76ers and Pistons Set for Motor City Showdown
The Philadelphia 76ers take on the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday night.
The 76ers (6-2) are operating with a short-handed first unit at the moment, but that hasn't proven a deterrent during a four-game winning streak. Philadelphia's latest success came Wednesday night in the form of a 103-98 victory over the Chicago Bulls. Seth Curry led the 76ers with 22 points, complementing them with five rebounds, three assists and one steal. Joel Embiid and Georges Niang generated matching 18-point tallies, with Embiid also recording nine rebounds and seven assists. Tyrese Maxey contributed 14 points, six assists and one rebound. Furkan Korkmaz supplied 11 points, five boards, one assist, one steal and one block.
The 76ers will continue without Ben Simmons (personal), Danny Green (hamstring) and Tobias Harris (COVID-19 protocols) for Thursday's game.
The Pistons (1-6) are unsurprisingly struggling in the early going, and they've been particularly non-competitive while dropping their last two games by 26 and 28 points to the Nets and Bucks, respectively. The 117-89 loss to Milwaukee was the most recent and unfolded Tuesday night. Jerami Grant paced the Pistons with 21 points, adding two rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block. Trey Lyles supplied 13 points, seven rebounds and one assist. Killian Hayes and Frank Jackson contributed matching eight-point tallies.
The Pistons will come into Thursday's game without any notable injuries to report.
Thursday's game marks the second of four games between the teams this season. The 76ers own a 1-0 series lead, having notched a 110-102 win Oct. 28.
The 76ers (6-2) are operating with a short-handed first unit at the moment, but that hasn't proven a deterrent during a four-game winning streak. Philadelphia's latest success came Wednesday night in the form of a 103-98 victory over the Chicago Bulls. Seth Curry led the 76ers with 22 points, complementing them with five rebounds, three assists and one steal. Joel Embiid and Georges Niang generated matching 18-point tallies, with Embiid also recording nine rebounds and seven assists. Tyrese Maxey contributed 14 points, six assists and one rebound. Furkan Korkmaz supplied 11 points, five boards, one assist, one steal and one block.
The 76ers will continue without Ben Simmons (personal), Danny Green (hamstring) and Tobias Harris (COVID-19 protocols) for Thursday's game.
The Pistons (1-6) are unsurprisingly struggling in the early going, and they've been particularly non-competitive while dropping their last two games by 26 and 28 points to the Nets and Bucks, respectively. The 117-89 loss to Milwaukee was the most recent and unfolded Tuesday night. Jerami Grant paced the Pistons with 21 points, adding two rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block. Trey Lyles supplied 13 points, seven rebounds and one assist. Killian Hayes and Frank Jackson contributed matching eight-point tallies.
The Pistons will come into Thursday's game without any notable injuries to report.
Thursday's game marks the second of four games between the teams this season. The 76ers own a 1-0 series lead, having notched a 110-102 win Oct. 28.
Hawks Looking To Bounce Back, Host Jazz
The Atlanta Hawks will host the Utah Jazz at StateFarm Arena on Thursday evening.
The Hawks (4-4) are coming off a 117-108 loss against the Brooklyn Nets the last time out, and it's an unfortunate scenario since they've now gone 1-4 on the road thus far. In that game, DeAndre Hunter had a strong performance for the Hawks and finished with a team-high 26 points while also adding two rebounds. Trae Young came close to a triple-double since he ended with 21 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, while Clint Capela posted a double-double of 13 points and 16 boards. John Collins also had a double-double after putting up 13 points and adding 12 boards. Fortunately for the Hawks, they're returning home in this contest -- and they own a 3-0 mark at StateFarm Arena. It's worth noting that Atlanta has lost three of their last four.
The Hawks list Onyeka Okongwu (shoulder) as their lone absence in this game.
The Jazz (6-1) have posted a strong 3-1 mark on the road this season, and they once again look like one of the best teams in the Western Conference this year. They're coming off a 119-113 home win over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday. Donovan Mitchell led the way for the Jazz with 36 points, eight rebounds, six assists and a steal, in 32 minutes. Mike Conley followed up with 30 points on 11-of-19 shooting, while Bojan Bogdanovic added 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Rudy Gobert also had a very strong performance, with 12 points, 20 rebounds and four blocks. Utah has gone 4-1 in their last five games and enter this matchup on a two-game winning streak.
The Jazz list Rudy Gay (heel), Donovan Mitchell (ankle), Royce O'Neale (ankle), Hassan Whiteside (ankle) and Jared Butler (illness) as game-time decisions for this matchup. Rudy Gobert (heel) is out.
