Magic Looks to Snap Early-Season Losing Streak Versus Celtics
The Orlando Magic take on the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Monday evening.
The Magic (1-2) began their season with an impressive 104-101 win over the Miami Heat. However, they've subsequently suffered a pair of defeats at opposite ends of the spectrum. Orlando was walloped by the Charlotte Hornets to the tune of a 120-87 score, and most recently, they dropped a heartbreaking 116-115 decision to the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night. J.J. Redick's three-point bucket with 17 seconds remaining sealed the win for Philadelphia. Nikola Vucevic led the way for Orlando with a 27-point, 13-rebound, 12-assist triple-double. Evan Fournier paced Orlando in scoring on the night with 31 points. Aaron Gordon generated a 20-point, 12-rebound double-double. Veteran Terrance Ross led the bench with 15 points.
The Magic come into Monday's contest at full health.
The Celtics have fought their way to an early 2-1 record, sandwiching conquests of division rivals Philadelphia and New York around a surprising 12-point loss to the Toronto Raptors. In a tight 103-101 win over New York on Saturday night, it was Jayson Tatum who led the way with a 24-point, 14-rebound double-double. Kyrie Irving and Marcus Morris followed with matching 16-point tallies off the first unit and the bench, respectively. Aron Baynes filled in for Gordon Hayward (rest) and managed 10 points and five boards before exiting with a hamstring injury.
That ailment will keep Baynes out of Monday's contest. Meanwhile, Hayward is expected to be back in action.
The Celtics took three of the four games in the 2017-18 season series between the teams.
The Magic (1-2) began their season with an impressive 104-101 win over the Miami Heat. However, they've subsequently suffered a pair of defeats at opposite ends of the spectrum. Orlando was walloped by the Charlotte Hornets to the tune of a 120-87 score, and most recently, they dropped a heartbreaking 116-115 decision to the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night. J.J. Redick's three-point bucket with 17 seconds remaining sealed the win for Philadelphia. Nikola Vucevic led the way for Orlando with a 27-point, 13-rebound, 12-assist triple-double. Evan Fournier paced Orlando in scoring on the night with 31 points. Aaron Gordon generated a 20-point, 12-rebound double-double. Veteran Terrance Ross led the bench with 15 points.
The Magic come into Monday's contest at full health.
The Celtics have fought their way to an early 2-1 record, sandwiching conquests of division rivals Philadelphia and New York around a surprising 12-point loss to the Toronto Raptors. In a tight 103-101 win over New York on Saturday night, it was Jayson Tatum who led the way with a 24-point, 14-rebound double-double. Kyrie Irving and Marcus Morris followed with matching 16-point tallies off the first unit and the bench, respectively. Aron Baynes filled in for Gordon Hayward (rest) and managed 10 points and five boards before exiting with a hamstring injury.
That ailment will keep Baynes out of Monday's contest. Meanwhile, Hayward is expected to be back in action.
The Celtics took three of the four games in the 2017-18 season series between the teams.
Hornets Look to Test Their Mettle Versus Raptors
The Charlotte Hornets take on the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on Monday evening.
The Hornets (2-1) are seemingly on a mission to eradicate the memory of a disappointing 2017-18 season, when they generated an unsightly 36-46 record. Charlotte is two points away from having a perfect 3-0 record, as they dropped a 113-112 decision to the Milwaukee Bucks in their regular-season opener. Charlotte responded by blasting the Orlando Magic, 120-88, before toppling the Miami Heat by a 113-112 score on Saturday night. The Hornets withstood a furious rally by the home squad before prevailing. Kemba Walker led the way with a game-high 39 points, a total he supplemented with seven assists and five rebounds. Malik Monk was a distant second with 15 points, one rebound, one assist and one steal. Marvin Williams generated 13 points, six boards, one assist and three blocks. Jeremy Lamb supplied 12 points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks. Cody Zeller managed 11 points and eight rebounds.
The Hornets will come into Monday's contest with a clean injury report.
