December 13th NBA Game Previews

The Cleveland Cavaliers will host the Miami Heat at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on Monday evening.

The Cavaliers (16-12) are coming off a win over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. Seven Cleveland players scored in double digits in this matchup, led by Isaac Okoro who had 20 points and four rebounds. Jarrett Allen (19 points, 11 rebounds) and Evan Mobley (15 points, 15 rebounds) both had double-doubles, while Darius Garland contributed 16 points, 13 assists and six rebounds. Kevin Love had 11 points, Ricky Rubio added 15, and Cedi Osman had 18 -- all three coming off the bench. Rubio also added three assists and three steals as well. Cleveland is 7-7 at home this season and enters this game in a great run of form since the team is riding a three-game winning streak.

The Heat (16-11) are coming off a win over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday. They were led by Duncan Robinson, dropping 26 points on 9-of-13 from the field. Dewayne Dedmon had 20 points, 12 rebounds and two assists. Kyle Lowry collected 16 points, three rebounds, 14 assists and two steals. P.J. Tucker generated eight points, 11 rebounds and five assists, while Tyler Herro led the bench with 17 points, six rebounds and three assists. The Heat have looked excellent on the road this season with an 8-7 record away from home, and they also enter this matchup on a winning run after winning each of their last two contests.

The Indiana Pacers will host the Golden State Warriors at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Monday evening.

The Pacers (12-16) are coming off a win over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday. Caris LeVert led the Pacers with 26 points, six rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block, in 37 minutes. Domantas Sabonis followed up with 24 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and a steal, while Myles Turner added 17 points, 10 rebounds and a block. The Pacers shot 47 percent from the field, including 13-of-36 from deep. The Pacers are 9-6 when playing at home but are on the rise since they've won each of their last three in this venue.

The Warriors (21-5) are coming off a loss against the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday. Jordan Poole led the Warriors with 23 points, adding three rebounds, two assists and one steal. Andrew Wiggins followed with 20 points, four rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block. Stephen Curry furnished 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists. The Warriors own a 7-3 mark when playing away from home in the 2021-22 season.

The Sacramento Kings take on the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on Monday night.

The Kings (11-16) have had plenty of ups and downs thus far this season, and they'll check into Monday's game with a two-game losing streak in tow. Their most recent stumble came Saturday night, when they fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers by a 117-103 score. Buddy Hield led the Kings with 21 points, adding five rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Davion Mitchell followed with 14 points, five assists, one rebound and two steals. De'Aaron Fox delivered 13 points, six rebounds, one assist and one steal. Harrison Barnes contributed 12 points, three rebounds, three assists and one steal.

The Kings will remain without Richaun Holmes (eye) for Monday's game.

The Raptors (12-14) have been about as inconsistent as their opponent, but they'll come into Monday's clash having won three of their past four games. Their most recent time on the floor resulted in one of those victories, with Toronto notching a 90-87 win over the New York Knicks on Friday night. Gary Trent led the way with 24 points. Fred VanVleet pitched in a 17-point, 11-assist double-double that included six rebounds, three steals and one block. Chris Boucher registered 14 points, eight boards and one block. Pascal Siakam furnished 13 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and one block. Scottie Barnes totaled 12 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks.

The Raptors will be without Precious Achiuwa (shoulder/COVID-19), OG Anunoby (hip), Khem Birch (knee) and Goran Dragic (personal) for Monday's contest.

Monday's game marks the second and final meeting between the teams this season. The Raptors hold a 1-0 series lead, having notched a 108-89 win Nov. 19.

The Houston Rockets travel to Georgia to face the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on Monday.

The Rockets (8-18) looked to be in for a long season when they started with 16 losses through their first 17 games, but they've been one of the best teams in the NBA since then. In fact, they are the first team in any of the big-four professional starts to follow up a 16-game losing streak with a seven-game winning streak. That's a truly bizarre thing to happen, and it's hard to know which run was more flukey. In any case, the Rockets have been playing much more competitively recently but enter this matchup losing their last two games. Fans are hopeful it's not the start of another lengthy losing streak because that could end the season altogether.

