Tag: game preview

Spurs, Thunder both seek to get back in win column on Tuesday

Oklahoma City is looking to bounce back from a close loss to the Celtics on Sunday while San Antonio comes in on a five-game losing streak.

Both Oklahoma City and the San Antonio Spurs will be in need of a win when they square off inside Chesapeake Energy Arena on Tuesday night.

The Thunder are coming off a 112-111 loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday afternoon, another game in which they were competitive right up until the very end.

Dennis Schroder was one of four players in double-digits on Sunday afternoon, scoring 22 points on 8-of-21 shooting. His shooting percentage in the loss to the Celts was unusually low. Schroder is shooting a career-best 47.4% from the floor this season, although he has struggled against the Spurs this season.

In two games against San Antonio, Schroder is averaging just 15 points per game, more than four below his season-average, hitting just 40% of his shots from the field.

The Spurs, meanwhile, come into Tuesday in the midst of a five-game skid and are just 8-19 away from home. That record doesn’t bode well for a team that is going 25 days without a home game.

DeMar DeRozan, who was a late scratch for Monday’s game against the Nuggets, is doubtful Tuesday against the Thunder according to Spurs digital journalist JeffGSpursZone.

Oklahoma City will be without Darius Bazley, who injured his right knee late in the first quarter of Sunday’s loss. Bazley will be out for four-to-six weeks.

It won’t be long before yet another matchup between these two. They play twice in 12 days, their next game coming on Sunday, Feb. 23 in Oklahoma City.

Preview: Hospital Celtics face new-look Hawks at home

The Boston Celtics will take on an overhauled version of the Atlanta Hawks they beat on the road last week at TD Garden in their first meeting since the Clint Capela trade.

The 35-15 Boston Celtics face the 14-38 Atlanta Hawks at TD Garden Friday, Feb. 6 as the two teams meet for the first time since Atlanta added former Houston Rocket center Clint Capela.

Atlanta had been languishing near the bottom of the East, having won just four of their last 10 games while Boston has been on a tear of late, winning five in a row and eight of their last 10 contests.

The Celtics have been bit by the injury bug especially hard for this tilt, with a number of key and rotation players potential or actual scratches.

Centers Robert Williams III (hip) and Daniel Theis (ankle) will continue to recuperate from their respective injuries, and shooting guard Jaylen Brown (ankle), Gordon Hayward (foot soreness) and Kemba Walker (knee) are questionable.

Guards Marcus Smart (quad) and Brad Wanamaker (ankle) are also listed as probable.

The Hawks are a bit dinged up as well, with center Bruno Fernando (calf), forward Cam Reddish (concussion) listed as doubtful for the meeting, and forward DeAndre Hunter (ankle) consider questionable.

Shooting guard Kevin Huerter (adductor) and point guards Trae Young (ankle) and Jeff Teague (knee) are all listed as probable for their matchup with Boston.

The Celtics are heavily favored to win the game even with their health issues, which is reflected by most online sportsbooks offering a -9 line for Boston.

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Preview: Thunder opens four-game home stand Wednesday vs. Cleveland

Oklahoma City returns home to play the Cavaliers in the first of four games inside Chesapeake Energy Arena. OKC is 15-10 at home this year.

Oklahoma City kicks off a four-game home stand on Wednesday night when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers inside Chesapeake Energy Arena.

The two teams couldn’t be headed in more opposite directions.

The Thunder comes into Wednesday winners of seven of their last eight. January was a grind for OKC. They had a league-maximum 17 games in 30 days, going 12-5 across that span.

Since Thanksgiving, Oklahoma City is 24-9 and has statistically all but secured their spot in the postseason.

They’re being represented by Chris Paul and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during the upcoming All-Star Weekend and, once thought to be big sellers, a day ahead of the trade deadline, the only move Sam Presti has made has been sending Justin Patton and cash to the Dallas Mavericks in return for Isaiah Roby.

Cleveland, on the other hand, is in full-sell mode. The Cavs come into Wednesday having lost 11-of-12 and likely looking to move Kevin Love before the deadline.

Love’s dissatisfaction with the organization is well known and was on display the last time these two teams met in Cleveland back on Jan. 4.

Oklahoma City routed the Cavs in that contest, 121-106.

The Thunder will have Terrance Ferguson back on Wednesday after the third-year player missed eight straight games.

Out due to personal reasons for the majority of his absence, Ferguson was back at practice on Monday and Thunder head coach Billy Donovan told ESPN that T-Ferg looked back to normal.

