Bulls Host Sliding Nets
By Dan Bruno
The Chicago Bulls play host to the Brooklyn Nets, at United Center on Saturday evening.
This marks the first game of a four-game home stand for the Bulls (4-8), who are 2-3 at home this season. The Bulls are coming off a loss in Milwaukee on Thursday, where they had six players score in double digits. Coby White had an impressive outing, with 26 points, while Zach LaVine added 25 points and seven assists. White is the Bulls' third leading scorer, with 13.7 points per game, and has scored 53 points over the last two contests Zach LaVine is the leading scorer on the Bulls, with 20.4 points per game. Wendell Carter Jr. is averaging 13.3 points and a team-high 9.4 rebounds. The Bulls are shooting 43.3 percent from the field, which is third lowest in the league.
Meanwhile, this marks the fifth and final game of a road trip for the Nets (4-7), where they have gone 1-3, with a win followed by three straight losses. The Nets are 1-5 on the road. Kyrie Irving leads the team with 28.5 points and 7.2 assists per game. DeAndre Jordan is averaging 7.4 points and a team-high 10.5 rebounds per game. Spencer Dinwiddie continues to provide the Nets with a spark off the bench, averaging 17.1, 4.6 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game. Jarrett Allen is averaging a team-high 2.8 offensive rebounds per game, while the Nets are averaging 10.9 per game. The Nets are averaging 116.8 points per game, which is sixth most in the league, however, they are giving up an average of 119.5 points per game, which is fourth most in the league.
This marks the first game of a four-game home stand for the Bulls (4-8), who are 2-3 at home this season. The Bulls are coming off a loss in Milwaukee on Thursday, where they had six players score in double digits. Coby White had an impressive outing, with 26 points, while Zach LaVine added 25 points and seven assists. White is the Bulls' third leading scorer, with 13.7 points per game, and has scored 53 points over the last two contests Zach LaVine is the leading scorer on the Bulls, with 20.4 points per game. Wendell Carter Jr. is averaging 13.3 points and a team-high 9.4 rebounds. The Bulls are shooting 43.3 percent from the field, which is third lowest in the league.
Meanwhile, this marks the fifth and final game of a road trip for the Nets (4-7), where they have gone 1-3, with a win followed by three straight losses. The Nets are 1-5 on the road. Kyrie Irving leads the team with 28.5 points and 7.2 assists per game. DeAndre Jordan is averaging 7.4 points and a team-high 10.5 rebounds per game. Spencer Dinwiddie continues to provide the Nets with a spark off the bench, averaging 17.1, 4.6 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game. Jarrett Allen is averaging a team-high 2.8 offensive rebounds per game, while the Nets are averaging 10.9 per game. The Nets are averaging 116.8 points per game, which is sixth most in the league, however, they are giving up an average of 119.5 points per game, which is fourth most in the league.
Pacers Host Bucks on Saturday
The Indiana Pacers play host to the Milwaukee Bucks at Banker's Life Fieldhouse on Saturday.
The Bucks (8-3) looked like the best team in the league in the regular season last year and they appear to be right where they left off. What really makes them scary is the fact that they have the MVP from last season and he appears to be getting better. In fact, Giannis Antetokounmpo is averaging 30.5 points, 14.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game. That doesn't even take into consideration his elite defense and it's truly amazing what this guy is doing. They need those sorts of numbers from him too though, as Khris Middleton has been ruled our for the next three weeks because of a thigh injury. It's now up to Antetokounmpo and Eric Bledsoe to run the show and they're plenty capable of doing just that.
The Pacers (7-5) have been bludgeoned by injuries but they appear to be holding things together. While they're expected to be without Victor Oldaipo, Jeremy Lamb and Myles Turner for a few more games, they still have a good record. That's really all this team could hope for, as all three players are fully expected to be ready for the second half of the season. There's some thought that Turner will actually be back next week and that would be a welcomed addition with Turner leading the league in blocks last season. One of the major reasons for the success is the emergence of Malcolm Brogdon, with the former Milwaukee point guard averaging 20.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game this season. If he can play like that with Oldaipo, Lamb and Turner back, this will be one of the scariest teams in the east. Unfortunately, he did leave Friday's loss with a back issue and his status is unknown for this game too.
