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NBA Preview: New Orleans Pelicans (30-32) at Portland Trail Blazers (29-32)

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NBA Preview: New Orleans Pelicans (30-32) at Portland Trail Blazers (29-32)

Damian Lillard had his lowest point total in a game in more than five weeks, one game after putting up the most points of his career.

When the Trail Blazers play host to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night, the Portland star will attempt to regain his scoring prowess.

In Sunday’s 131-114 win over the Houston Rockets, Lillard scored a career-high 71 points. However, in Tuesday’s 123-105 road loss to the Golden State Warriors, Lillard only managed 25 points.

Lillard scored 19 points in the first half in San Francisco, when Portland held a 23-point lead before taking a 65-48 halftime lead. However, he only scored six points in the second half as the Trail Blazers were outscored 75-40 and were being pursued by multiple defenders.

After netting 13 treys against Houston, which tied him for the second most in NBA history, Lillard was just 2 of 7 from behind the arc. However, for the 22nd time in a row, he scored at least 20 points.

For the sixth time in nine games, the Trail Blazers lost because they had a lot of problems in the second half.

Lillard and CJ McCollum will face off against each other for the first time on the court on Wednesday. Before McCollum was acquired by the Pelicans in a deal that took place more than a year ago, the two close friends manned the starting backcourt for six and a half seasons.

When the teams played twice last season following the trade, Lillard was out with an abdominal injury that ended the season. Additionally, Lillard did not play in Portland’s 106-95 victory in New Orleans on November 10 in the season opener. The Trail Blazers were playing in their second game of a back-to-back, and Lillard had just returned from a calf injury.

That night, Portland’s Jerami Grant scored 27 points, while the Pelicans’ Zion Williamson scored 29. After averaging 24 points in each of his previous two games against the Trail Blazers, McCollum only managed to score 13.

Williamson hasn’t played for the Pelicans since January 2 due to a sore hamstring. While he is out, New Orleans is just 7-18.

Additionally, the Pelicans will be without forward Larry Nance Jr. (ankle) and guard Jose Alvarado (lower leg). Both guard Josh Richardson (quadriceps) and center Jonas Valanciunas (calf) are listed as questionable.

The Pelicans are currently one half-game behind Portland for the final play-in berth in the Western Conference and have lost four of their last five games.

This is New Orleans’ sixth game in a series in which seven of eight games are played on the road.

The Pelicans failed to make the most of their one home game, falling to the Orlando Magic 101-93 on Monday night.

Brandon Ingram of New Orleans scored 25 points against Orlando, making it his eighth time in nine games that he has scored at least 25 points.

NBA Preview: NBA Preview: Los Angeles Lakers (29-33) at Oklahoma City Thunder (28-33)

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NBA Preview: NBA Preview: Los Angeles Lakers (29-33) at Oklahoma City Thunder (28-33)

LeBron James, a superstar player for the Los Angeles Lakers, became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer when the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers met for the first time three weeks ago.

When the two teams meet on Wednesday night in Oklahoma City, James will not be with the Lakers.

In Sunday’s victory over the Mavericks, James hurt his right foot and is expected to miss several weeks.

The Lakers lost 121-109 to Memphis on Tuesday, their first game without James.

The Lakers are one game out of a play-in spot going into Wednesday’s game. The Lakers are half a game ahead of the Thunder.

After winning three consecutive games, the Lakers lost on Tuesday. Austin Reaves contributed 17 points, and Anthony Davis and Lonnie Walker IV combined for 49 points to lead the scoring.

Memphis only forced six turnovers while Los Angeles turned the ball over 26 times.

The Lakers will play their final three games of a three-game road trip on Wednesday. They will then return to Los Angeles to play their next five games and 10 of their next 12 games at home.

The Lakers are still without James and D’Angelo Russell, who is expected to miss his third game in a row due to a sprained right ankle.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder’s best player, will also be absent.

Gilgeous-Alexander entered the league’s health and safety protocol on Tuesday after missing three games in a row due to an abdominal strain and soreness in his right ankle.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points in the Thunder’s 133-130 Oklahoma City victory over the Lakers on February 7 despite James taking center stage. Thunder rookie Jalen Williams also had a big game against the Lakers, scoring 25 points. Beginning with the victory in Los Angeles, Williams has scored an average of 18.3 points per game in his first eight games. In his first 49 games, he was scoring an average of 11.7 points per game.

Since the All-Star break, the Thunder have allowed at least 120 points in each of their first four games.

This season, the teams will play each other three times, the second of those times coming on Wednesday. On March 24, the show will come to an end in Los Angeles.

