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NBA Preview: Los Angeles Clippers (13-9) at Utah Jazz (12-11)

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NBA Preview: Los Angeles Clippers (13-9) at Utah Jazz (12-11)

Despite being short-handed, the Los Angeles Clippers picked up a pair of solid victories heading into their Wednesday night game against the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City. Those outcomes included particularly impressive performances from two different players.

On Sunday, Ivica Zubac had a Wilt Chamberlain-like outing in a 114-100 win over the Indiana Pacers, scoring a season-high 31 points while hauling in a career-high 29 rebounds. He needed one more rebound to produce the third 30-point, 30-rebound game in the NBA in 40 years.

It was Norman Powell’s turn Tuesday night in Portland.

Facing his former team, Powell scored 22 of his season-best 32 points in the fourth quarter of the Clippers’ 118-112 victory over the Trail Blazers. Powell made 7 of 9 field-goal attempts in the final 12 minutes to help Los Angeles overcome the absence of injured Paul George (hamstring), Kawhi Leonard (ankle), Luke Kennard (calf) and John Wall (knee).

Powell’s monster showing was instrumental in allowing the Clippers to overturn Portland’s 18-point, third-quarter lead.

The Clippers have won five of seven games despite the injuries to key players. Powell believes they can keep it going in Utah despite the quick turnaround.

The Jazz haven’t fared as well without one of their biggest contributors. Utah has lost five in a row without point guard Mike Conley, who has been sidelined due to a left-knee injury and won’t play again Wednesday.

Utah had a challenging schedule leading up its current six-game homestead, which began with a 114-107 setback to the Chicago Bulls on Monday.

Hardy is hopeful that Jazz players will benefit from being at home after playing 10 of their past 15 games on the road.

Hardy emphasized that his team needs to play physically and energetically for a full 48 minutes, which didn’t happen against Chicago, leading to Lauri Markkanen’s 32-point, nine-rebound performance being spoiled.

NBA Preview: Chicago Bulls (9-11) at Phoenix Suns (14-6)

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NBA Preview: Chicago Bulls (9-11) at Phoenix Suns (14-6)

Everything is coming together for the Phoenix Suns, who look to extend their winning streak to six games when they face the visiting Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.

Even with point guard Chris Paul sidelined, the Suns have looked unstoppable as of late. Three-time All-Star Devin Booker is a major reason why.

Booker had 44 points, eight rebounds and six steals in a 122-117 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Monday.

Booker is averaging 27.9 points on 47.0 percent shooting for the Suns, who boast the Western Conference’s best record at 14-6.

Paul has missed the past 10 games due to right heel soreness and is listed as day-to-day. Phoenix has gone 7-3 during that stretch with Cameron Payne starting in Paul’s place.

The Suns have won their last five meetings against Chicago, which is 2-1 midway through its six-game road trip.

DeMar DeRozan scored 26 points to lead the Bulls to a 114-107 victory over the Utah Jazz on Monday. Zach LaVine added 20 points, and Nikola Vucevic tallied 16 points and nine rebounds.

Chicago head coach Billy Donovan was impressed by his team’s performance in the final minutes.

The Bulls also received a spark off the bench from guard Coby White. The fourth-year pro scored 15 points against Utah and is shooting 9 of 17 from 3-point range over the last three games.

Patrick Williams was held to five points and five rebounds in Monday’s victory, but the 6-foot-7 forward has played well in recent weeks.

Williams, the fourth pick from the 2020 draft, has averaged 10.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots in 13 games this month.

The Bulls will need a strong effort from Williams against Phoenix, which is 11-1 at home this season.

In addition to defending Booker, Chicago will need to contend with Suns center Deandre Ayton.

The reigning Western Conference Player of the Week posted a career-best sixth consecutive double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds in Monday’s win over Sacramento.

Ayton has taken on a greater role in his fifth season as one of the Suns’ leaders.

NBA Preview: Houston Rockets (5-15) at Denver Nuggets (13-7)

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NBA Preview: Houston Rockets (5-15) at Denver Nuggets (13-7)

There is a belief that people should not meet their heroes, and Houston’s Alperen Sengun found out why Monday night.

