February 2nd NBA Game Previews

The Los Angeles Clippers (28-24) have dropped two straight games following a 123-120 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers and the returning LeBron James in overtime on Thursday night. The defeat came despite double digit production from seven Clippers, including Lou Williams, who finished with a team-high 24 points on 10-of-18 field goal shooting off the bench. Patrick Beverley finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists, going 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, while Tobias Harris had 15 points, eight boards and eight dimes on the night. Montrezl Harrell scored 15 points and grabbed eight boards in a reserve capacity as the Clippers maintain a tenuous hold on eighth place in the Western Conference, with the Lakers lurking just a game behind. Veteran Danilo Galinari, who is averaging 19 points and six rebounds for L.A. this season, missed his seventh straight game on Thursday, but could feature in the starting lineup as early as this Sunday against the Toronto Raptors.

Thursday saw the Detroit Pistons (22-28) snap a two-game skid, edging the visiting Dallas mavericks, 93-89. Former Clipper Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond posted 24 points apiece in the affair, with Griffin adding 10 rebounds for the double-double on 8-of-26 from the pains, and Drummond delivering another monster performance off the glass with 20 rebounds. Drummond once again sits atop the NBA in rebounds per game, with a nightly average of 14.9. Reggie Jackson put up 17 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, while sub Langston Galloway recorded 11 points, and three triples. Detroit will need more than Griffin and Drummond offensively if they hope to get back in the Playoff picture in the Eastern Conference, as they currently rank 25th in the league in scoring behind a collective 105.6 points per game.

The Brooklyn Nets (28-25), who have clawed their way to sixth place in the Eastern Conference, have now lost two of their last three games, including a 117-114 defeat at the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night. D'Angelo Russell, who has been a boon for the Nets this season, led the way on offense with 25 points, nine assists and five rebounds, going 10-of-26 from the field and 2-of-7 from downtown. The fourth-year guard is averaging 19.6 points and 6.4 assists through 52 starts for the club. Joe Harris and DeMarre Carroll each contributed 18 points, with Harris logging three triples and Carroll coming off the bench with three of his own, while Shabazz Napier came away with 15 points and seven dimes. The Nets face a tough slate of games ahead of the All-Star break, with match-ups versus the Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, and Toronto Raptors in the next 10 days.

The Orlando Magic (21-31) managed to snap a four-game skid on Thursday, taking care of the visiting Indiana Pacers, 107-100. The Magic were efficient from both field goal range and deep, where they shot a collective 46 and 44 percent, respectively, led by Terrence Ross' huge night off the bench. Ross finished with 30 points, four rebounds and three steals, going 11-of-18 from the paint and 5-of-8 from downtown. Two members of the starting five finished the game with double-doubles, as Nikola Vucevic (named to his first career All-Star Game earlier in the night) recorded 17 points and 10 rebounds and Jonathan Isaac posted 13 points and 13 boards. D.J. Augustin nailed all 10 of his attempts from the charity stripe on his way to 20 points as Orlando remains in 11th place out of the East.

The Milwaukee Bucks take on the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on Saturday evening.

The Bucks (37-13) continues to run roughshod over most any team put in front of them, as they'll check in Saturday's game having prevailed in eight of their last nine contests. Their most recent success was a highly impressive 105-92 road victory over the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way with 19 points, adding nine rebounds, five assists, four steals and two blocks. Khris Middleton was right behind him with 18 points, supplementing them with six boards, four assists and two steals. D.J. Wilson contributed 16 points, five rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block. Eric Bledsoe turned in 14 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals. Malcolm Brogdon and Brook Lopez had matching 11-point, six rebound tallies.

The Bucks will list Bledsoe (Achilles), Sterling Brown (wrist) and Jason Smith (knee) as probable for Saturday's game. Donte DiVincenzo (heel) will be out.

The Wizards (22-29) continue to struggle to string wins together, as they've most recently dropped three of their past five games. However, their most recent time on the court was a success, as Washington toppled the Indiana Pacers by a 107-89 score on Wednesday night. Bradley Beal paced the Wizards with 25 points, six rebounds, six assists and one steal. Jeff Green tallied 23 points, six assists, five rebounds and two blocks. Chasson Randle generated 13 points, Trevor Ariza and Jordan McCrae pitched in matching 12-point efforts while hauling in three and two rebounds, respectively.

The Wizards will list Otto Porter (toe) as questionable for Saturday's game. Markieff Morris (neck) and Dwight Howard (back) both remain out.

Saturday's game marks the second of three meetings between the teams this season. The Wizards hold a 1-0 series lead, having notched a 113-106 win on Jan. 11.

The Chicago Bulls take on the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center on Saturday evening.