The Raptors (3-0) have hit the ground running in the new season, with prized offseason acquisition Kawhi Leonard looking to be right back to the level of play he displayed in his last healthy campaign two years ago. Toronto has disposed of the trio of the Cavaliers, Celtics and Wizards, toppling the latter by a 117-113 score on Saturday night despite Leonard getting the night off for rest. Kyle Lowry led the way in Leonard's absence with 28 points, 12 assists and three rebounds. Jonas Valanciunas and Serge Ibaka produced matching 16-point efforts. Fred VanVleet (13 points), OG Anunoby (12 points) and C.J. Miles (10 points) were all productive as well.
Leonard is confirmed to be back in the lineup for Monday's game. Delon Wright (thigh) is likely to be listed as questionable at best after missing Saturday's game.
The Raptors swept the four-game season series between the teams in 2017-18, with all but one win coming by double digits.
The Hornets (2-1) are seemingly on a mission to eradicate the memory of a disappointing 2017-18 season, when they generated an unsightly 36-46 record. Charlotte is two points away from having a perfect 3-0 record, as they dropped a 113-112 decision to the Milwaukee Bucks in their regular-season opener. Charlotte responded by blasting the Orlando Magic, 120-88, before toppling the Miami Heat by a 113-112 score on Saturday night. The Hornets withstood a furious rally by the home squad before prevailing. Kemba Walker led the way with a game-high 39 points, a total he supplemented with seven assists and five rebounds. Malik Monk was a distant second with 15 points, one rebound, one assist and one steal. Marvin Williams generated 13 points, six boards, one assist and three blocks. Jeremy Lamb supplied 12 points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks. Cody Zeller managed 11 points and eight rebounds.
The Hornets will come into Monday's contest with a clean injury report.
The Raptors (3-0) have hit the ground running in the new season, with prized offseason acquisition Kawhi Leonard looking to be right back to the level of play he displayed in his last healthy campaign two years ago. Toronto has disposed of the trio of the Cavaliers, Celtics and Wizards, toppling the latter by a 117-113 score on Saturday night despite Leonard getting the night off for rest. Kyle Lowry led the way in Leonard's absence with 28 points, 12 assists and three rebounds. Jonas Valanciunas and Serge Ibaka produced matching 16-point efforts. Fred VanVleet (13 points), OG Anunoby (12 points) and C.J. Miles (10 points) were all productive as well.
Leonard is confirmed to be back in the lineup for Monday's game. Delon Wright (thigh) is likely to be listed as questionable at best after missing Saturday's game.
The Raptors swept the four-game season series between the teams in 2017-18, with all but one win coming by double digits.
Undefeated Bucks Play Host to Knicks
The Milwaukee Bucks play host to the New York Knicks at BMO Harris Bradley Center on Monday.
The Knicks (1-2) just keep taking hits. as they'll now be without rookie sensation, Kevin Knox, for the next few weeks. Knox suffered a moderate ankle sprain in the team's most recent loss and that just adds to the unfortunate of this team with Kristaps Porzingis also dealing with a knee injury. The one silver lining is the fact that others have stepped up in Porzingis' absence, with Tim Hardaway Jr. and Enes Kanter playing the best ball of their careers. In fact, Hardaway is leading this team with 28 points per game while Kanter is providing 20.7 points and 12 rebounds of his own. Those are all-star caliber numbers from young players and Knicks fans are hopeful that they've taken the next step in their development. The Knicks simply need more help though, as you can't have Allonzo Trier as your next highest scorer and Noah Vonleh as your next best rebounder.
The Bucks (2-0) aren't talked about like they're one of the elite teams in the east but maybe fans should start taking notice of this talented roster. It's one thing to have a superstar like Giannis Antetokounmpo running the show, but filling out your starting lineup with players like Khris Middleton, Eric Bledsoe and Brook Lopez make this team all the more impressive. All these weapons have really solidified this offense, with Milwaukee scoring at least 113 points in each of the first two games. The statistic where they've really seen the most improvement this season is in rebounding, as they finished bottom-three in that statistic last season. The Bucks are currently averaging 53.5 rebounds per game this year, which is the second-best mark in the NBA. No one doubts this group's defensive abilities either, especially considering Antetokounmpo and Middleton are some of the lengthiest players in the league.
