Sixers, Pistons Looking To Bounce Back
The Philadelphia 76ers will host the Detroit Pistons at Wells Fargo Center on Thursday evening.
The 76ers (2-2) have been grabbing headlines for all the wrong reasons this season, and their performances have not been very good so far since they've won just two of four games so far. They've gone 0-1 at home this season. Philadelphia's most recent game ended in a 112-99 loss against the New York Knicks. Tobias Harris was the Sixers' best player and came close from posting a triple-double of 23 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Joel Embiid had 14 points, and Danny Green contributed 12 points. Georges Niang contributed 13 points coming off the bench as well. The Sixers shot 43.9 percent from the field and a meager 29.3 percent from three-point range in that loss.
The Pistons (0-3) are still winless and are paying the price of being one of the youngest teams in the NBA this season, though these struggles were widely expected considering their lack of experience in The Association. It's worth noting the Pistons have gone 0-2 playing on the road this season. Detroit's most recent game ended in a 122-104 loss against the Atlanta Hawks. Kelly Olynyk and Saddiq Bey led the Pistons in this one as each ended with 21 points -- while Olynyk also added six rebounds, four assists and three steals, Bey also contributed seven boards and three dimes. Josh Jackson had 18 points, and Isaiah Stewart added 13 points with seven rebounds. Killian Hayes had 12 points and added three assists. The Pistons shot 44 percent from the field and 27.3 percent from three-point range in that loss.
The 76ers (2-2) have been grabbing headlines for all the wrong reasons this season, and their performances have not been very good so far since they've won just two of four games so far. They've gone 0-1 at home this season. Philadelphia's most recent game ended in a 112-99 loss against the New York Knicks. Tobias Harris was the Sixers' best player and came close from posting a triple-double of 23 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Joel Embiid had 14 points, and Danny Green contributed 12 points. Georges Niang contributed 13 points coming off the bench as well. The Sixers shot 43.9 percent from the field and a meager 29.3 percent from three-point range in that loss.
The Pistons (0-3) are still winless and are paying the price of being one of the youngest teams in the NBA this season, though these struggles were widely expected considering their lack of experience in The Association. It's worth noting the Pistons have gone 0-2 playing on the road this season. Detroit's most recent game ended in a 122-104 loss against the Atlanta Hawks. Kelly Olynyk and Saddiq Bey led the Pistons in this one as each ended with 21 points -- while Olynyk also added six rebounds, four assists and three steals, Bey also contributed seven boards and three dimes. Josh Jackson had 18 points, and Isaiah Stewart added 13 points with seven rebounds. Killian Hayes had 12 points and added three assists. The Pistons shot 44 percent from the field and 27.3 percent from three-point range in that loss.
Hawks and Wizards Tangle in Nation's Capital
The Atlanta Hawks take on the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on Thursday night.
The Hawks (3-1) are aiming to do even deeper into the postseason after a blistering second half of the 2020-21 campaign made them surprise contenders, and they've gotten off to a good start in that regard. Atlanta's latest success, its second straight win, was a 102-99 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night. Trae Young led the Hawks with 31 points, complementing them with seven assists and five rebounds. John Collins generated a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double that also included four assists. De'Andre Hunter furnished 13 points, two rebounds and one steal. Bogdan Bogdanovic delivered 12 points, three rebounds, three assists and one block. Clint Capela mustered just five points but pulled down 12 rebounds and recorded three blocks.
The Hawks will likely list Lou Williams (ankle) as no better than questionable for Thursday's game after he missed Wednesday's contest.
The Wizards (3-1) also snuck into the postseason last year before bowing out in the first round, and after a change from Scott Brooks to Wes Unseld, Jr. at the top, Washington has gotten off to an encouraging start. After notching wins over the Raptors and Pacers in their first two games, the Wizards recorded a 116-107 victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night. Montrezl Harrell led the Wizards with a 25-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included one assist and two blocks. Spencer Dinwiddie supplied 22 points, three rebounds, three assists and one steal. Bradley Beal contributed 17 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, three steals and one block. Kyle Kuzma registered 12 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block.
The Wizards will likely list Raul Neto (shoulder), Daniel Gafford (quadriceps), Rui Hachimura (conditioning) and Anthony Gill (calf) as no better than questionable for Thursday's game.
Thursday's contest marks the first of four meetings between the teams this season. The Hawks swept the three-game 2020-21 season series from the Wizards.
