Grizzlies, Nets Tangle In Intra-Conference Battle
The Brooklyn Nets will host the Memphis Grizzlies at Barclays Center on Monday evening.
The Nets (24-36) are in a tough spot when it comes to fighting for a playoff berth, and their best chance would be to string a few wins together to fight for a Play-In spot. However, the Nets seem to be trending in the right direction when analyzing their most recent performances. Brooklyn is coming off a 114-102 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday, and the team has won three of its last four contests. One of those wins came against the Grizzlies on Feb. 26, beating them at FedExForum by a score of 111-86. The Nets have also gone 15-17 at home, and while that’s an area where they need to improve, it’s worth noting that Brooklyn is riding a two-game winning run at Barclays Center while winning three of its last four in this arena. It remains to be seen if it’ll be too late for the Nets and their playoff chances, but they seem to be trending in the right direction entering the final weeks of the regular season.
Ben Simmons (leg) will be a game-time call for Monday. Cam Thomas (ankle) and Dariq Whitehead (lower leg) have been ruled out.
The Grizzlies (20-41) entered the 2023-24 season with high playoff expectations, but that hasn’t been the case, as poor performance and terrible luck regarding injuries. They have lost several players expected to be key contributors, such as Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Brandon Clarke, while Marcus Smart, Derrick Rose and others have also been injured for most of the campaign. Memphis has also been struggling in recent games and are coming off back-to-back losses against the Portland Trail Blazers, including a 107-100 overtime defeat on Saturday. That loss against Portland extended Memphis’ losing streak to five games, and the team has also lost 14 of its last 16 games. Making things even worse is the fact that the Grizzlies have gone 13-17 on the road so far.
Jaren Jackson will be a game-time call for Monday due to a quadriceps injury. Derrick Rose (back), Ziaire Williams (back), Brandon Clarke (Achilles), Scotty Pippen (back), Desmond Bane (ankle), Marcus Smart (finger) and Ja Morant (shoulder) are all out.
The Nets (24-36) are in a tough spot when it comes to fighting for a playoff berth, and their best chance would be to string a few wins together to fight for a Play-In spot. However, the Nets seem to be trending in the right direction when analyzing their most recent performances. Brooklyn is coming off a 114-102 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday, and the team has won three of its last four contests. One of those wins came against the Grizzlies on Feb. 26, beating them at FedExForum by a score of 111-86. The Nets have also gone 15-17 at home, and while that’s an area where they need to improve, it’s worth noting that Brooklyn is riding a two-game winning run at Barclays Center while winning three of its last four in this arena. It remains to be seen if it’ll be too late for the Nets and their playoff chances, but they seem to be trending in the right direction entering the final weeks of the regular season.
Ben Simmons (leg) will be a game-time call for Monday. Cam Thomas (ankle) and Dariq Whitehead (lower leg) have been ruled out.
The Grizzlies (20-41) entered the 2023-24 season with high playoff expectations, but that hasn’t been the case, as poor performance and terrible luck regarding injuries. They have lost several players expected to be key contributors, such as Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Brandon Clarke, while Marcus Smart, Derrick Rose and others have also been injured for most of the campaign. Memphis has also been struggling in recent games and are coming off back-to-back losses against the Portland Trail Blazers, including a 107-100 overtime defeat on Saturday. That loss against Portland extended Memphis’ losing streak to five games, and the team has also lost 14 of its last 16 games. Making things even worse is the fact that the Grizzlies have gone 13-17 on the road so far.
Jaren Jackson will be a game-time call for Monday due to a quadriceps injury. Derrick Rose (back), Ziaire Williams (back), Brandon Clarke (Achilles), Scotty Pippen (back), Desmond Bane (ankle), Marcus Smart (finger) and Ja Morant (shoulder) are all out.
Clippers and Bucks Set for Interconference Showdown
The Los Angeles Clippers take on the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on Monday night.
The Clippers (39-20) have had some struggles since post-All-Star-break play tipped off, but they'll head into Monday's contest having won two straight games. Their most recent success came Sunday afternoon, when they edged the Minnesota Timberwolves by an 89-88 score. Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 32 points, complementing them with five rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block. Norman Powell recorded 24 points, three rebounds and one steal. Paul George turned in 15 points, four rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block.
The Clippers will remain without Russell Westbrook (hand) for Monday's game.
