Spurs Host Rockets on Saturday
The San Antonio Spurs play host to the Houston Rockets at AT&T Center on Saturday.
The Rockets (4-6) have been the talk of the NBA, sending off James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. While he did have some amazing times in Houston, it was clear that his time was up for both parties in the transaction. While most of the assets involve first-round picks, Victor Oladipo was brought in from the Indiana Pacers. That's not a huge step down from Harden and it shows just how well the Rockets did in this trade. A core with Oladipo, Christian Wood, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Gordon and P.J. Tucker is plenty good to battle for a playoff spot and Thursday's win was a good start. They won despite Wall and Gordon sitting due to injury and Oladipo still en route. That forced Wood into a huge game, with randoms like Sterling Brown and Jae'Sean White having big nights as well. That means this core has some good players behind it and this is a better rotation than many people may think.
The Spurs (6-6) were the unfortunate bearers of that loss to the Rockets on Thursday and it's really weird to look at the box score. While Keldon Johnson went off with 29 points on 12-of-16 from the field, DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge both had terrible games. The guy we're concerned about is LA because he's been in a slump for the majority of the season. He's averaging just 14.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game but this Spurs club won't make the playoffs unless he's closer to the 20-10 guy we've become accustomed to. That has a lot of people discussing a potential trade with DeRozan and Aldridge but this club simply won't do that unless they fall out of the race altogether.
These teams just played on Thursday, with Houston prevailing, 109-105. That means that these clubs have switched off wins and losses in five-straight games.
The Rockets (4-6) have been the talk of the NBA, sending off James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. While he did have some amazing times in Houston, it was clear that his time was up for both parties in the transaction. While most of the assets involve first-round picks, Victor Oladipo was brought in from the Indiana Pacers. That's not a huge step down from Harden and it shows just how well the Rockets did in this trade. A core with Oladipo, Christian Wood, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Gordon and P.J. Tucker is plenty good to battle for a playoff spot and Thursday's win was a good start. They won despite Wall and Gordon sitting due to injury and Oladipo still en route. That forced Wood into a huge game, with randoms like Sterling Brown and Jae'Sean White having big nights as well. That means this core has some good players behind it and this is a better rotation than many people may think.
The Spurs (6-6) were the unfortunate bearers of that loss to the Rockets on Thursday and it's really weird to look at the box score. While Keldon Johnson went off with 29 points on 12-of-16 from the field, DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge both had terrible games. The guy we're concerned about is LA because he's been in a slump for the majority of the season. He's averaging just 14.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game but this Spurs club won't make the playoffs unless he's closer to the 20-10 guy we've become accustomed to. That has a lot of people discussing a potential trade with DeRozan and Aldridge but this club simply won't do that unless they fall out of the race altogether.
These teams just played on Thursday, with Houston prevailing, 109-105. That means that these clubs have switched off wins and losses in five-straight games.
Nets Aiming For Home Win Over Magic
The Brooklyn Nets will host the Orlando Magic at Barclays Center on Saturday afternoon.
The Nets (7-6) have been the talk of the league thus far following the acquisition of James Harden and the absence of Kyrie Irving, but Steve Nash's men have been trending in the right direction of late -- they are coming off a 116-109 win over the New York Knicks on Wednesday and that result means they have now won four of their last six contests. Kevin Durant was one of seven Brooklyn players that scored in double digits in that game, but he was the unquestionable leader of the offense with 26 points, six assists, three rebounds and two blocks. Joe Harris and Bruce Brown each contributed 15 points, though Brown also added 14 boards and two dimes. Landry Shamed chipped in with 13 points off the bench, just like Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot. Reggie Perry added 11 points off the bench as well. The Nets are trending in the right direction and will have another shot at showing their potential here. Their peripheral numbers are also decent, as they shot 48.4 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range in the win over New York.
Kyrie Irving (COVID-19) won't be playing here while James Harden (not injury related) is unlikely to play since all the players that were involved in the trade must complete their physicals for him to be eligible. Nicolas Claxton (knee) and Spencer Dinwiddie (knee) are out, while Tyler Johnson (COVID-19) will be a game-time decision.