The Hawks (4-4) are coming off a 117-108 loss against the Brooklyn Nets the last time out, and it's an unfortunate scenario since they've now gone 1-4 on the road thus far. In that game, DeAndre Hunter had a strong performance for the Hawks and finished with a team-high 26 points while also adding two rebounds. Trae Young came close to a triple-double since he ended with 21 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, while Clint Capela posted a double-double of 13 points and 16 boards. John Collins also had a double-double after putting up 13 points and adding 12 boards. Fortunately for the Hawks, they're returning home in this contest -- and they own a 3-0 mark at StateFarm Arena. It's worth noting that Atlanta has lost three of their last four.
The Hawks list Onyeka Okongwu (shoulder) as their lone absence in this game.
The Jazz (6-1) have posted a strong 3-1 mark on the road this season, and they once again look like one of the best teams in the Western Conference this year. They're coming off a 119-113 home win over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday. Donovan Mitchell led the way for the Jazz with 36 points, eight rebounds, six assists and a steal, in 32 minutes. Mike Conley followed up with 30 points on 11-of-19 shooting, while Bojan Bogdanovic added 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Rudy Gobert also had a very strong performance, with 12 points, 20 rebounds and four blocks. Utah has gone 4-1 in their last five games and enter this matchup on a two-game winning streak.
The Jazz list Rudy Gay (heel), Donovan Mitchell (ankle), Royce O'Neale (ankle), Hassan Whiteside (ankle) and Jared Butler (illness) as game-time decisions for this matchup. Rudy Gobert (heel) is out.
Celtics and Heat Face Off in South Florida
The Boston Celtics take on the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena on Thursday night.
The Celtics (3-5) have opened the season having trouble finding their way on both ends of the floor, but they were able to garner a much-needed 92-79 win over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night, snapping a three-game losing streak in the process. Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 28 points, adding five rebounds, three assists and one steal. Jayson Tatum shot just 4-for-16 on his way to 14 points, complementing the scoring with six rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal. Al Horford generated a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double that also included seven assists, three blocks and one steal. Robert Williams matched Horford's scoring total and added six rebounds, one steal and one block.
The Celtics will come into Thursday's game without any injuries to report.
The Heat (6-1) have been playing like one of the best teams in either conference early, and they'll enter Thursday's game having racked up five consecutive wins. Their most recent success came at the expense of the Dallas Mavericks, which they bested by a 125-110 score Tuesday night.
Tyler Herro paced the Heat with 25 points, adding four assists and three rebounds. Jimmy Butler followed with 23 points, complementing them with six rebounds, six assists, three steals and one block. Bam Adebayo furnished a 22-point, 13-rebound double-double that also included one assist and two blocks. Kyle Lowry delivered 22 points, nine assists and five rebounds.
The Heat will continue without Max Strus (knee) for Thursday's game, while KZ Okpala (ankle) will be listed as questionable.
Thursday's game marks the first of three meetings between the teams this season. The Heat won the three-game 2020-21 season series against the Celtics by a 2-1 margin.
The Celtics (3-5) have opened the season having trouble finding their way on both ends of the floor, but they were able to garner a much-needed 92-79 win over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night, snapping a three-game losing streak in the process. Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 28 points, adding five rebounds, three assists and one steal. Jayson Tatum shot just 4-for-16 on his way to 14 points, complementing the scoring with six rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal. Al Horford generated a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double that also included seven assists, three blocks and one steal. Robert Williams matched Horford's scoring total and added six rebounds, one steal and one block.
The Celtics will come into Thursday's game without any injuries to report.
The Heat (6-1) have been playing like one of the best teams in either conference early, and they'll enter Thursday's game having racked up five consecutive wins. Their most recent success came at the expense of the Dallas Mavericks, which they bested by a 125-110 score Tuesday night.
Tyler Herro paced the Heat with 25 points, adding four assists and three rebounds. Jimmy Butler followed with 23 points, complementing them with six rebounds, six assists, three steals and one block. Bam Adebayo furnished a 22-point, 13-rebound double-double that also included one assist and two blocks. Kyle Lowry delivered 22 points, nine assists and five rebounds.
The Heat will continue without Max Strus (knee) for Thursday's game, while KZ Okpala (ankle) will be listed as questionable.
Thursday's game marks the first of three meetings between the teams this season. The Heat won the three-game 2020-21 season series against the Celtics by a 2-1 margin.
Suns Look To Stay Strong On Home Stand
By Dan Bruno
The Phoenix Suns play host to the Houston Rockets at Footprint Center on Thursday evening.
This marks the fourth game of a five-game home stand for the Suns (3-3), where they have gone 2-1, with a loss followed by two wins in their most recent contests, and they will look to keep the win streak going to improve on their 2-2 home record. Chris Paul made history in the Suns' most recent contest, as he moved up to third on the NBA's all-time assists leaderboard. Paul has been off to a strong start this season, averaging 13.0 points, 11.8 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. Devin Booker is averaging a team-high 21.8 points, 5.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds, while Deandre Ayton is averaging 13.8 points, 11.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. The Suns are averaging 106.3 points per game, while shooting an average of 47.0 percent from the field, but they have not found their rhythm from beyond the arc, where they are shooting 32 percent. They are also having some defensive trouble, as they are giving up an average of 108.5 points against, while allowing opponents to shoot an average of 45 percent from the field.
