Knicks Host Bulls Looking To Bounce Back
The New York Knicks will host the Chicago Bulls at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night.
The Knicks (11-10) are 5-6 at home and are undoubtedly looking for a bounce-back performance since they lost against the Brooklyn Nets by a 112-110 score on Tuesday. Alec Burks led the Knicks with 25 points, five rebounds and five assists, while Julius Randle notched 24 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Evan Fournier had 13 points and made a couple of key threes in the second half. Derrick Rose ended with 16 points, nine assists and five rebounds off the bench. Immanuel Quickley had 12 points and seven boards off the bench as well. The Knicks have now gone 2-3 in their last five contests and return home following a short two-game road trip, where they went 1-1.
The Bulls (14-8) are coming off a 133-119 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday. Nikola Vucevic led the way for Chicago with 30 points and 14 rebounds, while DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine both cleared the 25-point mark for the Bulls -- DeRozan had 28 points, six assists and five rebounds while LaVine posted 25 points, six boards and five dimes. Lonzo Ball ended with 16 points and eight assists. Alex Caruso had 14 points and seven assists off the bench. The Bulls have gone 2-3 in their last five games, but they’ve won two of their last three contests and seem to be on the rise. They have also posted a 7-4 mark on the road.
The Knicks (11-10) are 5-6 at home and are undoubtedly looking for a bounce-back performance since they lost against the Brooklyn Nets by a 112-110 score on Tuesday. Alec Burks led the Knicks with 25 points, five rebounds and five assists, while Julius Randle notched 24 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Evan Fournier had 13 points and made a couple of key threes in the second half. Derrick Rose ended with 16 points, nine assists and five rebounds off the bench. Immanuel Quickley had 12 points and seven boards off the bench as well. The Knicks have now gone 2-3 in their last five contests and return home following a short two-game road trip, where they went 1-1.
The Bulls (14-8) are coming off a 133-119 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday. Nikola Vucevic led the way for Chicago with 30 points and 14 rebounds, while DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine both cleared the 25-point mark for the Bulls -- DeRozan had 28 points, six assists and five rebounds while LaVine posted 25 points, six boards and five dimes. Lonzo Ball ended with 16 points and eight assists. Alex Caruso had 14 points and seven assists off the bench. The Bulls have gone 2-3 in their last five games, but they’ve won two of their last three contests and seem to be on the rise. They have also posted a 7-4 mark on the road.
Raptors Host Bucks on Thursday
The Milwaukee Bucks travel north of the border to face the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday.
The Bucks (14-8) got off to a rough start with a 6-8 record but have been unbeatable since then. In fact, they enter this matchup in the midst of an eight-game winning streak, throttling their opponents in many of those. That certainly wasn't the case on Tuesday, though, with Milwaukee winning 127-125 over the Charlotte Hornets. Giannis Antetokounmpo was the hero, hitting a game-winner to cap off his 40-point gem. More importantly, Milwaukee overcame an 18-point deficit to grab that win and continue this impressive run. This hot stretch has the Bucks right back where they expected to be after their fantastic championship run last year.
The Raptors (9-13) got off to a pleasant start, but 10 losses in their last 13 games have undone all of that good work. What's becoming evident is the fact that this offense is struggling mightily without Kyle Lowry. They currently rank 21st in points scored and 29th in assists, despite a fantastic year from Fred VanVleet. The injury bug has hit them hard, too, with Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Gary Trent, and Scottie Barnes all missing time this year. That's an excellent core to compete in the Eastern Conference, but it's simply not good enough when they're not on the floor together. In any case, they're right in the thick of things for the play-in game and should battle all season long.
These teams played three times last season, with Toronto winning the series, 2-1. With that said, the Bucks have won seven of their last 11 games over the Raptors.
The Bucks (14-8) got off to a rough start with a 6-8 record but have been unbeatable since then. In fact, they enter this matchup in the midst of an eight-game winning streak, throttling their opponents in many of those. That certainly wasn't the case on Tuesday, though, with Milwaukee winning 127-125 over the Charlotte Hornets. Giannis Antetokounmpo was the hero, hitting a game-winner to cap off his 40-point gem. More importantly, Milwaukee overcame an 18-point deficit to grab that win and continue this impressive run. This hot stretch has the Bucks right back where they expected to be after their fantastic championship run last year.
The Raptors (9-13) got off to a pleasant start, but 10 losses in their last 13 games have undone all of that good work. What's becoming evident is the fact that this offense is struggling mightily without Kyle Lowry. They currently rank 21st in points scored and 29th in assists, despite a fantastic year from Fred VanVleet. The injury bug has hit them hard, too, with Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Gary Trent, and Scottie Barnes all missing time this year. That's an excellent core to compete in the Eastern Conference, but it's simply not good enough when they're not on the floor together. In any case, they're right in the thick of things for the play-in game and should battle all season long.
