Lakers Host Blazers Aiming For First Win
The Los Angeles Lakers will host the Portland Trail Blazers at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday.
The Lakers (0-2) are stumbling in the early going and are coming off a loss against the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday. During that loss against their in-state rivals, they were led by Lonnie Walker, collecting 26 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals. LeBron James amassed 20 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and two blocks, while Anthony Davis accrued 25 points and eight boards. Russell Westbrook missed all 11 of his shots, finishing with two points, three rebounds, four assists and five steals. Los Angeles has not looked good on either end of the court so far, and while their opening two games were extremely difficult, it’s never too early to press the panic button in Los Angeles.
LeBron James (foot), Anthony Davis (back) and Troy Brown (back) have all been listed as game-time decisions for Sunday’s game, but all three are expected to be available. Cole Swider (foot), Dennis Schroder (thumb) and Thomas Bryant (thumb) are out.
The Trail Blazers (2-0) are enjoying a strong start to the season and topped none other than the Phoenix Suns in over during Friday’s action, as Portland secured a tight 113-111 overtime win against the West contenders. The Trail Blazers were led by Damian Lillard, tallying 41 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Jusuf Nurkic finished with 20 points, 17 rebounds and two assists. Anfernee Simons hit the game-winner in the final seconds, totaling 16 points, three rebounds and three assists. Josh Hart had 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Two games is a small sample size, but the Blazers have looked better than advertised in the early moments of the season.
Trendon Watford (hip), Gary Payton (abdomen) and Olivier Sarr (wrist) are all out for Portland.
The Lakers (0-2) are stumbling in the early going and are coming off a loss against the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday. During that loss against their in-state rivals, they were led by Lonnie Walker, collecting 26 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals. LeBron James amassed 20 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and two blocks, while Anthony Davis accrued 25 points and eight boards. Russell Westbrook missed all 11 of his shots, finishing with two points, three rebounds, four assists and five steals. Los Angeles has not looked good on either end of the court so far, and while their opening two games were extremely difficult, it’s never too early to press the panic button in Los Angeles.
LeBron James (foot), Anthony Davis (back) and Troy Brown (back) have all been listed as game-time decisions for Sunday’s game, but all three are expected to be available. Cole Swider (foot), Dennis Schroder (thumb) and Thomas Bryant (thumb) are out.
The Trail Blazers (2-0) are enjoying a strong start to the season and topped none other than the Phoenix Suns in over during Friday’s action, as Portland secured a tight 113-111 overtime win against the West contenders. The Trail Blazers were led by Damian Lillard, tallying 41 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Jusuf Nurkic finished with 20 points, 17 rebounds and two assists. Anfernee Simons hit the game-winner in the final seconds, totaling 16 points, three rebounds and three assists. Josh Hart had 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Two games is a small sample size, but the Blazers have looked better than advertised in the early moments of the season.
Trendon Watford (hip), Gary Payton (abdomen) and Olivier Sarr (wrist) are all out for Portland.
Undefeated Hawks Host Hornets
By Dan Bruno
The Atlanta Hawks play host to the Charlotte Hornets at State Farm Arena on Sunday evening.
The Hawks (2-0) are off to a hot start with wins over the Rockets and the Magic. They will look to stay undefeated as they face the third and final game of a home stand to begin the season. The Hawks have held opponents to 102.5 points per game, while they have scored an average of 112.5 points per game. Trae Young is off to a fantastic start, averaging 24.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 13.0 assists per game. Dejounte Murray has stood out since debuting with the Hawks, averaging 20.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 10.0 assists and 4.5 steals per game. The Hawks' forwards are also major contributors to their early success, as De'Andre Hunter is averaging 17.0 points and 4.5 rebounds, while John Collins is averaging 23.5 points and 10.5 rebounds, after two games.
Meanwhile, the Hornets (1-1) picked up a win in San Antonio in their season-opener, but they came up short in their last outing, with a 12-point home loss to the Pelicans. Terry Rozier leads the team early on, with 23.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game, while Gordon Hayward is averaging 23 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists after two games. The Hornets are averaging 120.5 points per game and they have given up an average of 113.0 points against.
They remain without LaMelo Ball (ankle), who has yet to make his season debut. Terry Rozier (ankle) and Cody Martin (quadriceps) are listed as doubtful for action, which means Dennis Smith could be up for significant playing time at the point, along with a boost for Jalen McDaniels off the bench.
The Hawks (2-0) are off to a hot start with wins over the Rockets and the Magic. They will look to stay undefeated as they face the third and final game of a home stand to begin the season. The Hawks have held opponents to 102.5 points per game, while they have scored an average of 112.5 points per game. Trae Young is off to a fantastic start, averaging 24.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 13.0 assists per game. Dejounte Murray has stood out since debuting with the Hawks, averaging 20.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 10.0 assists and 4.5 steals per game. The Hawks' forwards are also major contributors to their early success, as De'Andre Hunter is averaging 17.0 points and 4.5 rebounds, while John Collins is averaging 23.5 points and 10.5 rebounds, after two games.
