Five matches are on the menu for the evening, so a small program but which still offers us some very nice posters. You can take the opportunity to extend your nap or your first part of the night a little. The alarm clock will be worth it, we assure you!
Following a busy and rather exciting night apart from the terrible injury of Markelle Fultz, who of course we want to get back in shape as soon as possible, it is already time to move on. For good reason, ten teams will be in action to treat us to the maximum tonight. Come on, coffee and off we go for a ride!
1h30 : Nets – Sixers : without Spencer Dinwiddie, whose season is already over, and especially in the absence of Kevin Durant, put in solitary for seven days and expected for the beginning of next week, Kyrie Irving has shown against the Jazz (29 points and 5 assists in a 130 to 96 success) that he could be the boss of the Nets. Faced with the Sixers, leader of the Eastern Conference having bitten the dust only once this season, it will still be another matter. Almost complete (Mike Scott is uncertain after three games of absence, Furkan Korkmaz is forfeited) and well in place both offensively and defensively, Joel Embiid and his friends remain on a series of five wins following their success against the Wizards ( 141-136) from a massive Bradley Beal last night. Can they chain in a back-to-back? Answer tonight but the poster looks very heavy!
2h00 : Grizzlies – Cavaliers : the Cavs compete against the Grizzlies in the duel of the infirmaries (six absent on each side) but the two teams will nevertheless fight a good battle during the night. Remaining on two consecutive defeats and deprived of important players (Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. for Memphis, Darius Garland and Kevin Love in particular for Cleveland), the two teams do not advance in top form for this match. Victory will count a lot, however. The Dillon Brooks Grizzlies would like to leave their lackluster position as the Western Conference’s red lantern while the Cavs of an equally uncertain Collin Sexton (ankle shot last night) could extend their stay in the top 8 of the ‘Is winning.
4h00 : Nuggets – Mavericks : here again, if we are talking about a duel between two teams at the start of a similar season, we have found the perfect example. Expected, the Nuggets and Mavericks have started the 2020-21 fiscal year badly and find themselves with the same unexpected record of three wins and four losses. Whoever wins will overtake his opponent and should integrate, at least temporarily, the top 8 in the West. A good start but a position still far removed from the objectives of the two franchises. This duel between Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic, two regulars at all-you-can-eat buffets and above all two candidates assumed for the title of MVP, is not to be missed under any circumstances. Champagne basketball will sparkle on the floor thanks to the two Europeans!
4h00 : Lakers – Spurs : for this 475th opposition between the Californians and the Texans this season, the Spurs will try to surprise the Lakers as they have just faced their roommates, the Clippers. Patty Mills will have to play like he did in the last game (27 points at 8/12 from the parking lot) for the team to believe it. Angelinos side, even if they manage small injuries, LeBron James (ankle) and Anthony Davis (groin) should be on the floor. Not very good news since the duo have started to heat up since the passage in 2021. However, we must not forget that this is the first game of a back-to-back for Los Angeles, which could push LBJ or AD to take a match off. So beware.
4h00 : Blazers – Wolves : things are not going very well for Portland at the start of the year 2021. The start of the season is far less good than expected and reflections on possible changes have multiplied in recent days. Facing Wolves still deprived of Karl-Anthony Towns, injured wrist, and remaining on five defeats without him, should normally reassure Damian Lillard and his friends. After two very disgusting shipwrecks against the Warriors (122 to 137) then the Bulls (108 to 111), a new disappointment would stain and would undoubtedly warm up Terry Stotts’ chair on the bench a little more.
We will therefore be entitled to five meetings tonight. Admission will be served at 1:30 am with a clash between the Nets and the Sixers that smells of the Eastern Conference. The dish will follow very quickly, with a Grizzlies – Cavaliers scheduled for 2am, and will take us to a hearty dessert in the Wild Wild West.
Source texte : Rotoworld