These teams played three times last season, with Toronto winning the series, 2-1. With that said, the Bucks have won seven of their last 11 games over the Raptors.
Grizzlies Host Thunder on Thursday
The Memphis Grizzlies play host to the Oklahoma City Thunder at FedEx Forum on Thursday.
The Thunder (6-15) come into this matchup losing seven straight and nine of their last 10 games in total. That poor stretch is really no surprise when you consider the talent on this team, losing players like Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, and James Harden over the last decade. That's a lot of superstar talent to overcome, and it's crazy to think they've had all of those guys in such a short amount of time. This is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's show now, though, and he provided a season-best 39 points on Wednesday. Unfortunately, they blew a double-digit lead in that loss to the Houston Rockets, a team that OKC should handle with Kevin Porter Jr and Christian Wood both getting injured in the first half when OKC had that big lead.
The Grizzlies (11-10) looked to have an uphill battle when they lost Ja Morant to a knee injury last week, but they've won their previous two games without him. They weren't easy victories, too, with Memphis grabbing a 27-point win over the Sacramento Kings and a road win against the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday. What's become clear is that this is one of the deepest, young cores in the NBA, with guys like Jaren Jackson Jr, Tyus Jones, De'Anthony Melton, Brandon Clarke, Desmond Bane and Dillon Brooks stepping up in his absence. That's a lot of good players to build around, and it's no surprise that they overachieved last year by reaching the postseason for the first time since the Marc Gasol-Zach Randolph era.
Memphis has won four of their last five games over Oklahoma City. With that said, the Thunder won nine of their previous 10 games in this series, dating back five years.
The Thunder (6-15) come into this matchup losing seven straight and nine of their last 10 games in total. That poor stretch is really no surprise when you consider the talent on this team, losing players like Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, and James Harden over the last decade. That's a lot of superstar talent to overcome, and it's crazy to think they've had all of those guys in such a short amount of time. This is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's show now, though, and he provided a season-best 39 points on Wednesday. Unfortunately, they blew a double-digit lead in that loss to the Houston Rockets, a team that OKC should handle with Kevin Porter Jr and Christian Wood both getting injured in the first half when OKC had that big lead.
The Grizzlies (11-10) looked to have an uphill battle when they lost Ja Morant to a knee injury last week, but they've won their previous two games without him. They weren't easy victories, too, with Memphis grabbing a 27-point win over the Sacramento Kings and a road win against the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday. What's become clear is that this is one of the deepest, young cores in the NBA, with guys like Jaren Jackson Jr, Tyus Jones, De'Anthony Melton, Brandon Clarke, Desmond Bane and Dillon Brooks stepping up in his absence. That's a lot of good players to build around, and it's no surprise that they overachieved last year by reaching the postseason for the first time since the Marc Gasol-Zach Randolph era.
Memphis has won four of their last five games over Oklahoma City. With that said, the Thunder won nine of their previous 10 games in this series, dating back five years.
Suns Look To Build On 17-Game Win Streak
By Dan Bruno
The Phoenix Suns play host to the Detroit Pistons at Footprint Center on Thursday evening.
The Suns (18-3) have won their last 17 games, as they have been on an absolute tear, since the second week of the season. They are coming off an impressive home win against the Warriors on Tuesday night, where they improves to, 9-2, at home. Unfortunately for the Suns, their leading scorer, Devin Booker (hamstring) is expected to miss Thursday's contest. As a result, Cameron Payne, Cameron Johnson and Landry Shamet should all see a boost in playing time. Chris Paul has been paying great and is averaging 14.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 10.1 assists and 2.1 steals, while Deandre Ayton is averaging 16.0 points and 11.5 rebounds per game. The Suns are averaging 112.2 points per game, and they are shooting a league-best 48.1 percent from the field. They are also doing a solid job on the defensive end, holding opponents to an average of 104.6 points on 43.4 percent shooting.
Meanwhile, this marks the fifth and final game of a road trip for the Pistons (4-17), where they are winless, so far, contributing to a seven-game losing streak overall and a, 2-9, road record. Jerami Grant leads the team, averaging 19.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 10 blocks per game. Cade Cunningham is averaging 13.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.2 steals, while Saddiq Bey is averaging 12.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.0 steals per game. The Pistons are averaging 98.7 points per game, which is second fewest in the league, while they are shooting a league-worst 40.5 percent from the field. They are giving up an average of 108.2 points per game, while allowing opponents to shoot an average of 47.6 percent from the field, which is highest in the league.
