Nets Host Hornets In Home Opener
The Brooklyn Nets will host the Charlotte Hornets at Barclays Center on Sunday afternoon.
The Nets (1-1) started the season on the road and this will be their home opener at Barclays Center. They're coming off a 114-109 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, another contending team in the East, on Friday. Kevin Durant led the Nets with a 29-point, 15-rebound, 12-assist triple-double that also included a steal and a block. LaMarcus Aldridge supplied 23 points, five rebounds and two blocks. James Harden provided 20 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and two steals. Joe Harris and Patty Mills finished with 14 and 11 points, respectively.
The Nets are listing Kyrie Irving as out due to personal reasons and there's no timetable for his return.
The Hornets (2-0) have started the season on a strong note and they're coming off a 123-112 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Miles Bridges led the Hornets in this one after scoring 30 points, but he also added seven rebounds and three steals. LaMelo Ball had a strong game as well, putting up 17 points to go along with six assists, three rebounds and a team-high five steals. Gordon Hayward notched 18 points and a team-best nine dimes, while Mason Plumlee pulled down 14 rebounds. Terry Rozier only played 23 minutes and logged six points. Kelly Oubre Jr. mustered 25 points off the bench. Charlotte has scored 123 points in each of its first two games and has gone 1-0 on the road so far.
The Hornets are listing Terry Rozier (ankle) as a game-time decision.
The Nets (1-1) started the season on the road and this will be their home opener at Barclays Center. They're coming off a 114-109 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, another contending team in the East, on Friday. Kevin Durant led the Nets with a 29-point, 15-rebound, 12-assist triple-double that also included a steal and a block. LaMarcus Aldridge supplied 23 points, five rebounds and two blocks. James Harden provided 20 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and two steals. Joe Harris and Patty Mills finished with 14 and 11 points, respectively.
The Nets are listing Kyrie Irving as out due to personal reasons and there's no timetable for his return.
The Hornets (2-0) have started the season on a strong note and they're coming off a 123-112 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Miles Bridges led the Hornets in this one after scoring 30 points, but he also added seven rebounds and three steals. LaMelo Ball had a strong game as well, putting up 17 points to go along with six assists, three rebounds and a team-high five steals. Gordon Hayward notched 18 points and a team-best nine dimes, while Mason Plumlee pulled down 14 rebounds. Terry Rozier only played 23 minutes and logged six points. Kelly Oubre Jr. mustered 25 points off the bench. Charlotte has scored 123 points in each of its first two games and has gone 1-0 on the road so far.
The Hornets are listing Terry Rozier (ankle) as a game-time decision.
Celtics Visit Rockets Looking For First Win
The Houston Rockets will host the Boston Celtics at Toyota Center on Sunday evening.
The Rockets (1-1) have started the season on an indifferent note, though they bounced back from the Opening Night loss against the Timberwolves with a 124-91 win over the Thunder on Friday. Christian Wood led the Rockets with 31 points on 13-of-19 shooting, 14 rebounds and three blocks,. Kevin Porter Jr. added 18 points, nine assists, three rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Eric Gordon totaled 22 points, off the bench, while Jae'Sean Tate tallied 16 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and a steal. The Rockets shot 50 percent from the field, including 17-of-38 from long range. Houston has gone 1-0 at home.
The Rockets are listing Garrison Mathews (not injury related) as a game-time call, while John Wall (not injury related) has been ruled out since he won't play with the Rockets at all this season.
The Celtics (0-2) are quickly looking like a lost team and while it's only been two games, there's no question they've been playing poorly on both sides of the ball -- something that was noticeable in their 115-83 loss against the Toronto Raptors on Friday. In that game, only three Boston players scored in double digits in this one, and Jayson Tatum led the team offensively with 18 points while making eight of his 14 shots. Al Horford had a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Josh Richardson delivered 12 points coming off the bench. Jaylen Brown had nine points (3-13 FG). The Celtics have gone 0-1 on the road so far.
The Celtics are listing Jaylen Brown (knee) as a game-time decision.