Sengun, 20, idolized Nikola Jokic while honing his basketball skills and got a chance to see him up close when the Rockets played the Denver Nuggets on Monday. Jokic dropped 32 points on Houston, many of those coming while Sengun was guarding him, in a 129-113 win over the Rockets.

The two teams play again in Denver on Wednesday night.

Sengun played against the Nuggets twice last season, his rookie year, but Monday he got extended time defending the two-time MVP. He held his own, scoring 18 points, but lost the matchup — personally and as a team.

But he expressed that he wasn’t disappointed.

Houston had won two in a row before Monday, its first winning streak of the season, but couldn’t stay with Denver in the second half. Jokic was a big part of it, as was Jamal Murray, who scored a season-high 31 points.

It was the most points he has scored since March 2021, a month before he suffered a torn ACL in his left knee that kept him sidelined until this season.

The Rockets had trouble stopping Murray, who was a big catalyst in the third quarter when the Nuggets pulled away. Houston guard Kevin Porter Jr. said Murray is a tough matchup for anyone.

Denver is getting healthier but won’t have Michael Porter Jr. (heel) or Jeff Green (knee) available for the rematch against the Rockets. Ish Smith is back from his calf injury and had eight assists in the win.

Playing a second game in three days in the same city has a playoff aura to it, but it also gives Houston a chance to get more acclimated to the altitude. Kevin Porter Jr. said he could feel the effects of the thin air and sticking around will help.

It will give Sengun a second shot at getting the better of his idol, too, now that the nerves of playing against Jokic are past him.

NBA Preview: San Antonio Spurs (6-15) at Oklahoma City Thunder (8-13)

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NBA Preview: San Antonio Spurs (6-15) at Oklahoma City Thunder (8-13)

Even in the middle of an eight-game losing streak — tied for the fourth-longest in franchise history — San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich remains high on his team’s fight.

The Spurs will attempt to break the losing streak against the host Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.

Tre Jones has been one of the bright spots recently for San Antonio.

Jones is coming off a 23-point, 13-assist performance in the Spurs’ 143-138 home loss to the Lakers on Saturday night. Both numbers were career highs.

In the last two games, the third-year guard is 16 of 26 (61.5 percent) from the floor. Jones is averaging 12.2 points and 7.1 assists per game — both more than double his previous career highs.

The Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has scored 30 or more points in five consecutive games since scoring a season-low 15 in a loss to Memphis on Nov. 18.

Gilgeous-Alexander is shooting 41.9 percent from the floor during that stretch, down nearly 12 percent from where he was shooting in his first 15 games of the season.

But Gilgeous-Alexander is making up for it by getting to the free-throw line more consistently. He’s averaging 13.4 free-throw attempts per game during the recent stretch.

In Monday’s loss at New Orleans, Gilgeous-Alexander attempted a career-high 18 free throws.

The Thunder have lost two consecutive games and five of their last six.

A pair of Spurs — Jakob Poeltl and Jeremy Sochan — left Saturday’s game with quad injuries and are not expected to play in Wednesday’s game.

With those two out, San Antonio waived Jordan Hall and signed Alize Johnson to bolster their frontcourt.

The Spurs’ Josh Richardson has missed the last three games with a sprained right ankle while Keita Bates-Diop missed Saturday’s game with an ankle injury.

Wednesday is the lone home game in an eight-game stretch for Oklahoma City. The Thunder begin a five-game road trip Saturday in Minnesota.

For the Spurs, it’s the only road game in a seven-game stretch.

Wednesday’s meeting is the first of three this season between the teams. The Spurs won three of four last season.

NBA Preview: Toronto Raptors (11-9) at New Orleans Pelicans (12-8)

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NBA Preview: Toronto Raptors (11-9) at New Orleans Pelicans (12-8)

The Toronto Raptors finally got Pascal Siakam back.

The New Orleans Pelicans will have to wait a little longer for Brandon Ingram’s return as they host the Raptors on Wednesday night.

Siakam returned from a 10-game absence due to a strained right adductor to score 18 points and grab 11 rebounds in Toronto’s 100-88 home victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday.