The Suns (18-3) have won their last 17 games, as they have been on an absolute tear, since the second week of the season. They are coming off an impressive home win against the Warriors on Tuesday night, where they improves to, 9-2, at home. Unfortunately for the Suns, their leading scorer, Devin Booker (hamstring) is expected to miss Thursday's contest. As a result, Cameron Payne, Cameron Johnson and Landry Shamet should all see a boost in playing time. Chris Paul has been paying great and is averaging 14.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 10.1 assists and 2.1 steals, while Deandre Ayton is averaging 16.0 points and 11.5 rebounds per game. The Suns are averaging 112.2 points per game, and they are shooting a league-best 48.1 percent from the field. They are also doing a solid job on the defensive end, holding opponents to an average of 104.6 points on 43.4 percent shooting.
Meanwhile, this marks the fifth and final game of a road trip for the Pistons (4-17), where they are winless, so far, contributing to a seven-game losing streak overall and a, 2-9, road record. Jerami Grant leads the team, averaging 19.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 10 blocks per game. Cade Cunningham is averaging 13.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.2 steals, while Saddiq Bey is averaging 12.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.0 steals per game. The Pistons are averaging 98.7 points per game, which is second fewest in the league, while they are shooting a league-worst 40.5 percent from the field. They are giving up an average of 108.2 points per game, while allowing opponents to shoot an average of 47.6 percent from the field, which is highest in the league.
Spurs and Trail Blazers Set for Conference Battle
The San Antonio Spurs take on the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on Thursday night.
The Spurs (6-13) have had as difficult a season as their record implies, but they'll actually come into Thursday's game riding their first winning streak of the season, albeit a modest two-game one. Their most recent success came at the expense of the Washington Wizards, which they toppled by a 116-99 score on Monday night. Derrick White led the Spurs with 24 points, adding five rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block. Dejounte Murray totaled 22 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Jakob Poeltl generated a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double that included one assist, two blocks and one steal. Keldon Johnson furnished 13 points, five rebounds and two assists.
The Spurs will likely list Devin Vassell (quadriceps) and Doug McDermott (knee) as no better than questionable for Thursday's game.
The Trail Blazers (11-11) have had an interesting season, as 10 of their first 11 wins under new head coach Chauncey Billups have come on their home floor. However, Portland checks into Thursday's contest having lost three of their last four overall and set to miss star point guard Damian Lillard for at least 10 days due to lower abdominal tendinopathy. Lillard began his absence Tuesday night, but the Blazers still defeated the Detroit Pistons, 110-92. C.J. McCollum led the way with 28 points, complementing them with six assists, four rebounds and two steals. Ben McLemore poured in 17 points. Jusuf Nurkic provided 13 points, eight rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block. Anfernee Simons delivered 12 points, six rebounds, five assists and one block. Dennis Smith, Jr. contributed 11 points, four rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block.
The Trail Blazers will list Norman Powell (quadriceps) as questionable for Thursday's contest, while Nassir Little (ankle) will remain out.
Thursday's game marks the first of four meetings between the teams this season. The Trail Blazers won the 2020-21 three-game season series with the Spurs by a 2-1 margin.
The Spurs (6-13) have had as difficult a season as their record implies, but they'll actually come into Thursday's game riding their first winning streak of the season, albeit a modest two-game one. Their most recent success came at the expense of the Washington Wizards, which they toppled by a 116-99 score on Monday night. Derrick White led the Spurs with 24 points, adding five rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block. Dejounte Murray totaled 22 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Jakob Poeltl generated a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double that included one assist, two blocks and one steal. Keldon Johnson furnished 13 points, five rebounds and two assists.
The Spurs will likely list Devin Vassell (quadriceps) and Doug McDermott (knee) as no better than questionable for Thursday's game.
The Trail Blazers (11-11) have had an interesting season, as 10 of their first 11 wins under new head coach Chauncey Billups have come on their home floor. However, Portland checks into Thursday's contest having lost three of their last four overall and set to miss star point guard Damian Lillard for at least 10 days due to lower abdominal tendinopathy. Lillard began his absence Tuesday night, but the Blazers still defeated the Detroit Pistons, 110-92. C.J. McCollum led the way with 28 points, complementing them with six assists, four rebounds and two steals. Ben McLemore poured in 17 points. Jusuf Nurkic provided 13 points, eight rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block. Anfernee Simons delivered 12 points, six rebounds, five assists and one block. Dennis Smith, Jr. contributed 11 points, four rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block.
The Trail Blazers will list Norman Powell (quadriceps) as questionable for Thursday's contest, while Nassir Little (ankle) will remain out.
Thursday's game marks the first of four meetings between the teams this season. The Trail Blazers won the 2020-21 three-game season series with the Spurs by a 2-1 margin.