As their record implies, the Bulls (12-40) have made a habit of being on the wrong side of plenty of scores this season. However, they were successful their most recent time on the court, when they toppled the Miami Heat by a 105-89 score in South Florida on Wednesday night to snap a four-game losing streak. Bobby Portis led the way with 26 points, adding four rebounds and two assists. Wayne Selden provided 20 points, eight assists, two rebounds and one steal. Kris Dunn and Lauri Markkanen generated matching 14-point tallies. Dunn also dished out eight assists and hauled in five rebounds, while Markkanen posted 13 boards and recorded four dimes. Robin Lopez turned in 13 points.

The Bulls will list Zach LaVine (ankle) as probable for Saturday's game, while Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (trade acquisition) and Selden (knee) will be listed as questionable. Jabari Parker (personal), Chandler Hutchison (toe) and Wendell Carter, Jr. (thumb) all remain out.

The Hornets (25-26) have had some trouble achieving consistency lately, as they've alternated wins and losses evenly over their last six games. Their most recent time on the court resulted in one of those victories, as they edged the Memphis Grizzlies by a 100-92 score Friday night. Kemba Walker led the Hornets with 23 points while also supplying four assists and three rebounds. Malik Monk poured in 20 points and added three boards and one block. Marvin Williams registered 16 points, four rebounds and one steal. Tony Parker turned in 15 points and dished out seven assists. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist delivered 10 points, four rebounds, one steal and one block.

The Hornets will continue to be without Cody Zeller (hand) for Saturday's game.

Saturday's contest marks the third and final matchup between the teams this season. The series is tied 1-1, with the Bulls notching a 112-110 win over the Hornets on Oct. 24, and Charlotte bouncing back with a 135-106 victory Oct. 26.

The Dallas Mavericks take on the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena on Saturday evening.

The Mavericks (23-28) arguably made more news off the court than on this past week, considering their blockbuster, multi-player trade with the New York Knicks on Thursday. Dallas then went out and played a game with an extremely short-handed squad that same night, dropping a 93-89 decision to the Detroit Pistons for their second loss in the last three contests. Harrison Barnes paced the Mavericks with 27 points, adding seven rebounds and four assists. Devin Harris supplied 15 points, four rebounds and three assists. Dwight Powell was the only other double-digit scorer for Dallas, turning in 10 points, five rebounds, one assist, two blocks and one steal. Jalen Brunson registered nine points, six assists and two rebounds. Dirk Nowitzki and Ryan Broekhoff generated matching seven-point tallies.

The Mavericks will not yet have recent trade acquisitions Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway, Jr. and Courtney Lee available to them Saturday. The same also naturally applies to Kristaps Porzingis (knee). Luka Doncic (ankle) is expected to play after missing Thursday's game.

The Cavaliers (11-41) check into Saturday's game in the midst of their own slide, as they've dropped six of their last eight contests. However, Cleveland's wins during that span have come in their last two games. Their most recent success came at the expense of the Washington Wizards, which they edged by a 116-113 margin on Tuesday night. Jordan Clarkson led the way with 28 points off the bench, adding five rebounds and two assists. Cedi Osman followed with 26 points, seven assists, five rebounds, two steals and one block. Larry Nance, Jr. generated a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included two assists and one block. Ante Zizic and Collin Sexton generated matching 12-point tallies, with Zizic also notably hauling in 12 boards. Matthew Dellavedova finished with 10 points.

The Cavaliers will continue to be without Tristan Thompson (foot) and Kevin Love (toe) on Saturday. David Nwaba (ankle) will be a game-time decision.

Saturday's game marks the first of two meetings between the teams this season. The Cavs swept the two-game series during the 2017-18 campaign.

The Indiana Pacers travel to South Beach to play the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena on Saturday.

The Pacers (32-19) have had a majestic season but the recent form has to concern fans. In fact, they've lost four-straight games since Victor Oladipo blew out his knee, as this club is really struggling without their all-star. It's not like it was elite competition either, with those defeats came against the Orlando Magic, Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic. That obviously won't get it done and it's scary to think just how far this team could fall if they continue to lose like this. The one steady with this club is their defense though, with Indiana sitting second in points allowed. Someone needs to step up and run the show, as a 27-point effort from Myles Turner in the most recent game shows that he may be the guy going forward. He's plenty capable but they need more from players like Tyreke Evans and Domantas Sabonis if they want to end this slide.

The Heat (24-26) come into this matchup losing six of their last nine games, as a blowout home loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday is an extremely discouraging sign. What's really strange about this team is their volatile rotations, as Hassan Whiteside continues to see meager minutes. He's arguably the best player on this team and he's been losing a ton of playing time to Bam Adebayo. That has to make one wonder if he's a trade target with the trade deadline looming, as Miami is a team who's not afraid to make a move. They could be looking at add at the deadline though, as they're desperate to improve on their 26th-ranked offense.