Meanwhile, the Hornets (1-1) picked up a win in San Antonio in their season-opener, but they came up short in their last outing, with a 12-point home loss to the Pelicans. Terry Rozier leads the team early on, with 23.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game, while Gordon Hayward is averaging 23 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists after two games. The Hornets are averaging 120.5 points per game and they have given up an average of 113.0 points against.
They remain without LaMelo Ball (ankle), who has yet to make his season debut. Terry Rozier (ankle) and Cody Martin (quadriceps) are listed as doubtful for action, which means Dennis Smith could be up for significant playing time at the point, along with a boost for Jalen McDaniels off the bench.
Undefeated Pelicans and Jazz Clash In New Orleans
By Dan Bruno
The New Orleans Pelicans play host to the Utah Jazz at Smoothie King Center on Sunday evening.
The Pelicans (2-0) kicked off their season with an impressive win in Brooklyn. They followed up with another road win in Charlotte, and now are set to play their home opener, where they will look to build on their two-game win streak. Brandon Ingram has been on fire, with 28 points in each of the first two games. Jonas Valanciunas is coming off a massive performance, where he logged 30 points, 17 rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block, in just 29 minutes of action. Zion Williamson has also looked good to start the season, with a 25-point performance against Brooklyn followed up by a quieter-but-effective effort in the Pelicans' last game. The Pelicans are averaging 127.0 points per game, and they have given up an average of 110.0 points per game.
Meanwhile, the Jazz (2-0) have looked great to start the season despite dealing their franchise-leading players, Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. Instead, newly-acquired Lauri Markkanen has been strong, averaging 20.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists through his first two games. Collin Sexton has also impressed, averaging 15.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists, in 20 minutes per game. Jordan Clarkson came up huge in the Jazz's last game, with 29 points, five rebounds and six assists in a win over the Timberwolves in Minnesota. The Jazz will look to keep it rolling, as they face the second game of a three-game road trip. They are averaging 127.5 points per game, and they are holding opponents to an average of 114.0 points.
The Pelicans (2-0) kicked off their season with an impressive win in Brooklyn. They followed up with another road win in Charlotte, and now are set to play their home opener, where they will look to build on their two-game win streak. Brandon Ingram has been on fire, with 28 points in each of the first two games. Jonas Valanciunas is coming off a massive performance, where he logged 30 points, 17 rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block, in just 29 minutes of action. Zion Williamson has also looked good to start the season, with a 25-point performance against Brooklyn followed up by a quieter-but-effective effort in the Pelicans' last game. The Pelicans are averaging 127.0 points per game, and they have given up an average of 110.0 points per game.
Meanwhile, the Jazz (2-0) have looked great to start the season despite dealing their franchise-leading players, Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. Instead, newly-acquired Lauri Markkanen has been strong, averaging 20.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists through his first two games. Collin Sexton has also impressed, averaging 15.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists, in 20 minutes per game. Jordan Clarkson came up huge in the Jazz's last game, with 29 points, five rebounds and six assists in a win over the Timberwolves in Minnesota. The Jazz will look to keep it rolling, as they face the second game of a three-game road trip. They are averaging 127.5 points per game, and they are holding opponents to an average of 114.0 points.
Cavaliers Play Home Opener Against Wizards
The Cleveland Cavaliers will host the Washington Wizards at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Sunday.
The Cavaliers (1-1) will play their home opener knowing they’re coming off a strong 128-96 win over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night. The Cavs saw how six players scored in double digits in that game, led by Donovan Mitchell, who ended with 32 pints, nine rebounds and eight assists, and Evan Mobley who had 16 points and three rebounds. Caris LeVert came close to a double-double thanks to his 14 points and eight assists, while both Cedi Osman and Kevin Love chipped in with 15 points for Cleveland off the bench, with Love also pulling down 12 rebounds, and Robin Lopez added 12 of his own. The Cavaliers are still missing an important piece in Darius Garland and must adjust to the presence of Mitchell, but the early returns are certainly positive despite the 1-1 record.
Dylan Windler (ankle), Darius Garland (eye) and Ricky Rubio (knee) are all out for the Cavaliers.