The Bucks (40-21) have seemingly overcome a rough start to the Doc Rivers era, as they'll enter Monday's game with five consecutive victories. Their most recent success came Friday night, when they topped the Chicago Bulls by a 113-97 score. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way with a 46-point, 16-rebound double-double that included six assists, one steal and one block. Damian Lillard furnished 16 points, seven assists and three rebounds. Patrick Beverley managed 14 points, four rebounds, two assists and one block. Brook Lopez registered 12 points, three rebounds and one assist. Bobby Portis finished with 11 points, nine rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block.
The Bucks will list Antetokounmpo (Achilles) as questionable for Monday's contest. MarJon Beauchamp (back) will carry a probable tag, while Khris Middleton (ankle) will be listed as questionable.
Monday's game marks the first of two meetings between the teams this season. The Bucks swept the two-game 2022-23 regular-season series.
The Clippers (39-20) have had some struggles since post-All-Star-break play tipped off, but they'll head into Monday's contest having won two straight games. Their most recent success came Sunday afternoon, when they edged the Minnesota Timberwolves by an 89-88 score. Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 32 points, complementing them with five rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block. Norman Powell recorded 24 points, three rebounds and one steal. Paul George turned in 15 points, four rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block.
The Clippers will remain without Russell Westbrook (hand) for Monday's game.
The Bucks (40-21) have seemingly overcome a rough start to the Doc Rivers era, as they'll enter Monday's game with five consecutive victories. Their most recent success came Friday night, when they topped the Chicago Bulls by a 113-97 score. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way with a 46-point, 16-rebound double-double that included six assists, one steal and one block. Damian Lillard furnished 16 points, seven assists and three rebounds. Patrick Beverley managed 14 points, four rebounds, two assists and one block. Brook Lopez registered 12 points, three rebounds and one assist. Bobby Portis finished with 11 points, nine rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block.
The Bucks will list Antetokounmpo (Achilles) as questionable for Monday's contest. MarJon Beauchamp (back) will carry a probable tag, while Khris Middleton (ankle) will be listed as questionable.
Monday's game marks the first of two meetings between the teams this season. The Bucks swept the two-game 2022-23 regular-season series.
Trail Blazers and Timberwolves Tangle at Target
The Portland Trail Blazers take on the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on Monday night.
The Trail Blazers (17-42) have found consecutive wins few and far between this season, but they'll head into Monday's contest with back-to-back victories against the Memphis Grizzlies. Their most recent success came Saturday night, when they recorded a 107-100 win in overtime. Anfernee Simons led the Trail Blazers with 30 points, adding seven rebounds and seven assists. Jabari Walker generated an 18-point, 12-rebound double-double that included two assists and one steal. Toumani Camara furnished 15 points, seven boards, one assist, one steal and one block. Ashton Hagans delivered 13 points, eight assists, five rebounds, two steals and one block. Duop Reath registered 12 points, six rebounds, one assist and three blocks. Danalo Banton finished with 10 points, three rebounds and one steal.
The Trail Blazers are expected to remain without Malcolm Brogdon (elbow), Scoot Henderson (thigh) and Shaedon Sharpe (abdomen) for Monday's game. Jerami Grant (quadriceps) and Deandre Ayton (hand) will be listed as doubtful and questionable, respectively, while Matisse Thybulle (hip) will also carry the latter tag.
The Timberwolves (42-19) are somewhat at the other end of the spectrum in recent games, as they've dropped the last two contests. Their most recent stumble came Sunday afternoon, when they were edged by the Los Angeles Clippers by an 89-88 score. Anthony Edwards led the way with 27 points, adding five rebounds, two assists and three steals. Karl-Anthony Towns supplied 18 points, nine boards and eight assists. Rudy Gobert generated a 12-point, 16-rebound double-double that included two assists and three blocks.
The Timberwolves will remain without T.J. Warren (recent signing) for Monday's game.
Monday's game marks the fourth and final meeting between the teams this season. The Timberwolves hold a 3-0 series lead.
