Pistons play host to the Sacramento Kings at Little Caesars Arena on Friday evening.
This marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Kings (12-20), as they are coming off a loss in New York on Thursday night. It marked their ninth consecutive loss, but on the bright side they had some strong performances, as De'Aaron Fox led the way with 29 points, 11 assists, four rebounds and a steal, in 29 minutes. Harrison Barnes had a solid outing, with 22 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals, while Tyrese Haliburton chipped in 17 points, four assists, four rebounds and four steals. The Kings' defensive struggles were put on full display in the loss, as they gave up 140 points, while allowing their opponent to shoot 59 percent from the field, including over 50 percent from long range. This marks the fifth and final game of a road trip for the Kings, where they are winless so far, but look to end the ugly slide and add to their, 5-9, road record.
Meanwhile, this marks the first game back home after a five-game road trip for the Pistons (9-23), where they went, 1-4, with three losses, followed by a win and then a loss in their most recent contest, in New Orleans on Wednesday. The Pistons will look to get back on the right foot as they return home where they have a, 6-8, record. Jerami Grant continues to play well, averaging 23.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.2 blocks per game, but the Pistons had a nice surprise in their last few games, as Saben Lee delivered impressive performances in three consecutive contests, highlighted by a 21-points performance on Tuesday. Mason Plumlee continues to do a solid job in his role, averaging 10.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. The Pistons average 108.0 points per game, which is sixth fewest in the league. They have struggled on the offensive end, shooting an average of 43.9 percent from the field, which is third worst in the league.
This marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Kings (12-20), as they are coming off a loss in New York on Thursday night. It marked their ninth consecutive loss, but on the bright side they had some strong performances, as De'Aaron Fox led the way with 29 points, 11 assists, four rebounds and a steal, in 29 minutes. Harrison Barnes had a solid outing, with 22 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals, while Tyrese Haliburton chipped in 17 points, four assists, four rebounds and four steals. The Kings' defensive struggles were put on full display in the loss, as they gave up 140 points, while allowing their opponent to shoot 59 percent from the field, including over 50 percent from long range. This marks the fifth and final game of a road trip for the Kings, where they are winless so far, but look to end the ugly slide and add to their, 5-9, road record.
Meanwhile, this marks the first game back home after a five-game road trip for the Pistons (9-23), where they went, 1-4, with three losses, followed by a win and then a loss in their most recent contest, in New Orleans on Wednesday. The Pistons will look to get back on the right foot as they return home where they have a, 6-8, record. Jerami Grant continues to play well, averaging 23.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.2 blocks per game, but the Pistons had a nice surprise in their last few games, as Saben Lee delivered impressive performances in three consecutive contests, highlighted by a 21-points performance on Tuesday. Mason Plumlee continues to do a solid job in his role, averaging 10.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. The Pistons average 108.0 points per game, which is sixth fewest in the league. They have struggled on the offensive end, shooting an average of 43.9 percent from the field, which is third worst in the league.
Jazz and Heat Face Off in Sunshine State
The Utah Jazz takes on the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena on Friday night.
The Jazz (26-6) have essentially laid any doubts about whether they're the best team in the NBA to rest at this point, but in case there were were any lingering questions, they were likely vanquished with Utah's 114-89 rout of the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night. In what was Quin Snyder's squad's 11th win in 12 games, Rudy Gobert and Jordan Clarkson co-led the way with 18 points while pulling down nine and four rebounds, respectively. Bojan Bogdanovic supplied 15 points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals. Mike Conley registered 14 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and two steals. Donovan Mitchell generated a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double that also included eight assists and two steals. Derrick Favors posted 12 points and seven boards.
The Jazz come into Friday's game without any injuries to report.
The Heat (15-17) comes into Friday's game on a bit of a surge themselves, although nowhere near on the scale of their opponents. Nevertheless, Miami does have a solid four-game win streak, with their most recent success coming at the expense of the Toronto Raptors by a 116-108 score Wednesday night. Jimmy Butler led the way with 27 points, adding 10 assists, eight rebounds, three steals and one block. Bam Adebayo generated a 19-point, 12-rebound double-double that also included four assists, one steal and one block. Duncan Robinson turned in 17 points, two rebounds, two assists and one steal. Goran Dragic managed 15 points off the bench in his return from injury. Andre Iguodala compiled 12 points, five rebounds, one assist and one block, while Gabe Vincent poured in 11 points.
The Heat will likely list Tyler Herro (hip) as no better than questionable for Friday's game, while Avery Bradley (calf) will remain out.