Toronto did decent during the absence of its leading scorer, splitting the 10 games. Against Cleveland, O.G. Anunoby added 20 points, Gary Trent Jr. scored 14, Fred VanVleet had 13 and Scottie Barnes 11. Siakam made 7 of 14 field goals, including 1 of 3 3-pointers.

Barnes, the NBA Rookie of the Year last season, also returned from injury against Cleveland. He had missed two games because of a sprained left knee.

Pelicans coach Willie Green said after practice Tuesday that Ingram (toe) will not play against the Raptors. The team’s second-leading scorer sat out a 105-101 home victory against Oklahoma City on Monday, three days after sustaining the injury in a loss at Memphis.

Green said that three other players that missed Monday’s game — CJ McCollum (health and safety protocols), Larry Nance Jr. (shoulder) and Naji Marshall (non-COVID illness) — are questionable for Wednesday.

Despite being short-handed, New Orleans had five scorers in double figures against the Thunder.

Zion Williamson scored 23 points, including a go-ahead basket in the final minute, and tied a career high with eight assists and added eight rebounds.

Trey Murphy III added 20 points, Jose Alvarado had 15, Herbert Jones scored 12 and Willy Hernangomez 10.

Green said the victory with a short-handed roster was the type of game “we relish.”

Even with the absences, Green still used 10 players, nine of whom scored at least four points.

NBA Preview: Memphis Grizzlies (12-8) at Minnesota Timberwolves (10-11)

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NBA Preview: Memphis Grizzlies (12-8) at Minnesota Timberwolves (10-11)

The Minnesota Timberwolves will face a tall task in their bid to snap their third three-game losing skid of the season on Wednesday when they face the Memphis Grizzlies in Minneapolis.

The Timberwolves will be without Karl-Anthony Towns, who the team said on Tuesday is sidelined indefinitely with a right calf strain and will be reassessed in several weeks. The three-time All-Star forward sustained a non-contact injury while turning to run up the floor during the third quarter of Minnesota’s 142-127 loss to the Washington Wizards on Monday.

Towns, 27, has averaged 20.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists while starting all 21 games this season for Minnesota.

With Towns sidelined, the Timberwolves likely will lean even more on third-year guard Anthony Edwards and offseason acquisition Rudy Gobert. Edwards recorded 29 points and eight rebounds on Monday while Gobert contributed 19 and seven, respectively.

The Timberwolves also will need to figure out how to put the clamps on their extremely generous defense. Minnesota surrendered a then-season-high 137 points to Golden State on Sunday before Washington did the Warriors five better the following night.

Enter the Grizzlies, who have averaged scoring 129.5 points during their modest two-game winning streak.

Ja Morant tied a franchise record with his fifth career triple-double on Sunday. He collected 27 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds in Memphis’ 127-123 win over the New York Knicks.

A winded Morant tipped his hat to both the Knicks and his teammates in his postgame interview with Bally Sports.

Morant nearly had another triple-double on Nov. 11 after recording 28 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in the Grizzlies’ 114-103 victory over the Timberwolves.

Dillon Brooks recorded 23 points and five rebounds on Sunday and Jaren Jackson Jr. added 21 and five, respectively. Brooks scored 21 points in his previous encounter with Minnesota.

Edwards made 10 of 16 shots from the floor — including 3 of 4 from 3-point range — to finish with a team-high 28 points to pace the Timberwolves in the first game against the Grizzlies.

NBA Preview: Milwaukee Bucks (14-5) at New York Knicks (10-11)

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NBA Preview: Milwaukee Bucks (14-5) at New York Knicks (10-11)

On Julius Randle’s birthday, the New York Knicks’ forward and his teammates received the gift of playing an undermanned Detroit Pistons squad on Tuesday.

The Knicks may not find as generous an opponent on Wednesday night when they complete a back-to-back set by hosting the Milwaukee Bucks.

Randle had his best game of the season as the Knicks rolled to their most lopsided victory of the campaign, a 140-110 thrashing of the host Pistons. The Bucks most recently played Sunday, when they completed a 3-1 homestand by beating the Dallas Mavericks 124-115.