“He never seems like he ever looks tired to me,” Donovan said. “He runs around, and he’s got a really good motor and energy. So, he looked like his normal self.”

Donovan has not given any indication as to whether or not he would put Ferguson back in the starting lineup. Rookie Lu Dort has been playing significant minutes in place of Ferguson and excelled at both ends of the court in his extended playing time.

Tip-off on Wednesday is at 7 p.m. CT.

Three Dubs-Celtics questions with Warriors Wire’s Tommy Call III

Ahead of the Boston Celtics’ second meeting of the 2019-20 NBA season with the Golden State Warriors, we caught up with Tommy Call III, editor of our sister site Warriors Wire to talk about the tilt.

Last time these two teams met, the Boston Celtics were without All-Star swingman Gordon Hayward, and the Golden State Warriors lost starting point guard D’Angelo Russell to injury before the game was over.

While the odds are still in Boston’s favor with so many key players on the Warriors still out injured, we caught up with Tommy Call III, editor-in-chief of our sister site, Warriors Wire, to get the lowdown on what’s gone on in the Bay area since the Celtics last crossed paths with the Dubs.

So, what’s changed since Golden State and Boston last met?

When the Celtics traveled to the new Chase Center in San Francisco early in the season, Willie Cauley-Stein was still the starting center for Golden State. Now with the Kentucky product in Dallas, the frontcourt keys have been given to Marquese Chriss and Omari Spellman. Each young big has thrived with the opportunity presented by Steve Kerr. Kerr has opted to start both at different times throughout January, with Chriss getting the call for the past two games.

While each brings a dose of energy to the Warriors frontcourt, both serve a different role on the floor from the same position. Chriss, an athletic lob threat, can be compelling inside with either D’Angelo Russell or Draymond Green initiating the offense. When Spellman is on the court, he can stretch the floor, shooting 47.8 % from beyond the arc in January, averaging 3.5 attempts per game in the month.

Encouraging play from both 22-year-old big-men has turned the rest of the 2019-20 season into an audition tape for each to fill an extended role next season when Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson return to the fold.

What it will take for each team to win?

Although the Golden State Warriors record sits at the bottom of the Western Conference, they’re a different team when Draymond Green is engaged. Without Curry and Thompson, plus an almost entirely new cast in Kerr’s rotation, Green has struggled with consistency. However, when Green can channel his former All-Star self, the Warriors’ lack of talent isn’t as apparent as their record might show.

In Golden State victories, Green is averaging 11.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game. Green’s netted a triple-double or close to one in four of the Warriors’ eight wins this season. Even in narrow defeat, Green has been a factor whether it’s hitting multiple 3-pointers, or being the primary ball-handler in Kerr’s offense.

Last game against the 76ers, Golden State, battled the more talented Philadelphia squad for three tight quarters, yet couldn’t close out the game in the final period — a big reason the game was close was due to Green’s 12 assists, nine points and nine rebounds.

Although the stats may not show it in the 2019-20 season, Green still has the ability to elevate Golden State’s surrounding talent to a new level when he’s engaged.

Is there anything else we should know about the matchup, or the Warriors more generally?

Since coming to Golden State, former Eastern Conference All-Star, D’Angelo Russell has been as advertised. Yet, in the Celtics previous matchup with the Warriors, the 23-year-old left the game with a thumb injury.

In his last 10-games, Russell is averaging 27.6 points and 6.8 assists per game with Golden State. The Louisville, Kentucky native is the key to Kerr’s offense, shooting 44.7 % from the field and 44.6 % from beyond the arc over his the last 10-games. Russell’s had three 30-point or more efforts in that span and only dipping under 26 points twice.

Russell is apart of a rare scoring breed in the NBA, when he’s on, he can take over an entire game regardless of the type of opponent in Golden State’s way.

The Warriors will continue to be without All-NBA point guard Steph Curry (wrist) and All-Star wing Klay Thompson (Achilles), but there’s a slim chance they could get a boost to their frontcourt rotation as center Kevon Looney is nearing return from a long absence due to abdominal injury.

Boston will be without centers Enes Kanter (knee) and Robert Williams III (hip), and could be without forward Jayson Tatum (groin). As bad as that may sound, it’s the healthiest the Celtics have been in some time, so it shouldn’t surprise if Tatum sits out a game.

Even with the thin frontcourt, the Celtics are still heavily favored against the league-worst Warriors, reflected in an average spread of -12 for Boston.

