Magic and Pistons Meet at Little Caesars Arena
The Orlando Magic (19-24) have strung together a pair of high profile victories, their latest a 116-109 home court win over the Houston Rockets on Sunday. Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic did most of the heavy lifting for the club offensively, finishing with 22 points apiece, with Gordon adding eight rebounds and four assists, and Vucevic pulling up short of a double-double behind nine rebounds on 9-of-16 shooting from field goal range. Evan Fournier finished with 19 points, making all six of his attempts from the foul line in the process, while sub Terrence Ross put up 17 points along with a pair of three-pointers. The Magic appear to have found their groove offensively as of late, yet still rank 27th in the league in scoring, averaging only 103.3 points per game. Orlando is now in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, just a game behind the eighth place Charlotte Hornets.
Monday night saw the Detroit Pistons (18-24) drop the fifth of their last six games, ending a four-game road trip with a 100-94 defeat at the hands of the Utah Jazz. The league's leading rebounder, Andre Drummond, who averages 15 boards per game, continued to do what he does best defensively, coming away from the loss with 13 rebounds to add to his 15 points. Blake Griffin posted a team-leading 19 points, recording four boards and four assists while shooting 7-of-17 from the paint, while sophomore Luke Kennard came off the bench to the tune of 10 points and five rebounds, draining both attempts from beyond the arc. Reggie Bullock logged 13 points for a Pistons squad that sits a half game behind the Magic in 10th place. Detroit remain home through the weekend, playing host to the Miami Heat and Sacramento Kings.
Monday night saw the Detroit Pistons (18-24) drop the fifth of their last six games, ending a four-game road trip with a 100-94 defeat at the hands of the Utah Jazz. The league's leading rebounder, Andre Drummond, who averages 15 boards per game, continued to do what he does best defensively, coming away from the loss with 13 rebounds to add to his 15 points. Blake Griffin posted a team-leading 19 points, recording four boards and four assists while shooting 7-of-17 from the paint, while sophomore Luke Kennard came off the bench to the tune of 10 points and five rebounds, draining both attempts from beyond the arc. Reggie Bullock logged 13 points for a Pistons squad that sits a half game behind the Magic in 10th place. Detroit remain home through the weekend, playing host to the Miami Heat and Sacramento Kings.
TD Garden Plays Host to Raptors and Celtics
The Toronto Raptors (33-12) have won five straight games, including a thrilling double-overtime road victory over the Washington Wizards on Sunday, 140-138. Three members of the first-place Raptors were beneficiaries of double-doubles, including Kawhi Leonard, who dropped a team-best 41 points, in addition to 11 rebounds on 15-of-29 from the paint and 8-of-9 from the free throw line. Pascal Siakam had a monster night off the glass with a career-high 19 rebounds to add to his 24 points, while Kyle Lowry recorded 12 points and 11 assists. Delon Wright came off the pine to put up 17 points and grab six boards for a Toronto team that is hitting its stride as the midway point of the season draws near, as they sit a game-and-a-half ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks atop the Eastern Conference.
The Boston Celtics (25-18) come back home licking their wounds following an 0-3 road trip, one that wrapped up on Monday night with a 109-102 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. The defeat came despite the best efforts of Jayson Tatum, who delivered 34 points, five rebounds and three assists, going 12-of-19 from the field and 3-of-5 from downtown. Jaylen Brown came away with 22 points and six boards, shooting 9-of-18 from field goal range, while Brad Wanamaker came off the bench for 13 points and three triples. Gordon Hayward, who has struggled mightily since his return from injury, saw 25 minutes of floor time that yielded only three points for Boston. Kyrie Irving sat out the contest with a bruised right quad and is listed as day-to-day.
The Boston Celtics (25-18) come back home licking their wounds following an 0-3 road trip, one that wrapped up on Monday night with a 109-102 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. The defeat came despite the best efforts of Jayson Tatum, who delivered 34 points, five rebounds and three assists, going 12-of-19 from the field and 3-of-5 from downtown. Jaylen Brown came away with 22 points and six boards, shooting 9-of-18 from field goal range, while Brad Wanamaker came off the bench for 13 points and three triples. Gordon Hayward, who has struggled mightily since his return from injury, saw 25 minutes of floor time that yielded only three points for Boston. Kyrie Irving sat out the contest with a bruised right quad and is listed as day-to-day.