The Wizards (2-0) needed some late magic from Bradley Beal, who nailed the game-winning shot in the final seconds as they secured the win over the Chicago Bulls, 102-100, on Friday. Aside from making the game-winning shot, Beal finished with 19 points and eight assists, while Kyle Kuzma ended up as the team’s leading scorer with 26 points and six rebounds. Kristaps Porzingis posted 14 points, three rebounds and two assists, while Deni Avdija pulled down 10 rebounds while also adding six points and four assists. Rui Hachimura chipped in with 12 points off the bench as well. The Wizards are looking like an improved team on both ends of the court, and there’s no question they’ve started the season better than what anyone would’ve expected it.
Vernon Carey (concussion) is questionable for Sunday’s game, while Corey Kispert (ankle) has been ruled out.
The Cavaliers (1-1) will play their home opener knowing they’re coming off a strong 128-96 win over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night. The Cavs saw how six players scored in double digits in that game, led by Donovan Mitchell, who ended with 32 pints, nine rebounds and eight assists, and Evan Mobley who had 16 points and three rebounds. Caris LeVert came close to a double-double thanks to his 14 points and eight assists, while both Cedi Osman and Kevin Love chipped in with 15 points for Cleveland off the bench, with Love also pulling down 12 rebounds, and Robin Lopez added 12 of his own. The Cavaliers are still missing an important piece in Darius Garland and must adjust to the presence of Mitchell, but the early returns are certainly positive despite the 1-1 record.
Dylan Windler (ankle), Darius Garland (eye) and Ricky Rubio (knee) are all out for the Cavaliers.
The Wizards (2-0) needed some late magic from Bradley Beal, who nailed the game-winning shot in the final seconds as they secured the win over the Chicago Bulls, 102-100, on Friday. Aside from making the game-winning shot, Beal finished with 19 points and eight assists, while Kyle Kuzma ended up as the team’s leading scorer with 26 points and six rebounds. Kristaps Porzingis posted 14 points, three rebounds and two assists, while Deni Avdija pulled down 10 rebounds while also adding six points and four assists. Rui Hachimura chipped in with 12 points off the bench as well. The Wizards are looking like an improved team on both ends of the court, and there’s no question they’ve started the season better than what anyone would’ve expected it.
Vernon Carey (concussion) is questionable for Sunday’s game, while Corey Kispert (ankle) has been ruled out.
Thunder Host T'Wolves on Sunday
The Oklahoma City Thunder play host to the Minnesota Timberwolves at Paycom Center on Sunday.
The Timberwolves (1-1) have a new-look team this season, but a loss to the Utah Jazz on Friday is concerning. That's a team in the middle of a rebuild, and this new-look Minnesota team needs to take care of business against rosters like that. The one thing we need to consider is that this team needs time to develop. It's difficult to play with two centers, and it'll take time for Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns to acclimate with one another. Gobert looks like a different guy in a Minnesota uniform, though, collecting 32 points and 39 rebounds through the first two games. If they can start getting production like that from KAT, this will be one of the scariest teams in the NBA.
The Thunder (0-2) have a challenging task here. They just had a narrow loss against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday Night, and they'll have to return home quickly for this back-to-back. Playing a back-to-back against Denver and Minnesota is tough as it is, and it puts this club in a precarious situation. The Thunder have been known to rest players in B2Bs, but it remains to be seen if they'll do it this early into the season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would be the prime candidate, but he's got 60 points through the first two games. Oklahoma City fans have been waiting for this prospect to turn into a stud, and it looks like we're finally there.
These teams played on Wednesday, with Minnesota winning, 115-108.
The Timberwolves (1-1) have a new-look team this season, but a loss to the Utah Jazz on Friday is concerning. That's a team in the middle of a rebuild, and this new-look Minnesota team needs to take care of business against rosters like that. The one thing we need to consider is that this team needs time to develop. It's difficult to play with two centers, and it'll take time for Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns to acclimate with one another. Gobert looks like a different guy in a Minnesota uniform, though, collecting 32 points and 39 rebounds through the first two games. If they can start getting production like that from KAT, this will be one of the scariest teams in the NBA.
The Thunder (0-2) have a challenging task here. They just had a narrow loss against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday Night, and they'll have to return home quickly for this back-to-back. Playing a back-to-back against Denver and Minnesota is tough as it is, and it puts this club in a precarious situation. The Thunder have been known to rest players in B2Bs, but it remains to be seen if they'll do it this early into the season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would be the prime candidate, but he's got 60 points through the first two games. Oklahoma City fans have been waiting for this prospect to turn into a stud, and it looks like we're finally there.
These teams played on Wednesday, with Minnesota winning, 115-108.
Warriors Host Kings on Sunday
The Golden State Warriors play host to the Sacramento Kings at Chase Center on Sunday.
The Kings (0-2) were questioned when they traded Tyrese Haliburton last year, and early results have fans as frustrated as ever. This team hasn't made the postseason in two decades, and management continues to make poor decisions. With that said, they've formed a nice core with De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. The big man has been regularly flirting with triple-doubles, while Fox has 69 points through the first two games of the year. He actually flirted with a 30-point average over the final month of last year, and that Tyrese trade really opened up the door for him to succeed. Fox is going to have to lead the charge for a playoff push, but they already have an uphill battle with this 0-2 record.