NBA Preview: Orlando Magic (26-36) at Milwaukee Bucks (44-17)

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NBA Preview: Orlando Magic (26-36) at Milwaukee Bucks (44-17)

In their most recent outing, the Milwaukee Bucks started slowly but eventually found their feet and extended their winning streak to 15 games.

When they take on the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night, the Bucks, who lead the NBA, will try to get off to a faster start.

On Tuesday, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 33 points and grabbed 15 rebounds as Milwaukee defeated the Brooklyn Nets 118-104. For the Bucks, who overcame a 15-point deficit by outscoring the Nets 66-42 in the second half, the two-time NBA MVP made 15 of 27 shots from the floor.

Khris Middleton, a reserve for Milwaukee, scored 18 points and had six assists, while Jrue Holiday scored 14 points and had eight, respectively. The Bucks’ current winning streak is the fourth longest in the franchise’s history, and it is only five wins short of matching the team’s winning streak from 1970 to 1971.

Milwaukee returns to its home turf, where it has won 10 games in a row and 26 of 31 games overall. The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Bucks 138-109 on Jan. 6 at Fiserv Forum.

In Milwaukee’s 109-102 victory over Orlando on Dec. 5, Antetokounmpo scored 34 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, while Holiday added 17 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds.

Franz Wagner led the Magic with 25 points in that game, and rookie Paolo Banchero led with 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists.

In the second half of Orlando’s 101-93 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, Banchero scored 20 of his 29 points, including three mid-range jumpers and two free throws in the final four minutes. He also helped set up Wagner’s floater, which clinched the victory with 24.2 seconds left.

Banchero also credited the focus on his team’s side of the court. After all, in eight of their past twelve games, the Magic have held their opponent to fewer than 110 points.

Jonathan Isaac could make his Orlando return to the lineup on Wednesday. After missing the previous two games because of a strained right hamstring, Isaac is listed as questionable to face Milwaukee.

NBA Preview: Memphis Grizzlies (37-23) at Houston Rockets (13-48)

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NBA Preview: Memphis Grizzlies (37-23) at Houston Rockets (13-48)

The Memphis Grizzlies have performed admirably away from the FedExForum throughout this season, despite how well they have done at home.

On Wednesday night, the Grizzlies will begin a four-game road trip with a matchup against the Houston Rockets, providing them with yet another opportunity to improve their road record.

On the road, the Grizzlies are 11-18, but they are 26-5 at home, where they beat the Los Angeles Lakers 121-109 on Tuesday. Before superstar Ja Morant took over, Memphis was three points behind at the half.

Memphis, which has won five of its last seven games, got 10 rebounds and 10 assists from Morant, who scored 28 of his 39 points in the third quarter.

In the victory, Xavier Tillman continued to impress, scoring 18 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane each scored 16 points.

In his three starts in place of injured center Steven Adams, Tillman has averaged 12.7 points and 10.0 rebounds.

After being out since late January with a PCL sprain in his right knee, Adams, who is averaging 8.6 points and 11.5 rebounds, may be close to returning.

Six of the last seven meetings with Houston have been won by the Grizzlies, including a 129-122 victory on Oct. 21.

After losing to the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday by a score of 133-112, the Rockets are now 10 games down. One game after allowing Damian Lillard to score a career-high 71 points in a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, Houston fell behind by as much as 26 points.

The play of leading scorer Jalen Green, who returned after missing two games with a groin strain, was one bright spot for Houston against Denver. In just 19 minutes, Green scored 17 points and had five assists.

As the season nears its end, the professional in his second year stated that his objectives are straightforward.

The anticipated return of guard Kevin Porter Jr., who has been out since January 11 with a bruised toe, should give Houston a boost on Wednesday.

Tari Eason, a rookie, is one of several promising building blocks on the team’s young roster. In the loss to Denver on Tuesday, the 6-foot-8 forward scored 17 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.

The Rockets are still focused on achieving their long-term objectives, despite losing 30 of their last 34 games.

NBA Preview: Brooklyn Nets (34-27) at New York Knicks (36-27)

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NBA Preview: Brooklyn Nets (34-27) at New York Knicks (36-27)

The Brooklyn Nets’ rise to NBA title contention included a prolonged period of dominance over their closest rival.

There may not be a better time than right now for the upcoming New York Knicks to begin writing a script of their own.

When the Knicks play Brooklyn on Wednesday night in the final game of the regular season between the two teams, they will want to continue their upswing and put more distance between themselves and the Nets.

Monday, the Knicks defeated the visiting Boston Celtics 109-94 to record their sixth victory in a row.

