Knicks Host Sixers At MSG
The New York Knicks will host the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday evening.
The Knicks (2-1) are coming off a 110-104 loss against the Orlando Magic on Sunday, a game in which Julius Randle led the Knicks with 30 points, 16 rebounds, four blocks, three assists and two steals, in 38 minutes. Derrick Rose followed up with 23 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals, while R.J. Barrett chipped in 12 points, five assists, four rebounds and a steal. The Knicks shot 37 percent from the field, including 13-of-48 from deep, and their shooting woes were a big reason why they ended losing in this one. They were coming off two straight wins. New York has also gone 1-1 at home, and this contest will mark the end of a short two-game homestand.
The Sixers (2-1) are coming off a 115-103 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. Seth Curry led the 76ers with 28 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 7-of-10 from long range, in 34 minutes. Joel Embiid followed up with 22 points, nine rebounds, six assists, three blocks and a steal, while Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey chipped in 14 points each. The 76ers shot 46.6 percent from the field, including 17-of-41 from long range. Philadelphia will now attempt to start a winning run for the first time in the current campaign, and this game will also mark the end of a short two-game road trip. Philadelphia has gone 2-0 away from home so far.
The Knicks (2-1) are coming off a 110-104 loss against the Orlando Magic on Sunday, a game in which Julius Randle led the Knicks with 30 points, 16 rebounds, four blocks, three assists and two steals, in 38 minutes. Derrick Rose followed up with 23 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals, while R.J. Barrett chipped in 12 points, five assists, four rebounds and a steal. The Knicks shot 37 percent from the field, including 13-of-48 from deep, and their shooting woes were a big reason why they ended losing in this one. They were coming off two straight wins. New York has also gone 1-1 at home, and this contest will mark the end of a short two-game homestand.
The Sixers (2-1) are coming off a 115-103 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. Seth Curry led the 76ers with 28 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 7-of-10 from long range, in 34 minutes. Joel Embiid followed up with 22 points, nine rebounds, six assists, three blocks and a steal, while Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey chipped in 14 points each. The 76ers shot 46.6 percent from the field, including 17-of-41 from long range. Philadelphia will now attempt to start a winning run for the first time in the current campaign, and this game will also mark the end of a short two-game road trip. Philadelphia has gone 2-0 away from home so far.
Warriors and Thunder Tangle in Tuesday Battle
The Golden State Warriors take on the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center on Tuesday night.
The Warriors (3-0) have gotten their season off to as strong a start as their record implies, notching wins over the Lakers, Clippers, and most recently, the Kings, the latter by a 119-107 margin on Sunday night. Stephen Curry led the way for Golden State with 27 points, adding 10 assists, seven rebounds and three steals. Jordan Poole supplied 22 points, three rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block. Andrew Wiggins furnished 17 points and four boards. Draymond Green registered 14 points, six rebounds and six assists. Damion Lee totaled 11 points and four rebounds, while Gary Payton poured in 10 points.
The Warriors will list Andre Iguodala (hip) as probable for Tuesday's contest. Jonathan Kuminga (knee), James Wiseman (knee) and Klay Thompson (Achilles) will remain out.
The Thunder (0-3) have been on the opposite end of the spectrum performance-wise, with none of their three losses particularly close. Their most recent stumble came Sunday, when they dropped a 115-103 decision to the Philadelphia 76ers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way for OKC with 29 points, completing them with eight assists, six rebounds, one steal and one block. Josh Giddey registered 19 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals. Luguentz Dort collected 13 points, four rebounds, three assists and one steal. Mike Muscala led the bench with nine points.
The Thunder will be without Derrick Favors (rest) for Tuesday's contest.
Tuesday's game marks the first of three meetings between the teams this season. The Warriors swept the three-game series from the Thunder last season.
The Warriors (3-0) have gotten their season off to as strong a start as their record implies, notching wins over the Lakers, Clippers, and most recently, the Kings, the latter by a 119-107 margin on Sunday night. Stephen Curry led the way for Golden State with 27 points, adding 10 assists, seven rebounds and three steals. Jordan Poole supplied 22 points, three rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block. Andrew Wiggins furnished 17 points and four boards. Draymond Green registered 14 points, six rebounds and six assists. Damion Lee totaled 11 points and four rebounds, while Gary Payton poured in 10 points.
The Warriors will list Andre Iguodala (hip) as probable for Tuesday's contest. Jonathan Kuminga (knee), James Wiseman (knee) and Klay Thompson (Achilles) will remain out.
