Pacers Host Lakers To Open Saturday Slate
The Indiana Pacers will host the Los Angeles Lakers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon.
The Pacers (33-37) are coming off a 142-133 loss against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, a defeat that snapped their two-game winning run. Eight of the nine Indiana players that saw the floor ended with 10 or more points, with Justin Holiday leading the way with 26 points, five rebounds and five assists. T.J. McConnell also filled the stat sheet with 23 points, seven assists, five rebounds and three steals. Oshae Brissett and Doug McDermott each had 19 points. Domantas Sabonis notched 10 points while adding 14 assists. Indiana has gone 3-2 in its last five games, but only 4-6 over its last 10 contests. The Pacers have been struggling badly at home, though, as they own a 13-22 mark in front of their fans.
The Lakers (40-30) are coming off a 124-122 win over the Houston Rockets the last time, a game that turned out to be closer than many would have expected it. The Lakers played this game without LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Dennis Schroder but were led by Talen Horton-Tucker, tallying 23 points, two rebounds, 10 assists and two steals. Andre Drummond had 21 points, 10 rebounds and two assists. Markieff Morris accrued 14 points, four rebounds and four assists while Kuzma led the bench with 19 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Los Angeles enters this game on a three-game winning streak but has gone just 5-5 in its last 10 games, though at least it has been decent on the road -- the Lakers have a 19-15 mark away from Staples Center.
This will be the second and final meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the prior game by a 105-100 score.
The Pacers (33-37) are coming off a 142-133 loss against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, a defeat that snapped their two-game winning run. Eight of the nine Indiana players that saw the floor ended with 10 or more points, with Justin Holiday leading the way with 26 points, five rebounds and five assists. T.J. McConnell also filled the stat sheet with 23 points, seven assists, five rebounds and three steals. Oshae Brissett and Doug McDermott each had 19 points. Domantas Sabonis notched 10 points while adding 14 assists. Indiana has gone 3-2 in its last five games, but only 4-6 over its last 10 contests. The Pacers have been struggling badly at home, though, as they own a 13-22 mark in front of their fans.
The Lakers (40-30) are coming off a 124-122 win over the Houston Rockets the last time, a game that turned out to be closer than many would have expected it. The Lakers played this game without LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Dennis Schroder but were led by Talen Horton-Tucker, tallying 23 points, two rebounds, 10 assists and two steals. Andre Drummond had 21 points, 10 rebounds and two assists. Markieff Morris accrued 14 points, four rebounds and four assists while Kuzma led the bench with 19 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Los Angeles enters this game on a three-game winning streak but has gone just 5-5 in its last 10 games, though at least it has been decent on the road -- the Lakers have a 19-15 mark away from Staples Center.
This will be the second and final meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the prior game by a 105-100 score.
Nets Look To Build On Three-Game Streak
By Dan Bruno
The Brooklyn Nets play host to the Chicago Bulls at Barclays Center on Saturday afternoon.
The Nets (46-24) have won six of their last 10 games, including their last three in a row. They will look to keep rolling and add to their, 26-8, home record, as they face the second game of a three-game home stand that will close out their season. James Harden returned to action in the Nets' most recent contest and finished with 18 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks, in 25 minutes of action. Kevin Durant continues to play great, averaging 27.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.4 blocks, in 33 minutes per game, while Kyrie Irving is averaging 27.2 points, 6.2 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. The Nets are averaging 118.7 points per game, which is second most in the league, and they are shooting a league-best 49.3 percent from the field. On the other hand, they are giving up an average of 114.5 points per game, which is eighth most in the league.
Meanwhile, the Bulls (30-40) sit 11th place in the East and have been eliminated from playoff contention, despite coming off a win in their most recent contest. They will look to stay strong as they face their final road game of the season, with a chance to add to their, 16-19, road record. Zach LaVine leads the Bulls averaging 27.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.9 assists, in 35 minutes per game. Nikola Vucevic is averaging 22.0 points, 11.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists, while Coby White is averaging 15.2 points, 4.7 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game. The Bulls are shooting an average of 47.7 percent from the field, which is eighth best in the league, while they are scoring an average of 110.9 points per game. However, they need to do a better job of taking care of the ball, as they are giving up 14.6 turnovers per game, which is fourth most in the league.