After losing 118-104 to the visiting Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, the Nets will play a back-to-back set.

The Knicks moved past the Nets into fifth place in the Eastern Conference with their win on Monday, which brought an exciting month to a close. Brooklyn is one game behind New York and one and a half games ahead of the seventh-place Miami Heat, which holds the final playoff spot that is guaranteed.

The Knicks went 9-2 in February, losing only to the host Philadelphia 76ers (119-108) and the Los Angeles Clippers (134-128 in overtime).

The Nets, whose nine-game winning streak in the Big Apple rivalry came to an end on Feb. 13 with a road loss of 124-106, have been the sole opponents on New York’s winning streak, which has been built entirely against teams that will enter Wednesday in a playoff or play-in tournament spot.

Over the past seven weeks, the Nets’ potential for a championship run has vanished. Brooklyn has gone 7-14 since reaching a season-high 14 games over.500 on January 8, when it traded Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant to complete the dismantling of its potential super team.

The Nets’ 2021 Eastern Conference semifinal defeat to the eventual NBA champion Bucks in seven games served as multiple reminders of what could have been. By making a game-tying jumper with his foot on the 3-point arc in Game 7, Durant forced overtime.

On Tuesday, the Nets took a 76-66 lead with just under seven minutes left in the third quarter thanks to a 10-0 run by Mikal Bridges, one of four starters Brooklyn got in the huge trades for Irving and Durant.

However, in a period-ending 25-9 run, the Bucks’ big three of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, and Khris Middleton scored 19 points together. Milwaukee won for the 15th time in a row, holding a lead of double digits for the final 8:56.

NBA Preview: Chicago Bulls (28-34) at Detroit Pistons (15-47)

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NBA Preview: Chicago Bulls (28-34) at Detroit Pistons (15-47)

The outcome of the Chicago Bulls vs. Detroit Pistons game remains the same regardless of where they play.

13 times in a row, Detroit has lost to its Central Division rival, most recently in Paris. When the Pistons take on Chicago on Wednesday, they will try to end that long run.

As recently as the 2018–19 season, Detroit prevailed in the series. That season, the Pistons won seven straight games against the Bulls, winning the four-game series.

The previous three seasons, Chicago won all three series. Additionally, the Bulls have won the first two games this season: On December 30, scores were 132-118 in Chicago and 126-108 in Paris. The teams will play one more time after the game on Wednesday, in the regular-season finale against Chicago on April 9.

The Pistons’ challenge this season is to win against any team. With a 15-47 record, they are last in the Eastern Conference and have lost five straight.

In Monday’s 117-106 road loss to the Charlotte Hornets, Detroit was without four starters. Bojan Bogdanovic, the team’s leading scorer, and big men Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart both missed time with various injuries. Jaden Ivey, a point guard, missed the game for personal reasons, and forward Isaiah Livers, a forward, missed the second half with a left ankle sprain.

On Wednesday, Bogdanovic and Ivey are expected to play again. Livers was listed as doubtful, and Duran and Stewart will once more sit out.

The Hornets outscored the Pistons 41-21 in the first quarter, shooting 51.8 percent from the field, and took control from the start.

On three-point tries, Detroit shot 11.5% (on three of 26 attempts).

At the trade deadline, Golden State Warriors center James Wiseman was acquired by Detroit. He scored 23 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the improvised starting lineup. Additionally, reserve Hamidou Diallo scored 23 points.

In his second game since fracturing his hand, Marvin Bagley III had 21 points and 12 rebounds to go along with a solid bench performance. In his first game back, he scored 21 points and grabbed 18 rebounds against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday.

Chicago will conclude a set of back-to-back performances. On Tuesday, the Bulls fell to Toronto 104-98, committing 20 turnovers that resulted in 21 Raptors points. Chicago had six offensive rebounds, while Toronto had 19 as well.

The Bulls were led by Nikola Vucevic, who scored 23 points. Zach LaVine scored 17 points, seven fewer than his season average, and DeMar DeRozan scored just 13 points, 12 fewer than his average.

Chicago didn’t get as many chances to score because it was outrebounded 47-35.

NBA Preview: Philadelphia Sixers (39-21) Miami Heat (33-29)

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NBA Preview: Philadelphia Sixers (39-21) Miami Heat (33-29)

What’s in store for his Philadelphia 76ers was perfectly summed up by star guard James Harden.

Starting with their game against the Heat on Wednesday, the 76ers will travel to Miami to play 12 of their 17 March games.

It will be a rematch of Miami’s victory over Philadelphia on Monday, which they won 101-99.