The Hawks (13-13) come into this matchup losing four of their last six games, which followed up a season-best seven-game winning streak. The direct correlation between the wins and losses is the competition. Atlanta has beat every team they're supposed to but have really struggled when facing a formidable opponent. It's certainly no fault of Trae Young, though, leading this team with 26.5 points and 9.5 assists per game. Those are obviously some of the best marks in the NBA, and it's huge for him to play so well with Bogdan Bogdanovic and De'Andre Hunter both getting injured. Those two wings were excellent for this club last season, and they'll need Trae to keep rolling like this to stay competitive in a dangerous Eastern Conference.

Atlanta swept the two-game season series over Houston last year, winning both by double-digit margins. Before that, the Rockets won six straight, which followed up a seven-game winning streak by the Hawks.

The Milwaukee Bucks take on the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Monday night.

The Bucks (18-10) have mostly been on the right track since getting Khris Middleton back from COVID-19 protocols, and they'll check into Monday's clash having won four of their last five games. Their most recent success came Sunday afternoon, when they upended the New York Knicks by a 112-97 score. Middleton led the way with 24 points, adding eight rebounds, four assists and two steals. Giannis Antetokounmpo posted a 20-point, 11-assist, 10-rebound triple-double. Bobby Portis supplied 19 points, 10 rebounds and three steals. Rodney Hood furnished 14 points, three assists and two rebounds. Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen compiled 13 and 12 points, respectively, with Holiday also dishing out five assists and pulling down four boards.

The Bucks will be without Wesley Matthews (COVID-19 protocols), Semi Ojeleye (calf), Brook Lopez (back) and Donte DiVincenzo (ankle) for Monday's contest.

The Celtics (13-14) have been much more inconsistent than their opponent, and they come into Monday's game with losses in four of their last five games. Their most recent stumble came Friday night, when they fell to the Phoenix Suns by a 111-90 score. Jayson Tatum led the way for the Celtics with 24 points, adding seven rebounds, three assists and one block. Dennis Schroder supplied 15 points, three boards and three assists. Robert Williams delivered 10 points, five rebounds, one assist and two blocks.

The Celtics will be without Josh Richardson (COVID-19 protocols) and Bruno Fernando (back) for Monday's game. Marcus Smart (illness) will be listed as probable.

Monday's game marks the second of four meetings between the teams this season. The Celtics own a 1-0 series lead, having notched a 122-113 overtime win on Nov. 12.

The Memphis Grizzlies play host to the Philadelphia 76ers at Fedex Forum on Monday evening.

This marks the fourth and final game of a home stand for the Grizzlies (16-11), where they have gone, 2-1, so far, with a loss to the Mavericks, followed by wins over the Lakers and Rockets. They will look build on the momentum of two straight wins and close out the home stand on a high note, adding to their, 10-6, home record. The Grizzlies are dealing with a bunch of injuries, as Ja Morant (knee, COVID-19) will remain sidelined, along with Brandon Clarke (knee) and Ziaire Williams (ankle). Additionally, Jaren Jackson (knee) and Steven Adams (ankle) are listed as questionable for action. Desmond Bane continues to play well and is averaging 16.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 steals per game. De'Anthony Melton is averaging 10.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.6 steals, while Tyus Jones is averaging 7.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.0 steals per game.

Meanwhile, the 76ers (15-12) have won four of their last five games and will look to keep moving in the right direction, with the hopes of adding to their, 9-6, road record. Joel Embiid continues his dominant play and is averaging 24.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.1 steals per game. Tobias Harris is averaging 18.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists, while Seth Curry is averaging 16.0 points on 51 percent shooting, including 40 percent from long range. The Sixers are averaging 106.5 points per game, and they are holding opponents to an average of 105.9 points per game. The 76ers do a great job taking care of the ball, as they limit themselves to an average of 11.7 turnovers per game, which is second fewest in the league.

The Dallas Mavericks defeated play host to the Charlotte Hornets at American Airlines Center on Monday evening.