Indiana has won both of their games over Miami this season and three-straight meetings in total. With that said, the Heat won six of their previous eight games over the Pacers prior to that.

The Los Angeles Lakers travel to Oakland to play the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena on Saturday.

The Lakers (26-25) find themselves outside of the playoffs right now, as the return of LeBron James couldn't have come at a better time. He came back on Thursday and carried the Lakers to a critical win over the Los Angeles Clippers. That's a Clippers team that is in eighth-place, as a win against them can't be undervalued. Losing James for 20 games was a huge detriment, as Los Angeles went just 8-14 in their previous 22 games before that win on Thursday. All the haters who say James makes this team worse need to look at a stretch like that, as he's still one of the best players in the NBA. What's also fascinating about this team is the fact that they're one of the biggest trade destinations. Players like Anthony Davis and Marc Gasol have been rumored to go to the Lakers and a move like that would only add to the intrigue of this club with the trade dealing looming next week.

The Warriors (36-15) are coming off a rare home defeat on Thursday, as a talented Philadelphia 76ers team came into their building and handed them their first loss in a while. In fact, that defeat snapped an 11-game winning streak for the Warriors. That loss to Philly is nothing to be concerned by though, as the Warriors are still the best team in the league. That marked the first loss with DeMarcus Cousins and he's truly given this team another dynamic. Adding an elite big man to this already potent attack is unfair for opponents and it's scary that they're only going to get better from here. This club ranks first in both points scored and offensive efficiency, as they could set some records with the core they've put together. Stephen Curry is going crazy right now too, as he's averaging 31.5 points across his last 14 games.

The first two meetings between these teams were blowouts, with Los Angeles winning the first game, 127-101 and Golden State prevailing in the most recent outing, 130-111.

The San Antonio Spurs play host to the New Orleans Pelicans at AT&T Center on Saturday.

The Pelicans (23-29) have a lot of drama going on right now, as they're having a hard time fielding a team. This whole Anthony Davis saga has really hit the fan, as he appears to have played his last game in New Orleans. That would be painful enough but the fact that half the roster is already injured just adds to the problems. In fact, Julius Randle (ankle), Elfrid Payton (ankle), E'Twaun Moore (rest) and Nikola Mirotic (calf) are all expected to miss this game. Those four paired with Davis would form a solid starting five and it's sad that this team has fallen this far. What makes it even more depressing is the fact that Jahlil Okafor and Jrue Holiday are leaving everything on the court, with both players having career years. Their stellar play hasn't led to many wins though, as this club has six defeats in their last eight games. Losing stretches like that will probably keep coming, as this team will be one to watch before next week's trade deadline.

The Spurs (31-22) come into this matchup winning four-straight, as they've quietly been one of the best teams in the league since the opening months. In fact, San Antonio owns a 20-7 record across their last 27 games, as they continue to excel. What's particularly intriguing is the fact that San Antonio has some talented young players coming up, with Derrick White, Davis Bertans and Bryn Forbes all having brilliant seasons. Those are guys who nobody really expected to see much from coming into the year and it says a lot about this organization. Players like LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan are getting back into their all-star form too and it's scary to see this team clicking like this.

This marks the fourth and final meeting between these teams, with San Antonio prevailing in two of three. In fact, the Spurs are averaging 120.3 points per game against the 29th-ranked Pelicans defense this season.

The Minnesota Timberwolves play host to the Denver Nuggets, at Target Center on Saturday evening.

This marks the third and final game of a home stand for the Timberwolves (25-26), where they have gone 1-1 so far, with a loss to the Jazz, followed by a win over the Grizzlies. The Timberwolves are 2-2 in their last four home games, and are 17-9 at home this season. They are 5-5 in their last 10 games overall, and sit 11th place in the West, 2.5 games behind the eighth spot. Karl-Anthony Towns leads Minnesota, averaging 22.6 points, 12.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.9 blocks per game. Andrew Wiggins is averaging 18.0 points on 40 percent shooting, 4.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals per game, while Derrick Rose is averaging 18.6 points, 4.7 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game. However, Rose (ankle) has missed the last three games, and remains questionable for Saturday. Jeff Teague (foot) will remain sidelined, leaving room for Jarryd Bayless to continue to make the most of his newest opportunity. Bayless is averaging 11.0 points, 5.1 assists and 3.3 rebounds over his last eight games.