Milwaukee won the four-game season series last year, 3-1.
The Bucks (8-3) looked like the best team in the league in the regular season last year and they appear to be right where they left off. What really makes them scary is the fact that they have the MVP from last season and he appears to be getting better. In fact, Giannis Antetokounmpo is averaging 30.5 points, 14.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game. That doesn't even take into consideration his elite defense and it's truly amazing what this guy is doing. They need those sorts of numbers from him too though, as Khris Middleton has been ruled our for the next three weeks because of a thigh injury. It's now up to Antetokounmpo and Eric Bledsoe to run the show and they're plenty capable of doing just that.
The Pacers (7-5) have been bludgeoned by injuries but they appear to be holding things together. While they're expected to be without Victor Oldaipo, Jeremy Lamb and Myles Turner for a few more games, they still have a good record. That's really all this team could hope for, as all three players are fully expected to be ready for the second half of the season. There's some thought that Turner will actually be back next week and that would be a welcomed addition with Turner leading the league in blocks last season. One of the major reasons for the success is the emergence of Malcolm Brogdon, with the former Milwaukee point guard averaging 20.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game this season. If he can play like that with Oldaipo, Lamb and Turner back, this will be one of the scariest teams in the east. Unfortunately, he did leave Friday's loss with a back issue and his status is unknown for this game too.
Milwaukee won the four-game season series last year, 3-1.
Knicks Look To Build Momentum At Home
By Dan Bruno
The New York Knicks play host to the Charlotte Hornets, at Madison Square Garden on Saturday evening.
This marks the second game of a three-game home stand for the Knicks (3-9), which they began with a win over the Mavericks, on Thursday evening. It was a thrilling way to kick off the home stand, as the Knicks held the edge most of the way, before Marcus Morris hit a dagger three-pointer in the final seconds to secure the win and improve to 2-3 at home. Morris leads the Knicks with an average of 18.5 points per game. Julius Randle is averaging 15.8 points and a team-high 9.7 rebounds per game. R.J. Barrett was quiet in Thursday's win but is averaging 15.3 points and a team-high 3.9 assists per game. The Knicks are scoring an average of 100.0 points per game, which is second lowest in the league, and they are shooting a league-worst 40.9 percent from the field.
Meanwhile, this marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Hornets (5-7), who are coming off an impressive home win on Friday night. They snapped a four-game losing streak with a win over the Pistons, as six players scored in double digits to get the job done. Terry Rozier was the high-point man with 19 points, while Devonte' Graham tallied 18 points and 10 assists. Graham has been fantastic this season, averaging team-highs with 18.0 points and 7.3 assists per game. Terry Rozier is averaging 16.8 points, 5.2 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. Cody Zeller averages 13.2 points and a team-high 9.6 rebounds per game. The Hornets are giving up an average of 17.0 turnovers per game, which is sixth worst in the league. This also marks the start of a four-game road trip for the Hornets, who are 2-3 on the road this season.
This marks the second game of a three-game home stand for the Knicks (3-9), which they began with a win over the Mavericks, on Thursday evening. It was a thrilling way to kick off the home stand, as the Knicks held the edge most of the way, before Marcus Morris hit a dagger three-pointer in the final seconds to secure the win and improve to 2-3 at home. Morris leads the Knicks with an average of 18.5 points per game. Julius Randle is averaging 15.8 points and a team-high 9.7 rebounds per game. R.J. Barrett was quiet in Thursday's win but is averaging 15.3 points and a team-high 3.9 assists per game. The Knicks are scoring an average of 100.0 points per game, which is second lowest in the league, and they are shooting a league-worst 40.9 percent from the field.