Not only did Milwaukee sweep their four-game season series over New York last season. they've won five-straight over them in total.
The Knicks (1-2) just keep taking hits. as they'll now be without rookie sensation, Kevin Knox, for the next few weeks. Knox suffered a moderate ankle sprain in the team's most recent loss and that just adds to the unfortunate of this team with Kristaps Porzingis also dealing with a knee injury. The one silver lining is the fact that others have stepped up in Porzingis' absence, with Tim Hardaway Jr. and Enes Kanter playing the best ball of their careers. In fact, Hardaway is leading this team with 28 points per game while Kanter is providing 20.7 points and 12 rebounds of his own. Those are all-star caliber numbers from young players and Knicks fans are hopeful that they've taken the next step in their development. The Knicks simply need more help though, as you can't have Allonzo Trier as your next highest scorer and Noah Vonleh as your next best rebounder.
The Bucks (2-0) aren't talked about like they're one of the elite teams in the east but maybe fans should start taking notice of this talented roster. It's one thing to have a superstar like Giannis Antetokounmpo running the show, but filling out your starting lineup with players like Khris Middleton, Eric Bledsoe and Brook Lopez make this team all the more impressive. All these weapons have really solidified this offense, with Milwaukee scoring at least 113 points in each of the first two games. The statistic where they've really seen the most improvement this season is in rebounding, as they finished bottom-three in that statistic last season. The Bucks are currently averaging 53.5 rebounds per game this year, which is the second-best mark in the NBA. No one doubts this group's defensive abilities either, especially considering Antetokounmpo and Middleton are some of the lengthiest players in the league.
Not only did Milwaukee sweep their four-game season series over New York last season. they've won five-straight over them in total.
Timberwolves Welcome Pacers to Minneapolis
The Indiana Pacers travel to Minneapolis to play the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on Monday.
The Pacers (2-1) have had a mixed bag thus far, as they've taken care of business against the Memphis Grizzlies and Brooklyn Nets but lost to the Milwaukee Bucks on the road. That's pretty much what you'd expect from this team though, as they're a good bet to finish between fourth and eighth in the east. What is encouraging is the fact that no one on the roster is playing up to expectations. In fact, Victor Oladipo, Tyreke Evans, Myles Turner and Darren Collison have all seen a major dip in their numbers in the first three games. While that may be discouraging on the surface, it's actually a great sign that this club is due for some positive regression. It's the defense that has kept them above water, ranking fourth in the NBA in points allowed. If they can maintain that stingy defense while getting the offense back to where it should be, this Pacers team may have a shot at cracking the top-four in the Eastern Conference if things fall their way.
The Timberwolves (1-2) have had a gluttony of drama surrounding their team with the Jimmy Butler saga but have otherwise played competitive basketball in the opening week. In fact, all three games they've played have been decided by singe-digit margins, albeit two of them being losses. It's crystal clear what the issue is, considering Minnesota allowed 140 points to the Dallas Mavericks in their most recent loss. That's a Dallas team that finished bottom-three in nearly every offensive category last season and it's simply unacceptable to allow that many points to anyone, let alone a poor offense. That game was played without Jimmy Butler ironically and one has to wonder which side is right in this heated debate. It appears this saga may be affecting Karl-Anthony Towns as well, considering he's posting a meek average of 17 points and 7.7 rebounds per game this season. Those are good numbers from anyone else, but that's simply not the KAT that everyone has been accustomed with and his off-court talk may indicate that there's even more distress behind the scenes.
While these teams split their two-game season series last year, both games were decided by 17 points or more with the road team prevailing in each game.
