Jazz, Pistons Collide In Motor City
The Detroit Pistons will host the Utah Jazz at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday.
The Pistons (8-24) have had a rough season and have gone 4-11 at home, but they are looking to turn things around in front of their fans with the holiday season upon us. The Pistons are coming off a 124-121 loss against the Brooklyn Nets in their most recent game, and that means they’ve gone 1-4 over their last five outings. Bojan Bogdanovic paced the Pistons with 26 points, complementing them with four assists and one rebound. Jaden Ivey registered 19 points, four rebounds, one assist and one steal. Marvin Bagley managed 12 points, four rebounds and one block. Alec Burks matched Bagley's scoring and added five rebounds, one assist and one steal. Killian Hayes and Saddiq Bey posted matching 10-point efforts, with Hayes adding eight assists, five rebounds and two steals.
Isaiah Livers (shoulder) is out for Tuesday’s game, while Cade Cunningham (lower leg) will miss the rest of the season.
The Jazz (17-16) remain above the .500 threshold, but there’s no question the team has been struggling of late – their 122-99 loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers was telling, as it pushed the team’s losing streak to two games and also means they’ve gone 2-4 in their last six contests. Utah has also gone 6-11 when playing on the road. Only three Jazz players scored in double digits in that loss against the Cavs, as Lauri Markkanen was the highest-scoring player for Utah with 24 points and six rebounds, while Jordan Clarkson finished with 23 points despite shooting 8-for-21 from the field. Walker Kessler got the start and looked productive, recording 11 points and six rebounds across 25 minutes.
Kelly Olynyk (ankle), Collin Sexton (hamstring) and Johnny Juzang (wrist) are all out for Utah.
The Pistons (8-24) have had a rough season and have gone 4-11 at home, but they are looking to turn things around in front of their fans with the holiday season upon us. The Pistons are coming off a 124-121 loss against the Brooklyn Nets in their most recent game, and that means they’ve gone 1-4 over their last five outings. Bojan Bogdanovic paced the Pistons with 26 points, complementing them with four assists and one rebound. Jaden Ivey registered 19 points, four rebounds, one assist and one steal. Marvin Bagley managed 12 points, four rebounds and one block. Alec Burks matched Bagley's scoring and added five rebounds, one assist and one steal. Killian Hayes and Saddiq Bey posted matching 10-point efforts, with Hayes adding eight assists, five rebounds and two steals.
Isaiah Livers (shoulder) is out for Tuesday’s game, while Cade Cunningham (lower leg) will miss the rest of the season.
The Jazz (17-16) remain above the .500 threshold, but there’s no question the team has been struggling of late – their 122-99 loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers was telling, as it pushed the team’s losing streak to two games and also means they’ve gone 2-4 in their last six contests. Utah has also gone 6-11 when playing on the road. Only three Jazz players scored in double digits in that loss against the Cavs, as Lauri Markkanen was the highest-scoring player for Utah with 24 points and six rebounds, while Jordan Clarkson finished with 23 points despite shooting 8-for-21 from the field. Walker Kessler got the start and looked productive, recording 11 points and six rebounds across 25 minutes.
Kelly Olynyk (ankle), Collin Sexton (hamstring) and Johnny Juzang (wrist) are all out for Utah.
Bulls and Heat Set for South Florida Showdown
The Chicago Bulls take on the Miami Heat at FTX Arena on Tuesday night.
The Bulls (11-18) continue to underachieve despite the big names on their roster, and they'll come into Tuesday's game having dropped four consecutive contests. Their most recent stumble was especially alarming, as they took a 150-126 thumping from the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night. DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 29 points, adding six assists, four rebounds and two steals. Nikola Vucevic furnished 23 points, nine boards, five assists, two steals and one block. Zach LaVine delivered 22 points, six assists and one rebound.
The Bulls will list Javonte Green (knee) as questionable for Tuesday's game. Lonzo Ball (knee) will remain out.
The Heat (16-15) come into Tuesday's contest trending in the diametric opposite direction of their opponent, as they've secured four straight wins. Their most recent success came Saturday afternoon, when they recorded a 111-101 win over the San Antonio Spurs in Mexico City. Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 26 points, complementing them with five rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block. Bam Adebayo generated a 22-point, 13-rebound double-double that included three assists and one steal. Tyler Herro supplied 21 points, seven assists, six rebounds and two steals. Max Strus and Duncan Robinson contributed matching 12-point, three-assist tallies, with Strus adding four rebounds and Robinson recording a pair of steals.
The Heat are listing Butler (knee), Kyle Lowry (knee), Caleb Martin (ankle), Dewayne Dedmon (foot) and Udonis Haslem (Achilles) as game-time decisions. Gabe Vincent (knee) and Omer Yurtseven (ankle) will remain out.