Rockets Play Host to Nets on Wednesday
The Brooklyn Nets play host to the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on Wednesday.
The Nets (22-23) are one of the surprises of the NBA, as they look like a true contender to reach the postseason. That would be the first time since that disastrous Boston Celtics trade and it really shows the development of this organization. They come into this matchup extremely hot too, winning 14 of their last 19 games. Having such a promising stretch without Caris LeVert is extremely promising for the future, as his return from his ankle dislocation will be a welcomed sight whenever he does return to the floor. The star of the show is D'Angelo Russell though, as he's been playing at an all-star level since LeVert went down. If he can continue to grow and help this team get better, this team will be in great hands with Russell and LeVert moving forward.
The Rockets (25-18) come into this matchup winning 14 of their last 18 games, as James Harden has catapulted himself into the best player in the NBA. While that position can be argued for many reasons, his recent numbers can't be. In fact, Harden is averaging 41.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 9.2 assists and 2.1 steals across his last 17 games. Those are numbers that would be hard to duplicate in a video game, let alone posting for nearly a quarter of the season. The main reason for that is the fact that Chris Paul and Eric Gordon are injured but both players are expected back sometime this month. Clint Capela going down with a hand injury just adds to the already full training room and it'll put even more on Harden's lofty shoulders.
Houston won their one game over Brooklyn earlier this season, 119-111, on November 2. That marked the Rockets fifth-straight victory over the Nets dating back three seasons.
The Nets (22-23) are one of the surprises of the NBA, as they look like a true contender to reach the postseason. That would be the first time since that disastrous Boston Celtics trade and it really shows the development of this organization. They come into this matchup extremely hot too, winning 14 of their last 19 games. Having such a promising stretch without Caris LeVert is extremely promising for the future, as his return from his ankle dislocation will be a welcomed sight whenever he does return to the floor. The star of the show is D'Angelo Russell though, as he's been playing at an all-star level since LeVert went down. If he can continue to grow and help this team get better, this team will be in great hands with Russell and LeVert moving forward.
The Rockets (25-18) come into this matchup winning 14 of their last 18 games, as James Harden has catapulted himself into the best player in the NBA. While that position can be argued for many reasons, his recent numbers can't be. In fact, Harden is averaging 41.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 9.2 assists and 2.1 steals across his last 17 games. Those are numbers that would be hard to duplicate in a video game, let alone posting for nearly a quarter of the season. The main reason for that is the fact that Chris Paul and Eric Gordon are injured but both players are expected back sometime this month. Clint Capela going down with a hand injury just adds to the already full training room and it'll put even more on Harden's lofty shoulders.
Houston won their one game over Brooklyn earlier this season, 119-111, on November 2. That marked the Rockets fifth-straight victory over the Nets dating back three seasons.
Struggling Grizzlies Host Surging Bucks
The Memphis Grizzlies play host to the Milwaukee Bucks at FedEx Forum on Wednesday.
The Bucks (31-12) come into this matchup winning 13 of their last 16 games, as they've solidified themselves as an elite team in the Eastern Conference. The recipe for this team is to play up-tempo and it's done wonders for them on both ends of the floor. In fact, Milwaukee ranks first in both points scored and rebounding, as that's obviously a recipe for success. The defense isn't shabby either, with this being the only club in the league who sits top-five in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Players like Khris Middleton and Eric Bledsoe have played below expectations too, so there's some thought that they could be even better going forward. That's a scary thought for opponents and the "feat the deer" monicker is as true as ever,
The Grizzlies (19-24) have hit an absolute wall, as they come into this matchup losing 15 of their last 19 games. What's really discouraging about that is the fact that they remained relatively healthy throughout that run, as Mike Conley and Marc Gasol are both playing nearly every game. Kyle Anderson did roll his ankle earlier this week though, as he's expected to miss at least two weeks of action. That'll force players like Omri Casspi and Justin Holiday to take on a bigger role, as they're desperate to find some offense. The Grizzlies currently rank 29th in scoring and dead-last in rebounding, as that's a recipe for disaster. One has to wonder if there's enough offensive talent on this team, as they're desperate for a knockdown shooter or a playmaker.
Memphis won their one game over Milwaukee earlier this season, 116-113, on November 14. Prior to that, the Bucks won four of their previous five games over the Grizzlies.