The Magic (6-6) are undoubtedly trending in the wrong direction of late and are coming off a disappointing loss against the Boston Celtics the last time out, a result that extended their losing streak to four games while allowing at least 112 points in each one of those defeats. The defeat against Boston can be explained by the fact the Magic shot the ball poorly -- they made just 40.4 percent of their shots while shooting a meager 25 percent from three-point range. As if that wasn't enough, no Orlando player reached the 20-point plateau in Friday's loss, with Aaron Gordon (17 points) and Nikola Vucevic (15 points) being the highest-scoring players. The absence of Markelle Fultz (out for the remainder of the season) has hurt Orlando badly and they haven't been able to adjust so far, as this team looks like a shell of their former self when compared to the team that started the 2020-21 campaign with four straight wins.
The Magic are listing Fultz (knee) and Jonathan Isaac (knee) as out for the season, while Chuma Okeke and Al-Farouq Aminu (both knee) are out as well. Mo Bamba (COVID-19), Michael Carter-Williams (foot) and Evan Fournier (back) are all questionable.
The Nets (7-6) have been the talk of the league thus far following the acquisition of James Harden and the absence of Kyrie Irving, but Steve Nash's men have been trending in the right direction of late -- they are coming off a 116-109 win over the New York Knicks on Wednesday and that result means they have now won four of their last six contests. Kevin Durant was one of seven Brooklyn players that scored in double digits in that game, but he was the unquestionable leader of the offense with 26 points, six assists, three rebounds and two blocks. Joe Harris and Bruce Brown each contributed 15 points, though Brown also added 14 boards and two dimes. Landry Shamed chipped in with 13 points off the bench, just like Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot. Reggie Perry added 11 points off the bench as well. The Nets are trending in the right direction and will have another shot at showing their potential here. Their peripheral numbers are also decent, as they shot 48.4 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range in the win over New York.
Kyrie Irving (COVID-19) won't be playing here while James Harden (not injury related) is unlikely to play since all the players that were involved in the trade must complete their physicals for him to be eligible. Nicolas Claxton (knee) and Spencer Dinwiddie (knee) are out, while Tyler Johnson (COVID-19) will be a game-time decision.
The Magic (6-6) are undoubtedly trending in the wrong direction of late and are coming off a disappointing loss against the Boston Celtics the last time out, a result that extended their losing streak to four games while allowing at least 112 points in each one of those defeats. The defeat against Boston can be explained by the fact the Magic shot the ball poorly -- they made just 40.4 percent of their shots while shooting a meager 25 percent from three-point range. As if that wasn't enough, no Orlando player reached the 20-point plateau in Friday's loss, with Aaron Gordon (17 points) and Nikola Vucevic (15 points) being the highest-scoring players. The absence of Markelle Fultz (out for the remainder of the season) has hurt Orlando badly and they haven't been able to adjust so far, as this team looks like a shell of their former self when compared to the team that started the 2020-21 campaign with four straight wins.
The Magic are listing Fultz (knee) and Jonathan Isaac (knee) as out for the season, while Chuma Okeke and Al-Farouq Aminu (both knee) are out as well. Mo Bamba (COVID-19), Michael Carter-Williams (foot) and Evan Fournier (back) are all questionable.
Hornets and Raptors Tangle in Tampa
The Charlotte Hornets take on the Toronto Raptors at Amalie Arena on Saturday evening.
The Hornets (6-7) have had as much of an up-and-down season as their record implies, and accordingly, they'll come into the contest having gone 4-4 over their last eight games. Their most recent time on the floor -- Thursday -- resulted in one of those losses, as Charlotte dropped a 111-108 decision to the same Raptors squad they'll face Saturday. Terry Rozier led the way for the Hornets with 22 points, adding five assists, three rebounds, two steals and one block. P.J. Washington generated a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included one assist, two blocks and one steal. Devonte Graham supplied 15 points, four rebounds, four assists and one steal. Lonzo Ball registered 14 points, 11 assists, six rebounds, three steals and one block. Miles Bridges poured in 12 points. Bismack Biyombo and Malik Monk posted 10 points apiece, with Biyombo also pulling down eight rebounds.
The Hornets will list Gordon Hayward (hip) as questionable for Saturday's contest. Cody Zeller (hand) remains out.
As their record implies, the Raptors (3-8) have endured a mostly abysmal start to their season, but they'll enter Saturday's contest having gone a respectable 2-2 over their last four games. Their most recent success came at the expense of the Hornets in the aforementioned 111-108 win. Chris Boucher led the way with a 25-point, 10-rebound double-double that also included two assists, two blcocks and one steal. Fred VanVleet offered 17 points and eight assists. Kyle Lowry posted a 16-point, 12-assist double-double that also included six rebounds and two steals. Pascal Siakam compiled 15 points, seven boards, four assists, three steals and one block. OG Anunoby turned in 13 points, five rebounds, two assists, three steals and one block.