The Nets (46-24) have won six of their last 10 games, including their last three in a row. They will look to keep rolling and add to their, 26-8, home record, as they face the second game of a three-game home stand that will close out their season. James Harden returned to action in the Nets' most recent contest and finished with 18 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks, in 25 minutes of action. Kevin Durant continues to play great, averaging 27.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.4 blocks, in 33 minutes per game, while Kyrie Irving is averaging 27.2 points, 6.2 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. The Nets are averaging 118.7 points per game, which is second most in the league, and they are shooting a league-best 49.3 percent from the field. On the other hand, they are giving up an average of 114.5 points per game, which is eighth most in the league.
Meanwhile, the Bulls (30-40) sit 11th place in the East and have been eliminated from playoff contention, despite coming off a win in their most recent contest. They will look to stay strong as they face their final road game of the season, with a chance to add to their, 16-19, road record. Zach LaVine leads the Bulls averaging 27.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.9 assists, in 35 minutes per game. Nikola Vucevic is averaging 22.0 points, 11.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists, while Coby White is averaging 15.2 points, 4.7 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game. The Bulls are shooting an average of 47.7 percent from the field, which is eighth best in the league, while they are scoring an average of 110.9 points per game. However, they need to do a better job of taking care of the ball, as they are giving up 14.6 turnovers per game, which is fourth most in the league.
Hornets and Knicks Tangle in Big Apple
The Charlotte Hornets take on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Saturday afternoon.
The Hornets (33-37) remain ahead of the Indiana Pacers for the No. 8 seed by tiebreaker going into Saturday, but they've done themselves no favors by losing three straight games. Their most recent stumble occurred Thursday night, when they dropped a 113-90 decision to the Los Angeles Clippers. LaMelo Ball paced the Hornets with 18 points, supplementing them with seven assists, six rebounds and two steals. Bismack Biyombo delivered 13 points, seven rebounds and one assist. Jalen McDaniels, Terry Rozier and Cody Zeller all generated matching 10-point tallies, with Rozier also dishing out five assists and Zeller pulling down six rebounds.
The Hornets will be without Cody Martin (ankle), Miles Bridges (COVID-19 protocols) and Gordon Hayward (foot) for Saturday's game.
The Knicks (39-31) have already clinched their playoff spot and are guaranteed the No. 6 seed at minimum, and they'll enter Saturday's contest having prevailed in five of their last eight games. Their most recent time on the floor resulted in one of those victories, as they toppled the San Antonio Spurs by a 102-98 score on Thursday night. Alec Burks led the Knicks with 30 points, complementing them with 10 rebounds, two assists and one block. Julius Randle totaled 25 points, nine rebounds, nine assists and one steal. RJ Barrett managed 24 points, nine boards, five assists and one steal.
The Knicks will list Derrick Rose (ankle) as questionable for Saturday's contest.
Saturday's game marks third and final meeting between the teams this season. The series is tied 1-1, with the Hornets having notched a 109-88 win Jan. 11 and the Knicks having countered with a 109-97 victory April 20.
The Hornets (33-37) remain ahead of the Indiana Pacers for the No. 8 seed by tiebreaker going into Saturday, but they've done themselves no favors by losing three straight games. Their most recent stumble occurred Thursday night, when they dropped a 113-90 decision to the Los Angeles Clippers. LaMelo Ball paced the Hornets with 18 points, supplementing them with seven assists, six rebounds and two steals. Bismack Biyombo delivered 13 points, seven rebounds and one assist. Jalen McDaniels, Terry Rozier and Cody Zeller all generated matching 10-point tallies, with Rozier also dishing out five assists and Zeller pulling down six rebounds.
The Hornets will be without Cody Martin (ankle), Miles Bridges (COVID-19 protocols) and Gordon Hayward (foot) for Saturday's game.
The Knicks (39-31) have already clinched their playoff spot and are guaranteed the No. 6 seed at minimum, and they'll enter Saturday's contest having prevailed in five of their last eight games. Their most recent time on the floor resulted in one of those victories, as they toppled the San Antonio Spurs by a 102-98 score on Thursday night. Alec Burks led the Knicks with 30 points, complementing them with 10 rebounds, two assists and one block. Julius Randle totaled 25 points, nine rebounds, nine assists and one steal. RJ Barrett managed 24 points, nine boards, five assists and one steal.