Meanwhile, this marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Hornets (5-7), who are coming off an impressive home win on Friday night. They snapped a four-game losing streak with a win over the Pistons, as six players scored in double digits to get the job done. Terry Rozier was the high-point man with 19 points, while Devonte' Graham tallied 18 points and 10 assists. Graham has been fantastic this season, averaging team-highs with 18.0 points and 7.3 assists per game. Terry Rozier is averaging 16.8 points, 5.2 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. Cody Zeller averages 13.2 points and a team-high 9.6 rebounds per game. The Hornets are giving up an average of 17.0 turnovers per game, which is sixth worst in the league. This also marks the start of a four-game road trip for the Hornets, who are 2-3 on the road this season.
Pelicans Tangle With Heat in Saturday Night Battle
The New Orleans Pelicans takes on the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena on Saturday night.
The Pelicans (3-8) come into Saturday's game with a barrage of key injuries and a record to reflect that set of circumstances. However, New Orleans managed to overcome its most short-handed roster of the season their last time on the court, conquering the Los Angeles Clippers by a 132-127 score Thursday night. Jrue Holiday paced the Pelicans with 36 points, supplementing them with seven assists, four rebounds, five steals and one block. Frank Jackson followed with a bench-leading 23 points and also posted five rebounds and two assists. Derrick Favors generated a 20-point, 20-rebound double-double that also included three assists and one block. J.J. Redick and E'Twaun Moore poured in 19 and 15 points in spot starts, respectively, while pulling down three rebounds apiece.
The Pelicans will list Lonzo Ball (hip), Jahlil Okafor (ankle) and J.J. Redick (toe) as questionable for Saturday's game, while Brandon Ingram (knee) will be listed as probable. Josh Hart (ankle), Zion Williamson (knee) and Darius Miller (Achilles) will remain out.
The Heat (8-3) are one of the NBA's biggest surprises in the early going, and they'll come into Saturday's contest having won three of their past four games. Their latest success came at the expense of the Cleveland Cavaliers, which they toppled by a 108-97 score Thursday night. Kris Nunn led the way with 23 points, adding eight assists, five rebounds and two steals. Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro had matching 16-point tallies, with Adebayo also pulling down 15 boards. Jimmy Butler supplied 14 points, six assists, two rebounds, three steals and two blocks, while Meyers Leonard turned in 12 points, seven boards and three assists.
The Heat will be without Justise Winslow (concussion), Derrick Jones, Jr. (hip) and Dion Waiters (suspension) for Saturday's game.
The Heat swept the two-game 2018-19 season series between the teams. Saturday's game marks the first of two 2019-20 meetings for New Orleans and Miami.
The Pelicans (3-8) come into Saturday's game with a barrage of key injuries and a record to reflect that set of circumstances. However, New Orleans managed to overcome its most short-handed roster of the season their last time on the court, conquering the Los Angeles Clippers by a 132-127 score Thursday night. Jrue Holiday paced the Pelicans with 36 points, supplementing them with seven assists, four rebounds, five steals and one block. Frank Jackson followed with a bench-leading 23 points and also posted five rebounds and two assists. Derrick Favors generated a 20-point, 20-rebound double-double that also included three assists and one block. J.J. Redick and E'Twaun Moore poured in 19 and 15 points in spot starts, respectively, while pulling down three rebounds apiece.
The Pelicans will list Lonzo Ball (hip), Jahlil Okafor (ankle) and J.J. Redick (toe) as questionable for Saturday's game, while Brandon Ingram (knee) will be listed as probable. Josh Hart (ankle), Zion Williamson (knee) and Darius Miller (Achilles) will remain out.
The Heat (8-3) are one of the NBA's biggest surprises in the early going, and they'll come into Saturday's contest having won three of their past four games. Their latest success came at the expense of the Cleveland Cavaliers, which they toppled by a 108-97 score Thursday night. Kris Nunn led the way with 23 points, adding eight assists, five rebounds and two steals. Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro had matching 16-point tallies, with Adebayo also pulling down 15 boards. Jimmy Butler supplied 14 points, six assists, two rebounds, three steals and two blocks, while Meyers Leonard turned in 12 points, seven boards and three assists.
