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Old School Meets New School
LeBron James is facing off against the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day once again. This time, it will be as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. James switched teams in free agency this offseason and while most don’t expect the Lakers to compete for the title they could change perceptions with a big win in this one....
The Eastern Conference is packed tightly with contenders at the top. The Toronto Raptors are currently in the catbird’s seat but there are plenty of teams on their heels. One of them is the Philadelphia 76ers, and these teams will face off this week in a critical regular season showdown....
Two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference meet on Friday night, as the Milwaukee Bucks visit the Boston Celtics. It is very tightly bunched at the top of the Eastern Conference, as five teams are within just a few games of the top spot. Each team will have had just one day to get ready for this game, as the Bucks were home against New Orleans on Wednesday, while the Celtics were home against Phoenix on Wednesday. Let’s look at the matchup and NBA picks....
The Los Angeles Lakers are favored at home on Friday night, as they host the New Orleans Pelicans on ESPN. The Pelicans have been a bit of a disappointment so far this season, as they come into this game below .500 and out of a playoff spot. They will have a tough matchup on Friday against a Los Angeles team that is just a few games out of the top spot in the Western Conference. Let’s look at the matchup and NBA picks....
The Los Angeles Clippers got off to a blazing start this season but many were wondering if they could keep it up. Those fears have been well-founded as Los Angeles has not been playing very well of late. The Clippers will aim to turn it around in a matchup against the Dallas Mavericks this week....
The Houston Rockets sputtered badly early in the season, but they have finally started to look better lately. The Rockets have used a modest winning streak to get over .500 on the season and they hope to stay sizzling in a matchup against the Miami Heat....
There are six teams within two games of each other at the top of the Western Conference standings. It’s not a surprise that the Golden State Warriors are among them, but so too are the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies have surprised many by their hot start and would really turn some heads if they can somehow steal a road win over the defending champion Warriors....
The Western Conference is extremely muddled a quarter of the way through the season, but near the top of the pack are both the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets. While it may not be realistic for them to beat out the Warriors for the top seed, the No. 2 spot is wide open and each side would love to claim it as they face off this week....
The Philadelphia 76ers have been nearly unstoppable at home this season, which has kept them among the top team in the Eastern Conference despite some road woes. Philly is at home again this week in a tough game against the Indiana Pacers....
The Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns both made high picks in the draft and hoped their selections could start altering their franchise’s fortunes. While it’s still early, Dallas seems to have played it right. The Mavericks are off to a nice start in large part due to star rookie Luka Doncic, who was acquired in a draft night trade from the Hawks. The Suns had the No. 1 overall pick and took DeAndre Ayton but have fared no better this season. The Suns will host the Mavericks this week and will t...
If the Houston Rockets have designs of turning the season around and becoming a true contender in the Western Conference, they better start soon. The team that made the Western Conference Finals a season ago is not looking like that caliber in the 2018-19 season. Houston is under .500 still and outside the playoff picture, so every win at this point is huge. The Rockets will host the Los Angeles Lakers this week in a pivotal Western Conference showdown....
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s slow start to the season seems like a long time ago, as they have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA over the past several weeks. The Thunder has zoomed up near the top of the Western Conference standings and will look to keep it rolling this week against the New Orleans Pelicans....
The Los Angeles Clippers have surprised nearly everyone with their hot start to the season, as they sit in third place in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. There is still a lot of people dubious about their ability to keep it up and the Clippers will have a big chance to prove themselves more this week when they host the Toronto Raptors....
When the Golden State Warriors are healthy and rolling, there isn’t a team in the NBA that can stop them. After a clunky beginning to the year, that’s where the defending champions feel like they are now. Golden State has surged back to the top of the Western Conference and will welcome the talented Toronto Raptors to town this week....
It is no surprise to see the Philadelphia 76ers near the top of the Eastern Conference standings. It was not expected for the Detroit Pistons to be right behind them in the standings. Detroit has looked good on the young season and a win over Philly this week would be another big boost. The 76ers are the more talented team but on the road so this one could be a competitive matchup....
The Golden State Warriors have Stephen Curry back in the fold, and are hoping to start solidifying themselves atop the Western Conference standings. Injuries have taken their toll but this is still the team to beat in the NBA, and Golden State will aim to prove that in a major matchup this week against the Milwaukee Bucks....
The Houston Rockets and Utah Jazz both feel like they belong in the group of teams expected to give the Warriors the best run for their money in the Western Conference playoffs this season. They better start showing it....
The Boston Celtics are off to a slower-than-expected start, and with the way some of their Eastern Conference brethren is playing, there is a concern the team could go into the playoffs with one of the middle seeds. Boston has eyes on a championship and needs to pick up its level of play for that to become realistic. The Celtics have been on a nice run of late and should have ample chance to continue it when facing off against the New York Knicks this week....
Now that LeBron James is in the Western Conference, the East will have a new champion this year. Two of the main contenders are the Philadelphia 76ers and Toronto Raptors, and they will face off this week in an early-season barometer of where each team stands. The Raptors have the best record in the NBA, as their trade for star forward Kawhi Leonard this offseason proved prescient....
The San Antonio Spurs lost star forward Kawhi Leonard this offseason and said goodbye to longtime stalwarts Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. Even so, there was always the feeling the organization would be fine because coach Gregg Popovich remained and the team had such a tradition of excellence....
The Oklahoma City Thunder began the season slowly but has been able to turn it on of late. They are in a big mix of teams near the top of the Western Conference, just a game back of the Clippers and Warriors. The Thunder believes it has as good of a chance as anyone to give Golden State a run for its money in the playoffs....
It’s looking there was some addition by subtraction for the Minnesota Timberwolves. After a drama-filled start to the season, the T-Wolves have played much better since the trade of disgruntled Jimmy Butler to the 76ers. The Timberwolves have won three consecutive games and will look to stay hot when they host the Boston Celtics in a game this week....
The Denver Nuggets barely missed out on the playoffs a season ago but look poised to finish among the top teams in the Western Conference this year. The Nuggets are off to a nice start and have a key game this week when they hit the road to face off against the Portland Trail Blazers....
The Houston Rockets expected to be championship contenders once again in the 2018-19 season. Right now, they aren’t even in line to make the playoffs. It has been a slow start for the Rockets, who will aim to turn things around this week against the San Antonio Spurs....
The Los Angeles Clippers are the most pleasant surprise of the NBA through the first quarter of the schedule, as they are keeping pace with everybody in the Western Conference. The Clippers are short on superstar talent but the team has come together beautifully as it hopes to compete for a playoff berth. The Clippers will hit the road this week for a matchup against another better-than-expected team in the Sacramento Kings....