The Knicks will list Derrick Rose (ankle) as questionable for Saturday's contest.
Saturday's game marks third and final meeting between the teams this season. The series is tied 1-1, with the Hornets having notched a 109-88 win Jan. 11 and the Knicks having countered with a 109-97 victory April 20.
Celtics and Timberwolves Tussle in Minnesota
The Boston Celtics take on the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on Saturday afternoon.
The Celtics (35-35) have epitomized the old adage of backing into the postseason, or in this case, the play-in tournament. Boston enters Saturday's contest having dropped four straight games and eight of their last 11 overall. Their most recent stumble occurred Wednesday, when they dropped a 102-94 decision to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 29 points, adding eight rebounds, one assist, two steals and two blocks. Payton Pritchard and Evan Fournier furnished 15 points each while pulling down seven and four rebounds, respectively. Tristan Thompson totaled 10 points, seven rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block.
The Celtics will be without Kemba Walker (neck), Marcus Smart (calf), Robert Williams (toe) and Thompson (chest) for Saturday's game. Tatum (ankle) and Fournier (knee) will each carry a probable tag.
The Timberwolves (22-48) were long ago eliminated from the postseason and enter the Saturday's game having dropped four of their last six contests. Their most recent stumble came Thursday night, when they fell to the Denver Nuggets by a 114-103 score. Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 29 points, complementing them with seven rebounds, five assists and two blocks. Karl-Anthony Towns generated a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included four assists. D'Angelo Russell supplied 17 points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. Naz Reid turned in 10 points and six rebounds.
The Timberwolves will continue without Malik Beasley (hamstring) for Saturday's contest.
Saturday's game marks the second and final meeting between the teams this season. The Celtics own a 1-0 series lead, having notched a 145-136 overtime win on April 9.
The Celtics (35-35) have epitomized the old adage of backing into the postseason, or in this case, the play-in tournament. Boston enters Saturday's contest having dropped four straight games and eight of their last 11 overall. Their most recent stumble occurred Wednesday, when they dropped a 102-94 decision to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 29 points, adding eight rebounds, one assist, two steals and two blocks. Payton Pritchard and Evan Fournier furnished 15 points each while pulling down seven and four rebounds, respectively. Tristan Thompson totaled 10 points, seven rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block.
The Celtics will be without Kemba Walker (neck), Marcus Smart (calf), Robert Williams (toe) and Thompson (chest) for Saturday's game. Tatum (ankle) and Fournier (knee) will each carry a probable tag.
The Timberwolves (22-48) were long ago eliminated from the postseason and enter the Saturday's game having dropped four of their last six contests. Their most recent stumble came Thursday night, when they fell to the Denver Nuggets by a 114-103 score. Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 29 points, complementing them with seven rebounds, five assists and two blocks. Karl-Anthony Towns generated a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included four assists. D'Angelo Russell supplied 17 points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. Naz Reid turned in 10 points and six rebounds.
The Timberwolves will continue without Malik Beasley (hamstring) for Saturday's contest.
Saturday's game marks the second and final meeting between the teams this season. The Celtics own a 1-0 series lead, having notched a 145-136 overtime win on April 9.
Spurs Aim To Snap Losing Streak Against Suns
The San Antonio Spurs will host the Phoenix Suns at AT&T Center on Saturday afternoon.
The Spurs (33-37) are coming off a 102-98 loss against the New York Knicks, a defeat that pushed their losing streak to two games while also meaning the Spurs have now dropped three of their last four contests. DeMar DeRozan led the Spurs with 27 points, eight rebounds, four assists and a steal, in 37 minutes. Dejounte Murray followed up with 14 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, a steal and a block, while Keldon Johnson chipped in 13 points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal. The Spurs shot 41 percent from the field, including 6-of-21 from long range. San Antonio has been struggling at home this season and owns a 14-20 record in front of their fans.
