Nuggets, Heat Meet Saturday
The Miami Heat plays the Denver Nuggets on Saturday in the NBA restart season openers for both teams at Orlando.
The Heat already clinched a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs, but they must figure wherein the seeding they will end once the regular season comes to a close. Miami has gone 41-24 this season and enter the restart in fourth place in the standings, but that could change if they struggle out of the gate while other teams, such as the Philadelphia 76ers and the Indiana Pacers, step their game up. Jimmy Butler has been Miami's best player, but Bam Adebayo deserves recognition as well. The first-time All-Star is having a career year, averaging personal-best figures in several stats such as points (16.2), rebounds (10.5), assists (5.1), steals (1.2) and blocks (1.3) per game.
Miami is close to full strength ahead of this game. Their lone potential absentee would be KZ Ozpala, who is questionable due to an Achilles injury and will be a game-time decision.
On the other hand, the Nuggets tweaked their rotation a bit during the recent scrimmages, as Nikola Jokic started two games at point guard and there were other players who got an extended run since head coach Michael Malone wanted to see what alternatives he had in the roster in case some fringe players needed to step up. There were some decent responses but, at the end of the day, this team will go as far as the star guys such as Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Gary Harris can take it. Jokic has arguably been the team's top contributor this season, averaging a career-best 20.2 points while also adding 10.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.2 steals in 32.3 minutes per game this season.
The Nuggets are will be slightly depleted for the restart opener, as Gary Harris (hip), Will Barton (knee) and Vlatko Cancar (foot) have all been ruled out. Jamal Murray (hamstring) is questionable and will be a game-time decision for the coaching staff.
The Heat already clinched a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs, but they must figure wherein the seeding they will end once the regular season comes to a close. Miami has gone 41-24 this season and enter the restart in fourth place in the standings, but that could change if they struggle out of the gate while other teams, such as the Philadelphia 76ers and the Indiana Pacers, step their game up. Jimmy Butler has been Miami's best player, but Bam Adebayo deserves recognition as well. The first-time All-Star is having a career year, averaging personal-best figures in several stats such as points (16.2), rebounds (10.5), assists (5.1), steals (1.2) and blocks (1.3) per game.
Miami is close to full strength ahead of this game. Their lone potential absentee would be KZ Ozpala, who is questionable due to an Achilles injury and will be a game-time decision.
On the other hand, the Nuggets tweaked their rotation a bit during the recent scrimmages, as Nikola Jokic started two games at point guard and there were other players who got an extended run since head coach Michael Malone wanted to see what alternatives he had in the roster in case some fringe players needed to step up. There were some decent responses but, at the end of the day, this team will go as far as the star guys such as Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Gary Harris can take it. Jokic has arguably been the team's top contributor this season, averaging a career-best 20.2 points while also adding 10.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.2 steals in 32.3 minutes per game this season.
The Nuggets are will be slightly depleted for the restart opener, as Gary Harris (hip), Will Barton (knee) and Vlatko Cancar (foot) have all been ruled out. Jamal Murray (hamstring) is questionable and will be a game-time decision for the coaching staff.
Thunder Set To Make Restart Debut
By Dan Bruno
The Utah Jazz play the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday at Orlando.
This marks the first game of the restart for the Thunder, while the Jazz made their debut on Thursday, where they topped the Pelicans in an exciting contest.
Six players scored in double digits, including three who topped 20 points for the Jazz in their win on Thursday. The game went right down to the wire, where Rudy Gobert came up clutch, going 2-of-2 at the foul line, to seal the win. Gobert finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks, in the contest, while Jordan Clarkson was the high-point man for Utah, with 23 points, on 8-of-17 shooting, in 32 minutes off the bench. Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley added 20 points each. The Jazz looked good overall, in the win, but can definitely improve their efficiency, as they shot 44 percent from the field, including 8-of-34 from long range. They also tallied only 17 assists, compared to their season average of 22 assists per game.
Meanwhile, the Thunder are set to resume what was a very impressive season before the stoppage, as they entered the bubble holding the fifth spot in the West. Chris Paul had been fantastic early in the season and was leading the young team, while averaging 17.7 points, 6.8 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was having an amazing season, as well, and definitely took a massive step in his development as a young player, as he was leading the Thunder with an average of 19.3 points per game. Dennis Schroder gives the Thunder a huge boost off the bench and played a big part in the success of the group, as he was averaging 19.0 points, 4.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds, in 31 minutes per game.
This marks the first game of the restart for the Thunder, while the Jazz made their debut on Thursday, where they topped the Pelicans in an exciting contest.
Six players scored in double digits, including three who topped 20 points for the Jazz in their win on Thursday. The game went right down to the wire, where Rudy Gobert came up clutch, going 2-of-2 at the foul line, to seal the win. Gobert finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks, in the contest, while Jordan Clarkson was the high-point man for Utah, with 23 points, on 8-of-17 shooting, in 32 minutes off the bench. Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley added 20 points each. The Jazz looked good overall, in the win, but can definitely improve their efficiency, as they shot 44 percent from the field, including 8-of-34 from long range. They also tallied only 17 assists, compared to their season average of 22 assists per game.