The Rockets (1-1) have started the season on an indifferent note, though they bounced back from the Opening Night loss against the Timberwolves with a 124-91 win over the Thunder on Friday. Christian Wood led the Rockets with 31 points on 13-of-19 shooting, 14 rebounds and three blocks,. Kevin Porter Jr. added 18 points, nine assists, three rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Eric Gordon totaled 22 points, off the bench, while Jae'Sean Tate tallied 16 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and a steal. The Rockets shot 50 percent from the field, including 17-of-38 from long range. Houston has gone 1-0 at home.
The Rockets are listing Garrison Mathews (not injury related) as a game-time call, while John Wall (not injury related) has been ruled out since he won't play with the Rockets at all this season.
The Celtics (0-2) are quickly looking like a lost team and while it's only been two games, there's no question they've been playing poorly on both sides of the ball -- something that was noticeable in their 115-83 loss against the Toronto Raptors on Friday. In that game, only three Boston players scored in double digits in this one, and Jayson Tatum led the team offensively with 18 points while making eight of his 14 shots. Al Horford had a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Josh Richardson delivered 12 points coming off the bench. Jaylen Brown had nine points (3-13 FG). The Celtics have gone 0-1 on the road so far.
The Celtics are listing Jaylen Brown (knee) as a game-time decision.
Knicks Host Magic In Second Game Of Home-And-Home Series
By Dan Bruno
The New York Knicks play host to the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden on Sunday evening.
This marks the second consecutive matchup between the Knicks (2-0) and Magic (0-2), after they faced off in Orlando on Friday. The Knicks came out on top in their first meeting, 121-96, where they jumped out to a great start with a, 36-16, lead after one quarter. They kept the pressure on in the second and pushed their lead to 30, by halftime. The Magic picked up the fight in the third, but they could not make a significant dent in the deficit, before the Knicks closed it out with a solid effort again in the fourth.
Julius Randle led the way for the Knicks with 21 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and two steals, in 30 minutes. Evan Fournier followed up with 18 points, three assists and two steals, while Immanuel Quickley added 16 points, three assists, two rebounds and a steal. The Knicks shot 50 percent from the field, including 24-of-54 from long range. This marks the first game of a two-game home stand for the Knicks, as they will look to maintain their perfect record. Nerlens Noel (knee) has yet to make his season debut and remains questionable for action on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Franz Wagner was the high-point man for the Magic with 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting, in 33 minutes. The Magic's big men were dominant in the contest, as Mo Bamba totaled 15 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks, while Wendell Carter tallied 10 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block. The Magic are still looking for their first win of the season, while this marks their first game of a two-game road trip. Gary Harris (knee) has not made his season debut and remains questionable for action.
This marks the second consecutive matchup between the Knicks (2-0) and Magic (0-2), after they faced off in Orlando on Friday. The Knicks came out on top in their first meeting, 121-96, where they jumped out to a great start with a, 36-16, lead after one quarter. They kept the pressure on in the second and pushed their lead to 30, by halftime. The Magic picked up the fight in the third, but they could not make a significant dent in the deficit, before the Knicks closed it out with a solid effort again in the fourth.
Julius Randle led the way for the Knicks with 21 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and two steals, in 30 minutes. Evan Fournier followed up with 18 points, three assists and two steals, while Immanuel Quickley added 16 points, three assists, two rebounds and a steal. The Knicks shot 50 percent from the field, including 24-of-54 from long range. This marks the first game of a two-game home stand for the Knicks, as they will look to maintain their perfect record. Nerlens Noel (knee) has yet to make his season debut and remains questionable for action on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Franz Wagner was the high-point man for the Magic with 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting, in 33 minutes. The Magic's big men were dominant in the contest, as Mo Bamba totaled 15 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks, while Wendell Carter tallied 10 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block. The Magic are still looking for their first win of the season, while this marks their first game of a two-game road trip. Gary Harris (knee) has not made his season debut and remains questionable for action.
Thunder Still Looking For First Win
By Dan Bruno
The Oklahoma City Thunder play host to the Philadelphia 76ers at Paycom Center on Sunday evening.
