Tonight’s best game: Miami at Oklahoma City

Leave a comment

heat small logoArguably the NBA’s best two players go head-to-head for the first time this season on Sunday when LeBron James and the Miami Heat visit Kevin Durant and the Thunder in Oklahoma City.

The outcome of this game could impact the finals if these two clubs are to meet there.

At 35-11 the Heat, second to the East-leading Chicago Bulls (40-10), are percentage points ahead of the West-leading Thunder (36-12).

Home-court advantage during the finals is given to the owner of the better regular-season record.

James downplayed the mega-matchup. “If we come out of this game with a win, it’s not going to change their season and if we come out of this game with a loss, it’s not going to change our season.”

Miami has won four straight despite James averaging only 18.5 points since injuring his elbow against the Suns on Tuesday.

Oklahoma City, lead by Durant’s 27.9 points per game, is the second highest scoring team in the league (103.6) – just 0.1 percentthunder small logo behind the Denver Nuggets.

LeBron (27 ppg) and Miami are right on their tails, at third with 101.5 points per contest.

The Thunder have been especially hot of late.

During its last eight games, Oklahoma City has averaged 112.1 points on 50.5 percent shooting, culminating Friday in a spectacular 149-140 double OT win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in which Westbrook (45) and Durant (40) combined for 85 points.

The difference between these offensive juggernauts lies in the defense.

Miami ranks sixth in points allowed (93.2) while the Thunder check in at 18th (97.4).

Mike Miller will not be traveling with the Heat due to an ankle injury.

Filed Under: NBA Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Tonight’s best game: Memphis at L.A. Clippers

Leave a comment

grizzlies small logoTwo teams separated by percentage points jostle for playoff position Saturday when the banged-up L.A. Clippers host the finally healthy Memphis Grizzlies at the Staples Center.

The outcome of this game is huge.

Memphis (25-20) and the Clippers (26-21) are fourth and fifth respectively in the tight Western Conference playoff race, but just half a game ahead of 9th seeded Denver.

The Clips have lost three straight games for the first time this season, falling three-and-a-half games behind the Pacific Division leading Lakers and putting head coach Vinny Del Negro in the hot seat.

The players publicly defended Del Negro after an embarrassing 97-90 loss to New Orleans on Thursday.

“We’re still behind him,” said Blake Griffin who led his team with 21 points. “We’ve got to find a way to put the fun back in it…where we were just going out and playing.”

It’s hard to have fun when this happens.

Jason Smith forgot which sport he was playing and will be suspended two games for his body check to Griffin, including Monday’s rematch at the Staples Center.

Mo Williams, the Clippers fourth-leading scorer (13.7), also sustained an injury. Luckily, an MRI revealed no significant damage to his big toe. He is listed as day to day.

L.A. can scarce lose another guard, going 11-14 since Chauncey Billups tore his Achilles’ tendon on February 6th.

The Grizzlies have won only one of their four games since the return of Zach Randolph, who missed 37 games due to a knee injury.

Memphis (25-20) leads the NBA with 10.1 steals and 17.7 forced turnovers a game but has allowed teams to average 107.6 points on 48 percent shooting in its last five.

The Clippers haven’t topped 100 points since March 9th (9 games). When they do top the century mark, L.A. is 16-3.

Filed Under: NBA Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Tonight’s best game: Orlando at Miami

2 Comments

heat small logoIn-state rivals clash Sunday when the Orlando Magic take their big one to Miami to play the Heat’s big three.

Miami has been a monster at home, going 18-2 and winning its last 12 at American Airlines Arena, allowing just 89.3 points during the streak.

The Magic are 13-9 on the road and have won four of their last five behind a hot-shooting Jameer Nelson (27-of-44 from the floor in his last four games).

Dwight Howard, the NBA’s leading rebounder (15.0), has tortured Miami on the glass, averaging 21.3 boards against the Heat this season – his highest against any opponent.

In Tuesday’s 104-98 home win over the Heat, Howard grabbed 25 boards and scored 24 points.

The Magic’s recent strong play hasn’t hidden their carelessness with the ball from coach Stan Van Gundy.

“We don’t value the ball much,” said Van Gundy. “We just throw it around and don’t really think it matters … You’re not going to magic small logowin a playoff series like that, you’re just not.”