Meanwhile, this marks the third game of a five-game road trip for the Rockets (1-6), where they have gone 0-2 so far. They are 0-4 on the road so far this season and they have lost five straight overall. Christian Wood leads the Rockets, averaging 20.1 points and 12.1 rebounds per game. Jalen Green has been off to a solid start to his NBA career, averaging 14.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists, while Eric Gordon continues to offer reliable scoring off the bench, averaging 14.3 points on 49 percent shooting. The Rockets are averaging 103.7 points per game, but they are giving up an average of 110.6 points against, which is ninth most in the league.
This marks the fourth game of a five-game home stand for the Suns (3-3), where they have gone 2-1, with a loss followed by two wins in their most recent contests, and they will look to keep the win streak going to improve on their 2-2 home record. Chris Paul made history in the Suns' most recent contest, as he moved up to third on the NBA's all-time assists leaderboard. Paul has been off to a strong start this season, averaging 13.0 points, 11.8 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. Devin Booker is averaging a team-high 21.8 points, 5.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds, while Deandre Ayton is averaging 13.8 points, 11.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. The Suns are averaging 106.3 points per game, while shooting an average of 47.0 percent from the field, but they have not found their rhythm from beyond the arc, where they are shooting 32 percent. They are also having some defensive trouble, as they are giving up an average of 108.5 points against, while allowing opponents to shoot an average of 45 percent from the field.
Meanwhile, this marks the third game of a five-game road trip for the Rockets (1-6), where they have gone 0-2 so far. They are 0-4 on the road so far this season and they have lost five straight overall. Christian Wood leads the Rockets, averaging 20.1 points and 12.1 rebounds per game. Jalen Green has been off to a solid start to his NBA career, averaging 14.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists, while Eric Gordon continues to offer reliable scoring off the bench, averaging 14.3 points on 49 percent shooting. The Rockets are averaging 103.7 points per game, but they are giving up an average of 110.6 points against, which is ninth most in the league.
Lakers Host Thunder on Thursday
The Los Angeles Lakers play host to the Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center on Thursday.
The Thunder (1-6) were expected to struggle this season, and a 1-6 record certainly has fans concerned. The most recent loss against the Los Angeles Clippers was particularly distressing, with Oklahoma City blowing a double-digit lead in that road defeat. They actually had an eight-point lead with three minutes remaining, and growing pains like that are unfortunately commonplace for such a young team. Players like Josh Giddey and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander look like a great core for the future, but there's simply not enough around them. It will be years before we know if all of the moves worked to rebuild this team, and that's something a lot of OKC fans don't want to hear after being competitive for the last two decades.
The Lakers (5-3) had fans panicking when they started the season with an 0-2 record but have been nearly perfect since then. In fact, Los Angeles has won five of their last six games since, with the only loss coming against this Thunder team. That was clearly a blip on the radar, and the performances from the superstars on Tuesday might be the most encouraging sign we've seen. Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis, and LeBron James all scored at least 27 points in that win over Houston on Tuesday, getting 22 rebounds and 23 assists combined. That's what we've been waiting to see from these All-Stars, and it's scary to think how good they'll look when this team is fully gelling.
These teams played back on October 27, with Oklahoma City grabbing their only win of the year, 123-115. Before that, these teams played two overtime games, with Los Angeles winning six of their previous seven meetings.
The Thunder (1-6) were expected to struggle this season, and a 1-6 record certainly has fans concerned. The most recent loss against the Los Angeles Clippers was particularly distressing, with Oklahoma City blowing a double-digit lead in that road defeat. They actually had an eight-point lead with three minutes remaining, and growing pains like that are unfortunately commonplace for such a young team. Players like Josh Giddey and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander look like a great core for the future, but there's simply not enough around them. It will be years before we know if all of the moves worked to rebuild this team, and that's something a lot of OKC fans don't want to hear after being competitive for the last two decades.
The Lakers (5-3) had fans panicking when they started the season with an 0-2 record but have been nearly perfect since then. In fact, Los Angeles has won five of their last six games since, with the only loss coming against this Thunder team. That was clearly a blip on the radar, and the performances from the superstars on Tuesday might be the most encouraging sign we've seen. Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis, and LeBron James all scored at least 27 points in that win over Houston on Tuesday, getting 22 rebounds and 23 assists combined. That's what we've been waiting to see from these All-Stars, and it's scary to think how good they'll look when this team is fully gelling.
These teams played back on October 27, with Oklahoma City grabbing their only win of the year, 123-115. Before that, these teams played two overtime games, with Los Angeles winning six of their previous seven meetings.