Friday's game marks the second and final meeting between the teams this season. The Jazz holds a 1-0 series lead, having notched a 112-94 win Feb. 13.
The Jazz (26-6) have essentially laid any doubts about whether they're the best team in the NBA to rest at this point, but in case there were were any lingering questions, they were likely vanquished with Utah's 114-89 rout of the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night. In what was Quin Snyder's squad's 11th win in 12 games, Rudy Gobert and Jordan Clarkson co-led the way with 18 points while pulling down nine and four rebounds, respectively. Bojan Bogdanovic supplied 15 points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals. Mike Conley registered 14 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and two steals. Donovan Mitchell generated a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double that also included eight assists and two steals. Derrick Favors posted 12 points and seven boards.
The Jazz come into Friday's game without any injuries to report.
The Heat (15-17) comes into Friday's game on a bit of a surge themselves, although nowhere near on the scale of their opponents. Nevertheless, Miami does have a solid four-game win streak, with their most recent success coming at the expense of the Toronto Raptors by a 116-108 score Wednesday night. Jimmy Butler led the way with 27 points, adding 10 assists, eight rebounds, three steals and one block. Bam Adebayo generated a 19-point, 12-rebound double-double that also included four assists, one steal and one block. Duncan Robinson turned in 17 points, two rebounds, two assists and one steal. Goran Dragic managed 15 points off the bench in his return from injury. Andre Iguodala compiled 12 points, five rebounds, one assist and one block, while Gabe Vincent poured in 11 points.
The Heat will likely list Tyler Herro (hip) as no better than questionable for Friday's game, while Avery Bradley (calf) will remain out.
Friday's game marks the second and final meeting between the teams this season. The Jazz holds a 1-0 series lead, having notched a 112-94 win Feb. 13.
Hawks and Thunder Meet in Interconference Battle
The Atlanta Hawks take on the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Friday night.
The Hawks (14-18) continue to be besieged by inconsistency, as they've alternated wins and losses evenly over their last six games and were mired in a four-game losing streak immediately prior to that stretch. Their most recent time on the court did result in one of their three wins in that sample, however, as they toppled the Boston Celtics by a 127-112 score on Wednesday night. Danilo Gallinari led the way for the Hawks with 38 points, complementing them with six rebounds, two assists and two steals. Trae Young followed with 33 points, supplementing them with seven assists, four rebounds and one steal. John Collins generated a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included one assist and one block. Tony Snell supplied 12 points, four boards, four assists and one block.
The Hawks will likely list Cam Reddish (Achilles) as no better than questionable for Friday's game. De'Andre Hunter (knee), Bogdan Bogdanovic (knee) and Kris Dunn (ankle) will remain out.
The Thunder (13-19) has done its fair share of losing lately as well, having dropped seven of the last 10 games. However, Oklahoma City's last game did culminate in victory, as they toppled the San Antonio Spurs by a 102-99 score Wednesday night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander paced the Thunder with 42 points, adding eight rebounds, four assists and one block. Al Horford finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Luguentz Dort registered 16 points as well, including a game-winning basket, and also posted four rebounds and one assist.
The Thunder will likely list Hamidou Diallo (groin) as no better than questionable for Friday's contest, George Hill (thumb) and Trevor Ariza (personal) will remain out.
Friday's game marks the first of two meetings between the teams this season. The Thunder won their only game against the Hawks during the 2019-20 season.
The Hawks (14-18) continue to be besieged by inconsistency, as they've alternated wins and losses evenly over their last six games and were mired in a four-game losing streak immediately prior to that stretch. Their most recent time on the court did result in one of their three wins in that sample, however, as they toppled the Boston Celtics by a 127-112 score on Wednesday night. Danilo Gallinari led the way for the Hawks with 38 points, complementing them with six rebounds, two assists and two steals. Trae Young followed with 33 points, supplementing them with seven assists, four rebounds and one steal. John Collins generated a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included one assist and one block. Tony Snell supplied 12 points, four boards, four assists and one block.
The Hawks will likely list Cam Reddish (Achilles) as no better than questionable for Friday's game. De'Andre Hunter (knee), Bogdan Bogdanovic (knee) and Kris Dunn (ankle) will remain out.
The Thunder (13-19) has done its fair share of losing lately as well, having dropped seven of the last 10 games. However, Oklahoma City's last game did culminate in victory, as they toppled the San Antonio Spurs by a 102-99 score Wednesday night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander paced the Thunder with 42 points, adding eight rebounds, four assists and one block. Al Horford finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Luguentz Dort registered 16 points as well, including a game-winning basket, and also posted four rebounds and one assist.