The Heat will be without Justise Winslow (concussion), Derrick Jones, Jr. (hip) and Dion Waiters (suspension) for Saturday's game.
The Heat swept the two-game 2018-19 season series between the teams. Saturday's game marks the first of two 2019-20 meetings for New Orleans and Miami.
Rockets Host Timberwolves on Saturday
The Minnesota Timberwolves play host to the Houston Rockets at Target Center on Saturday.
The Rockets (9-3) are truly one of the best teams in the NBA. While they did start with a loss in the opener, they've gone on to win nine of their 11 games since. While Russell Westbrook hasn't quite found his groove with his new team, James Harden is feeling plenty groove himself. He's leading the NBA with just under 40 points per game, despite having one of the worst shooting seasons of his career. That makes that 40-point threshold a definite possibility, which is truly amazing considering how hard it is to average 30 points per game. They do have an uphill battle in this fixture though, playing without Westbrook, Clint Capela, Eric Gordon and Danuel House. Westbrook is resting while the other three are injured and that should leave Harden to have a monster workload, which is a treat for us and a nightmare for Minnesota.
The Timberwolves (7-5) have been a very disappointing team over recent years but this season may be just what we've been waiting for. We all knew that Karl-Anthony Towns was a superstar but it's about time that Andrew Wiggins started performing up to this level. He's currently setting career-highs across the board and it's awesome to see this youngster finally living up to his top-pick potential. Unfortunately, there was a death in his family and he missed Friday's game because of it. That would make one assume that he won't play here either and his presence will surely be missed with not much else on this roster. Look for Towns to carry the load and for Jeff Teague and Jarrett Culver to look at expanded workloads as well.
Houston has dominated this series over recent years, winning seven of their last nine games over Minnesota.
The Rockets (9-3) are truly one of the best teams in the NBA. While they did start with a loss in the opener, they've gone on to win nine of their 11 games since. While Russell Westbrook hasn't quite found his groove with his new team, James Harden is feeling plenty groove himself. He's leading the NBA with just under 40 points per game, despite having one of the worst shooting seasons of his career. That makes that 40-point threshold a definite possibility, which is truly amazing considering how hard it is to average 30 points per game. They do have an uphill battle in this fixture though, playing without Westbrook, Clint Capela, Eric Gordon and Danuel House. Westbrook is resting while the other three are injured and that should leave Harden to have a monster workload, which is a treat for us and a nightmare for Minnesota.
The Timberwolves (7-5) have been a very disappointing team over recent years but this season may be just what we've been waiting for. We all knew that Karl-Anthony Towns was a superstar but it's about time that Andrew Wiggins started performing up to this level. He's currently setting career-highs across the board and it's awesome to see this youngster finally living up to his top-pick potential. Unfortunately, there was a death in his family and he missed Friday's game because of it. That would make one assume that he won't play here either and his presence will surely be missed with not much else on this roster. Look for Towns to carry the load and for Jeff Teague and Jarrett Culver to look at expanded workloads as well.
Houston has dominated this series over recent years, winning seven of their last nine games over Minnesota.
Raptors Pay Saturday Night Visit to Mavericks
The Toronto Raptors take on the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on Saturday night.
The Raptors (8-3) are down some key players, but they'll still come into Saturday's contest having won four of the last five games. Their most recent triumph came at the expense of the Portland Trail Blazers, which they toppled by a 114-106 margin on Wednesday night. Pascal Siakam paced the Raptors with 36 points, adding six rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. Fred Van Vleet followed with 30 points, seven assists, four rebounds, two steals and one block. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson generated a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included one assist, one steal and one block. Terence Davis posted 15 points, six boards and one assist.
The Raptors will continue to be without Kyle Lowry (thumb), Serge Ibaka (ankle) and Patrick McCaw (knee) on Saturday. OG Anunoby (eye) is considered probable.