Orlando had 24 turnovers against Miami and 20 more Friday in a 86-70 win over New Jersey.

The Heat eked out an 84-78 win at Philadelphia on Friday after almost blowing a 29-point lead.  Dwyane Wade had one of his poorest games in months, shooting 6-of-16 on his way to just 12 points.

A game against the Magic may be just what the doctor ordered. Wade is averaging 29.3 points on 58 percent shooting against Orlando this season.

After Howard agreed to stay one more year with Orlando, Magic owner Rich DeVos admitted the time is now for his team. “Now we have to get it done. We have to get better. If we don’t, you couldn’t blame him for going someplace else.”

Beating the Heat (32-11) at home would be a good place to start.

Filed Under: NBA Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Tonight’s best game: Boston at Denver

1 Comment

celtics small logoWith Thursday’s trade deadline come and gone, two teams with frontcourt injury issues will test whether a midseason roster change was the right decision when the Boston Celtics visit the Denver Nuggets on Saturday.

Boston (23-20) learned Wednesday that center Chris Wilcox will miss the remainder of the season, needing surgery on an enlarged aorta, and malcontent Jermaine O’Neal is looking for a buyout.

Desperately needing help down low – the Celtics are dead last in the league in rebounding (38.3).  Boston decided not to execute a trade during the deadline and make one more foray into the playoffs with the veterans core of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce.

The Nuggets (24-20) were not so content to stay put.

Denver sent Nene Hilario to Washington for seven-footer JaVale McGee after he signed max contract but appeared in only 15 of Denver’s 43 games.nuggets small logo

While Boston will have the advantage of team familiarity, that’s about all they have going for them heading into Saturday’s matchup.

The Nuggets have won six of the past seven against the Celtics at the Pepsi Center and host a Boston team on the fifth game of an eight-game road trip, playing in the thin air of Denver a night after looking winded in a 120-95 loss to the Sacramento Kings.

Despite the lack of big men, Boston does have the NBA’s third-ranked defense (allowing just 90.1 points) and faces a Denver squad that’s 5-13 when scoring fewer than 100 points.

Ronny Turiaf, also included in the McGee trade, is expected to be waived by the Nuggets this weekend to make room for Wilson Chandler.

Filed Under: NBA Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Today’s best game: Boston at L.A. Lakers

Leave a comment

celtics small logoThe Boston Celtics head into Staples Center on Sunday to play the Los Angeles Lakers where the heated rivals finally have a mutual enemy: the NBA rumor mill.

Thursday’s trade deadline is fast approaching and both Boston’s Rajon Rondo and L.A.’s Pau Gasol have been linked to multiple trades.

On Friday, Gasol’s name was mentioned as a done deal to the Houston Rockets, for the second time this season.

Gasol will suit up for Sunday’s marquee matchup, just as he did Friday, scoring 12 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in a 105-102 win over Minnesota.

At last year’s deadline, the Celtics traded a central piece in Kendrick Perkins that shocked the franchise.  Whether they will repeat that this year with Rondo remains to be seen.

A week ago, Rondo brushed aside the rumors with a historic performance of 18 points, 20 assists and 17 rebounds in a nationally televised 115-111 overtime win over the New York Knicks.

The teams met in Boston on Feb. 9, and LA escaped with an 88-87 win, going ahead on a tip-in by Andrew Bynum with 1:29 left and holding on.

Boston took that to heart, losing seven of its next eight.

But the Celtics (21-18) have regrouped and won six of seven coming into Sunday’s game, which kicks off an eight-game road trip.

Boston must prove its 5-10 road record is not indicative of its skill with 18 of the final 27 games coming away from TD Garden, starting with a difficult game in L.A.

The Lakers (24-16) are 17-2 at home, allowing just 86.9 points in those contests and leading the league in rebounding with 45.8.

The Celtics are last, averaging only 38.9 boards.

Despite all the circulating rumors and statistical disparities, “The reality is that in the last four years, these two teams have won three championships.” Lakers guard Derek Fisher said.

Boston center Chris Wilcox will not make the trip. He is undergoing cardiac testing.

Filed Under: NBA Tagged With: , , , , , , ,