Tuesday's game marks the second of three meetings between the teams this season. The Bulls own a 1-0 series lead.
The Bulls (11-18) continue to underachieve despite the big names on their roster, and they'll come into Tuesday's game having dropped four consecutive contests. Their most recent stumble was especially alarming, as they took a 150-126 thumping from the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night. DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 29 points, adding six assists, four rebounds and two steals. Nikola Vucevic furnished 23 points, nine boards, five assists, two steals and one block. Zach LaVine delivered 22 points, six assists and one rebound.
The Bulls will list Javonte Green (knee) as questionable for Tuesday's game. Lonzo Ball (knee) will remain out.
The Heat (16-15) come into Tuesday's contest trending in the diametric opposite direction of their opponent, as they've secured four straight wins. Their most recent success came Saturday afternoon, when they recorded a 111-101 win over the San Antonio Spurs in Mexico City. Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 26 points, complementing them with five rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block. Bam Adebayo generated a 22-point, 13-rebound double-double that included three assists and one steal. Tyler Herro supplied 21 points, seven assists, six rebounds and two steals. Max Strus and Duncan Robinson contributed matching 12-point, three-assist tallies, with Strus adding four rebounds and Robinson recording a pair of steals.
The Heat are listing Butler (knee), Kyle Lowry (knee), Caleb Martin (ankle), Dewayne Dedmon (foot) and Udonis Haslem (Achilles) as game-time decisions. Gabe Vincent (knee) and Omer Yurtseven (ankle) will remain out.
Tuesday's game marks the second of three meetings between the teams this season. The Bulls own a 1-0 series lead.
Warriors and Knicks Face Off in Big Apple
The Golden State Warriors take on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.
The Warriors (15-16) are in for a multi-week haul without Stephen Curry (shoulder), but there's some optimism to be gleaned from their convincing 126-110 win over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday evening, which snapped a three-game losing streak. Jordan Poole led the Warriors with a career-high 43 points, adding six assists, one rebound and one steal. Klay Thompson furnished 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and one steal. Draymond Green matched Thompson's scoring while adding nine rebounds and five assists. JaMychal Green finished with 15 points, seven rebounds, one assist and one block. Kevon Looney generated an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double that included two assists and one block.
The Warriors will list Thompson (knee) and Jonathan Kuminga (knee) as probable for Tuesday's game. Andrew Wiggins (groin), Andre Iguodala (hip) and Curry (shoulder) will remain out.
The Knicks (17-13) come into Tuesday's interconference clash as one of the hottest teams in either conference, as they've prevailed in seven consecutive games. Their most recent success came at the expense of the Indiana Pacers, which they upended by a 109-106 margin on Sunday afternoon. Jalen Brunson led the way with 30 points, complementing them with three assists, two rebounds and two steals. Julius Randle generated a 25-point, 14-rebound double-double that included three assists. RJ Barrett delivered 24 points, four boards and one block. Mitchell Robinson produced a 10-point, 13-rebound double-double that included one assist, four blocks and one steal.
The Knicks will remain without Obi Toppin (lower leg) will remain out for Tuesday's game.
Tuesday's contest marks the second and final meeting between the teams this season. The Warriors own a 1-0 series lead.
The Warriors (15-16) are in for a multi-week haul without Stephen Curry (shoulder), but there's some optimism to be gleaned from their convincing 126-110 win over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday evening, which snapped a three-game losing streak. Jordan Poole led the Warriors with a career-high 43 points, adding six assists, one rebound and one steal. Klay Thompson furnished 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and one steal. Draymond Green matched Thompson's scoring while adding nine rebounds and five assists. JaMychal Green finished with 15 points, seven rebounds, one assist and one block. Kevon Looney generated an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double that included two assists and one block.
The Warriors will list Thompson (knee) and Jonathan Kuminga (knee) as probable for Tuesday's game. Andrew Wiggins (groin), Andre Iguodala (hip) and Curry (shoulder) will remain out.
The Knicks (17-13) come into Tuesday's interconference clash as one of the hottest teams in either conference, as they've prevailed in seven consecutive games. Their most recent success came at the expense of the Indiana Pacers, which they upended by a 109-106 margin on Sunday afternoon. Jalen Brunson led the way with 30 points, complementing them with three assists, two rebounds and two steals. Julius Randle generated a 25-point, 14-rebound double-double that included three assists. RJ Barrett delivered 24 points, four boards and one block. Mitchell Robinson produced a 10-point, 13-rebound double-double that included one assist, four blocks and one steal.
The Knicks will remain without Obi Toppin (lower leg) will remain out for Tuesday's game.
