Celtics Look To Stay Undefeated At Home
By Dan Bruno
The Boston Celtics play host to the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden on Thursday evening.
This marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Celtics (17-6), as they are coming off a hard-fought loss in Indiana on Wednesday. However, they return home where they remain undefeated, with and 11-0 record. The Celtics are averaging 110.6 points per game but are holding opponents to 102.8 points per game, which is second fewest in the league. Kemba Walker leads the Celtics with team highs of 21.8 points and 5.1 assists per game. Jayson Tatum is averaging 21.1 points and team highs with 7.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. Jaylen Brown is averaging 20.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. Marcus Smart (eye) missed Wednesday's contest and Gordon Hayward left the contest after being hit in the face, both are questionable for Thursday.
Meanwhile, the 76ers (18-7) have won three in a row and eight of their last 10 games. They have dropped two of their last three on the road, where they are 5-7 this season. They are averaging 109.6 points per game and are holding their opponents to an average of 103.5 points per game, which is fourth fewest in the league. The Sixers are shooting 47.5 percent from the field, and are averaging 26.8 assists per game, both of which are third best in the league. Joel Embiid leads the team with team highs of 22.0 points, 12.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. Ben Simmons is averaging 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and team highs with 8.4 assists and 2.3 steals per game. Tobias Harris is averaging 19.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.
This marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Celtics (17-6), as they are coming off a hard-fought loss in Indiana on Wednesday. However, they return home where they remain undefeated, with and 11-0 record. The Celtics are averaging 110.6 points per game but are holding opponents to 102.8 points per game, which is second fewest in the league. Kemba Walker leads the Celtics with team highs of 21.8 points and 5.1 assists per game. Jayson Tatum is averaging 21.1 points and team highs with 7.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. Jaylen Brown is averaging 20.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. Marcus Smart (eye) missed Wednesday's contest and Gordon Hayward left the contest after being hit in the face, both are questionable for Thursday.
Meanwhile, the 76ers (18-7) have won three in a row and eight of their last 10 games. They have dropped two of their last three on the road, where they are 5-7 this season. They are averaging 109.6 points per game and are holding their opponents to an average of 103.5 points per game, which is fourth fewest in the league. The Sixers are shooting 47.5 percent from the field, and are averaging 26.8 assists per game, both of which are third best in the league. Joel Embiid leads the team with team highs of 22.0 points, 12.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. Ben Simmons is averaging 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and team highs with 8.4 assists and 2.3 steals per game. Tobias Harris is averaging 19.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.
Cavaliers and Spurs Face Off in Interconference Battle
The Cleveland Cavaliers take on the San Antonio Spurs at AT & T Center on Thursday night.
The Cavaliers (5-19) sport a record that speaks for itself, and they'll come into Thursday's game with eight consecutive losses. Their most recent defeat came at the hands of the Houston Rockets, which edged them by a 116-110 score on Wednesday night. Kevin Porter paced the Cavaliers with 24 points off the bench. Collin Sexton followed with 18 points, adding three assists, one rebound and one steal. Kevin Love generated a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included two assists, one steal and one block. Jordan Clarkson matched Love's scoring and also posted four rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block. Tristan Thompson and Darius Garland managed matching 11-point tallies, with Thompson also pulling down seven rebounds.
The Cavaliers will continue to be without Dylan Windler (lower leg) for Thursday's game.
The Spurs (9-14) have also had their share of difficulties this season, but they'll check into Thursday's game with three victories in their last four contests. Their most recent success was a narrow 105-104 overtime victory against the Sacramento Kings on Friday night, a game in which San Antonio came back from a nine-point deficit over the final 1:50 of regulation. LaMarcus Aldridge paced the Spurs with a 19-point, 13-rebound double-double. DeMar DeRozan supplied 15 points, 10 boards, seven assists and two steals. Dejounte Murray registered 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals. Jakob Poeltl and Patty Mills posted 13 points apiece, with Poeltl pulling down three rebounds and Mills dishing out five assists. Marco Belinelli poured in 11 points.
The Spurs will come into Thursday's game without any injuries to report.
Thursday's game marks the first of two 2019-20 meetings between Cleveland and San Antonio. The Spurs swept the two-game 2018-19 season series between the teams.
The Cavaliers (5-19) sport a record that speaks for itself, and they'll come into Thursday's game with eight consecutive losses. Their most recent defeat came at the hands of the Houston Rockets, which edged them by a 116-110 score on Wednesday night. Kevin Porter paced the Cavaliers with 24 points off the bench. Collin Sexton followed with 18 points, adding three assists, one rebound and one steal. Kevin Love generated a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double that also included two assists, one steal and one block. Jordan Clarkson matched Love's scoring and also posted four rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block. Tristan Thompson and Darius Garland managed matching 11-point tallies, with Thompson also pulling down seven rebounds.
The Cavaliers will continue to be without Dylan Windler (lower leg) for Thursday's game.
The Spurs (9-14) have also had their share of difficulties this season, but they'll check into Thursday's game with three victories in their last four contests. Their most recent success was a narrow 105-104 overtime victory against the Sacramento Kings on Friday night, a game in which San Antonio came back from a nine-point deficit over the final 1:50 of regulation. LaMarcus Aldridge paced the Spurs with a 19-point, 13-rebound double-double. DeMar DeRozan supplied 15 points, 10 boards, seven assists and two steals. Dejounte Murray registered 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals. Jakob Poeltl and Patty Mills posted 13 points apiece, with Poeltl pulling down three rebounds and Mills dishing out five assists. Marco Belinelli poured in 11 points.
