Pistons and Pacers Set for Midwest Clash
The Detroit Pistons take on the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday night.
The Pistons (4-22) have been spiraling since November, as they'll enter Thursday's game with 12 consecutive losses. Their most recent defeat came Sunday night, when they fell to the Brooklyn Nets by a 116-104 score. Cade Cunningham paced the Pistons with 26 points, supplementing them with eight rebounds, six assists, three steals and one block. Frank Jackson poured in 25 points. Saben Lee supplied 17 points, six rebounds, six assists, three steals and one block. Hamidou Diallo poured in 11 points.
The Pistons are likely to list Killian Hayes (thumb) as a game-time decision for Thursday's contest. Jerami Grant (thumb) and Kelly Olynyk (knee) will remain out.
The Pacers (12-18) have mostly been trending in the wrong direction of late, having lost two straight and six of the last nine overall. Their most recent stumble came Wednesday night, when they dropped a 114-99 decision to a Milwaukee Bucks squad playing without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. Domantas Sabonis and Caris LeVert co-led the Pacers with 16-point efforts, with Sabonis adding 14 rebounds and five assists and LeVert recording four dimes. Myles Turner delivered 13 points, five rebounds, three assists, five blocks and two steals. Malcolm Brogdon registered 12 points, five rebounds and five assists.
The Pacers will continue without T.J. McConnell (wrist) for Thursday's game. Torrey Craig (illness) will likely be listed as no better than questionable.
Thursday's game marks the second of four meetings between the teams this season. The Pistons hold a 1-0 series lead, having notched a 97-89 win Nov. 17.
The Pistons (4-22) have been spiraling since November, as they'll enter Thursday's game with 12 consecutive losses. Their most recent defeat came Sunday night, when they fell to the Brooklyn Nets by a 116-104 score. Cade Cunningham paced the Pistons with 26 points, supplementing them with eight rebounds, six assists, three steals and one block. Frank Jackson poured in 25 points. Saben Lee supplied 17 points, six rebounds, six assists, three steals and one block. Hamidou Diallo poured in 11 points.
The Pistons are likely to list Killian Hayes (thumb) as a game-time decision for Thursday's contest. Jerami Grant (thumb) and Kelly Olynyk (knee) will remain out.
The Pacers (12-18) have mostly been trending in the wrong direction of late, having lost two straight and six of the last nine overall. Their most recent stumble came Wednesday night, when they dropped a 114-99 decision to a Milwaukee Bucks squad playing without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. Domantas Sabonis and Caris LeVert co-led the Pacers with 16-point efforts, with Sabonis adding 14 rebounds and five assists and LeVert recording four dimes. Myles Turner delivered 13 points, five rebounds, three assists, five blocks and two steals. Malcolm Brogdon registered 12 points, five rebounds and five assists.
The Pacers will continue without T.J. McConnell (wrist) for Thursday's game. Torrey Craig (illness) will likely be listed as no better than questionable.
Thursday's game marks the second of four meetings between the teams this season. The Pistons hold a 1-0 series lead, having notched a 97-89 win Nov. 17.
Sixers Take On Shorthanded Nets In Brooklyn
By Dan Bruno
The Brooklyn Nets play host to the Philadelphia 76ers at Barclays Center on Thursday evening.
This marks the second game of a back-to-back for the 76ers (15-14), as they are coming off a tough home loss against the Heat on Wednesday. The Sixers got out to a rough start in the contest and trailed, 29-18, after one quarter. They came out stronger in the second but could only trim two points off the deficit, as they trailed by nine, at halftime. They fell behind by a game-high 23-point lead in the third, before they cut it back to an 11-point game, heading into the final frame. They kept the momentum going through the fourth and tied the score at 96, with 1:24 left. However, they fell short in the final minute to end up with a second consecutive loss. Tyrese Maxey led the way with 27 points, three rebounds, five assists and a block, while Tobias Harris followed up with 24 points, five rebounds, four assists, and Joel Embiid logged 17 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block. Furkan Korkmaz (illness) is listed as questionable for action, while Georges Niang (COVID-19) will remain sidelined.
Meanwhile, this marks the second game of a five-game home stand for the Nets (20-8), which they began with a win over the Raptors on Tuesday. The Nets will look to build on their three-game win streak and add to their, 9-5, home record. The Nets will be very shorthanded, as LaMarcus Aldridge (COVID-19), DeAndre' Bembry (COVID-19), Bruce Brown (COVID-19), James Harden (COVID-19), Joe Harris (ankle), James Johnson (COVID-19), Paul Millsap (COVID-19) will all be sidelined. Kevin Durant, who is averaging 29.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists, will have to come up big to help lead the way, while guys like Nicolas Claxton, David Duke and Cam Thomas will have to step up for key roles.
This marks the second game of a back-to-back for the 76ers (15-14), as they are coming off a tough home loss against the Heat on Wednesday. The Sixers got out to a rough start in the contest and trailed, 29-18, after one quarter. They came out stronger in the second but could only trim two points off the deficit, as they trailed by nine, at halftime. They fell behind by a game-high 23-point lead in the third, before they cut it back to an 11-point game, heading into the final frame. They kept the momentum going through the fourth and tied the score at 96, with 1:24 left. However, they fell short in the final minute to end up with a second consecutive loss. Tyrese Maxey led the way with 27 points, three rebounds, five assists and a block, while Tobias Harris followed up with 24 points, five rebounds, four assists, and Joel Embiid logged 17 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block. Furkan Korkmaz (illness) is listed as questionable for action, while Georges Niang (COVID-19) will remain sidelined.