The Suns (49-21) are coming off a 118-117 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, and they were led by Chris Paul and his 26 points and seven assists on 11-of-14 from the field. Mikal Bridges compiled 21 points, 11 rebounds and two assists. Devin Booker accumulated 18 points, five rebounds and two assists. Cameron Payne led the bench with 21 points, six rebounds and five assists on 8-of-12 shooting. The Suns will aim to earn their 50th win of the campaign and have a strong chance at doing so since they've posted a 22-12 record when playing away from home. Phoenix has also looked impressive of late, posting a 7-3 mark over its last 10 games.
This will be the second game between these two teams this season, with the Spurs winning the prior matchup by a 111-85 score.
The Spurs (33-37) are coming off a 102-98 loss against the New York Knicks, a defeat that pushed their losing streak to two games while also meaning the Spurs have now dropped three of their last four contests. DeMar DeRozan led the Spurs with 27 points, eight rebounds, four assists and a steal, in 37 minutes. Dejounte Murray followed up with 14 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, a steal and a block, while Keldon Johnson chipped in 13 points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal. The Spurs shot 41 percent from the field, including 6-of-21 from long range. San Antonio has been struggling at home this season and owns a 14-20 record in front of their fans.
The Suns (49-21) are coming off a 118-117 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, and they were led by Chris Paul and his 26 points and seven assists on 11-of-14 from the field. Mikal Bridges compiled 21 points, 11 rebounds and two assists. Devin Booker accumulated 18 points, five rebounds and two assists. Cameron Payne led the bench with 21 points, six rebounds and five assists on 8-of-12 shooting. The Suns will aim to earn their 50th win of the campaign and have a strong chance at doing so since they've posted a 22-12 record when playing away from home. Phoenix has also looked impressive of late, posting a 7-3 mark over its last 10 games.
This will be the second game between these two teams this season, with the Spurs winning the prior matchup by a 111-85 score.
Heat Look To Build On Four-Game Streak
By Dan Bruno
The Milwaukee Bucks play host to the Miami Heat at Fiserv Forum on Saturday evening.
The Heat (39-31) have won eight of their last 10 games, including their last four in a row. They will look to keep rolling and add to their, 18-16, road record, as they face the first game of a two-game trip to close out their season. Jimmy Butler continues to lead the Heat, averaging 21.5 points, 7.1 assists, 6.9 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game. Bam Adebayo also continues to play well, averaging 18.9 points, 9.0 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks, while Duncan Robinson is averaging 13.1 points per game, while shooting an average of 41 percent from long range. The Heat are averaging 107.0 points per game, which is fourth fewest in the league, but they are holding opponents to an average of 107.3 points per game, which is third fewest in the league.
The Bucks (45-25) have won eight of their last 10 games, including their last two in a row. They will look to keep the momentum going and add to their, 25-10, home record, as they face their last home game of the season. Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to dominate almost every aspect of the game, averaging 28.4 points, 11.0 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. Khris Middleton is averaging 20.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Jrue Holiday is averaging 17.7 points, 6.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game, while Brook Lopez is averaging 12.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. The Bucks average a league-best 120.2 points per game, and they are shooting an average of 48.8 percent from the field, which is third best in the league.
The Heat (39-31) have won eight of their last 10 games, including their last four in a row. They will look to keep rolling and add to their, 18-16, road record, as they face the first game of a two-game trip to close out their season. Jimmy Butler continues to lead the Heat, averaging 21.5 points, 7.1 assists, 6.9 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game. Bam Adebayo also continues to play well, averaging 18.9 points, 9.0 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks, while Duncan Robinson is averaging 13.1 points per game, while shooting an average of 41 percent from long range. The Heat are averaging 107.0 points per game, which is fourth fewest in the league, but they are holding opponents to an average of 107.3 points per game, which is third fewest in the league.
The Bucks (45-25) have won eight of their last 10 games, including their last two in a row. They will look to keep the momentum going and add to their, 25-10, home record, as they face their last home game of the season. Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to dominate almost every aspect of the game, averaging 28.4 points, 11.0 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. Khris Middleton is averaging 20.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Jrue Holiday is averaging 17.7 points, 6.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game, while Brook Lopez is averaging 12.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. The Bucks average a league-best 120.2 points per game, and they are shooting an average of 48.8 percent from the field, which is third best in the league.