The Hawks (3-1) are aiming to do even deeper into the postseason after a blistering second half of the 2020-21 campaign made them surprise contenders, and they've gotten off to a good start in that regard. Atlanta's latest success, its second straight win, was a 102-99 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night. Trae Young led the Hawks with 31 points, complementing them with seven assists and five rebounds. John Collins generated a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double that also included four assists. De'Andre Hunter furnished 13 points, two rebounds and one steal. Bogdan Bogdanovic delivered 12 points, three rebounds, three assists and one block. Clint Capela mustered just five points but pulled down 12 rebounds and recorded three blocks.
The Hawks will likely list Lou Williams (ankle) as no better than questionable for Thursday's game after he missed Wednesday's contest.
The Wizards (3-1) also snuck into the postseason last year before bowing out in the first round, and after a change from Scott Brooks to Wes Unseld, Jr. at the top, Washington has gotten off to an encouraging start. After notching wins over the Raptors and Pacers in their first two games, the Wizards recorded a 116-107 victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night. Montrezl Harrell led the Wizards with a 25-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included one assist and two blocks. Spencer Dinwiddie supplied 22 points, three rebounds, three assists and one steal. Bradley Beal contributed 17 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, three steals and one block. Kyle Kuzma registered 12 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block.
The Wizards will likely list Raul Neto (shoulder), Daniel Gafford (quadriceps), Rui Hachimura (conditioning) and Anthony Gill (calf) as no better than questionable for Thursday's game.
Thursday's contest marks the first of four meetings between the teams this season. The Hawks swept the three-game 2020-21 season series from the Wizards.
Knicks and Bulls Tangle in Windy City
The New York Knicks take on the Chicago Bulls at United Center on Thursday night.
The Knicks (3-1) are already rolling in the new season after qualifying as one of the true surprises of either conference during the prior campaign. New York already has victories over fellow Eastern Conference contenders Boston and Philadelphia, with Tom Thibodeau's club having most recently defeated the 76ers by a 112-99 score on Tuesday night. Kemba Walker led the Knicks with 19 points, adding five assists, three rebounds, two steals and one block. Evan Fournier furnished 18 points, four assists, two rebounds and one block. Julius Randle generated a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included seven assists. Derrick Rose totaled 13 points, three boards, one assist, one steal and one block.
The Knicks will list Nerlens Noel (knee) as questionable for Thursday's game.
The Bulls (4-0) are looking like this year's Knicks early on, as they've managed to open the season with four consecutive wins. Their most recent success came at the expense of the Toronto Raptors, which they edged by a 111-108 score on Monday night. DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 26 points, complementing them with six assists and four rebounds. Zach LaVine provided 22 points, five assists, four rebounds and one steal. Nikola Vucevic delivered 17 points, eight boards, two assists and three steals. Lonzo Ball supplied 15 points, five assists, three rebounds, two steals and one block. .
The Bulls will list LaVine as questionable for Thursday's game with a small ligament tear in the thumb of his non-shooting hand. Coby White (shoulder) will remain out.
Thursday's game marks the first of four meetings between the teams this season. The Knicks won the 2020-21 season series with the Bulls by a 2-1 margin.
The Knicks (3-1) are already rolling in the new season after qualifying as one of the true surprises of either conference during the prior campaign. New York already has victories over fellow Eastern Conference contenders Boston and Philadelphia, with Tom Thibodeau's club having most recently defeated the 76ers by a 112-99 score on Tuesday night. Kemba Walker led the Knicks with 19 points, adding five assists, three rebounds, two steals and one block. Evan Fournier furnished 18 points, four assists, two rebounds and one block. Julius Randle generated a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included seven assists. Derrick Rose totaled 13 points, three boards, one assist, one steal and one block.
The Knicks will list Nerlens Noel (knee) as questionable for Thursday's game.
The Bulls (4-0) are looking like this year's Knicks early on, as they've managed to open the season with four consecutive wins. Their most recent success came at the expense of the Toronto Raptors, which they edged by a 111-108 score on Monday night. DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 26 points, complementing them with six assists and four rebounds. Zach LaVine provided 22 points, five assists, four rebounds and one steal. Nikola Vucevic delivered 17 points, eight boards, two assists and three steals. Lonzo Ball supplied 15 points, five assists, three rebounds, two steals and one block. .
The Bulls will list LaVine as questionable for Thursday's game with a small ligament tear in the thumb of his non-shooting hand. Coby White (shoulder) will remain out.
Thursday's game marks the first of four meetings between the teams this season. The Knicks won the 2020-21 season series with the Bulls by a 2-1 margin.