The Thunder will likely list Hamidou Diallo (groin) as no better than questionable for Friday's contest, George Hill (thumb) and Trevor Ariza (personal) will remain out.
Friday's game marks the first of two meetings between the teams this season. The Thunder won their only game against the Hawks during the 2019-20 season.
Grizzlies, Clippers Face-Off In Second Of Consecutive Matchups
By Dan Bruno
The Memphis Grizzlies play host to the Los Angeles Clippers at FedEx Forum on Friday.
This marks the second of back-to-back meetings between the Clippers (23-11) and the Grizzlies (14-14), in Memphis, where the Grizzlies came out on top in their first meeting on Thursday. The Clippers got out to a solid start in the contest with a, 27-24, lead after one quarter, but the Grizzlies flipped the switch in the second and outscored the visitors by 11 points, to take an eight-point lead into halftime. The Grizzlies kept up the momentum in the third and pushed the lead to 14, heading into the final frame. The Grizzlies picked up the pace in the fourth and outscored the Clippers, 33-19, in the quarter, to complete the impressive win.
Tyus Jones was the high-point man for the Grizzlies, as he came up huge with 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting, in 14 minutes off the bench. Jonas Valanciunas totaled 16 points and 15 rebounds, while Ja Morant tallied 16 points, seven assists and two rebounds. The Grizzlies shot 54 percent from the field, including 11-of-19 from long range in the win. They will need to bring the same defensive focus in order to maintain their best chances of coming out with a second straight win on Friday. The Grizzlies do a great job of moving the ball on the offensive end, which helps them stay efficient from the field.
Meanwhile, the Clippers had a tough time scoring the ball on Thursday night, as Kawhi Leonard was the high-point man with 17 points, seven assists and five rebounds, in 31 minutes of action. Paul George added 13 points, seven rebounds, three assists and a steal, while Serge Ibaka totaled 13 points and seven rebounds. The Clippers shot 40 percent from the field, including 12-of-34 from long range, as they were unable to gather any rhythm after the decent start. The Clippers will need to lockdown on defense after letting the Grizzlies score 122 points on Thursday.
This marks the second of back-to-back meetings between the Clippers (23-11) and the Grizzlies (14-14), in Memphis, where the Grizzlies came out on top in their first meeting on Thursday. The Clippers got out to a solid start in the contest with a, 27-24, lead after one quarter, but the Grizzlies flipped the switch in the second and outscored the visitors by 11 points, to take an eight-point lead into halftime. The Grizzlies kept up the momentum in the third and pushed the lead to 14, heading into the final frame. The Grizzlies picked up the pace in the fourth and outscored the Clippers, 33-19, in the quarter, to complete the impressive win.
Tyus Jones was the high-point man for the Grizzlies, as he came up huge with 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting, in 14 minutes off the bench. Jonas Valanciunas totaled 16 points and 15 rebounds, while Ja Morant tallied 16 points, seven assists and two rebounds. The Grizzlies shot 54 percent from the field, including 11-of-19 from long range in the win. They will need to bring the same defensive focus in order to maintain their best chances of coming out with a second straight win on Friday. The Grizzlies do a great job of moving the ball on the offensive end, which helps them stay efficient from the field.
Meanwhile, the Clippers had a tough time scoring the ball on Thursday night, as Kawhi Leonard was the high-point man with 17 points, seven assists and five rebounds, in 31 minutes of action. Paul George added 13 points, seven rebounds, three assists and a steal, while Serge Ibaka totaled 13 points and seven rebounds. The Clippers shot 40 percent from the field, including 12-of-34 from long range, as they were unable to gather any rhythm after the decent start. The Clippers will need to lockdown on defense after letting the Grizzlies score 122 points on Thursday.
Warriors Host Hornets on Friday
The Golden State Warriors play host to the Charlotte Hornets at Chase Center on Friday.
The Hornets (15-16) have traded off wins and losses in each of their last seven outings, which is a pretty good indicator of where this team is at right now. The most recent game was a 124-121 victory over the Phoenix Suns, marking one of their most impressive road wins of the year. What was really nice about that win was that Gordon Hayward returned from his hand injury. Many people were concerned he suffered a serious re-aggravation, but it's a really promising sign that he didn't miss any games. His presence has really changed this team's culture, with LeMelo Ball being a shoo-in for Rookie of the Year as well. That's a beautiful core for the future, and Charlotte fans finally have a team to look forward to.