Meanwhile, this marks the second night of a back-to-back for the Nuggets (36-15), who are coming off an impressive home win over the Rockets on Friday. Despite missing Jamal Murray and Gary Harris, the Nuggets earned a convincing victory, behind huge nights from Nikola Jokic and Malik Beasley. Jokic tallied 31 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists and a steal, while Beasley tallied 35 points, three assists, two rebounds and a steal. Monte Morris added 18 points, eight assists, six rebounds and two steals, while Torrey Craig was also instrumental in the win, with 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting. Murray (ankle) remains doubtful for action, while Harris (groin) is questionable. The Nuggets have won eight of their last 10 games, including their last five in a row.

The Phoenix Suns play host to the Atlanta Hawks, at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Saturday evening.

This marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Hawks (16-35), who are coming off a loss in Utah on Friday night. Trae Young led Atlanta with 28 points, nine assists three rebounds and one steal, in the loss, while John Collins, Kevin Huerter and Dewayne Dedmon each provided solid contributions of their own. Young has been great so far in his rookie season, as he is averaging 16.5 points, 7.3 assists, 3.1 rebounds per game, so far in his rookie season. Kevin Huerter also has turned out to impress so far in his rookie campaign, averaging 13.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.4 steals, in 31 minutes per game over his last 10 games. John Collins leads the Hawks, averaging 19.3 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. This marks the sixth game of a seven-game road trip for the Hawks, where they have gone 2-3 so far. The Hawks are 8-22 on the road this season.

Meanwhile, the Suns (11-42) have dropped their last nine games, as they own one of the worst records in the league. They have dropped their last two home games, and are 7-19 at home this season. T.J, Warren (ankle) will remain sidelined through Saturday, while Deandre Ayton (ankle) is listed at probable, after having missed the last six games. Devin Booker continues to lead the Suns in scoring, averaging 24.8 points, 6.7 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game. Kelly Oubre Jr. has been playing very well since joining the Suns, averaging 17.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.0 steals over his last 10 games. The Suns are allowing opponents an average of 115.7 points per game, which is second worst in the NBA.

The Utah Jazz play host to the Houston Rockets, at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Saturday evening.

This marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Jazz (30-23), who are coming off a solid home win over the Hawks on Friday night. Ricky Rubio and Rudy Gobert each tallied 20-point double-doubles in the win, while Joe Ingles had a solid night, with 19 points, seven rebounds, five assists and one block. Donovan Mitchell was relatively quiet with 15 points, five assists, three rebounds and a steal, but it was enough to get the job done. The Jazz have won eight of their last 10 games, and have moved up to seventh place in the West. This marks the second game of a four-game home stand for Utah, while the Jazz are 16-9 at home this season. The Jazz are holding opponents to an average of 105.7 points per game, which is fifth best in the league.

Meanwhile, this also marks the second night of a back-to-back for the Rockets (29-22), who are coming off a tough loss in Denver on Friday night. James Harden tallied 30 points, nine assists, six rebounds, two steals and a block, while Chris Paul added 20 points, six assists and three rebounds, but the Rockets were still outmatched on the road. Kenneth Faried has been fantastic in his short time with the Rockets, so far, and put in another impressive performance on Friday night, with 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting, six rebounds and one assist, in 30 minutes. This marks the second game of a four-game road trip for the Rockets, who are 10-14 on the road this season. The Rockets have dropped their last two games, and will need to be in top form to avoid a third straight loss, as they take on the Jazz. The Rockets are scoring an average of 112.3 points per game, but are giving up an average of 110.9 points against.

The Sacramento Kings play host to the Philadelphia 76ers at Golden 1 Center on Saturday.

The Sixers (34-18) are coming off their biggest win of the season on Thursday, as they went into Oakland and beat the Golden State Warriors. That snapped an 11-game winning streak for Golden State and it shows just how good this Philly team is right now, Joel Embiid dropped a 20-20 outing in that win, as Philly wanted to ride him in their biggest game of the season. In fact, he led the team with an absurd 45 percent usage rate in that game, as he's truly become one of the most dangerous players in the NBA. It's not just him though, as Ben Simmons was rewarded with an all-star appearance this season too. He collected 26 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals in that victory on Thursday. That stat-stuffing line shows the sort of player Simmons is and it's scary that he and Embiid are so young in their tenure.

The Kings (26-25) own a 6-4 record across their last 10 games, as they're trying to stay in playoff contention. The fact that playoffs are even brought up with this team at the all-star break is an encouraging sign though, as many people anticipated this to be one of the worst teams in the NBA at the beginning of the year. Young players like Buddy Hield and De'Aaron Fox have really taken this team to the next level, as their pace makes them one of the most fun teams to watch in the NBA. Sacramento currently ranks eighth in both scoring and points scored, as they're one of the most dynamic offenses in the NBA. Their 27th-ranked defense could see some improvement though and that's the next step to get this team to another level.

This is the first of two meetings between these teams, as they'll play again in the middle of March back in Philly. The Kings swept their two-game season series over the Sixers last season.