Rockets Host Undefeated Jazz
By Dan Bruno
The Houston Rockets play host to the Utah Jazz at Toyota Center on Thursday evening.
The Rockets (1-3) are coming off two consecutive losses and looking to get back on track at home, where they are 1-1, so far. They are coming off a loss in Dallas in their most recent contest, where veteran Eric Gordon led the way with 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting, in 27 minutes off the bench. Christian Wood tallied 16 points and 17 rebounds, while Daniel Theis totaled 15 points and 10 rebounds, in the loss. The Rockets youngsters were quiet in the contest, but both Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. have shown flashes of greatness early in the season. In the contest before last, Jalen Green poured in a career-high 30 points on 11-of-18 shooting, including 8-of-10 from long range, while Kevin Porter Jr. has not had any massive scoring outbursts, but has been consistent in averaging 14.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. He also logged an impressive double-double with 18 points and 10 assists, in the Rockets' second game of the season. The Rockets are averaging 108.3 points per game, but defense has been a bit of an issue, as they are giving up an average of 109.5 points against.
Meanwhile, the Jazz (3-0) remain undefeated on the season and will look to keep the streak going as this marks their first game of a three-game road trip, where they will look to build on their 1-0 road record. They are coming off an impressive home win over the Nuggets on Tuesday, where Rudy Gobert led the way with 23 points and 16 rebounds, in 33 minutes. Donovan Mitchell followed up with 22 points, six assists, two rebounds and a steal, while Jordan Clarkson chipped in 19 points, off the bench. As expected, the Jazz have been great on the defensive end, holding opponents to an average of 99.0 points per game, which is fifth fewest in the league.
The Rockets (1-3) are coming off two consecutive losses and looking to get back on track at home, where they are 1-1, so far. They are coming off a loss in Dallas in their most recent contest, where veteran Eric Gordon led the way with 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting, in 27 minutes off the bench. Christian Wood tallied 16 points and 17 rebounds, while Daniel Theis totaled 15 points and 10 rebounds, in the loss. The Rockets youngsters were quiet in the contest, but both Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. have shown flashes of greatness early in the season. In the contest before last, Jalen Green poured in a career-high 30 points on 11-of-18 shooting, including 8-of-10 from long range, while Kevin Porter Jr. has not had any massive scoring outbursts, but has been consistent in averaging 14.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. He also logged an impressive double-double with 18 points and 10 assists, in the Rockets' second game of the season. The Rockets are averaging 108.3 points per game, but defense has been a bit of an issue, as they are giving up an average of 109.5 points against.
Meanwhile, the Jazz (3-0) remain undefeated on the season and will look to keep the streak going as this marks their first game of a three-game road trip, where they will look to build on their 1-0 road record. They are coming off an impressive home win over the Nuggets on Tuesday, where Rudy Gobert led the way with 23 points and 16 rebounds, in 33 minutes. Donovan Mitchell followed up with 22 points, six assists, two rebounds and a steal, while Jordan Clarkson chipped in 19 points, off the bench. As expected, the Jazz have been great on the defensive end, holding opponents to an average of 99.0 points per game, which is fifth fewest in the league.
Spurs Looking To End Three-Game Slide
By Dan Bruno
The Dallas Mavericks play host to the San Antonio Spurs at American Airlines Center on Thursday evening.
After starting their season off with a win, the Spurs (1-3) have dropped three in a row and are coming off a heart-breaking overtime loss to the Lakers at home on Tuesday. The Spurs led by 12 points heading into the fourth quarter, but they fell apart in the final quarter and allowed the Lakers to send the game to overtime, where the Spurs lost control and saw their impressive effort go to waste. Jakob Poeltl led the Spurs with 27 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks, while Dejounte Murray followed up with 21 points, 15 assists, 12 rebounds, two steals and two blocks, and Lonnie Walker tallied 21 points, six assists and two rebounds. The Spurs will be looking to get back on track and earn their first road win of the season, as they get set to face the first game of a three-game road trip. Doug McDermott (knee) left Tuesday's contest after 17 minutes of action and remains questionable to play on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks (2-1) have bounced back to win two in a row after taking a loss in their first game of the season. They are coming off a solid win over the Rockets in their most recent contest, where Luka Doncic led the way with 26 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block, in 34 minutes. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Reggie Bullock chipped in 16 points each, while Jalen Brunson logged a double-double with 11 points and 11 assists in the win. Unfortunately, Kristaps Porzingis left the contest with back soreness after 19 minutes, and he remains questionable for Thursday's action. The Mavs will look to build on their two-game streak as they face the second game of a two-game home stand, while they look to add to their 1-0 home record. The Mavericks are averaging 102.0 points per game, which is sixth fewest in the league, and they are holding opponents to an average of 104.7 points per game, which is ninth fewest in the league.