This marks the first home game of the season and also the first game of a three-game home stand for the Thunder (0-2), after they have started their season with two consecutive road losses. They are coming off a loss in Houston on Friday, where Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Mike Muscala tallied 13 points each to lead the Thunder in scoring. Kenrich Williams followed up with 12 points, four rebounds and three assists, while Aleksej Pokusevski was the only other player to score in double digits, with 10 points, in 16 minutes off the bench. The Thunder shot just 37 percent from the field and 56 percent from the foul line in the loss, while they also struggled taking care of the ball, totaling 19 turnovers. The young squad will have their work cut out against the 76ers but may find some extra energy from their home crowd.
Meanwhile, this marks the first game of a two-game trip for the 76ers (1-1), who are coming off a home loss against the Nets on Friday. Tobias Harris and Seth Curry led the Sixers with 23 points each in the loss, while Joel Embiid tallied 19 points, eight rebound, four assists, four blocks and two steals. The 76ers shot 47 percent from the field, including 14-of-36 from long range, but they only got to the foul line 11 times in the contest. They also only tallied 17 assists on their 43 made field goals. On the plus side, they limited themselves to eight turnovers, which they converted into 19 points. The Sixers are 0-1 on the road so far and will be looking to secure their first road win of the season. Ben Simmons (personal) has yet to hit the floor this season and is expected to remain sidelined through Sunday's action. In addition, Shake Milton (ankle) will remain out, while Joel Embiid (knee) is listed as questionable, and Andre Drummond is listed as doubtful for action on Sunday.
This marks the first home game of the season and also the first game of a three-game home stand for the Thunder (0-2), after they have started their season with two consecutive road losses. They are coming off a loss in Houston on Friday, where Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Mike Muscala tallied 13 points each to lead the Thunder in scoring. Kenrich Williams followed up with 12 points, four rebounds and three assists, while Aleksej Pokusevski was the only other player to score in double digits, with 10 points, in 16 minutes off the bench. The Thunder shot just 37 percent from the field and 56 percent from the foul line in the loss, while they also struggled taking care of the ball, totaling 19 turnovers. The young squad will have their work cut out against the 76ers but may find some extra energy from their home crowd.
Meanwhile, this marks the first game of a two-game trip for the 76ers (1-1), who are coming off a home loss against the Nets on Friday. Tobias Harris and Seth Curry led the Sixers with 23 points each in the loss, while Joel Embiid tallied 19 points, eight rebound, four assists, four blocks and two steals. The 76ers shot 47 percent from the field, including 14-of-36 from long range, but they only got to the foul line 11 times in the contest. They also only tallied 17 assists on their 43 made field goals. On the plus side, they limited themselves to eight turnovers, which they converted into 19 points. The Sixers are 0-1 on the road so far and will be looking to secure their first road win of the season. Ben Simmons (personal) has yet to hit the floor this season and is expected to remain sidelined through Sunday's action. In addition, Shake Milton (ankle) will remain out, while Joel Embiid (knee) is listed as questionable, and Andre Drummond is listed as doubtful for action on Sunday.
Kings Host Warriors on Sunday
The Sacramento Kings play host to the Golden State Warriors at Golden 1 Center on Sunday.
The Warriors (2-0) have been one of the most impressive teams in the opening week, grabbing wins over both Los Angeles teams. Those are two tough teams to deal with, and it looks even better when you see that both were narrow wins. Grabbing some late-game victories is a great way to build some momentum for the remainder of the season, and it's scary they're doing this damage without Klay Thompson (Achilles). The star of the show has clearly been Stephen Curry, dropping a triple-double in the opener and following it up with a 45-point gem in the next game. He played at an MVP level last season, and he'll surely be in the discussion again this year if he keeps playing like this.
The Kings (1-1) have had mixed results in their first two games, but they've been extremely competitive in both. They were two formidable opponents too, grabbing a win over the Portland Trail Blazers in the opener and narrowly losing to the Utah Jazz in their most recent game. What's really been a pleasant surprise is the play of Harrison Barnes, averaging 30.5 points and 11.5 rebounds in the first two games. That's one of the best two-game stretches of his career, and it's nice to see him playing so well with De'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton struggling. Those two guards will inevitably get going, and Kings fans finally have a team to look forward to in quite some time.