Harden missed a 3-pointer from behind the rim just before the final buzzer and had a chance to win that game.

The close game on Monday was not surprising. In addition, during the 2021–2022 regular season, the teams split four games.

However, the Heat defeated the 76ers in six games in the Eastern Conference semifinals of last year.

Jimmy Butler scored the winning basket for Miami on Monday, spinning between two defenders to make an acrobatic layup with 1:28 remaining.

Butler had a game-high four steals and a close to triple-double at the conclusion: 11 rebounds, 23 points, and 9 assists

Butler has always been the leader of Miami, but the fact that Heat point guard Kyle Lowry has missed nine games in a row because of an injury to his left knee makes him even more significant.

Six-time All-Star Butler played for the 76ers in 55 regular-season games and 12 playoff games in 2018-2019. However, he has been a much better fit for the Heat. He leads Miami in scoring this season with 21.9 points, free throws made per game (8.2), and steals with 2.0.

Bam Adebayo (21.2) and Tyler Herro (20.5) are the other two elite scorers in Miami. However, they were both absent from Monday’s game against the 76ers. Adebayo hit 4-of-14 shots for 13 points. Herro was held to three-for-13 shooting for eight points.

Joel Embiid, the 76ers’ star center, had a game-high 27 points on 10-for-17 shooting and a game-high 12 rebounds, which may have contributed to Adebayo’s performance.

Embiid, who has been an All-Star in each of the past six seasons, had a career-best scoring average of 33.0 points per game going into Tuesday, placing him second in the NBA behind Dallas’ Luka Doncic (33.1). While shooting 53.2 percent from the field and 86.0 percent from the foul line, Embiid also leads the 76ers in rebounds (10.4).

Harden is second on the 76ers in scoring and leads the NBA in assists (10.7). He shoots 39.3% from three-point range and 86.4 percent from the foul line.

Doc Rivers, the 76ers’ coach, is undoubtedly dissatisfied with his team’s current two-game losing streak despite the star duo’s contributions.

Prior to Wednesday’s rematch, Harden stated that he and his teammates would hear from Rivers during a film session.

NBA Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers (39-25) at Boston Celtics (44-18)

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NBA Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers (39-25) at Boston Celtics (44-18)

Since the Boston Celtics haven’t been very successful against Cleveland this season, they’re hoping for better luck when they play host to the visiting Cavaliers on Wednesday night.

This season, Boston and Cleveland have met twice, and the Cavaliers won both games in overtime. On Oct. 28, Cleveland defeated Boston 132-123, and on Nov. 2, Cleveland defeated Boston 114-113.

The last time the teams played, Darius Garland had 29 points and 12 assists. That victory featured 25 points from Donovan Mitchell.

Cleveland beat Toronto 118-93 on Sunday to end a three-game losing streak and Mitchell, who is averaging a team-high 27.2 points per game, scored 35 points. In the victory, Mitchell missed one of his eight 3-point attempts from his career high. Jarrett Allen scored 23 points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for Cleveland. Garland and Evan Mobley each scored 18 points in the final game.

This season, the Cavaliers have stopped an opponent from scoring more than 100 points for the 20th time. In that regard, Cleveland is ahead of the NBA.

The New York Knicks defeated Boston 109-94 on the road on Monday night. When Jayson Tatum claimed he was fouled on a 3-point attempt during the fourth quarter, he received his second technical foul and was disqualified from the game. He had never been kicked out of an NBA game before.

The Celtics missed 20 of their first 22 attempts at the three-point line and shot just 21.4% (9 of 42) from behind the arc, which was a season low. Boston’s three-game winning streak was ended by the defeat.

In the game, the Knicks attempted 34 free throws. Boston had 14 endeavors.

Tatum, who is scoring 30.1 points per game, had 14 points, 9 assists, and 7 rebounds in the end. The Celtics, who were without Jaylen Brown due to personal reasons, had Malcolm Brogdon score a team-high 22 points.

Brown is expected to participate in the Cavaliers’ game on Wednesday, according to Mazzulla. Brown scored 30 points to lead the Celtics against Cleveland in Boston’s most recent game.

NBA Preview: Phoenix Suns (33-29) at Charlotte Hornets (20-43)

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NBA Preview: Phoenix Suns (33-29) at Charlotte Hornets (20-43)

Kevin Durant is expected to make his Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday against the Charlotte Hornets on the road.

Since spraining his MCL on Jan. 8, Durant, who Phoenix acquired from the Brooklyn Nets at the trade deadline, has not played. Durant’s participation in the Suns’ current four-game road trip with the team was confirmed by the team on Tuesday.