The Pacers (2-1) have had a mixed bag thus far, as they've taken care of business against the Memphis Grizzlies and Brooklyn Nets but lost to the Milwaukee Bucks on the road. That's pretty much what you'd expect from this team though, as they're a good bet to finish between fourth and eighth in the east. What is encouraging is the fact that no one on the roster is playing up to expectations. In fact, Victor Oladipo, Tyreke Evans, Myles Turner and Darren Collison have all seen a major dip in their numbers in the first three games. While that may be discouraging on the surface, it's actually a great sign that this club is due for some positive regression. It's the defense that has kept them above water, ranking fourth in the NBA in points allowed. If they can maintain that stingy defense while getting the offense back to where it should be, this Pacers team may have a shot at cracking the top-four in the Eastern Conference if things fall their way.
The Timberwolves (1-2) have had a gluttony of drama surrounding their team with the Jimmy Butler saga but have otherwise played competitive basketball in the opening week. In fact, all three games they've played have been decided by singe-digit margins, albeit two of them being losses. It's crystal clear what the issue is, considering Minnesota allowed 140 points to the Dallas Mavericks in their most recent loss. That's a Dallas team that finished bottom-three in nearly every offensive category last season and it's simply unacceptable to allow that many points to anyone, let alone a poor offense. That game was played without Jimmy Butler ironically and one has to wonder which side is right in this heated debate. It appears this saga may be affecting Karl-Anthony Towns as well, considering he's posting a meek average of 17 points and 7.7 rebounds per game this season. Those are good numbers from anyone else, but that's simply not the KAT that everyone has been accustomed with and his off-court talk may indicate that there's even more distress behind the scenes.
While these teams split their two-game season series last year, both games were decided by 17 points or more with the road team prevailing in each game.
Mavericks Looking For Second Straight Home Win
By Dan Bruno
The Dallas Mavericks play host to the Chicago Bulls, at American Airlines Center on Monday evening.
The Mavericks (1-1) are coming off an impressive home win in their last contest, where they defeated the Timberwolves, 140-136, behind a strong performance from rookie Luka Doncic. Doncic tallied 26 points on 8-of-16 shooting, six rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block, in 36 minutes. DeAndre Jordan also came up big for his new team with 22 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks, two steals and one assist, in the win. Though it is very early on, the Mavericks are averaging an impressive 120 points per game. Harrison Barnes (hamstring) has yet to suit up for the Mavs, and remains questionable for action on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Bulls (0-2) have dropped their first two games of the season, but have shown good fight in both contests. They came up short by just two points in their last contest, where they fell, 118-116, at home versus the Pistons. Zach LaVine has had a great start to the season, averaging 31.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists so far, while Justin Holiday is averaging 14.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists. Through the first two games of the season, the Bulls have given up an average of 122.5 points per game. Lauri Markkanen (elbow) remains sidelined and is not expected back for a couple of weeks.
The Mavericks (1-1) are coming off an impressive home win in their last contest, where they defeated the Timberwolves, 140-136, behind a strong performance from rookie Luka Doncic. Doncic tallied 26 points on 8-of-16 shooting, six rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block, in 36 minutes. DeAndre Jordan also came up big for his new team with 22 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks, two steals and one assist, in the win. Though it is very early on, the Mavericks are averaging an impressive 120 points per game. Harrison Barnes (hamstring) has yet to suit up for the Mavs, and remains questionable for action on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Bulls (0-2) have dropped their first two games of the season, but have shown good fight in both contests. They came up short by just two points in their last contest, where they fell, 118-116, at home versus the Pistons. Zach LaVine has had a great start to the season, averaging 31.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists so far, while Justin Holiday is averaging 14.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists. Through the first two games of the season, the Bulls have given up an average of 122.5 points per game. Lauri Markkanen (elbow) remains sidelined and is not expected back for a couple of weeks.
Jazz Looking To Bounce Back At Home
By Dan Bruno
The Utah Jazz play host to the Memphis Grizzlies, at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Monday evening.