Meanwhile, the Thunder are set to resume what was a very impressive season before the stoppage, as they entered the bubble holding the fifth spot in the West. Chris Paul had been fantastic early in the season and was leading the young team, while averaging 17.7 points, 6.8 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was having an amazing season, as well, and definitely took a massive step in his development as a young player, as he was leading the Thunder with an average of 19.3 points per game. Dennis Schroder gives the Thunder a huge boost off the bench and played a big part in the success of the group, as he was averaging 19.0 points, 4.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds, in 31 minutes per game.
Pelicans Look To Get Back on Track Against Clippers
The New Orleans Pelicans take on the Los Angeles Clippers in an NBA restart seeding game on Saturday evening.
The Pelicans (28-37) are facing must-win scenarios in every game as they look to catch the No. 8-seeded Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference. They're facing even more pressure after having dropped their restart opener to the Utah Jazz by a 106-104 score on Thursday night, a game in which they surrendered an eight-point lead they'd gone into the fourth quarter with. For New Orleans, Brandon Ingram led the way with 23 points, adding eight rebounds and one block. J.J. Redick followed with 21 points, four rebounds and three assists. Jrue Holiday contributed 20 points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block. Zion Williamson posted 13 points and one assist in 15 minutes of action as he works back to full conditioning.
The Pelicans come into Saturday's game without any short-term injuries to report.
The Clippers (44-21) stumbled in a close game themselves to kick off the seeding game portion of their schedule. Los Angeles dropped a 103-101 decision to the Lakers on Thursday night, a game in which Paul George, who tallied a team-high 30 points, misfired on a three-point attempt as time expired. Kawhi Leonard followed George with 28 points and added four assists, three rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Patrick Beverley collected 12 points, while Reggie Jackson supplied 10 points, six boards and four assists.
The Clippers will continue to be without the services of Lou Williams (quarantine) and Montrezl Harrell (personal) for Saturday's game.
Saturday's contest marks the fourth and final meeting between the teams this season. The Clippers hold a 2-1 series lead, having notched 134-109 and 133--130 victories on Nov. 24 and Jan. 18, respectively.
The Pelicans (28-37) are facing must-win scenarios in every game as they look to catch the No. 8-seeded Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference. They're facing even more pressure after having dropped their restart opener to the Utah Jazz by a 106-104 score on Thursday night, a game in which they surrendered an eight-point lead they'd gone into the fourth quarter with. For New Orleans, Brandon Ingram led the way with 23 points, adding eight rebounds and one block. J.J. Redick followed with 21 points, four rebounds and three assists. Jrue Holiday contributed 20 points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block. Zion Williamson posted 13 points and one assist in 15 minutes of action as he works back to full conditioning.
The Pelicans come into Saturday's game without any short-term injuries to report.
The Clippers (44-21) stumbled in a close game themselves to kick off the seeding game portion of their schedule. Los Angeles dropped a 103-101 decision to the Lakers on Thursday night, a game in which Paul George, who tallied a team-high 30 points, misfired on a three-point attempt as time expired. Kawhi Leonard followed George with 28 points and added four assists, three rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Patrick Beverley collected 12 points, while Reggie Jackson supplied 10 points, six boards and four assists.
The Clippers will continue to be without the services of Lou Williams (quarantine) and Montrezl Harrell (personal) for Saturday's game.
Saturday's contest marks the fourth and final meeting between the teams this season. The Clippers hold a 2-1 series lead, having notched 134-109 and 133--130 victories on Nov. 24 and Jan. 18, respectively.
76ers and Pacers Begin Seeding Games
The Philadelphia 76ers take on the Indiana Pacers in the NBA restart opener for both teams in Orlando on Saturday night.
The 76ers (39-26) come into the seeding game portion of their schedule in solid shape, as they've already clinched a playoff spot and will do no worse than their current No. 6 seed. However, Philadelphia does have a chance to improve its lot in the postseason field, as they trail the No. 4-seeded Miami Heat by just two games and the third-seeded Boston Celtics by four games. The 76ers will roll out a new-look lineup Saturday, with Shake Milton officially having been handed the reins of the point guard position, Ben Simmons shifting down to power forward and Al Horford transitioning to the second unit.
The 76ers will list Glenn Robinson (hip) as doubtful for Saturday's game, while Raul Neto (back) will carry a probable designation.
The Pacers (39-26) find themselves in a very similar scenario to their opponent, as they mirror the 76ers' won-loss mark and are seeded one slot ahead of them in the Eastern Conference field. Like Philadelphia, Indiana has a chance to tunnel upward in the playoff field with a strong showing during the seeding portion of the schedule. However, Indiana will have to work around injury concerns. Power forward Domantas Sabonis (foot) is currently out of the Orlando restart bubble to get treatment on his plantar fasciitis, while Malcolm Brogdon and Victor Oladipo are nursing neck and knee injuries, respectively. Oladipo's case will be one to particularly monitor, as he had originally announced he would not be participating in the restart to the season but later changed course and opted to play in the scrimmages that took place over the last two weeks.