Randle, who turned 28 on Tuesday, finished with 36 points, exceeding his previous season high of 34 set against the Denver Nuggets on Nov. 16. The Knicks posted their biggest margin of victory since a 118-88 win over the Orlando Magic on April 3 and produced their highest point total since a 140-121 win over the Sacramento Kings on Feb. 25, 2021.

The win was the third for New York this season over the NBA-worst Pistons, who were without Cade Cunningham (left shin) for an 11th straight game as they dropped their third in a row. The nature of the rout also provided some much-needed rest for Randle, who sat out the fourth quarter, and relief for the Knicks following a pair of narrow home losses.

New York guard Jalen Brunson missed the potential game-winning shots in the final seconds of regulation in both a 132-129 overtime loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday and a 127-123 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.

Only the Boston Celtics are doing a better job of stacking wins than the Bucks, who sit two games behind the Celtics in the early-season race for the best record in the NBA.

The Bucks’ current two-game winning streak marks the first time they have posted back-to-back victories since opening the season 9-0. Milwaukee lost four of six before beating another Eastern Conference contender, the Cleveland Cavaliers, 117-102 on Friday.

The Bucks outscored the Cavaliers 65-39 in the second half and carried the momentum into Sunday, when they never trailed while beating the Mavericks.

Milwaukee got double-doubles against Dallas from superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo (30 points, 11 rebounds) and reserve Bobby Portis (15 points, 10 rebounds), and the Bucks also benefited from Grayson Allen draining his first seven 3-point attempts on his way to finishing with 25 points.

The Bucks’ defense limited Luka Doncic, the NBA’s leading scorer, to 27 points. It was just the fifth time this season that Doncic scored less than 30 points.

NBA Preview: Washington Wizards (11-10) at Brooklyn Nets (11-11)

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NBA Preview: Washington Wizards (11-10) at Brooklyn Nets (11-11)

While Kevin Durant needed 39 minutes to score a season-high 45 points on Monday, Kristaps Porzingis produced a career-high 41 points and required only 31 minutes.

Those players who are coming off big games will oppose each other when Durant’s Brooklyn Nets host Porzingis’ Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.

Durant is coming off his eighth 40-point game with the Nets and 63rd of his career on Monday when the Nets recorded a 109-102 victory over the Orlando Magic.

Durant’s big game gave the Nets a second straight win on their season-high seven-game homestand, a fifth win in seven games and a fourth straight home win.

Durant made 19 of 24 shots from the field, resulting in a season-high 79.2 shooting percentage. He was 8-of-9 shooting in the third quarter, when he scored 19 points, and then added nine points in the fourth to help fend off the Magic.

Because of their slow start to the season, the Nets often possess a must-win mentality. Before Monday, Durant’s previous season-high scoring was 37 — twice — but Brooklyn lost both times as part of its 1-5 start. His 45-point showing moved Brooklyn to 11-11, marking the second time it has reached the .500 mark. The last time was at 1-1.

Durant’s big night occurred as the Nets lost Ben Simmons to a sore left knee early in the second quarter. Simmons missed four games (Oct. 31-Nov. 5) with the same ailment and could be out Wednesday.

Washington is 7-4 in its past 11 games and is coming off its best offensive showing of the season when it snapped a three-game losing streak by shooting 57.1 percent and hitting 15 3-pointers in a 142-127 victory over the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday.

Porzingis produced his second career 40-point game and first since Nov. 5, 2017, for the New York Knicks against Indiana. He scored 29 in the first half and shot 12 of 18 from the field during a game in which Washington never trailed and led by as many as 28.

Kuzma added 23 while Bradley Beal contributed 22 Monday. Beal also hit 9 of 14 from the field and is shooting 54 percent in six games since returning from missing five in the health and safety protocol.

Brooklyn won the first meeting this season 128-86 on Nov. 4 in Washington when it shot 55.6 percent from the field. Durant scored 28 and Porzingis was held to 14.

NBA Preview: Miami Heat (10-11) at Boston Celtics (17-4)

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NBA Preview: Miami Heat (10-11) at Boston Celtics (17-4)

The Boston Celtics can stretch their home winning streak to 10 games when they meet the Miami Heat on Wednesday night.