Meanwhile, this marks the second game of a five-game home stand for the Nets (20-8), which they began with a win over the Raptors on Tuesday. The Nets will look to build on their three-game win streak and add to their, 9-5, home record. The Nets will be very shorthanded, as LaMarcus Aldridge (COVID-19), DeAndre' Bembry (COVID-19), Bruce Brown (COVID-19), James Harden (COVID-19), Joe Harris (ankle), James Johnson (COVID-19), Paul Millsap (COVID-19) will all be sidelined. Kevin Durant, who is averaging 29.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists, will have to come up big to help lead the way, while guys like Nicolas Claxton, David Duke and Cam Thomas will have to step up for key roles.
Game Postponed
By Dan Bruno
This game has been postponed.
Knicks Will Play Rockets
The Houston Rockets will host the New York Knicks at Toyota Center on Thursday night.
The Rockets (9-19) are coming off a loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. Jae'Sean Tate was the only Houston starter that scored in double digits afer putting up 12 points and six boards. All the other starters combined for 13 points. The bench stepped up. Alperen Sengun had 19 points and 11 boards, Kenyon Martín Jr. added 14 points, and Josh Christopher posted 17 points and four boards. All three came off the bench.
The Knicks (12-16) are coming off a loss against the Warriors on Tuesday. Julius Randle paced the Knicks with 31 points, supplementing them with seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Derrick Rose delivered 15 points, six assists, four rebounds and one steal. Alec Burks supplied 14 points, four assists, one rebound and one steal. Immanuel Quickley turned in 12 points, three assists, two rebounds and one block.
The Rockets (9-19) are coming off a loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. Jae'Sean Tate was the only Houston starter that scored in double digits afer putting up 12 points and six boards. All the other starters combined for 13 points. The bench stepped up. Alperen Sengun had 19 points and 11 boards, Kenyon Martín Jr. added 14 points, and Josh Christopher posted 17 points and four boards. All three came off the bench.
The Knicks (12-16) are coming off a loss against the Warriors on Tuesday. Julius Randle paced the Knicks with 31 points, supplementing them with seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Derrick Rose delivered 15 points, six assists, four rebounds and one steal. Alec Burks supplied 14 points, four assists, one rebound and one steal. Immanuel Quickley turned in 12 points, three assists, two rebounds and one block.
Suns Host Wizards on Thursday
The Washington Wizards travel to Arizona to face the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center on Thursday.
The Wizards (15-14) got off to a miraculous start when they were atop the Eastern Conference through the first two weeks, but things have fallen off since then. In fact, they enter this matchup losing six of their last seven games, with the only win being a narrow victory over the Detroit Pistons. That's certainly nothing worth writing home about, and it's undone all the good work done in the first few weeks. Where they're really struggling is on the offensive end, sitting 24th in points scored. The regression bug has hit because guys like Spencer Dinwiddie and Montrezl Harrell have been slumping recently, and it's a wonder if they'll return to the guys we saw in the past or the studs through the first month of the season.
The Suns (22-5) have the second-best record in the NBA, and it's hard to believe since they have 22 wins in 27 games. That would usually be the best record in any other year, but the Golden State Warriors are a different animal right now. In any case, the Suns are a different sort of beast themselves, backing up an unlikely Finals run last year with this amazing start. What makes this start even more impressive is the fact that Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton have been in and out of the lineup with different ailments. Those two guys carried this club last year, and it's incredible to see a 36-year-old lead the NBA in assists. That happens to be Chris Paul, who looks just as good as he did a decade ago.
These teams have split the last two season series against one another. With that said, the Wizards have won nine of their last 13 games over the Suns, dating back to 2015.
The Wizards (15-14) got off to a miraculous start when they were atop the Eastern Conference through the first two weeks, but things have fallen off since then. In fact, they enter this matchup losing six of their last seven games, with the only win being a narrow victory over the Detroit Pistons. That's certainly nothing worth writing home about, and it's undone all the good work done in the first few weeks. Where they're really struggling is on the offensive end, sitting 24th in points scored. The regression bug has hit because guys like Spencer Dinwiddie and Montrezl Harrell have been slumping recently, and it's a wonder if they'll return to the guys we saw in the past or the studs through the first month of the season.
The Suns (22-5) have the second-best record in the NBA, and it's hard to believe since they have 22 wins in 27 games. That would usually be the best record in any other year, but the Golden State Warriors are a different animal right now. In any case, the Suns are a different sort of beast themselves, backing up an unlikely Finals run last year with this amazing start. What makes this start even more impressive is the fact that Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton have been in and out of the lineup with different ailments. Those two guys carried this club last year, and it's incredible to see a 36-year-old lead the NBA in assists. That happens to be Chris Paul, who looks just as good as he did a decade ago.
These teams have split the last two season series against one another. With that said, the Wizards have won nine of their last 13 games over the Suns, dating back to 2015.