News Category: NBA

Spurs bid to halt skid vs. Pelicans without Victor Wembanyama

The arrival of Victor Wembanyama to the San Antonio Spurs in the 2023 NBA Draft was reminiscent of Zion Williamson’s arrival with the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2019 draft. Both players were considered rare prospects, and their entrance into the NBA was greeted with exceptional anticipation. The anticipated first meeting of the two former No. 1 overall picks will have to wait, though, when the Spurs visit the Pelicans on Friday. Wembanyama was ruled

Mavericks host Grizzlies without star Luka Doncic in lineup

The Dallas Mavericks will look to overcome the absence of star Luka Doncic on Friday night when they host the Memphis Grizzlies. Doncic, who has been ruled out due to personal reasons, collected 41 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in the Mavericks’ 121-115 win over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday. The four-time All-Star highlighted that performance with a desperation running hook shot with 1:03 left that gave Dallas a 115-108 lead. Tuesday’s effort came

Joel Embiid misses shootaround, GTD for Sixers-Celtics showdown

The key question entering Friday night’s matchup between the visiting 76ers and the Boston Celtics involves Philadelphia center Joel Embiid, who was scratched from Wednesday’s loss to New Orleans because of an illness. Will Embiid play against Boston? And if he does play, how effective will he be? Embiid, who is officially listed as questionable due to illness, traveled with the team to Boston but did not participate in Friday’s shootaround. He has appeared in

Raptors look for energy boost at home vs. Knicks

The Toronto Raptors aim to build on an impressive win over the surging Phoenix Suns when they continue their three-game homestand Friday night against the New York Knicks. The Raptors ended the Suns’ seven-game winning streak Wednesday night with a 112-105 victory after Toronto took a 115-103 loss against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday in New York. “This is a group of people … they don’t quit,” Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said. “They want to

Magic bring 8-game win streak into rematch vs. Wizards

These are heady times for the Orlando Magic, who can match the franchise record for most consecutive wins when they face the visiting Washington Wizards on Friday. Orlando is seeking its ninth straight win after beating Washington 139-120 on Wednesday. Franz Wagner scored a season-high 31 points in the victory, while Jalen Suggs added a season-high 22. Orlando’s dominant performance included season highs in field goal percentage (60.7 percent), 3-point percentage (63 percent) and assists

Suns, Nuggets meet amid star guards’ injury troubles

The Phoenix Suns may be without star guard Devin Booker when they attempt to take down the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets on Friday night. Booker sprained his right ankle in the third quarter of Wednesday’s 112-105 road loss against the Toronto Raptors. He went back into the contest after the injury and was visibly limited. He scored a season-low eight points on 2-of-12 shooting in 33 minutes. Booker indicated afterward that he might not

Up-and-down teams clash as Clippers face Warriors

Two teams coming off vastly different finishes in Sacramento over the past 48 hours will meet for the first time this season when the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors play in San Francisco on Thursday night. The Clippers will be riding the momentum of a Wednesday win in Sacramento, while the Warriors will enjoy the advantage of having had a day off following a loss in the California capital on Tuesday. Golden State

Knicks look to hand Pistons 16th straight setback

The Detroit Pistons get their latest attempt to end a miserable run on Thursday when they face the New York Knicks, who will close out a four-game homestand. Detroit, which will be playing the second leg of a back-to-back set, took its 15th consecutive loss on Wednesday, a 133-107 decision against the visiting Los Angeles Lakers. The skid is the longest in Pistons history within a single season. “Even though we’re in this low hole,

Lakers carry positive outlook into matchup with Thunder

Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham wasn’t about to change his approach after his team took a 44-point loss on Monday. The Lakers passed their first test since that pounding in Philadelphia, but the degree of difficulty gets kicked up when Los Angeles visits the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday. After the Lakers’ 138-94 loss to the 76ers on Monday, Ham chose to keep things positive. “To me, insults very rarely get you improvement,” Ham

Anthony Edwards might miss Wolves’ game vs. Jazz

The Minnesota Timberwolves will shoot for their third win in a row when they oppose the Utah Jazz on Thursday night in Minneapolis — and they might have to do so without top scorer Anthony Edwards. Minnesota boasts the best record in the Western Conference at 13-4, including a 119-97 road win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday and a 106-103 home victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday. Now, the Timberwolves might have