The Pacers will be without Sabonis (foot) for Saturday's game. Brogdon (neck) and Oladipo (knee) will be listed as questionable.
Saturday's game marks the fourth and final meeting between the teams this season. The Pacers hold a 2-1 series lead, having notched 115-97 and 101-95 wins on Dec. 31 and Jan. 13, respectively.
The 76ers (39-26) come into the seeding game portion of their schedule in solid shape, as they've already clinched a playoff spot and will do no worse than their current No. 6 seed. However, Philadelphia does have a chance to improve its lot in the postseason field, as they trail the No. 4-seeded Miami Heat by just two games and the third-seeded Boston Celtics by four games. The 76ers will roll out a new-look lineup Saturday, with Shake Milton officially having been handed the reins of the point guard position, Ben Simmons shifting down to power forward and Al Horford transitioning to the second unit.
The 76ers will list Glenn Robinson (hip) as doubtful for Saturday's game, while Raul Neto (back) will carry a probable designation.
The Pacers (39-26) find themselves in a very similar scenario to their opponent, as they mirror the 76ers' won-loss mark and are seeded one slot ahead of them in the Eastern Conference field. Like Philadelphia, Indiana has a chance to tunnel upward in the playoff field with a strong showing during the seeding portion of the schedule. However, Indiana will have to work around injury concerns. Power forward Domantas Sabonis (foot) is currently out of the Orlando restart bubble to get treatment on his plantar fasciitis, while Malcolm Brogdon and Victor Oladipo are nursing neck and knee injuries, respectively. Oladipo's case will be one to particularly monitor, as he had originally announced he would not be participating in the restart to the season but later changed course and opted to play in the scrimmages that took place over the last two weeks.
The Pacers will be without Sabonis (foot) for Saturday's game. Brogdon (neck) and Oladipo (knee) will be listed as questionable.
Saturday's game marks the fourth and final meeting between the teams this season. The Pacers hold a 2-1 series lead, having notched 115-97 and 101-95 wins on Dec. 31 and Jan. 13, respectively.
Raptors and Lakers Play in Restart
The Toronto Raptors play host to the Los Angeles Lakers in Orlando on Saturday.
The Lakers kicked off the Orlando restart in fantastic fashion. While they didn't play their prettiest game, they pulled off a 103-101 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday. Beating their rivals is one thing but doing it in such close fashion makes it all the more redeemable. What makes it even more surprising is the fact that they did it with LeBron James struggling. The superstar had just 16 points on 6-of-19 from the field but provided 11 rebounds and seven assists. Anthony Davis was the hero in that game, dropping 34 points to lead all scorers. It's going to be those two carrying the load from here on out but 16 points from Kyle Kuzma off the bench can't be overlooked either. If they can get Kuzma, J.R. Smith or Dion waiters to regularly do that, this team could go all the way.
The Raptors simply never stayed healthy throughout the regular season and they somehow maintained a stellar record. In fact, they're three games up on the Boston Celtics in second and 6.5 games back of the Milwaukee Bucks in first. That means the second-seed is all but secured at this point but they have some things to figure out here in Orlando. Most importantly, they need to get these rotations in check. They've had to deal with multiple players being out all season long but having everyone back and fully healthy will certainly make things interesting. A roster of Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, Serge Ibaka, Marc Gasol and Norman Powell is plenty capable but they need to find minutes for guys like OG Anunoby, Patrick McCaw, Terence Davis and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson as well. That's all up to Nick Nurse but the favorite for Coach of the Year is plenty capable of putting the pieces of the puzzle together.
In the first meeting between these teams, Toronto won on the road, 113-104.
The Lakers kicked off the Orlando restart in fantastic fashion. While they didn't play their prettiest game, they pulled off a 103-101 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday. Beating their rivals is one thing but doing it in such close fashion makes it all the more redeemable. What makes it even more surprising is the fact that they did it with LeBron James struggling. The superstar had just 16 points on 6-of-19 from the field but provided 11 rebounds and seven assists. Anthony Davis was the hero in that game, dropping 34 points to lead all scorers. It's going to be those two carrying the load from here on out but 16 points from Kyle Kuzma off the bench can't be overlooked either. If they can get Kuzma, J.R. Smith or Dion waiters to regularly do that, this team could go all the way.
The Raptors simply never stayed healthy throughout the regular season and they somehow maintained a stellar record. In fact, they're three games up on the Boston Celtics in second and 6.5 games back of the Milwaukee Bucks in first. That means the second-seed is all but secured at this point but they have some things to figure out here in Orlando. Most importantly, they need to get these rotations in check. They've had to deal with multiple players being out all season long but having everyone back and fully healthy will certainly make things interesting. A roster of Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, Serge Ibaka, Marc Gasol and Norman Powell is plenty capable but they need to find minutes for guys like OG Anunoby, Patrick McCaw, Terence Davis and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson as well. That's all up to Nick Nurse but the favorite for Coach of the Year is plenty capable of putting the pieces of the puzzle together.
In the first meeting between these teams, Toronto won on the road, 113-104.