The Thunder (0-3) have been on the opposite end of the spectrum performance-wise, with none of their three losses particularly close. Their most recent stumble came Sunday, when they dropped a 115-103 decision to the Philadelphia 76ers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way for OKC with 29 points, completing them with eight assists, six rebounds, one steal and one block. Josh Giddey registered 19 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals. Luguentz Dort collected 13 points, four rebounds, three assists and one steal. Mike Muscala led the bench with nine points.
The Thunder will be without Derrick Favors (rest) for Tuesday's contest.
Tuesday's game marks the first of three meetings between the teams this season. The Warriors swept the three-game series from the Thunder last season.
Rockets and Mavericks Set for Intra-State Clash
The Houston Rockets take on the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on Tuesday night.
The Rockets (1-2) have started the season off in unsurprisingly uneven fashion, dropping 18- and 10-point decisions to the Timberwolves and Celtics and sandwiching the pair of losses around a 124-91 rout of one of the few teams in the league that may be in as poor a shape as they are, the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 107-97 loss to Boston was the most recent and came Sunday night. Jalen Green paced the Rockets with 30 points, complementing them with four rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal. Christian Wood furnished 20 points, nine boards, one assist and one steal. Kevin Porter turned in 15 points, three rebounds and three assists. Jae'Sean Tate provided 12 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals.
The Rockets will remain without John Wall (team decision) for Tuesday's game.
The Mavericks (1-1) also opened the new campaign off in poor fashion, taking a 113-87 thumping from the Atlanta Hawks before bouncing back to record a 103-9 win over the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night. Luka Doncic led the way for Dallas with 27 points, complementing them with 12 assists, nine rebounds and one block. Tim Hardaway poured in 25 points while complementing them with three rebounds, two assists and one steal. Kristaps Porzingis generated an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double that also included four blocks. Dwight Powell and Dorian Finney-Smith posted matching 11-pont, two-assist tallies, with Finney-Smith also recording eight boards.
The Mavericks will check into Tuesday's contest without any injuries to report.
Tuesday's game marks the first of four games between the teams this season. The Rockets took the three-game 2020-21 season series from the Mavericks by a 2-1 margin.
The Rockets (1-2) have started the season off in unsurprisingly uneven fashion, dropping 18- and 10-point decisions to the Timberwolves and Celtics and sandwiching the pair of losses around a 124-91 rout of one of the few teams in the league that may be in as poor a shape as they are, the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 107-97 loss to Boston was the most recent and came Sunday night. Jalen Green paced the Rockets with 30 points, complementing them with four rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal. Christian Wood furnished 20 points, nine boards, one assist and one steal. Kevin Porter turned in 15 points, three rebounds and three assists. Jae'Sean Tate provided 12 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals.
The Rockets will remain without John Wall (team decision) for Tuesday's game.
The Mavericks (1-1) also opened the new campaign off in poor fashion, taking a 113-87 thumping from the Atlanta Hawks before bouncing back to record a 103-9 win over the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night. Luka Doncic led the way for Dallas with 27 points, complementing them with 12 assists, nine rebounds and one block. Tim Hardaway poured in 25 points while complementing them with three rebounds, two assists and one steal. Kristaps Porzingis generated an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double that also included four blocks. Dwight Powell and Dorian Finney-Smith posted matching 11-pont, two-assist tallies, with Finney-Smith also recording eight boards.
The Mavericks will check into Tuesday's contest without any injuries to report.
Tuesday's game marks the first of four games between the teams this season. The Rockets took the three-game 2020-21 season series from the Mavericks by a 2-1 margin.
Lakers Look To Keep On The Right Track After First Win
By Dan Bruno
The San Antonio Spurs play host to the Los Angeles Lakers at AT&T Center on Tuesday evening.
The Lakers (1-2) are coming off their first win of the season. After starting, 0-2, they managed a solid comeback win at home over the Grizzlies on Sunday. The Lakers led by six points at halftime, but the Grizzlies came out strong in the third and claimed a three-point lead heading into the final frame. The Lakers pulled it together in the fourth, where they outscored the visitors, 34-28, to squeeze out the much-needed win. The contest marked a milestone for Carmelo Anthony as he poured in a team-high 28 points on 10-of-15 shooting, including 6-of-8 from deep, to move up to ninth on the NBA's all-time scoring list. Anthony Davis added 22 points, while Russell Westbrook totaled 13 points, 13 assists, seven rebounds and four steals. The Lakers will look to remain on the right track, as they get set for their first road games of the season, with a two-game trip.