The Raptors are expected to continue without Patrick McCaw (knee on Saturday. Alex Len (personal) will likely be listed as questionable at best.
Saturday's contest marks the second and final meeting between the teams, with Toronto's victory Thursday the first.
The Hornets (6-7) have had as much of an up-and-down season as their record implies, and accordingly, they'll come into the contest having gone 4-4 over their last eight games. Their most recent time on the floor -- Thursday -- resulted in one of those losses, as Charlotte dropped a 111-108 decision to the same Raptors squad they'll face Saturday. Terry Rozier led the way for the Hornets with 22 points, adding five assists, three rebounds, two steals and one block. P.J. Washington generated a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included one assist, two blocks and one steal. Devonte Graham supplied 15 points, four rebounds, four assists and one steal. Lonzo Ball registered 14 points, 11 assists, six rebounds, three steals and one block. Miles Bridges poured in 12 points. Bismack Biyombo and Malik Monk posted 10 points apiece, with Biyombo also pulling down eight rebounds.
The Hornets will list Gordon Hayward (hip) as questionable for Saturday's contest. Cody Zeller (hand) remains out.
As their record implies, the Raptors (3-8) have endured a mostly abysmal start to their season, but they'll enter Saturday's contest having gone a respectable 2-2 over their last four games. Their most recent success came at the expense of the Hornets in the aforementioned 111-108 win. Chris Boucher led the way with a 25-point, 10-rebound double-double that also included two assists, two blcocks and one steal. Fred VanVleet offered 17 points and eight assists. Kyle Lowry posted a 16-point, 12-assist double-double that also included six rebounds and two steals. Pascal Siakam compiled 15 points, seven boards, four assists, three steals and one block. OG Anunoby turned in 13 points, five rebounds, two assists, three steals and one block.
The Raptors are expected to continue without Patrick McCaw (knee on Saturday. Alex Len (personal) will likely be listed as questionable at best.
Saturday's contest marks the second and final meeting between the teams, with Toronto's victory Thursday the first.
Heat Host Struggling Pistons
The Detroit Pistons will visit the Miami Heat at AmericanAirlines Arena on Saturday evening.
The Pistons (2-9) had the benefit of some extra rest since their Friday game against the Washington Wizards got postponed, but they are enduring a tough start to the season. Between injuries and some underperforming players, it's clear this is going to be another long season in Motor City. The Pistons are coming off a loss against the Bucks on Wednesday. Jerami Grant paced the Pistons with 22 points, supplementing them with four rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block. Svi Mykhailiuk managed 18 points. Blake Griffin registered 12 points, seven boards, six assists and one steal. Josh Jackson and Saddiq Bey posted 11 and 10 points, respectively, with Jackson dishing out three assists and Bey contributing two rebounds. Grant leads the team in scoring with 24.8 points per game and will be Detroit's go-to guy once again, but he's been one of the few bright spots for a struggling team that's 0-4 on the road so far.
The Pistons are listing Killian Hayes (hip) as out, and he is not expected to return until March at the earliest.
The Heat (4-6) barely have eight players available for this game due to injuries and COVID-19 tracing, but they're expected to compete despite being notoriously shorthanded. They are coming off a loss against the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday but, if there was a silver lining in that game, is the fact that seven of the eight Heat players scored in double digits -- Duncan Robinson was their leading scorer with 22 points while draining four of eight three-point shots. Gabe Vincent registered 21 points and eight assists, while Precious Achiuwa delivered 10 points and 11 boards. Tyler Herro contributed 17 points and six rebounds, while Chris Silva ended with 13 points off the bench. Miami's start has been unexpectedly bad and while injuries have taken their toll on them, they have also struggled to repeat what they did last season, when they reached the NBA Finals. They enter this game on a two-game losing streak.
Tyler Herro (back) and Gabe Vincent (knee) are questionable for this game, while several players have been ruled listed as game-time calls due to COVID-19 health protocols -- the list includes KZ Okpala, Bam Adebayo, Kendrick Nunn, Udonis Haslem, Goran Dragic and Maurice Harkless. Jimmy Butler and Avery Bradley are out due to COVID-19, while Meyers Leonard (shoulder) is also sidelined.