The Trail Blazers (17-42) have found consecutive wins few and far between this season, but they'll head into Monday's contest with back-to-back victories against the Memphis Grizzlies. Their most recent success came Saturday night, when they recorded a 107-100 win in overtime. Anfernee Simons led the Trail Blazers with 30 points, adding seven rebounds and seven assists. Jabari Walker generated an 18-point, 12-rebound double-double that included two assists and one steal. Toumani Camara furnished 15 points, seven boards, one assist, one steal and one block. Ashton Hagans delivered 13 points, eight assists, five rebounds, two steals and one block. Duop Reath registered 12 points, six rebounds, one assist and three blocks. Danalo Banton finished with 10 points, three rebounds and one steal.
The Trail Blazers are expected to remain without Malcolm Brogdon (elbow), Scoot Henderson (thigh) and Shaedon Sharpe (abdomen) for Monday's game. Jerami Grant (quadriceps) and Deandre Ayton (hand) will be listed as doubtful and questionable, respectively, while Matisse Thybulle (hip) will also carry the latter tag.
The Timberwolves (42-19) are somewhat at the other end of the spectrum in recent games, as they've dropped the last two contests. Their most recent stumble came Sunday afternoon, when they were edged by the Los Angeles Clippers by an 89-88 score. Anthony Edwards led the way with 27 points, adding five rebounds, two assists and three steals. Karl-Anthony Towns supplied 18 points, nine boards and eight assists. Rudy Gobert generated a 12-point, 16-rebound double-double that included two assists and three blocks.
The Timberwolves will remain without T.J. Warren (recent signing) for Monday's game.
Monday's game marks the fourth and final meeting between the teams this season. The Timberwolves hold a 3-0 series lead.
Jazz Host Struggling Wizards
By Dan Bruno
The Utah Jazz play host to the Washington Wizards at Delta Center on Monday evening.
The Jazz (27-34) have dropped three in a row but look to turn things around as they return home with the opportunity to improve on their, 18-11, home record. Lauri Markkanen leads the squad averaging 23.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 0.9 steals per game. Collin Sexton averages 17.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 0.8 steals, while John Collins is averaging 14.3 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. The Jazz average 117.5 points per game, but they give up an average of 120.5 points per game, which is sixth most in the league. Jordan Clarkson (illness) missed the last outing, while Walker Kessler (foot) has missed the two, and both remain questionable for action on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Wizards (9-51) have lost 14 in a row and hope to finally end the slide as they face the third and final game of a road trip with a chance to add to their, 6-26, road record. Kyle Kuzma continues to lead the team, averaging 22.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. Jordan Poole averages 16.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1. steals, while Deni Avdija is averaging 13.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Marvin Bagley is finding his groove with the new squad, averaging 15.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 blocks over the last five games, and remains established in a starting role. Bilal Coulibaly (pelvis) has missed the last three outings and remains questionable for action.
The Jazz (27-34) have dropped three in a row but look to turn things around as they return home with the opportunity to improve on their, 18-11, home record. Lauri Markkanen leads the squad averaging 23.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 0.9 steals per game. Collin Sexton averages 17.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 0.8 steals, while John Collins is averaging 14.3 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. The Jazz average 117.5 points per game, but they give up an average of 120.5 points per game, which is sixth most in the league. Jordan Clarkson (illness) missed the last outing, while Walker Kessler (foot) has missed the two, and both remain questionable for action on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Wizards (9-51) have lost 14 in a row and hope to finally end the slide as they face the third and final game of a road trip with a chance to add to their, 6-26, road record. Kyle Kuzma continues to lead the team, averaging 22.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. Jordan Poole averages 16.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1. steals, while Deni Avdija is averaging 13.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Marvin Bagley is finding his groove with the new squad, averaging 15.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 blocks over the last five games, and remains established in a starting role. Bilal Coulibaly (pelvis) has missed the last three outings and remains questionable for action.
Kings Host Bulls on Monday
The Sacramento Kings play host to the Chicago Bulls at Golden One Center on Monday.
The Bulls (28-32) have traded off wins and losses in their last five games, getting beaten by the Milwaukee Bucks in their most recent outing on Friday. They showed a lack of discipline in that defeat, with DeMar DeRozan shoving Bobby Portis and Nikola Vucevic being ejected for a flagrant 2. The middling stretch is no surprise when you look at the standing because the Bulls have been hovering around .500 all season. That will likely earn them a berth in the Play-In Tournmament though, sitting ninth in the Eastern Conference. They were actually outed by the Miami Heat in that last season and one has to wonder where this franchise goes from here.