The Spurs will come into Thursday's game without any injuries to report.
Thursday's game marks the first of two 2019-20 meetings between Cleveland and San Antonio. The Spurs swept the two-game 2018-19 season series between the teams.
Mavericks and Pistons Do Battle in Mexico City
The Dallas Mavericks face the Detroit Pistons at Arena Ciudad de Mexico on Thursday night.
The Mavericks (16-7) will head into Thursday's contest having suffered a relatively rare loss, as their 110-106 defeat at the hands of the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night snapped a five-game winning streak. Tim Hardaway, Jr. led the way with 29 points, adding two assists, one rebound and one steal. Luka Doncic furnished 27 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Kristaps Porzingis and Dorian Finney-Smith generated matching 13-point, eight-rebound tallies.
The Mavericks will list Delon Wright (thigh) as doubtful for Thursday's game.
The Pistons (10-14) check into the Mexico City clash in the midst of one of their better stretches of the season, as they've notched four wins in their last five games. Their most recent success came at the expense of the New Orleans Pelicans, which they toppled by a 105-103 score Monday night. Derrick Rose led the Pistons with 21 points, adding seven assists, three rebounds and one block. Langston Galloway provided 16 points, two rebounds and one assist. Luke Kennard furnished 14 points, three rebounds, two assists and one block. Andre Drummond generated a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double.
The Pistons will continue to be without Reggie Jackson (back) and Khyri Thomas (foot) for Thursday's contest.
Thursday's game is the first of two 2019-20 meetings for Dallas and Detroit. The two teams split the 2018-19 two-game season series.
The Mavericks (16-7) will head into Thursday's contest having suffered a relatively rare loss, as their 110-106 defeat at the hands of the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night snapped a five-game winning streak. Tim Hardaway, Jr. led the way with 29 points, adding two assists, one rebound and one steal. Luka Doncic furnished 27 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Kristaps Porzingis and Dorian Finney-Smith generated matching 13-point, eight-rebound tallies.
The Mavericks will list Delon Wright (thigh) as doubtful for Thursday's game.
The Pistons (10-14) check into the Mexico City clash in the midst of one of their better stretches of the season, as they've notched four wins in their last five games. Their most recent success came at the expense of the New Orleans Pelicans, which they toppled by a 105-103 score Monday night. Derrick Rose led the Pistons with 21 points, adding seven assists, three rebounds and one block. Langston Galloway provided 16 points, two rebounds and one assist. Luke Kennard furnished 14 points, three rebounds, two assists and one block. Andre Drummond generated a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double.
The Pistons will continue to be without Reggie Jackson (back) and Khyri Thomas (foot) for Thursday's contest.
Thursday's game is the first of two 2019-20 meetings for Dallas and Detroit. The two teams split the 2018-19 two-game season series.
Nuggets Host Blazers on Thursday
The Denver Nuggets play host to the Portland Trail Blazers at Pepsi Center on Thursday.
The Trail Blazers (10-15) picked up a blowout victory over the New York Knicks in their last game and it's a promising sign to see this team playing better after a poor start. In fact, Portland has won five of their last eight games heading into this matchup which directly correlates with the Carmelo Anthony signing. The former All-Star is averaging about 16 points and six rebounds per game which is probably more than most people would have anticipated with his long absence. Getting that production out of an empty wing spot has been a huge bump for this team and it's simply way too early to count them out after finishing third in the west each of the last two seasons.
The Nuggets (14-8) have it a bit of a snag, losing four of their last five games heading into this matchup. That poor run actually masked some of the early-season problems, as Mike Malone expressed some frustrations before this poor stretch. He actually said that they have only played one complete game all season long and the recent results are more indicative of how this team is truly playing. The one bit of good news is that many of those came against tough competition, losing to the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers in that span. Those are the caliber of teams that Denver will have to beat in the postseason though and it's better to have those tests behind you than to experience them for the first time in the playoffs. Jamal Murray leaving the most recent game is distressing too and it's unclear what his status is for this fixture dealing with a trunk issue.
This is the second meeting between these teams, with Denver winning the first one in Portland, 108-100, on October 23. That marked the Nuggets seventh win in their last eight regular-season games against the Blazers, despite getting bounced by them in last year's Western Conference semi-finals.
The Trail Blazers (10-15) picked up a blowout victory over the New York Knicks in their last game and it's a promising sign to see this team playing better after a poor start. In fact, Portland has won five of their last eight games heading into this matchup which directly correlates with the Carmelo Anthony signing. The former All-Star is averaging about 16 points and six rebounds per game which is probably more than most people would have anticipated with his long absence. Getting that production out of an empty wing spot has been a huge bump for this team and it's simply way too early to count them out after finishing third in the west each of the last two seasons.
The Nuggets (14-8) have it a bit of a snag, losing four of their last five games heading into this matchup. That poor run actually masked some of the early-season problems, as Mike Malone expressed some frustrations before this poor stretch. He actually said that they have only played one complete game all season long and the recent results are more indicative of how this team is truly playing. The one bit of good news is that many of those came against tough competition, losing to the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers in that span. Those are the caliber of teams that Denver will have to beat in the postseason though and it's better to have those tests behind you than to experience them for the first time in the playoffs. Jamal Murray leaving the most recent game is distressing too and it's unclear what his status is for this fixture dealing with a trunk issue.
This is the second meeting between these teams, with Denver winning the first one in Portland, 108-100, on October 23. That marked the Nuggets seventh win in their last eight regular-season games against the Blazers, despite getting bounced by them in last year's Western Conference semi-finals.