The Pistons (2-9) had the benefit of some extra rest since their Friday game against the Washington Wizards got postponed, but they are enduring a tough start to the season. Between injuries and some underperforming players, it's clear this is going to be another long season in Motor City. The Pistons are coming off a loss against the Bucks on Wednesday. Jerami Grant paced the Pistons with 22 points, supplementing them with four rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block. Svi Mykhailiuk managed 18 points. Blake Griffin registered 12 points, seven boards, six assists and one steal. Josh Jackson and Saddiq Bey posted 11 and 10 points, respectively, with Jackson dishing out three assists and Bey contributing two rebounds. Grant leads the team in scoring with 24.8 points per game and will be Detroit's go-to guy once again, but he's been one of the few bright spots for a struggling team that's 0-4 on the road so far.
The Pistons are listing Killian Hayes (hip) as out, and he is not expected to return until March at the earliest.
The Heat (4-6) barely have eight players available for this game due to injuries and COVID-19 tracing, but they're expected to compete despite being notoriously shorthanded. They are coming off a loss against the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday but, if there was a silver lining in that game, is the fact that seven of the eight Heat players scored in double digits -- Duncan Robinson was their leading scorer with 22 points while draining four of eight three-point shots. Gabe Vincent registered 21 points and eight assists, while Precious Achiuwa delivered 10 points and 11 boards. Tyler Herro contributed 17 points and six rebounds, while Chris Silva ended with 13 points off the bench. Miami's start has been unexpectedly bad and while injuries have taken their toll on them, they have also struggled to repeat what they did last season, when they reached the NBA Finals. They enter this game on a two-game losing streak.
Tyler Herro (back) and Gabe Vincent (knee) are questionable for this game, while several players have been ruled listed as game-time calls due to COVID-19 health protocols -- the list includes KZ Okpala, Bam Adebayo, Kendrick Nunn, Udonis Haslem, Goran Dragic and Maurice Harkless. Jimmy Butler and Avery Bradley are out due to COVID-19, while Meyers Leonard (shoulder) is also sidelined.
76ers and Grizzlies Face Off in Interconference Battle
The Philadelphia 76ers take on the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum on Saturday night.
The 76ers (9-4) had recently endured a rare three-game losing streak while dealing with a myriad of COVID-19-related absences, but they bounced back to win back-to-back games from the Miami Heat in their two most recent contests. The latest win came by a 125-108 margin Thursday night. Shake Milton paced the 76ers with 31 points, adding seven assists, two rebounds, two steals and one block. Tobias Harris furnished 18 points, four boards, two assists and one steal. Tyrese Maxey poured in 15 points, while Danny Green and Isaiah Joe generated matching 12-point tallies. Ben Simmons managed a 10-point, 12-assist, 10-rebound triple-double that included three steals.
The 76ers are likely to remain without Seth Curry (COVID-19 protocols) on Saturday. Embiid (knee) and Mike Scott (knee) will also remain out, while Simmons (knee) is probable.
The Grizzlies (5-6) saw their Friday game against the Minnesota Timberwolves cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns, but they did topple Minnesota by a 118-107 score in the first game of the two-game set Wednesday night. Jonas Valanciuanas led the way with a 24-point, 16-rebound double-double that also included one assist and two blocks. Grayson Allen poured in 20 points, Brandon Clarke contributed 19 points, nine boards, three assists and three steals. De'Anthony Melton registered 15 points, four assists, one rebound, two steals and one block. Xavier Tillman turned in 12 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals.
The Grizzlies will list Ja Morant (ankle) as questionable to make his return in Saturday's game, while Jaren Jackson (knee) and Jontay Porter (knee) remain out.
Saturday's contest is the only meeting between the teams this season. The 76ers won the only 2019-20 contest with the Grizzlies, 119-107.
The 76ers (9-4) had recently endured a rare three-game losing streak while dealing with a myriad of COVID-19-related absences, but they bounced back to win back-to-back games from the Miami Heat in their two most recent contests. The latest win came by a 125-108 margin Thursday night. Shake Milton paced the 76ers with 31 points, adding seven assists, two rebounds, two steals and one block. Tobias Harris furnished 18 points, four boards, two assists and one steal. Tyrese Maxey poured in 15 points, while Danny Green and Isaiah Joe generated matching 12-point tallies. Ben Simmons managed a 10-point, 12-assist, 10-rebound triple-double that included three steals.