The Kings (34-25) come into this matchup winning four of their last six games. Their only defeats in that stretch were losses against the two Finals teams from last year, and it's clear Sacramento is a team to reckon with. Their biggest goal right now is to avoid the Play-In Tourney, though. They currently sit seventh in the Western Conference but are just 0.5 games behind the Phoenix Suns in sixth. They're also just one game back of the New Orleans Pelicans in fifth, and it's tough to get a read on how those teams will play out. What's clear is that all of these teams will have to battle one another to get out of the West, and it'll be fun to watch come April and May.
These teams played on February 3, with Sacramento prevailing, 123-115. That gives the Kings 10 wins in their last 12 matchups with the Bulls in total.
The Bulls (28-32) have traded off wins and losses in their last five games, getting beaten by the Milwaukee Bucks in their most recent outing on Friday. They showed a lack of discipline in that defeat, with DeMar DeRozan shoving Bobby Portis and Nikola Vucevic being ejected for a flagrant 2. The middling stretch is no surprise when you look at the standing because the Bulls have been hovering around .500 all season. That will likely earn them a berth in the Play-In Tournmament though, sitting ninth in the Eastern Conference. They were actually outed by the Miami Heat in that last season and one has to wonder where this franchise goes from here.
The Kings (34-25) come into this matchup winning four of their last six games. Their only defeats in that stretch were losses against the two Finals teams from last year, and it's clear Sacramento is a team to reckon with. Their biggest goal right now is to avoid the Play-In Tourney, though. They currently sit seventh in the Western Conference but are just 0.5 games behind the Phoenix Suns in sixth. They're also just one game back of the New Orleans Pelicans in fifth, and it's tough to get a read on how those teams will play out. What's clear is that all of these teams will have to battle one another to get out of the West, and it'll be fun to watch come April and May.
These teams played on February 3, with Sacramento prevailing, 123-115. That gives the Kings 10 wins in their last 12 matchups with the Bulls in total.
Lakers Host Thunder on Monday
The Los Angeles Lakers play host to the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena on Monday.
The Thunder (42-18) come into this matchup winning 10 of their last 13 games. That has them battling for the top spot in the Western Conference, sitting just 0.5 games behind the Minnesota Timberwolves. They are also tied with the Denver Nuggets, and it'll be fun to watch those three teams battle for the top seed in the west. For Oklahoma City to be in this position is a testament to this organization. They've been one of the worst teams in the NBA for close to a decade and they went full-on rebuild mode to reconstruct this franchise. They're finally seeing the backend of that rebuild because this club looks like a threat for the next decade.
The Lakers (33-29) suffered a tough loss on Saturday, narrowly losing to the Denver Nuggets. There were six ties and six lead changes in that game, with neither team leading by more than 11 points. That was actually Los Angeles because Denver took care of business by closing the game on a 16-4 run over the final five minutes. It was encouraging to see LA battle with the champs because they entered that matchup winning nine of their previous 12 games. They also had LeBron James surpass 40,000 points in that most recent defeat on Saturday, and it's hard to imagine where his point total will finish because he looks nowhere close to finished.
Los Angeles has dominated this series over recent years, winning six of their last eight games over Oklahoma City.
The Thunder (42-18) come into this matchup winning 10 of their last 13 games. That has them battling for the top spot in the Western Conference, sitting just 0.5 games behind the Minnesota Timberwolves. They are also tied with the Denver Nuggets, and it'll be fun to watch those three teams battle for the top seed in the west. For Oklahoma City to be in this position is a testament to this organization. They've been one of the worst teams in the NBA for close to a decade and they went full-on rebuild mode to reconstruct this franchise. They're finally seeing the backend of that rebuild because this club looks like a threat for the next decade.
The Lakers (33-29) suffered a tough loss on Saturday, narrowly losing to the Denver Nuggets. There were six ties and six lead changes in that game, with neither team leading by more than 11 points. That was actually Los Angeles because Denver took care of business by closing the game on a 16-4 run over the final five minutes. It was encouraging to see LA battle with the champs because they entered that matchup winning nine of their previous 12 games. They also had LeBron James surpass 40,000 points in that most recent defeat on Saturday, and it's hard to imagine where his point total will finish because he looks nowhere close to finished.
Los Angeles has dominated this series over recent years, winning six of their last eight games over Oklahoma City.