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Preview: Celtics, Heat battle for position in the East

The Boston Celtics are hosted by the Miami Heat on Tuesday, January 28 as the two franchises battle for position in the East standings.

The 30-15 Boston Celtics look to rebound from a rough loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Jan. 26 as they visit the 31-14 Miami Heat on Tuesday.

Boston had been turning around the ship after a rough stretch before dropping a game to the Pels. They now find themselves a game behind the third-place Heat in the East after dropping half of their last 10 games.

Miami, on the other hand, hasn’t done much better of late, winning only one more contest over the same stretch and dropping their last game as well, a 122-117 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Jan. 24.

Both teams have been dealing with injury, though the Celtics look to have  the worst of it with reserve centers Enes Kanter (knee) and Robert Williams (hip) out and swingman Jayson Tatum (groin) doubtful.

Reserve wing Javonte Green is also questionable with knee soreness.

The Heat will likely be without forward Justise Winslow due to ongoing back problems, and reserve guard Kendrick Nunn (Achilles) is also questionable.

The midseason matchup could have major seeding implications down the road if the two teams continue to hold steady chasing each other at the top of the standings for the remainder of the season.

Both teams will need to bring their A-game to come away with a win, which may be a challenge for the Celtics.

With Boston on the road and down a greater number of key players, the odds should favor Miami by a small margin, though the game is well within the Celtics abilities to win.

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Preview: Dubs face Brogdon-less Pacers at home

The Golden State Warriors take on the Indiana Pacers at home without starting point guard Malcolm Brogdon — is it their best chance for a win this week?

The 10-36 Golden State Warriors face the 29-16 Indiana Pacers at home at 7:30pm PT this Fri., Jan. 24.

The Pacers have been surging up the East standings of late to fifth in the East, having won seven of their last 10 contests.

This is of course a vast difference from the lowly Dubs, in sole possession of the league’s worst record in last place in the West, with but one win in their last 10 games.

Much of the Warriors’ woes are of course due to the team continuing to be without All-NBA point guard Steph Curry (wrist) and All-Star wing Klay Thompson (Achilles).

This has been compounded by the absence of forward Kevon Looney (abdomen), who has missed several games recently and is doubtful against the Pacers.

Indiana will continue to be without guard Victor Oladipo, and starting floor general Malcolm Brogdon is also out with a concussion sustained in the Pacers’ game against the Phoenix Suns on Jan. 22.

The meeting is the first between the two franchises this season, and with so many key players out, it is very likely the Pacers take the win.

Most online sportsbooks concur, granting an average spread of +6 to the Warriors.

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Preview: Thunder return to Oklahoma City to host the Hawks

Oklahoma City will meet the Hawks for the first time this season when the two square off inside Chesapeake Energy Arena on Friday night.

The Atlanta Hawks have been awful on the road. That’s perfect for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who will host the Hawks inside Chesapeake Energy Arena on Friday night.

OKC returns home after a two-game road trip in which they beat both the Houston Rockets and the Orlando Magic. The Thunder were buoyed by big second-half performances from Dennis Schröder in both games.

Schröder told Thunder digital reporter Paris Lawson that the team is just keeping it simple and having fun:

We’re just playing. It’s all about having fun, having confidence … everybody’s ready. Everybody’s working each day trying to get better and it doesn’t really matter who’s out there, who’s not. We just try to go out there and compete and that’s what we did [Wednesday night].

Oklahoma City hopes to have big man Steven Adams back in the lineup, who did not play on Wednesday due to a left ankle sprain. Adams suffered the injury just minutes into Monday’s game against the Rockets when he was undercut by Clint Capela while trying to grab an offensive rebound.

Adams left the game and did not return.

Terrance Ferguson and Abdel Nader also missed OKC’s win over the Magic. Ferguson (personal reasons) was out for the second consecutive game. The third-year player also was sidelined against the Trail Blazers on Jan. 18 due to illness, making the Thunder’s Friday night matchup his third straight absence. Nader (ankle sprain), meanwhile, has not played since leaving the first half of OKC’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Jan. 13.

While it’s the Thunder who are known for their second-half comebacks, the Hawks are coming off a massive one against the LA Clippers. Atlanta surged from 21-down to beat Los Angeles 102-95.

Friday’s game is the first of two regular-season matchups. The teams meet again on March 18 when the Thunder will travel to Atlanta.