This marks the second home game of the season for the Jazz (1-1), who are 0-1 at home, after a loss to the visiting Warriors on Friday. The Jazz looked great for most of the contest against Golden State, but slowly let the game slip away before losing in heartbreaking fashion in the final seconds. Joe Ingles has been very impressive so far, averaging 24.5 points, 5.0 assists and 2.5 rebounds so far. Donovan Mitchell also picked up where he left off last season, averaging 21.5 points, 2.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds over his first two games. Jae Crowder has looked comfortable so far, averaging 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
Meanwhile, this marks the first of a three-game road trip for the Grizzlies (1-1) , who are already 0-1 on the road this season. However, they are coming off an impressive, 131-117, home win over the Hawks in their last contest, where Garrett Temple led the way with 30 points, four rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. Marc Gasol tallied 13 points. seven rebounds and five assists, while Jaren Jackson Jr. added 24 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal.
This marks the second home game of the season for the Jazz (1-1), who are 0-1 at home, after a loss to the visiting Warriors on Friday. The Jazz looked great for most of the contest against Golden State, but slowly let the game slip away before losing in heartbreaking fashion in the final seconds. Joe Ingles has been very impressive so far, averaging 24.5 points, 5.0 assists and 2.5 rebounds so far. Donovan Mitchell also picked up where he left off last season, averaging 21.5 points, 2.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds over his first two games. Jae Crowder has looked comfortable so far, averaging 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
Meanwhile, this marks the first of a three-game road trip for the Grizzlies (1-1) , who are already 0-1 on the road this season. However, they are coming off an impressive, 131-117, home win over the Hawks in their last contest, where Garrett Temple led the way with 30 points, four rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. Marc Gasol tallied 13 points. seven rebounds and five assists, while Jaren Jackson Jr. added 24 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal.
Wizards Hope to Earn First Win in Trip to Portland
By Oscar Heanue
The Portland Trail Blazers will host the visiting Washington Wizards at Moda Center on Monday evening.
Portland (2-0) has gotten a strong start to its season, earning a win in each of its first two contests. Most recently, the Trail Blazers took down the San Antonio Spurs in a 121-108 game at Moda Center. Portland led by as much as 20 during the fourth quarter, comfortably securing its second win to start the new year. All-Star point guard Damian Lillard led the team with 29 points and nine assists. C.J. McCollum added another 24 points, while big man Jusuf Nurkic scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds. The win continued the Trail Blazers' momentum from their season opener, in which they defeated the Lakers in LeBron James' LA debut.
Washington (0-2), on the other hand, has started off its season with consecutive losses. The Wizards are fresh off a 117-113 loss on Saturday to the Toronto Raptors, who eked out a win despite the absence of superstar wing Kawhi Leonard. One of the main areas of concern for Washington thus far has been rebounding; the Wizards were beaten 52-37 on the glass in Saturday's game. Newly-acquired big man Dwight Howard is still waiting to make his debut as he recovers from a lower back injury. In his absence, the team has been forced to turn to veteran role player Ian Mahinmi, who managed only 17 minutes on the floor against Toronto. Still, there have been bright spots for the Wizards. John Wall and Bradley Beal combined to score 57 points despite the loss.
Portland (2-0) has gotten a strong start to its season, earning a win in each of its first two contests. Most recently, the Trail Blazers took down the San Antonio Spurs in a 121-108 game at Moda Center. Portland led by as much as 20 during the fourth quarter, comfortably securing its second win to start the new year. All-Star point guard Damian Lillard led the team with 29 points and nine assists. C.J. McCollum added another 24 points, while big man Jusuf Nurkic scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds. The win continued the Trail Blazers' momentum from their season opener, in which they defeated the Lakers in LeBron James' LA debut.