Tuesday's contest marks the second and final meeting between the teams this season. The Warriors own a 1-0 series lead.
Suns Host Wizards on Tuesday
The Phoenix Suns play host to the Washington Wizards at Footprint Center on Tuesday.
The Wizards (11-20) come into this matchup losing 10 straight and 13 of their last 14 games in total. That's the worst stretch of any team all season, and it's hard to understand how a team with this much talent can struggle like this. Having Bradley Beal injured for most of that is a significant reason why but guys like Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis are plenty capable of ending a run like that. It feels more like a culture thing than anything else because this team has been losing like this for a decade. That's why Beal, Kuzma and Porzingis have all been a part of trade discussions, and it'll be interesting to see if and when this organization will make any big moves.
The Suns (19-12) have one of the best home records in the NBA, posting a 14-3 record at Footprint Center. They showcased that on Monday, blowing out the Los Angeles Lakers. They got that win with Devin Booker resting, which is encouraging because Deandre Ayton just made his return from injury. Ayton, Booker and Chris Paul have only played a handful of games together all season, but that likely won't be the case here with this being the second half of a back-to-back set. That's why the results haven't been as impressive as last season's league-leading 64-win year, but when this roster is at full health, this is one of the scariest teams in the NBA.
Phoenix swept the two-game season series over Washington last year, winning both by at least 15 points apiece.
The Wizards (11-20) come into this matchup losing 10 straight and 13 of their last 14 games in total. That's the worst stretch of any team all season, and it's hard to understand how a team with this much talent can struggle like this. Having Bradley Beal injured for most of that is a significant reason why but guys like Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis are plenty capable of ending a run like that. It feels more like a culture thing than anything else because this team has been losing like this for a decade. That's why Beal, Kuzma and Porzingis have all been a part of trade discussions, and it'll be interesting to see if and when this organization will make any big moves.
The Suns (19-12) have one of the best home records in the NBA, posting a 14-3 record at Footprint Center. They showcased that on Monday, blowing out the Los Angeles Lakers. They got that win with Devin Booker resting, which is encouraging because Deandre Ayton just made his return from injury. Ayton, Booker and Chris Paul have only played a handful of games together all season, but that likely won't be the case here with this being the second half of a back-to-back set. That's why the results haven't been as impressive as last season's league-leading 64-win year, but when this roster is at full health, this is one of the scariest teams in the NBA.
Phoenix swept the two-game season series over Washington last year, winning both by at least 15 points apiece.
Nuggets Look To Keep Rolling At Home
By Dan Bruno
The Denver Nuggets play host to the Memphis Grizzlies at Ball Arena on Tuesday evening.
The Nuggets (18-11) have won four of their last five games and will look to keep it rolling as they face the second game of a four-game home stand, hoping to build on their 9-3 home record. Nikola Jokic is coming off a historic performance, where he became the third player in history to log at least 40 points, 25 rebounds and 10 assists in a game, as he tallied 40 points, 27 rebounds and 10 assists in a win over the Hornets on Sunday. Aaron Gordon continues to play well, averaging 17.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists, while Bruce Brown averages 11.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.0 steals. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (leg), Jeff Green (back), Jamal Murray (knee) and Michael Porter (heel) are listed as questionable for action.
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies (19-10) saw a seven-game win streak come to an end as they fell short in their last game. They will look to bounce back as the face the second game of a four-game road trip with a chance to build on their 6-8 road record. Ja Morant leads the team, averaging 26.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Dillon Brooks averages 18.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists, while Jaren Jackson is averaging 17.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.1 block per game. The Grizzlies average 116.2 points per game, and they are holding opponents to an average of 111.4 points, which is 10th fewest in the league.
The Nuggets (18-11) have won four of their last five games and will look to keep it rolling as they face the second game of a four-game home stand, hoping to build on their 9-3 home record. Nikola Jokic is coming off a historic performance, where he became the third player in history to log at least 40 points, 25 rebounds and 10 assists in a game, as he tallied 40 points, 27 rebounds and 10 assists in a win over the Hornets on Sunday. Aaron Gordon continues to play well, averaging 17.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists, while Bruce Brown averages 11.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.0 steals. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (leg), Jeff Green (back), Jamal Murray (knee) and Michael Porter (heel) are listed as questionable for action.
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies (19-10) saw a seven-game win streak come to an end as they fell short in their last game. They will look to bounce back as the face the second game of a four-game road trip with a chance to build on their 6-8 road record. Ja Morant leads the team, averaging 26.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Dillon Brooks averages 18.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists, while Jaren Jackson is averaging 17.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.1 block per game. The Grizzlies average 116.2 points per game, and they are holding opponents to an average of 111.4 points, which is 10th fewest in the league.