The Mavericks (6-5) started the season on a strong note, but they've stumbled more than succeeded in recent games. Dallas comes into Saturday's contest having dropped three of the last four games, with their most recent defeat coming at the hands of the New York Knicks by a 106-103 score on Thursday night. Luka Doncic led the way for the Mavericks with 33 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds, three steals and one block. Kristaps Porzingis furnished a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included one assist, three blocks and one steal. Tim Hardaway, Jr. and Dwight Powell had matching 12-point, four-rebound tallies.
The Mavericks will come into Saturday's game without any injuries to report.
The Raptors swept the two-game 2018-19 season series between the teams. Saturday's game marks the first of two 2019-20 meetings for Toronto and Dallas.
The Raptors (8-3) are down some key players, but they'll still come into Saturday's contest having won four of the last five games. Their most recent triumph came at the expense of the Portland Trail Blazers, which they toppled by a 114-106 margin on Wednesday night. Pascal Siakam paced the Raptors with 36 points, adding six rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. Fred Van Vleet followed with 30 points, seven assists, four rebounds, two steals and one block. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson generated a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included one assist, one steal and one block. Terence Davis posted 15 points, six boards and one assist.
The Raptors will continue to be without Kyle Lowry (thumb), Serge Ibaka (ankle) and Patrick McCaw (knee) on Saturday. OG Anunoby (eye) is considered probable.
The Mavericks (6-5) started the season on a strong note, but they've stumbled more than succeeded in recent games. Dallas comes into Saturday's contest having dropped three of the last four games, with their most recent defeat coming at the hands of the New York Knicks by a 106-103 score on Thursday night. Luka Doncic led the way for the Mavericks with 33 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds, three steals and one block. Kristaps Porzingis furnished a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included one assist, three blocks and one steal. Tim Hardaway, Jr. and Dwight Powell had matching 12-point, four-rebound tallies.
The Mavericks will come into Saturday's game without any injuries to report.
The Raptors swept the two-game 2018-19 season series between the teams. Saturday's game marks the first of two 2019-20 meetings for Toronto and Dallas.
Trail Blazers and Spurs Face Off in Western Conference Clash
The Portland Trail Blazers take on the San Antonio Spurs at AT & T Center on Saturday night.
The Trail Blazers (4-8) check into Saturday's contest on a skid befitting of their unsightly record. Portland has dropped six of its last seven games, with their most recent stumble coming at the hands of the Toronto Raptors by a 114-106 margin on Wednesday night. Rodney Hood paced the Trail Blazers with 25 points, supplementing them with two rebounds and one assist. C.J. McCollum followed with 19 points and complemented them with six rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block. Anfernee Simons led the bench with 17 points, while Hassan Whiteside totaled 12 points, nine rebounds, three assists and one block. Damian Lillard mustered just nine points on 2-for-12 shooting but dished out nine assists.
The Trail Blazers will be without Carmelo Anthony (coach's decision), Jusuf Nurkic (leg) and Zach Collins (shoulder) for Saturday's game. Pau Gasol (foot) will be considered a game-time decision at best.
The Spurs (5-7) come into Saturday's game in no better shape than their opponents, as they're in the midst of a four-game losing streak and have dropped six of their last seven overall. Their most recent disappointment came against the Orlando Magic, which bested them by a 111-109 score on Friday night. DeMar DeRozan paced the Spurs with 21 points, adding five assists, two rebounds and one steal. Rudy Gay delivered 14 points, four rebounds and one assist. LaMarcus Aldridge and Patty Mills furnished matching 13-point contributions, with Aldridge also pulling down six boards. Bryn Forbes poured in 12 points, while Dejounte Murray tallied 10 points, six assists, five rebounds and one steal.
The Spurs will come into Saturday's contest with a clean bill of health.
The Spurs took the first 2019-20 meeting with the Trail Blazers by a 113-110 score on Oct. 28. Saturday's game marks the second of three games for Portland and San Antonio.