Washington (0-2), on the other hand, has started off its season with consecutive losses. The Wizards are fresh off a 117-113 loss on Saturday to the Toronto Raptors, who eked out a win despite the absence of superstar wing Kawhi Leonard. One of the main areas of concern for Washington thus far has been rebounding; the Wizards were beaten 52-37 on the glass in Saturday's game. Newly-acquired big man Dwight Howard is still waiting to make his debut as he recovers from a lower back injury. In his absence, the team has been forced to turn to veteran role player Ian Mahinmi, who managed only 17 minutes on the floor against Toronto. Still, there have been bright spots for the Wizards. John Wall and Bradley Beal combined to score 57 points despite the loss.
Upstart Suns Tangle With World Champion Warriors
The Phoenix Suns take on the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena on Monday evening.
The Suns (1-1) came into the new season replete with optimism after yet another coaching change and an offseason infusion of talent, one that included veteran Trevor Ariza and top overall pick Deandre Ayton. The regular-season opener validated much of that optimism, as Phoenix notched a 121-100 win over the Dallas Mavericks. However, they were brought back down to earth in their most recent contest, dropping a 119-91 decision to the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night. Devin Booker was one of the main bright spots for the Suns, managing 25 points and adding seven assists, two rebounds and one steal. T.J. Warren was next with a bench-leading 16 points, a total he complemented with three rebounds, one assist and one block. Isaiah Canaan supplied 15 points, four boards, two assists and one steal. Mikal Bridges turned in 10 points off the bench, but fellow first-rounder Deandre Ayton only contributed five points, eight rebounds and one assist.
The Suns are listing Troy Daniels (concussion) as questionable for Monday's game.
The Warriors (2-1) opened the defense of their latest title in fine fashion by scoring victories over the OKC Thunder and Utah Jazz over their first two games. However, after nipping Utah on a last-second tip-in by Jonas Jerebko, the tables were turned on Golden State in their first loss of the season Sunday night. The Warriors fell by a 100-98 score to the Denver Nuggets, with Juancho Hernangomez blocking a would-be tying layup to seal the win for Denver. Stephen Curry continued the red-hot start to his season with 30 points, six assists and four rebounds, making it three straight 30-point tallies in as many games. Kevin Durant turned in a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included seven assists. Klay Thompson bounced back to an extent from some early-season struggles to post 15 points, seven rebounds, one steal and one block.
The Warriors are likely to list Shaun Livingston (knee contusion) as questionable at best for Monday's contest after he sat Sunday.
Golden State swept the four-game season series between the two teams during the 2017-18 campaign.
The Suns (1-1) came into the new season replete with optimism after yet another coaching change and an offseason infusion of talent, one that included veteran Trevor Ariza and top overall pick Deandre Ayton. The regular-season opener validated much of that optimism, as Phoenix notched a 121-100 win over the Dallas Mavericks. However, they were brought back down to earth in their most recent contest, dropping a 119-91 decision to the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night. Devin Booker was one of the main bright spots for the Suns, managing 25 points and adding seven assists, two rebounds and one steal. T.J. Warren was next with a bench-leading 16 points, a total he complemented with three rebounds, one assist and one block. Isaiah Canaan supplied 15 points, four boards, two assists and one steal. Mikal Bridges turned in 10 points off the bench, but fellow first-rounder Deandre Ayton only contributed five points, eight rebounds and one assist.
The Suns are listing Troy Daniels (concussion) as questionable for Monday's game.
The Warriors (2-1) opened the defense of their latest title in fine fashion by scoring victories over the OKC Thunder and Utah Jazz over their first two games. However, after nipping Utah on a last-second tip-in by Jonas Jerebko, the tables were turned on Golden State in their first loss of the season Sunday night. The Warriors fell by a 100-98 score to the Denver Nuggets, with Juancho Hernangomez blocking a would-be tying layup to seal the win for Denver. Stephen Curry continued the red-hot start to his season with 30 points, six assists and four rebounds, making it three straight 30-point tallies in as many games. Kevin Durant turned in a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included seven assists. Klay Thompson bounced back to an extent from some early-season struggles to post 15 points, seven rebounds, one steal and one block.
The Warriors are likely to list Shaun Livingston (knee contusion) as questionable at best for Monday's contest after he sat Sunday.