This marks the second game of a back-to-back for the Mavs (13-13), after a hard-fought win in OKC on Sunday evening, where they were able to come out on top, despite missing their leading scorer, Luka Doncic. The contest got out to a tight start, as the Mavericks led by one point, after one quarter, but they took control in the second to build a 10-point advantage by halftime. Both teams came out strong in the third, but the Mavs held strong and carried a nine-point advantage into the final frame. They sealed the deal in the fourth, where they outscored the hosts by 10 points to run away with the road win. Jalen Brunson led the way, with 18 points, nine rebounds and three assists, while Maxi Kleber followed up with 16 points, seven rebounds and two assists, and Moses Brown added 15 points, six rebounds, two blocks and a steal. The Mavs will look to keep rolling and add to their, 6-6, home record. Doncic (ankle) is expected to remain sidelined.

Meanwhile, this marks the first game of a six-game road trip for the Hornets (15-13), as they look to improve on their, 7-9, road record. The Hornets are dealing with a flood of injuries, as Mason Plumlee (COVID-19), Ish Smith (COVID-19), Jalen McDaniels (COVID-19) and LaMelo Ball (COVID-19) will be sidelined, while P.J. Washington (illness) is listed as questionable for action. As a result of all the absences, Kelly Oubre and Cody Martin will continue to play crucial roles in extended minutes. Oubre has been playing great lately, averaging 22.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals, over his last 10 games. Gordon Hayward is averaging 17.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists, while Terry Rozier is averaging 17.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

The Denver Nuggets play host to the Washington Wizards at Ball Arena on Monday.

The Wizards (15-12) looked like they would be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference through the first month of the season, but regression has hit them like a wall recently. In fact, Washington enters this matchup losing nine of their last 14 games. That's the team everyone expected to see at the beginning of the season, and it has fans wondering where this team really is. In any case, a 15-12 record through the first two months is an extremely encouraging sign, and it looks like this team has quite the core with Bradley Beal running the show. The additions of numerous cast-offs are the thing that's really got them going, though, with Montrezl Harrell, Spencer Dinwiddie, Daniel Gafford and Kyle Kuzma all playing well in resurgent seasons.

The Nuggets (13-13) have had their fair share of struggles recently, entering this matchup losing nine of their last 13 games. The simple fact is, this team doesn't have the roster we were hoping to see. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr remain out for the majority of the season, and it's tough for any team to get going with two of its three best players missing. The other guy is an absolute monster, though, with Nikola Jokic playing at an MVP level after grabbing that award last season. The big man has three triple-doubles in his previous four games and is coming off a gem in which he tallied 35 points, 17 rebounds, and eight assists on Saturday. He likely won't win that award again, but he's definitely one of the candidates behind crazy lines like that.

These teams played two two-point games last season, with Washington sweeping the season series. Before that, the Nuggets won three of their previous four games over the Wizards.

The Los Angeles Clippers play host to the Phoenix Suns at Staples Center on Monday.

The Suns (21-4) record speaks for itself, owning the best standing in the NBA. Many people weren't so sure that Phoenix's run to the Finals last year was legitimate, but this 21-4 start has quieted all of those skeptics. What makes the start even more impressive is the fact that they've been missing guys like Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton. Booker has been sidelined for two weeks because of a hamstring issue, while Ayton has missed a few weeks due to differing ailments. Those are arguably the two best players on this team, but there's no doubt that Chris Paul is the leader. The 36-year-od vet is leading the NBA in assists, and it looks like he's dipped his toes in the fountain of youth.

The Clippers (15-12) come into this matchup winning three straight and four of their last five games in total. To say this stretch was critical would be a massive understatement, with Los Angeles losing seven of their previous 10 games before this most recent run. Swings like that have been common for this club all year, and it's far from surprising since the Clippers are trying to cope without Kawhi Leonard (knee). What makes the most recent run even more encouraging is the fact that they've grabbed the last two victories without Paul George. That has forced Reggie Jackson into a playmaker role, and he responded with a game-winner in the team's most recent outing.

These teams played three times last season, with Los Angeles winning the season series, 2-1. That gives Los Angeles four wins in their last six meetings with Phoenix in total.