Meanwhile, the Spurs (1-2) started their season with a home win over the Magic, but they have since dropped two straight, one in Denver, followed by a home loss against the Bucks on Saturday. Keldon Johnson has been the most solid contributor for the young Spurs' squad so far, averaging 20.7 points on 56 percent shooting, over the first three games. Dejounte Murray is averaging 13.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 2.3 steals, while Derrick White is averaging 15.3 points, 6.7 assists, 2.7 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.0 blocks, per game. The Spurs are averaging 110.0 points per game, on 49 percent shooting, but they are holding opponents to an average of 106.7 points per game, on 48 percent shooting. They face a tough opponent in the Lakers on Tuesday, but they will certainly be motivated to make an impression against the star-studded lineup.
The Lakers (1-2) are coming off their first win of the season. After starting, 0-2, they managed a solid comeback win at home over the Grizzlies on Sunday. The Lakers led by six points at halftime, but the Grizzlies came out strong in the third and claimed a three-point lead heading into the final frame. The Lakers pulled it together in the fourth, where they outscored the visitors, 34-28, to squeeze out the much-needed win. The contest marked a milestone for Carmelo Anthony as he poured in a team-high 28 points on 10-of-15 shooting, including 6-of-8 from deep, to move up to ninth on the NBA's all-time scoring list. Anthony Davis added 22 points, while Russell Westbrook totaled 13 points, 13 assists, seven rebounds and four steals. The Lakers will look to remain on the right track, as they get set for their first road games of the season, with a two-game trip.
Meanwhile, the Spurs (1-2) started their season with a home win over the Magic, but they have since dropped two straight, one in Denver, followed by a home loss against the Bucks on Saturday. Keldon Johnson has been the most solid contributor for the young Spurs' squad so far, averaging 20.7 points on 56 percent shooting, over the first three games. Dejounte Murray is averaging 13.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 2.3 steals, while Derrick White is averaging 15.3 points, 6.7 assists, 2.7 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.0 blocks, per game. The Spurs are averaging 110.0 points per game, on 49 percent shooting, but they are holding opponents to an average of 106.7 points per game, on 48 percent shooting. They face a tough opponent in the Lakers on Tuesday, but they will certainly be motivated to make an impression against the star-studded lineup.
Jazz Host Nuggets on Tuesday
The Denver Nuggets travel to Salt Lake City to face the Utah Jazz at Vivint Arena on Tuesday.
The Nuggets (2-1) started the season with two crucial wins over the Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs but followed it up with a dud on Monday. They actually trailed for all but one minute in that 99-87 defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers, getting very little help outside of Nikola Jokic. That's the one major issue with this club with Jamal Murray out, and it's a wonder who will step up going forward. Players like Monte Morris, Will Barton, and Michael Porter have stepped up in the past, but all of those guys have shown inconsistencies this season. It's up to these players to figure things out because Murray isn't walking through that door anytime soon.
The Jazz (2-0) had the best record in the NBA last season, and they're one of the only clubs that still holds an undefeated record this year. Beating the Sacramento Kings and Oklahoma City Thunder is nothing to write home about but taking care of business against the bad teams is what makes this Utah club so dangerous. The defense is the thing that has carried this club in the past, and holding both of those opponents below 105 points is a good sign that everything is clicking as it should be. What remains to be seen is if this club can thrive in the postseason. They collapsed when it mattered most, and many people aren't so sure they have what it takes to get through those tough opponents.
These teams played three times last season, with Utah winning two of three. Denver actually swept the three-game season series the year prior, with Denver also prevailing in the postseason.
The Nuggets (2-1) started the season with two crucial wins over the Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs but followed it up with a dud on Monday. They actually trailed for all but one minute in that 99-87 defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers, getting very little help outside of Nikola Jokic. That's the one major issue with this club with Jamal Murray out, and it's a wonder who will step up going forward. Players like Monte Morris, Will Barton, and Michael Porter have stepped up in the past, but all of those guys have shown inconsistencies this season. It's up to these players to figure things out because Murray isn't walking through that door anytime soon.
The Jazz (2-0) had the best record in the NBA last season, and they're one of the only clubs that still holds an undefeated record this year. Beating the Sacramento Kings and Oklahoma City Thunder is nothing to write home about but taking care of business against the bad teams is what makes this Utah club so dangerous. The defense is the thing that has carried this club in the past, and holding both of those opponents below 105 points is a good sign that everything is clicking as it should be. What remains to be seen is if this club can thrive in the postseason. They collapsed when it mattered most, and many people aren't so sure they have what it takes to get through those tough opponents.
These teams played three times last season, with Utah winning two of three. Denver actually swept the three-game season series the year prior, with Denver also prevailing in the postseason.