The 76ers are likely to remain without Seth Curry (COVID-19 protocols) on Saturday. Embiid (knee) and Mike Scott (knee) will also remain out, while Simmons (knee) is probable.
The Grizzlies (5-6) saw their Friday game against the Minnesota Timberwolves cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns, but they did topple Minnesota by a 118-107 score in the first game of the two-game set Wednesday night. Jonas Valanciuanas led the way with a 24-point, 16-rebound double-double that also included one assist and two blocks. Grayson Allen poured in 20 points, Brandon Clarke contributed 19 points, nine boards, three assists and three steals. De'Anthony Melton registered 15 points, four assists, one rebound, two steals and one block. Xavier Tillman turned in 12 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals.
The Grizzlies will list Ja Morant (ankle) as questionable to make his return in Saturday's game, while Jaren Jackson (knee) and Jontay Porter (knee) remain out.
Saturday's contest is the only meeting between the teams this season. The 76ers won the only 2019-20 contest with the Grizzlies, 119-107.
This game has been postponed due to COVID protocols.
Trail Blazers Look To Get Back On Track At Home
By Dan Bruno
The Portland Trail Blazers play host to the Atlanta Hawks at Moda Center on Saturday evening.
This marks the first game of a seven-game home stand for the Trail Blazers (7-5), which they began with a loss to the Pacers on Thursday. Despite the recent loss the Blazers have been off to a good start to the season and are 3-3 at home. They have a great chance to gain some momentum if they can get on track and take advantage of such a long home stand early in the season. Damian Lillard continues to dominate the game, averaging 26.9 points, 6.8 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.0 steals, in 36 minutes per game. However, C.J. McCollum is currently the Trail Blazers' leading scorer, averaging 27.6 points on 47 percent shooting, in 35 minutes per game. Carmelo Anthony is the team's next-highest scoring player, averaging 12.1 points on 40 percent shooting, including 44 percent from long range. The Trail Blazers are averaging 116.0 points per game, which is sixth most in the league, but they are giving up an average of 15.9 points against, which is fifth most.
Meanwhile, this marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Hawks (5-6), as they are coming off a rough loss in Utah on Friday, where they were outscored 16-0 to start the fourth and trailed by as many as 30 points. Cam Reddish led the Hawks with 20 points and five rebounds, in the loss, while Clint Capela followed up with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Trae Young had a rough night, with four points on 1-of-11 shooting, in 24 minutes. Much of the Hawks' early success has been thanks to their defense, as they are holding opponents to an average of 44.4 percent shooting, which is seventh lowest in the league. However, they gave up 116 points in their loss on Friday and will need to get their defense back on track to avoid a repeat. They also tallied just 92 points on Friday, which is well below their season average of 111.9 points per game.
This marks the first game of a seven-game home stand for the Trail Blazers (7-5), which they began with a loss to the Pacers on Thursday. Despite the recent loss the Blazers have been off to a good start to the season and are 3-3 at home. They have a great chance to gain some momentum if they can get on track and take advantage of such a long home stand early in the season. Damian Lillard continues to dominate the game, averaging 26.9 points, 6.8 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.0 steals, in 36 minutes per game. However, C.J. McCollum is currently the Trail Blazers' leading scorer, averaging 27.6 points on 47 percent shooting, in 35 minutes per game. Carmelo Anthony is the team's next-highest scoring player, averaging 12.1 points on 40 percent shooting, including 44 percent from long range. The Trail Blazers are averaging 116.0 points per game, which is sixth most in the league, but they are giving up an average of 15.9 points against, which is fifth most.
Meanwhile, this marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Hawks (5-6), as they are coming off a rough loss in Utah on Friday, where they were outscored 16-0 to start the fourth and trailed by as many as 30 points. Cam Reddish led the Hawks with 20 points and five rebounds, in the loss, while Clint Capela followed up with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Trae Young had a rough night, with four points on 1-of-11 shooting, in 24 minutes. Much of the Hawks' early success has been thanks to their defense, as they are holding opponents to an average of 44.4 percent shooting, which is seventh lowest in the league. However, they gave up 116 points in their loss on Friday and will need to get their defense back on track to avoid a repeat. They also tallied just 92 points on Friday, which is well below their season average of 111.9 points per game.