The Bucks (31-12) come into this matchup winning 13 of their last 16 games, as they've solidified themselves as an elite team in the Eastern Conference. The recipe for this team is to play up-tempo and it's done wonders for them on both ends of the floor. In fact, Milwaukee ranks first in both points scored and rebounding, as that's obviously a recipe for success. The defense isn't shabby either, with this being the only club in the league who sits top-five in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Players like Khris Middleton and Eric Bledsoe have played below expectations too, so there's some thought that they could be even better going forward. That's a scary thought for opponents and the "feat the deer" monicker is as true as ever,
The Grizzlies (19-24) have hit an absolute wall, as they come into this matchup losing 15 of their last 19 games. What's really discouraging about that is the fact that they remained relatively healthy throughout that run, as Mike Conley and Marc Gasol are both playing nearly every game. Kyle Anderson did roll his ankle earlier this week though, as he's expected to miss at least two weeks of action. That'll force players like Omri Casspi and Justin Holiday to take on a bigger role, as they're desperate to find some offense. The Grizzlies currently rank 29th in scoring and dead-last in rebounding, as that's a recipe for disaster. One has to wonder if there's enough offensive talent on this team, as they're desperate for a knockdown shooter or a playmaker.
Memphis won their one game over Milwaukee earlier this season, 116-113, on November 14. Prior to that, the Bucks won four of their previous five games over the Grizzlies.
Spurs and Mavericks Face Off in Lone Star State Showdown
The San Antonio Spurs take on the Dallas Mavericks at AT & T Center on Wednesday evening.
The Spurs (25-20) had recently turned their season around by winning nine of 11 games, but they've come back down to earth a bit of late. San Antonio comes into Wednesday's game having dropped three of their past four contests, with their most recent stumble a 108-93 loss at the hands of the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night. LaMarcus Aldridge led the way with 28 points, adding 10 rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block. Derrick White provided 18 points, seven assists, four rebounds and one block. DeMar DeRozan and Patty Mills had matching 14-point contributions, with DeRozan adding five rebounds, five assists and one steal.
The Spurs will list Marco Belinelli (knee) as questionable and Rudy Gay (wrist) as probable for Wednesday's contest.
The Mavericks (20-23) are looking to right their own ship, as they'll come into Wednesday's intrastate showdown having lost four of their last six contests. Their most recent defeat came at the hands of the Golden State Warriors, which edged them by a 119-114 score on Sunday night. Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 26 points and supplemented them with six boards, five assists and one steal. Harrison Barnes supplied 22 points and four rebounds. Deandre Jordan generated a 13-point, 14-rebound double-double that also included three assists. Jalen Brunson managed 12 points, four rebounds, one assist and one block. Wesley Matthews couldn't help make up for the absence of Dennis Smith, Jr. (back), managing just eight points on 3-for-11 shooting.
The Mavericks will list Dennis Smith, Jr. (illness) as questionable for Wednesday's game.
Wednesday's game marks the second of four meetings between the teams this season. The Spurs hold a 1-0 series lead, having notched a 113-108 overtime home victory Oct. 29.
The Spurs (25-20) had recently turned their season around by winning nine of 11 games, but they've come back down to earth a bit of late. San Antonio comes into Wednesday's game having dropped three of their past four contests, with their most recent stumble a 108-93 loss at the hands of the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night. LaMarcus Aldridge led the way with 28 points, adding 10 rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block. Derrick White provided 18 points, seven assists, four rebounds and one block. DeMar DeRozan and Patty Mills had matching 14-point contributions, with DeRozan adding five rebounds, five assists and one steal.
The Spurs will list Marco Belinelli (knee) as questionable and Rudy Gay (wrist) as probable for Wednesday's contest.
The Mavericks (20-23) are looking to right their own ship, as they'll come into Wednesday's intrastate showdown having lost four of their last six contests. Their most recent defeat came at the hands of the Golden State Warriors, which edged them by a 119-114 score on Sunday night. Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 26 points and supplemented them with six boards, five assists and one steal. Harrison Barnes supplied 22 points and four rebounds. Deandre Jordan generated a 13-point, 14-rebound double-double that also included three assists. Jalen Brunson managed 12 points, four rebounds, one assist and one block. Wesley Matthews couldn't help make up for the absence of Dennis Smith, Jr. (back), managing just eight points on 3-for-11 shooting.
The Mavericks will list Dennis Smith, Jr. (illness) as questionable for Wednesday's game.