Golden State won two of their three meetings with the Kings last season, which followed up a season sweep by the Kings in the year prior. With that said, the Dubs have won 23 of their last 30 games over the Kings in total.
The Warriors (2-0) have been one of the most impressive teams in the opening week, grabbing wins over both Los Angeles teams. Those are two tough teams to deal with, and it looks even better when you see that both were narrow wins. Grabbing some late-game victories is a great way to build some momentum for the remainder of the season, and it's scary they're doing this damage without Klay Thompson (Achilles). The star of the show has clearly been Stephen Curry, dropping a triple-double in the opener and following it up with a 45-point gem in the next game. He played at an MVP level last season, and he'll surely be in the discussion again this year if he keeps playing like this.
The Kings (1-1) have had mixed results in their first two games, but they've been extremely competitive in both. They were two formidable opponents too, grabbing a win over the Portland Trail Blazers in the opener and narrowly losing to the Utah Jazz in their most recent game. What's really been a pleasant surprise is the play of Harrison Barnes, averaging 30.5 points and 11.5 rebounds in the first two games. That's one of the best two-game stretches of his career, and it's nice to see him playing so well with De'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton struggling. Those two guards will inevitably get going, and Kings fans finally have a team to look forward to in quite some time.
Golden State won two of their three meetings with the Kings last season, which followed up a season sweep by the Kings in the year prior. With that said, the Dubs have won 23 of their last 30 games over the Kings in total.
Lakers Host Grizzlies on Sunday
The Los Angeles Lakers play host to the Memphis Grizzlies at Staples Center on Sunday.
The Grizzlies (2-0) were one of the surprises of the 2021 season when they reached the postseason, and early-season results are certainly encouraging. They've started with two wins over the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers, grabbing the ladder win on the road. The guy who's been sparkling is Ja Morant, collecting 65 points and 14 assists in those first two games. The role players have been remarkable, too, with Steven Adams, Desmond Bane, and De'Anthony Melton all playing well, too. That makes this one of the most underrated teams in the NBA, and it has them as a club no one wants to see going forward.
The Lakers (0-2) have been the talk of the NBA and for all the wrong reasons. There were numerous question marks coming into the year, and the first two games have given us some discouraging answers. A narrow loss in the opener against the Golden State Warriors was understandable, but a blowout loss against the Phoenix Suns in the next game has people chirping. They trailed by nearly 40 points at times in that defeat, and a spat between Dwight Howard and Anthony Davis has skeptics wondering what is going on. Things like that can be good for a struggling team, though, and fans are hopeful it's the boost they need to get this club out of their early-season swoon.
Los Angeles swept the three-game season series over Memphis last year. They've actually won six of their last seven games over them in total, dating back two years.
The Grizzlies (2-0) were one of the surprises of the 2021 season when they reached the postseason, and early-season results are certainly encouraging. They've started with two wins over the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers, grabbing the ladder win on the road. The guy who's been sparkling is Ja Morant, collecting 65 points and 14 assists in those first two games. The role players have been remarkable, too, with Steven Adams, Desmond Bane, and De'Anthony Melton all playing well, too. That makes this one of the most underrated teams in the NBA, and it has them as a club no one wants to see going forward.
The Lakers (0-2) have been the talk of the NBA and for all the wrong reasons. There were numerous question marks coming into the year, and the first two games have given us some discouraging answers. A narrow loss in the opener against the Golden State Warriors was understandable, but a blowout loss against the Phoenix Suns in the next game has people chirping. They trailed by nearly 40 points at times in that defeat, and a spat between Dwight Howard and Anthony Davis has skeptics wondering what is going on. Things like that can be good for a struggling team, though, and fans are hopeful it's the boost they need to get this club out of their early-season swoon.
Los Angeles swept the three-game season series over Memphis last year. They've actually won six of their last seven games over them in total, dating back two years.