The Warriors (18-15) come into this matchup, winning two straight and six of their last nine games in total. A win here would actually mark their first such streak of the season, with Golden State never having more than two-straight wins or two-straight losses at any point. That's a crazy statistic since we're nearly halfway through the year, and it says something about just how average this club is. Being mediocre is not a big issue, though, when they're building for the future, with Klay Thompson recovering from an Achilles tear. Once he's back and James Wiseman has a year under his belt, this is going to be a scary team behind Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.
These teams played back on Febuary 20, with Charlotte prevailing, 102-100. That gives the Hornets three-straight wins in this series, with the Warriors winning the previous seven matchups.
The Hornets (15-16) have traded off wins and losses in each of their last seven outings, which is a pretty good indicator of where this team is at right now. The most recent game was a 124-121 victory over the Phoenix Suns, marking one of their most impressive road wins of the year. What was really nice about that win was that Gordon Hayward returned from his hand injury. Many people were concerned he suffered a serious re-aggravation, but it's a really promising sign that he didn't miss any games. His presence has really changed this team's culture, with LeMelo Ball being a shoo-in for Rookie of the Year as well. That's a beautiful core for the future, and Charlotte fans finally have a team to look forward to.
The Warriors (18-15) come into this matchup, winning two straight and six of their last nine games in total. A win here would actually mark their first such streak of the season, with Golden State never having more than two-straight wins or two-straight losses at any point. That's a crazy statistic since we're nearly halfway through the year, and it says something about just how average this club is. Being mediocre is not a big issue, though, when they're building for the future, with Klay Thompson recovering from an Achilles tear. Once he's back and James Wiseman has a year under his belt, this is going to be a scary team behind Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.
These teams played back on Febuary 20, with Charlotte prevailing, 102-100. That gives the Hornets three-straight wins in this series, with the Warriors winning the previous seven matchups.
Lakers Host Trail Blazers on Friday
The Los Angeles Lakers play host to the Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Center on Friday.
The Trail Blazers (18-13) enter this matchup in the midst of a three-game losing streak, with their defense faltering in that stretch. That was on full display in Tuesday's loss, recording zero steals and forcing just one turnover from the Denver Nuggets. Bad defenses can accidentally force a handful of turnovers, and it obviously set an NBA record. They were scorching before that recent run, though, winning eight of their previous nine games before this recent three-game slide. That's quite the run for a team with their two-best players sidelined, and it's scary to think how good they'll look when C.J. McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic eventually return.
The Lakers (22-11) still have one of the best records in the NBA, but their season is in free-fall mode right now. They enter this matchup losing four-straight and five of their last six games in total. That directly correlates with the Anthony Davis injury, making the Dennis Schroder (COVID protocols) absence all the more costly. Those two absences have left this team extremely thin, with LeBron James having very little help. Montrezl Harrell and Kyle Kuzma are fine role players, but they're clearly not ready to step up and be playmakers for this championship contender. The good news is that the All-Star break is right around the corner, and Los Angeles fans want them to steady the ship to get there and get AD back and fully healthy.
These teams played back on December 29, with Portland prevailing, 115-107. Prior to that, Los Angeles won four of their previous six meetings with Portland, despite the Trail Blazers winning 16-straight before that.
The Trail Blazers (18-13) enter this matchup in the midst of a three-game losing streak, with their defense faltering in that stretch. That was on full display in Tuesday's loss, recording zero steals and forcing just one turnover from the Denver Nuggets. Bad defenses can accidentally force a handful of turnovers, and it obviously set an NBA record. They were scorching before that recent run, though, winning eight of their previous nine games before this recent three-game slide. That's quite the run for a team with their two-best players sidelined, and it's scary to think how good they'll look when C.J. McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic eventually return.
The Lakers (22-11) still have one of the best records in the NBA, but their season is in free-fall mode right now. They enter this matchup losing four-straight and five of their last six games in total. That directly correlates with the Anthony Davis injury, making the Dennis Schroder (COVID protocols) absence all the more costly. Those two absences have left this team extremely thin, with LeBron James having very little help. Montrezl Harrell and Kyle Kuzma are fine role players, but they're clearly not ready to step up and be playmakers for this championship contender. The good news is that the All-Star break is right around the corner, and Los Angeles fans want them to steady the ship to get there and get AD back and fully healthy.
These teams played back on December 29, with Portland prevailing, 115-107. Prior to that, Los Angeles won four of their previous six meetings with Portland, despite the Trail Blazers winning 16-straight before that.