Wednesday's game marks the second of four meetings between the teams this season. The Spurs hold a 1-0 series lead, having notched a 113-108 overtime home victory Oct. 29.
Cavs Face Off With Trail Blazers
The Cleveland Cavaliers take on the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on Wednesday evening.
The Cavaliers (9-35) have found success on the road very hard to come by this season, as evidenced by their 4-18 mark when traveling. However, Cleveland managed to snap a 12-game losing streak on another team's home floor Sunday, as they toppled the Los Angeles Lakers by a 101-95 score. Cedi Osman paced the Cavaliers with 20 points, adding eight rebounds, one assist and two steals. Rodney Hood poured in 18 points, adding three rebounds, three assists and one steal. Alec Burks and Collin Sexton generated matching 17-point tallies, with Burks notably hauling in 13 rebounds as well. Tristan Thompson contributed a 15-point, 14-rebound double-double that also included one assist and two blocks.
The Cavaliers will list David Nwaba (ankle) as a game-time decision Wednesday. Kevin Love (foot), Larry Nance, Jr. (knee) and John Henson (wrist) remain out.
The Trail Blazers (26-19) had been running hot recently, as they'd rattled off six wins over a seven-game period. However, they'll come into Wednesday on a bit of a downswing, as they've dropped two straight contests following that stretch. Their most recent stumble came against the Sacramento Kings, which edged them by a 115-107 score Monday night. Damian Lillard led the way with 35 points, adding five assists, three rebounds and one steal. Evan Turner followed with 14 points and also posted four assists, two rebounds and one steal. Al-Farouq Aminu managed a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included three assists and two steals. Jake Layman matched Aminu's scoring total and added three rebounds. Jusuf Nurkic had six points, 11 rebounds and five assists over 29 minutes.
The Trail Blazers will likely list Maurice Harkless (knee) as a game-time decision for Wednesday's game.
Wednesday's game marks the first of two meetings between the teams this season. They split the two-game season series during the 2017-18 campaign.
The Cavaliers (9-35) have found success on the road very hard to come by this season, as evidenced by their 4-18 mark when traveling. However, Cleveland managed to snap a 12-game losing streak on another team's home floor Sunday, as they toppled the Los Angeles Lakers by a 101-95 score. Cedi Osman paced the Cavaliers with 20 points, adding eight rebounds, one assist and two steals. Rodney Hood poured in 18 points, adding three rebounds, three assists and one steal. Alec Burks and Collin Sexton generated matching 17-point tallies, with Burks notably hauling in 13 rebounds as well. Tristan Thompson contributed a 15-point, 14-rebound double-double that also included one assist and two blocks.
The Cavaliers will list David Nwaba (ankle) as a game-time decision Wednesday. Kevin Love (foot), Larry Nance, Jr. (knee) and John Henson (wrist) remain out.
The Trail Blazers (26-19) had been running hot recently, as they'd rattled off six wins over a seven-game period. However, they'll come into Wednesday on a bit of a downswing, as they've dropped two straight contests following that stretch. Their most recent stumble came against the Sacramento Kings, which edged them by a 115-107 score Monday night. Damian Lillard led the way with 35 points, adding five assists, three rebounds and one steal. Evan Turner followed with 14 points and also posted four assists, two rebounds and one steal. Al-Farouq Aminu managed a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included three assists and two steals. Jake Layman matched Aminu's scoring total and added three rebounds. Jusuf Nurkic had six points, 11 rebounds and five assists over 29 minutes.
The Trail Blazers will likely list Maurice Harkless (knee) as a game-time decision for Wednesday's game.
Wednesday's game marks the first of two meetings between the teams this season. They split the two-game season series during the 2017-18 campaign.
Pelicans Head to Oracle Arena For Tilt With Warriors
By Oscar Heanue
The New Orleans Pelicans will visit the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena on Wednesday evening.
New Orleans (21-23) went through a rough patch in late December, dropping five games in a row and seven out of nine. Things are looking up for the Pelicans, however, as the team has won four of its last five contests. Most recently, New Orleans earned a 121-117 win over the Clippers in Los Angeles. The Pelicans staved off a massive comeback effort by the Clippers, as their 20-point lead was cut to as little as two with under 30 seconds remaining. However, New Orleans came out on top thanks to a monstrous effort from star big man Anthony Davis. The superstar forward continued his recent tear with 46 points in the win, his seventh game of at least 40 points this season.