After starting their season off with a win, the Spurs (1-3) have dropped three in a row and are coming off a heart-breaking overtime loss to the Lakers at home on Tuesday. The Spurs led by 12 points heading into the fourth quarter, but they fell apart in the final quarter and allowed the Lakers to send the game to overtime, where the Spurs lost control and saw their impressive effort go to waste. Jakob Poeltl led the Spurs with 27 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks, while Dejounte Murray followed up with 21 points, 15 assists, 12 rebounds, two steals and two blocks, and Lonnie Walker tallied 21 points, six assists and two rebounds. The Spurs will be looking to get back on track and earn their first road win of the season, as they get set to face the first game of a three-game road trip. Doug McDermott (knee) left Tuesday's contest after 17 minutes of action and remains questionable to play on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks (2-1) have bounced back to win two in a row after taking a loss in their first game of the season. They are coming off a solid win over the Rockets in their most recent contest, where Luka Doncic led the way with 26 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block, in 34 minutes. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Reggie Bullock chipped in 16 points each, while Jalen Brunson logged a double-double with 11 points and 11 assists in the win. Unfortunately, Kristaps Porzingis left the contest with back soreness after 19 minutes, and he remains questionable for Thursday's action. The Mavs will look to build on their two-game streak as they face the second game of a two-game home stand, while they look to add to their 1-0 home record. The Mavericks are averaging 102.0 points per game, which is sixth fewest in the league, and they are holding opponents to an average of 104.7 points per game, which is ninth fewest in the league.
Undefeated Warriors Host Grizzlies on Thursday
The Golden State Warriors play host to the Memphis Grizzlies at Chase Center on Thursday.
The Grizzlies (2-2) have a really tough back-to-back here, getting on a plane in the A.M. to face an undefeated team. The reason they got on that plane so late is that they had a late-night matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday. They could not prevail in that game, with the Trail Blazers riding a 36-20 third quarter to their blowout victory. That's the second straight tough loss for Memphis, barely losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in the game prior. That means this club could easily be 4-0, but there are a few things they need to work on to develop from a solid team into a true contender. In any case, Ja Morant looks well on his way to superstardom, leading the NBA with 35 points per game. As long as that continues, this is a team no one will want to face from here on out.
The last time the Warriors (4-0) started with four straight wins, they ended up taking that streak to 24 games and set a record with 73 wins. They are a long way from getting anywhere near that, but it's an encouraging sign nonetheless. It's been the Stephen Curry-Draymond Green combo once again, with Curry playing at an MVP level. In fact, Chef Curry is averaging 29 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. What's also been a pleasant surprise is the play of their role players. Guys like Jordan Poole, Damion Lee, and Nemanja Bjelica have all played a factor in this perfect start, and it'll be scary to see how they look when Klay Thompson (Achilles) returns in about two months.
These teams played in the play-in tournament last year, with Memphis prevailing. With that said, the Warriors won two of their three regular-season meetings against the Griz.
The Grizzlies (2-2) have a really tough back-to-back here, getting on a plane in the A.M. to face an undefeated team. The reason they got on that plane so late is that they had a late-night matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday. They could not prevail in that game, with the Trail Blazers riding a 36-20 third quarter to their blowout victory. That's the second straight tough loss for Memphis, barely losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in the game prior. That means this club could easily be 4-0, but there are a few things they need to work on to develop from a solid team into a true contender. In any case, Ja Morant looks well on his way to superstardom, leading the NBA with 35 points per game. As long as that continues, this is a team no one will want to face from here on out.
The last time the Warriors (4-0) started with four straight wins, they ended up taking that streak to 24 games and set a record with 73 wins. They are a long way from getting anywhere near that, but it's an encouraging sign nonetheless. It's been the Stephen Curry-Draymond Green combo once again, with Curry playing at an MVP level. In fact, Chef Curry is averaging 29 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. What's also been a pleasant surprise is the play of their role players. Guys like Jordan Poole, Damion Lee, and Nemanja Bjelica have all played a factor in this perfect start, and it'll be scary to see how they look when Klay Thompson (Achilles) returns in about two months.
These teams played in the play-in tournament last year, with Memphis prevailing. With that said, the Warriors won two of their three regular-season meetings against the Griz.