The Trail Blazers (4-8) check into Saturday's contest on a skid befitting of their unsightly record. Portland has dropped six of its last seven games, with their most recent stumble coming at the hands of the Toronto Raptors by a 114-106 margin on Wednesday night. Rodney Hood paced the Trail Blazers with 25 points, supplementing them with two rebounds and one assist. C.J. McCollum followed with 19 points and complemented them with six rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block. Anfernee Simons led the bench with 17 points, while Hassan Whiteside totaled 12 points, nine rebounds, three assists and one block. Damian Lillard mustered just nine points on 2-for-12 shooting but dished out nine assists.
The Trail Blazers will be without Carmelo Anthony (coach's decision), Jusuf Nurkic (leg) and Zach Collins (shoulder) for Saturday's game. Pau Gasol (foot) will be considered a game-time decision at best.
The Spurs (5-7) come into Saturday's game in no better shape than their opponents, as they're in the midst of a four-game losing streak and have dropped six of their last seven overall. Their most recent disappointment came against the Orlando Magic, which bested them by a 111-109 score on Friday night. DeMar DeRozan paced the Spurs with 21 points, adding five assists, two rebounds and one steal. Rudy Gay delivered 14 points, four rebounds and one assist. LaMarcus Aldridge and Patty Mills furnished matching 13-point contributions, with Aldridge also pulling down six boards. Bryn Forbes poured in 12 points, while Dejounte Murray tallied 10 points, six assists, five rebounds and one steal.
The Spurs will come into Saturday's contest with a clean bill of health.
The Spurs took the first 2019-20 meeting with the Trail Blazers by a 113-110 score on Oct. 28. Saturday's game marks the second of three games for Portland and San Antonio.
Clippers Host Hawks on Saturday
The Los Angeles Clippers play host to the Atlanta Hawks at Staples Center on Saturday.
The Hawks (4-7) come into this matchup losing four of their last five games and it's clear that the absences are really starting to hurt this team. Losing John Collins to a 25-game suspension was obviously a major detriment but they're now without Kevin Huerter too. Those were supposed to be some of the most valuable young pieces on this team and it's hard for them to compete with so much talent missing from their wings. Trae Young is doing all he can though, leading the way with 27.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 9.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game. That's truly scary and it's amazing to watch this kid make pull-up three's from right around halfcourt.
The Clippers (7-5) record is nothing special at this point but it's imperative to look at the games rather than the results. One thing this team knew they'd have to deal with is load management for Kawhi Leonard and that's really the only thing slowing them down. Los Angeles is now 0-3 in the three games that Leonard sat out and that says a lot about how important he is to this team. The most recent loss to the New Orleans Pelicans marked the debut of Paul George though and he came back in serious fashion. PG-13 led the team with 33 points in 24 minutes of action, indicating that he's fully healthy from his ailing shoulders. We still haven't seen George and Leonard take the floor together though but this is likely to be the start of a very successful season for these two in what's expected to be their duo debut.
While these teams did split their two-game season series last year, Los Angeles has won five of their last six games over Atlanta in total.
The Hawks (4-7) come into this matchup losing four of their last five games and it's clear that the absences are really starting to hurt this team. Losing John Collins to a 25-game suspension was obviously a major detriment but they're now without Kevin Huerter too. Those were supposed to be some of the most valuable young pieces on this team and it's hard for them to compete with so much talent missing from their wings. Trae Young is doing all he can though, leading the way with 27.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 9.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game. That's truly scary and it's amazing to watch this kid make pull-up three's from right around halfcourt.
The Clippers (7-5) record is nothing special at this point but it's imperative to look at the games rather than the results. One thing this team knew they'd have to deal with is load management for Kawhi Leonard and that's really the only thing slowing them down. Los Angeles is now 0-3 in the three games that Leonard sat out and that says a lot about how important he is to this team. The most recent loss to the New Orleans Pelicans marked the debut of Paul George though and he came back in serious fashion. PG-13 led the team with 33 points in 24 minutes of action, indicating that he's fully healthy from his ailing shoulders. We still haven't seen George and Leonard take the floor together though but this is likely to be the start of a very successful season for these two in what's expected to be their duo debut.
While these teams did split their two-game season series last year, Los Angeles has won five of their last six games over Atlanta in total.