Golden State (30-14), meanwhile, has moved back into first place in the Western Conference for the first time since early November. The team is fresh off a 142-111 rout of the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday. In the win, Golden State scored a whopping 51 points in the first quarter and knocked down 21 three-pointers in total. 89 of the team's points came from the All-Star trio of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant, who also accounted for 18 of the team's three-pointers. On top of the strong play of their active All-Stars, the Warriors received good news about one who is sidelined: center DeMarcus Cousins is expected to make his season debut on Friday when Golden State takes on the LA Clippers.
Cousins (Achilles), however, will continue to be sidelined on Wednesday and will not have the chance to take on his former team.
New Orleans (21-23) went through a rough patch in late December, dropping five games in a row and seven out of nine. Things are looking up for the Pelicans, however, as the team has won four of its last five contests. Most recently, New Orleans earned a 121-117 win over the Clippers in Los Angeles. The Pelicans staved off a massive comeback effort by the Clippers, as their 20-point lead was cut to as little as two with under 30 seconds remaining. However, New Orleans came out on top thanks to a monstrous effort from star big man Anthony Davis. The superstar forward continued his recent tear with 46 points in the win, his seventh game of at least 40 points this season.
Golden State (30-14), meanwhile, has moved back into first place in the Western Conference for the first time since early November. The team is fresh off a 142-111 rout of the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday. In the win, Golden State scored a whopping 51 points in the first quarter and knocked down 21 three-pointers in total. 89 of the team's points came from the All-Star trio of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant, who also accounted for 18 of the team's three-pointers. On top of the strong play of their active All-Stars, the Warriors received good news about one who is sidelined: center DeMarcus Cousins is expected to make his season debut on Friday when Golden State takes on the LA Clippers.
Cousins (Achilles), however, will continue to be sidelined on Wednesday and will not have the chance to take on his former team.
Jazz Visit Clippers at Staples Center
By Oscar Heanue
The Utah Jazz will visit the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on Wednesday evening.
Wednesday's tilt will see two teams heading in different directions go head to head. Utah (24-21) has reemerged as a playoff contender, winning six of its last seven games and moving to eighth place in the Western Conference, while the Clippers (24-19) are hoping for some better luck after losing three in a row. The Jazz has found recent success thanks largely to its strong defense, which has held opponents to under 100 points four times in the team's last seven outings. Utah boasts the league's fourth-best defensive rating, and big man Rudy Gobert continues to be an anchor for the team, averaging 2.0 blocks and 0.9 steals per game. The Jazz has also seen an upward trend on the offensive end, as the team is averaging 109.5 points per game since the start of December, up from 102.3 points per game in November.
LA, on the other hand, has taken some tough losses recently. The Clippers are fresh off a 117-121 loss to New Orleans in which they came back from a 20-point deficit only to have their comeback foiled by superstar big man Anthony Davis in the closing minute. Still, LA has plenty to be proud of, as the team boasts one of the league's elite offenses. The Clippers are scoring 115.3 points per game, the fourth-highest clip in the league. Forwards Tobias Harris and Danilo Gallinari continue to drive the team's offense, scoring 20.8 points and 19.7 points per game respectively.
Wednesday's tilt will see two teams heading in different directions go head to head. Utah (24-21) has reemerged as a playoff contender, winning six of its last seven games and moving to eighth place in the Western Conference, while the Clippers (24-19) are hoping for some better luck after losing three in a row. The Jazz has found recent success thanks largely to its strong defense, which has held opponents to under 100 points four times in the team's last seven outings. Utah boasts the league's fourth-best defensive rating, and big man Rudy Gobert continues to be an anchor for the team, averaging 2.0 blocks and 0.9 steals per game. The Jazz has also seen an upward trend on the offensive end, as the team is averaging 109.5 points per game since the start of December, up from 102.3 points per game in November.
LA, on the other hand, has taken some tough losses recently. The Clippers are fresh off a 117-121 loss to New Orleans in which they came back from a 20-point deficit only to have their comeback foiled by superstar big man Anthony Davis in the closing minute. Still, LA has plenty to be proud of, as the team boasts one of the league's elite offenses. The Clippers are scoring 115.3 points per game, the fourth-highest clip in the league. Forwards Tobias Harris and Danilo Gallinari continue to drive the team's offense, scoring 20.8 points and 19.7 points per game respectively.