Preview: OKC looks to sweep regular-season series vs. Magic

The Thunder beat the Magic 102-94 in Oklahoma City on Nov. 5, and look to take the second part of the home-and-home on Wednesday night.

Oklahoma City stays on the road Wednesday when they take on the Magic in Orlando.

The Thunder won the first meeting between the two teams 102-94 back on Nov. 5 inside Chesapeake Energy Arena. In that game, Chris Paul and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander combined for 44 points.

Paul is coming off Monday’s win over the Rockets in which he scored 27 of his team-leading 28 points in the first half, effectively keeping OKC within striking distance as the Thunder put together yet another second-half comeback to earn a 112-107 victory.

Down by 17 in the third quarter, the win was Oklahoma City’s fourth-largest comeback victory this season. Their ability to claw back from double-digit deficits might continue to surprise the rest of the league, but Danilo Gallinari, who had 25 against the Rockets, told ESPN for the Thunder, it’s become routine.

“We showed it to everybody, to ourselves first, since the beginning of the season,” Gallinari said of Oklahoma City’s propensity for comebacks. “That’s what we do.”

As for the Magic, they also suffered a sluggish start on Monday, scoring just 19 points in the first quarter of their game against the Charlotte Hornets.

Orlando did come back to win, 106-83, buoyed by five three-pointers in the first half by Terrence Ross.

Tip-off in Orlando is set for 6 p.m. CT.

Preview: Surging Grizzlies hope to steal a win from Boston on the road

Reminiscent of last year’s Sacramento Kings, the visiting Memphis Grizzlies seek to make their own 2020 draft pick worse for the Celtics who control it if it falls outside the top-six.

The 28-14 Boston Celtics host the 20-23 Memphis Grizzlies as Boston hopes to build off of the momentum of their Jan. 20 blowout of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Memphis has been surprisingly good this season, to the chagrin of Celtics fans everywhere.

Boston will control their pick this season should it fall outside of the top-six protections it has for the 2020 NBA Draft (becoming unprotected the season after), and with the Grizzlies currently in eighth place in the West, the pick would be a rather mediocre one.

The Celtics, on the other hand, currently sit in fourth place in the East in the middle of a tight race, with the second-place Miami Heat just 1.5 games ahead of them, and the Toronto Raptors just a half-game in front.

The Philadelphia 76ers are but a half game behind, and Boston has been on a bit of a losing streak lately until their last win, having won just four of their last 10 games; Memphis, conversely, has won eight of its last 10.

The Celtics will continue to be without center Robert Williams III (hip) until the All-Star break, and Jaylen Brown, who sprained an ankle in the win over Los Angeles. Kemba Walker (knee – probable) may sit, per NBC Sports’ Chris Forsberg.

The Grizzlies are without forward Bruno Caboclo (bone bruise – knee), and also veteran wing Andre Iguodala as he seeks a role on a contender.

While the Celtics have an advantage in talent, a mailed-in effort would easily result in a loss against this young, dynamic team.

Boston ought to be able to continue their positive turn on Martin Luther King Day with a win though. Most online bookmakers seem to agree, granting the Celtics a -7 spread.

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Preview: Jazz visiting in search of season sweep vs. Dubs

The third-place Utah Jazz visit the last-place Warriors as they try for a season sweep of an injury-hobbled Golden State in their home arena.

The 10-35 Golden State Warriors take on the 30-13 Utah Jazz on Wednesday, January 22 at 7pm PT at Chase Center as the Jazz try to sweep the Warriors for the season after having won their last three meetings.

The third-place Jazz are trying to make up for a rough start to the season they were anticipated to be among the West’s title contenders, and are looking more the part of late having won their last two games and nine of their last 10 contests.

The Warriors have had an especially rough stretch of late, with an inverted nine of their last 10 games a loss, not that anyone is surprised given the state of the team in Steph Curry and Klay Thompson’s absence.

Forward Draymond Green (illness), forward Kevon Looney (abdomen), wing Glenn Robinson III (ankle) and shooting guard Jacob Evans all may miss the match with the Jazz as well.

Utah will be entirely healthy unless they choose to rest center Rudy Gobert, who rolled his ankle against the Indiana Pacers Jan. 20.

With Utah the clearly superior team in terms of health and available talent, the path to victory for the league-worst Warriors is mostly luck, and a little disrespect from their opponent and a dash of Alec Burks revenge game.

But outside of that unlikely combination of events, the Jazz should take this game fairly easily, reflected in an average spread of +8 for the Dubs by most online sportsbooks.

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