Golden State swept the four-game season series between the two teams during the 2017-18 campaign.
Lakers Look to End Losing Ways Against Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs travel to California to play the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on Monday.
The Spurs (1-1) picked up a win against the Minnesota Timberwolves in their opener and followed that up with a defeat to the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday. It's hard to figure out exactly what sort of Spurs team this is going to be, as they truly have changed the guard. The Tony Parker-Tim Duncan-Manu Ginobili core is all gone now, as it's now DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge's team to run. Both players have shown signs of brilliance to start the year and it's just a matter of time before everything starts clicking. Those two will need to continue their dominance too, with the point guard position being a serious merry-go-around right now. Not only did Dejounte Murray suffer a torn ACL in the preseason, Derrick White suffered an injury of his own that will sideline him for over a month. That's a tough blow for an already shorthanded backcourt and it will be fascinating to see what the next step for management is to fill that void.
The Lakers (0-2) have gotten off to a rough start in their first two games and it may have hit a breaking point against the Houston Rockets. In fact, Brandon Ingram and Rajon Rondo will miss the majority of this week, with both players getting suspended for a scuffle in that 124-115 defeat. While standing up for your teammates is huge in any sport, it's obvious that these antics have hurt this club more than it's helped. In reality, Los Angeles was tied in the fourth quarter when that scuffle happened, as they simply couldn't maintain without Rondo and Ingram. That becomes an even bigger issue here, as LeBron James will have to take on a Cleveland-esque role with two starters suspended. Players like Lonzo Ball, Kenatavious Caldwell-Pope and Josh Hart need to step up to fill these voids, as they still have plenty of talent to win games. Other than disciplinary issues, it's the defense that has really hurt this team. The Lakers currently rank 27th in points allowed, which is sadly a trend that's followed this team around for a decade. The signing of James was as much about a culture change than anything else and defense will be the key focus going forward to get this team to where they need to be.
Los Angeles comes into this matchup winning four-straight games over San Antonio, which includes a three-game season sweep last year. Prior to that, the Spurs won eight of their previous nine games over the Lakers.
The Spurs (1-1) picked up a win against the Minnesota Timberwolves in their opener and followed that up with a defeat to the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday. It's hard to figure out exactly what sort of Spurs team this is going to be, as they truly have changed the guard. The Tony Parker-Tim Duncan-Manu Ginobili core is all gone now, as it's now DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge's team to run. Both players have shown signs of brilliance to start the year and it's just a matter of time before everything starts clicking. Those two will need to continue their dominance too, with the point guard position being a serious merry-go-around right now. Not only did Dejounte Murray suffer a torn ACL in the preseason, Derrick White suffered an injury of his own that will sideline him for over a month. That's a tough blow for an already shorthanded backcourt and it will be fascinating to see what the next step for management is to fill that void.
The Lakers (0-2) have gotten off to a rough start in their first two games and it may have hit a breaking point against the Houston Rockets. In fact, Brandon Ingram and Rajon Rondo will miss the majority of this week, with both players getting suspended for a scuffle in that 124-115 defeat. While standing up for your teammates is huge in any sport, it's obvious that these antics have hurt this club more than it's helped. In reality, Los Angeles was tied in the fourth quarter when that scuffle happened, as they simply couldn't maintain without Rondo and Ingram. That becomes an even bigger issue here, as LeBron James will have to take on a Cleveland-esque role with two starters suspended. Players like Lonzo Ball, Kenatavious Caldwell-Pope and Josh Hart need to step up to fill these voids, as they still have plenty of talent to win games. Other than disciplinary issues, it's the defense that has really hurt this team. The Lakers currently rank 27th in points allowed, which is sadly a trend that's followed this team around for a decade. The signing of James was as much about a culture change than anything else and defense will be the key focus going forward to get this team to where they need to be.
Los Angeles comes into this matchup winning four-straight games over San Antonio, which includes a three-game season sweep last year. Prior to that, the Spurs won eight of their previous nine games over the Lakers.