Despite being without injured guard Jaylen Brown (neck stiffness) and center Al Horford (back), the Celtics turned in what may have been their best offensive performance of the season when they beat the depleted Charlotte Hornets 140-105 on Monday night.

Charlotte was missing five players because of injuries.

Jayson Tatum scored a game-high 35 points for the Celtics, who received 22 points and a career-high 15 assists from point guard Marcus Smart. Teammate Malcolm Brogdon added 21 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the field in nearly 23 minutes of playing time.

This will be the second meeting of the season between the teams that met in last season’s Eastern Conference finals, won in seven games by the Celtics.

Boston recorded a 111-104 road win over the Heat on Oct. 21 behind 29 points from Tatum and 28 from Brown.

Miami is 2-7 away from home this season but posted a rare road win by beating the Atlanta Hawks 106-98 on Sunday night. The Heat had lost seven straight road games before that victory.

Miami’s Bam Adebayo had a team-high 32 points and eight rebounds against the Hawks. Martin added 20 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and one blocked shot.

The Heat played without Jimmy Butler, who has missed the past six games with a knee injury but is expected to return Wednesday. Miami enters Wednesday’s contest having won three in a row.

Miami played a zone for much of Sunday’s game and forced Atlanta to shoot from the perimeter. The Hawks were 10 for 36 (27.8 percent) from behind the 3-point line.

That defensive strategy may not work against the Celtics, who made 24 3-pointers during Monday’s win against Charlotte. Early this month, Boston set a franchise record by making 27 3-pointers in a 133-118 victory over the New York Knicks.

The Celtics recorded 40 assists during their win against Charlotte — the most they’ve had in a game since 2008. Smart had eight of his 15 assists in the opening quarter.

NBA Preview: Atlanta Hawks (11-10) at Orlando Magic (5-16)

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NBA Preview: Atlanta Hawks (11-10) at Orlando Magic (5-16)

Someone is going to end their losing streak on Wednesday night when the Atlanta Hawks visit the Orlando Magic.

The Hawks have lost three in a row after Monday’s 104-101 defeat in Philadelphia. Orlando has dropped five straight after a 109-102 loss at Brooklyn on the same night.

Atlanta’s skid is its longest of the season; Orlando also lost five in a row to open the season.

This will be the second of four meetings between the two teams this season. Atlanta prevailed 108-98 in the first contest on Oct. 21. The Hawks have won two in a row against the Magic dating to last season.

Both teams had trouble against the opposition’s top player on Monday. Atlanta allowed Joel Embiid to score 30 points, including Philadelphia’s last 11 points. Orlando couldn’t stop Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant, who scored a season-high 45 points.

Wagner was a bright spot in the game. He scored 21, while Paolo Banchero and Bol Bol each scored 24.

Banchero leads the Magic in scoring average (22.9 points a game) and has 20-plus points in 10 games. Wagner is averaging 19.5 points and has scored at least 20 in 12 games. Bol averages 13.5 points and has six double-doubles.

The Magic had only four reserves available on Monday, including two-way contract players Admiral Schofield and Kevon Harris. Orlando could get Mo Bamba (back spasms) back on Wednesday.

Wendell Carter Jr. (plantar fascia strain), Jalen Suggs (ankle soreness), Chuma Okeke (knee soreness), Cole Anthony (oblique), Markelle Fultz (toe) and Terrence Ross (illness) all missed Monday’s game. Okeke, who was upgraded to questionable, is the most likely to return.

The Hawks have not found a way to close during their three-game skid. They had a double-digit lead in each game but couldn’t win. On Monday, the problem was turnovers: Atlanta had 20, including six in the final quarter.

Trae Young leads the team in scoring (27.7 ppg) but has back-to-back games of 22 and 18 points after his 44-point effort against Houston on Friday. Young had 10 assists against the Sixers and is averaging 25.3 points and 7.4 assists in 14 career games against Orlando.

The Hawks benefited from the return of Clint Capela, who missed two games with dental pain. He averages 11 points and 12.1 rebounds a game. John Collins has seen a surge in production and has 36 points and 22 rebounds over the past two games.

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