The Warriors (1-1) looked incredible in their opener, but they followed that up with a home loss against the Denver Nuggets. Losing to a team like that is nothing to be ashamed of, and this Warriors team will be fine going forward. The 2021 Championship run was led by Stephen Curry, and the Finals MVP has been going nuts through the first two games of the year. He's got at least 33 points in each of those, carrying this offense with Draymond Green and Klay Thompson both limited. Those two are being capped off in terms of playing time to protect their workload, but Chef Curry is happy to cook no matter who's on the floor.
These teams played four times last season, with Golden State sweeping the season series. They actually won all four matchups by double-digit margins.
The Kings (0-2) were questioned when they traded Tyrese Haliburton last year, and early results have fans as frustrated as ever. This team hasn't made the postseason in two decades, and management continues to make poor decisions. With that said, they've formed a nice core with De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. The big man has been regularly flirting with triple-doubles, while Fox has 69 points through the first two games of the year. He actually flirted with a 30-point average over the final month of last year, and that Tyrese trade really opened up the door for him to succeed. Fox is going to have to lead the charge for a playoff push, but they already have an uphill battle with this 0-2 record.
The Warriors (1-1) looked incredible in their opener, but they followed that up with a home loss against the Denver Nuggets. Losing to a team like that is nothing to be ashamed of, and this Warriors team will be fine going forward. The 2021 Championship run was led by Stephen Curry, and the Finals MVP has been going nuts through the first two games of the year. He's got at least 33 points in each of those, carrying this offense with Draymond Green and Klay Thompson both limited. Those two are being capped off in terms of playing time to protect their workload, but Chef Curry is happy to cook no matter who's on the floor.
These teams played four times last season, with Golden State sweeping the season series. They actually won all four matchups by double-digit margins.
Clippers Host Suns on Sunday
The Los Angeles Clippers play host to the Phoenix Suns at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday.
The Suns (1-1) were the best team in the NBA last season but were ousted in the Western Conference Semifinals. Many people expect a regression year from the Suns, and the early start is not encouraging. Phoenix is lucky to be 1-1 because they trailed by 20-plus points in their opener against Dallas but pulled out a narrow win. They followed that up with a road loss against the Portland Trail Blazers, and it's becoming clear they're not going to coast like they did last year. It's up to DeAndre Ayton, Devin Booker and Chris Paul to get this club going because they can be one of the most dangerous teams in the league if they all get on the same page.
The Clippers (2-0) have developed one of the deepest rotations in the NBA, and they'll be a force throughout the regular season. This team has 10 legitimate starters and can mix and match these guys whenever any of them need a break. That was the case for Kawhi Leonard and John Wall on Saturday, sitting against the Sacramento Kings. Paul George carried the load with 40 points in that 111-109 win, while Reggie Jackson took over point guard duties in the absence of Wall. They grabbed that win despite Norman Powell shooting 1-of-10 from the field, and it's scary just how many good players this team sends out on a nightly basis. With all that said, we have to assume Wall and Kawhi will return here in the second half of a back-to-back set, and we could see some other guys rested.
These teams played four times last season, with the home team winning all four matchups. With that said, the Clippers have won 25 of their last 33 games over the Suns in total.
The Suns (1-1) were the best team in the NBA last season but were ousted in the Western Conference Semifinals. Many people expect a regression year from the Suns, and the early start is not encouraging. Phoenix is lucky to be 1-1 because they trailed by 20-plus points in their opener against Dallas but pulled out a narrow win. They followed that up with a road loss against the Portland Trail Blazers, and it's becoming clear they're not going to coast like they did last year. It's up to DeAndre Ayton, Devin Booker and Chris Paul to get this club going because they can be one of the most dangerous teams in the league if they all get on the same page.
The Clippers (2-0) have developed one of the deepest rotations in the NBA, and they'll be a force throughout the regular season. This team has 10 legitimate starters and can mix and match these guys whenever any of them need a break. That was the case for Kawhi Leonard and John Wall on Saturday, sitting against the Sacramento Kings. Paul George carried the load with 40 points in that 111-109 win, while Reggie Jackson took over point guard duties in the absence of Wall. They grabbed that win despite Norman Powell shooting 1-of-10 from the field, and it's scary just how many good players this team sends out on a nightly basis. With all that said, we have to assume Wall and Kawhi will return here in the second half of a back-to-back set, and we could see some other guys rested.
These teams played four times last season, with the home team winning all four matchups. With that said, the Clippers have won 25 of their last 33 games over the Suns in total.