Before suffering his injury, the 13-time NBA All-Star and two-time Finals MVP was averaging 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists across 39 games.

After winning five of its previous six games, Phoenix has lost two of those games. It lost to the Milwaukee Bucks 104-101 on Sunday to kick off its road trip.

After returning from a five-week absence as a result of a groin injury, Devin Booker scored more than 20 points in four of the six games he played in February. Phoenix has averaged 18.5 points per game over the last six games thanks to Josh Okogie.

Phoenix’s forward T.J. Warren, who was acquired in exchange for Durant, has not played in the past two games. When Durant changes into his uniform, playing time may become more difficult.

During their five-game winning streak, the Hornets have been flying high, but now they will have to deal with a lineup change during their best stretch of the season.

LaMelo Ball, the point guard, is out with a broken right ankle from Monday night.

Ball left the game after suffering a non-contact injury in the third quarter of a 117-106 victory over the Detroit Pistons. He had scored 18 points on six 3-pointers. When it was later revealed that he had suffered a fracture, the medical results seemed to catch everyone off guard.

Dennis Smith Jr. is likely to be added to the Hornets’ starting point guard position. Monday night, Smith had seven assists, which was a team high.

Ball, who has been injured for nearly half of the team’s games, scores an average of 23.3 points per game, leading the team.

The Hornets’ backcourt partner Terry Rozier, who averages 21.4 points per game, ranks second only to Ball.

The Suns defeated Charlotte 128-97 at home on January 24.

Boxing: Big RDR Promotions Card Set for This Saturday

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Boxing: Big RDR Promotions Card Set for This Saturday

Isaiah Johnson vs Antonio Sanchez in Main Event; Plus Undefeated Nimal Farmer, Erron Peterson and Najeem Johns 9 Fight Card

NEWTOWN PA – This Saturday Night, March 4th, RDR Promotions will present a huge night of boxing at The Newtown Athletic Club in Newtown, Pennsylvania.

In the featured six-round bout, rising and undefeated junior welterweight Isaiah Johnson will take on veteran Antonio Sanchez.

Johnson of New Jersey has had an explosive start to his career as he is 6-0 with five knockouts. The 20 year-old Johnson is coming off a six-round unanimous decision over William Parra Smith on October 22, 2022 in Philadelphia.

Sanchez of Toa Alta, Puerto Rico is 7-15-3 with three knockouts. He has quality wins on his resume over Carlos Lopez (4-0), Bernard Leon Figueroa (10-1) and Courtney Jackson (21-3).

In a six-round bout, Roberto Gomez faces veteran Oscar Barajas in a junior welterweight bout.

Gomez of Mexico is 5-1 with five knockouts. Gomez is coming off a shocking stoppage win over Quadir Albright (6-0) on October 1, 2022 in Philadelphia.

Barajas of Zamora, Mexico is 18-8-1 with eight knockouts. The 32 year-old Barajas had defeated Roxie Lam (7-1) as well Edgardo Navarrete Correa (11-2). Barajas has developed into a “Philly-Killer” as he has defeated two favorites from the City of Brotherly Love in Jerome Conquest and Damon Allen (16-1-1).

In Four-Round Bouts:

Nimal Farmer (2-0, 2 KOs) of Lindenwold, NJ takes on Boris Nde (4-1, 1 KO) of Harrisburg, PA in a welterweight contest.

Dominique Mayfield (2-1) of Philadelphia takes on Jerome Aiken (1-6-1, 1 KO) of Annapolis, MD in a heavyweight bout.

Ghandi Romain of Union City, NJ will make his pro debut against Jeremiah Kendrick (1-3, 1 KO) of Philadelphia in a super welterweight bout.

Erron Peterson (3-0, 2 KOs) of Philadelphia battles Tariq Green (2-2) of Philadelphia in a middleweight clash.

Najeem Johns (2-0, 2 KOs) of Darby, PA tussles with Raekwon Butler (5-4.3 KOs) of Brooklyn, NY in a super lightweight battle.

Brendan O’Callaghan (4-1-1, 1 KO) of Philadelphia takes on Soslan Alborov (1-1-1, 1 KO) of Philadelphia in a super welterweight fight.

Jonathan Wiles (0-2) of Philadelphia will take on debuting Ali Ellis of Philadelphia in a heavyweight battle.

First Bout at 5 PM ET

The Newtown Athletic Club is located at 120 Pheasant, Newtown PA 18940

Tickets are $200, $100, $75 and $50 and can be purchased at The Following Link

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

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