BASKETBALL NBA ARTICLES

It’s still a struggle for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who finish off a four-game road trip with a tilt against the Charlotte Hornets. The consensus pick to topple the field in the Eastern Conference, the Cavs have had a difficult time defending in the early going of the season and find themselves around the .500 mark a month into the campaign. We’ve seen the Cavs deal with constant roster shifts and they are still waiting for the return of Isaiah Thomas, but LeBron James is carrying the team like he’s always done.... 

A road game against a disciplined San Antonio squad is not easy, the Milwaukee will definitely need to play one of its best games of the year in order to escape with the win. The Spurs have some tough competition in the Western Conference and can use all of these early-season wins as they figure to be jockeying for playoff seeding all year.This war on the floor will go down Friday, November 10, 2017, at 9 p.m. ET at AT&T Center. The game will be televised live on ESPN.... 

Oklahoma City will look to pick up a victory on the road this week in a matchup with the Denver Nuggets. It won’t be easy, as Denver has won four of its past six games and has the advantage of playing this one at home. The Thunder has the star power but this game could definitely go either way because it’s not easy for opposing teams to play in Denver.This war on the floor will go down Thursday, November 9, 2017, at 10:30 p.m. ET at Pepsi Center. The game will be televised live on TNT.... 

The Cavs figure to be the team to beat in the Eastern Conference by the time the playoffs roll around because of the presence of LeBron James, but they have started slowly. This would be a fantastic road win to help turn around their fortunes, but it won’t be easy against a Houston team clicking on all cylinders.Cleveland will need to keep pace with the Rockets’ breakneck pace, and teams this season have not been able to do so. This game could be missing some star power, with Paul, Tristan Thompson and Isaiah Thomas out for sure, while Kevin Love is expected to play but is dealing with an illness.... 

The Warriors were experiencing a championship hangover, which is the only way to explain their sluggish start to the season. But the Dubs found their groove during a recent road trip, blowing out three teams by scoring an average of over 126 points per game and looking like the team we all expected them to be. The Minnesota Timberwolves made some roster moves during the offseason in an attempt to end their long playoff drought and their hot start has them in first place in the Northwest Division.... 

It’s one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports and just the mention of a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics brings up memories of the days when Magic and Bird were dueling for NBA titles. The teams have combined for 33 NBA championships and have faced each other 12 times in the Finals, but neither club has been there since the last meeting in 2010. The Lakers are in the middle of a massive overhaul but the future looks good with a stable of young talent that has them off to a good start this season.... 

This is going to be a tough game for the Celtics, as they are going on the road against another team with one of the most talented rosters in the NBA. The Thunder is just 4-3 on the season but should improve as their trio of stars get used to playing together.Don't miss the hardwood action from the Chesapeake Energy Arena at 9:30 p.m. ET on Friday, November 3, 2017. Catch every moment of the game live on ESPN.... 

Despite the slow start, the Cavs are widely expected to be the team that finishes atop the heap in the Eastern Conference. The Wizards are one of the main contenders and would love to send an early message with a home victory.It’s hard to count out Cleveland in any game but there is no doubt the Cavaliers need to start playing better.... 

The Portland Trail Blazers aren’t going to be among the top tier of contenders in the Western Conference this season, as that is reserved for the super teams that have been formed in Golden State, San Antonio, Houston and Oklahoma City.... 

The Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs may be off to slower-than-expected starts, but that’s not going to take any luster off this matchup. The defending NBA champion Warriors will hit the road to face off against one of their main challengers for the 2017-18 crown in San Antonio.... 

It was a slow start for the New York Knicks, losing their first three games with many concerned about the direction of the club. But an emphatic road win over the Cavaliers has some believing this season could be different than the past few, which have resulted in no playoff appearances. The Knickerbockers aren’t there quite yet, but another win over a league powerhouse will have the league thinking twice when the Knicks are up on the schedule. The Houston Rockets open a brief two-game trip in the Mecca of basketball for a nationally televised game at MSG.Don’t miss the hardwood action from Madison Square Garden at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, November 1, 2017. Catch every moment of the game live on ESPN. We’ll have NBA opening odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Wednesday schedule.... 

The Los Angeles Clippers ended the Big Four era when Chris Paul and J.J. Redick left for other clubs during the offseason. The new-look Clips didn’t get much pub after the departures and many felt the window closed on the team after so many postseason failures. They still have Blake Griffin and it’s his team now to try and lead to some postseason glory. The Clips were the last team in the Association to lose a game and if they are going to be as good as the start they’ve enjoyed, beating the Dallas Mavericks at home is imperative.Don’t miss the hardwood action from Staples Center at 10:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, November 1, 2017. Catch every moment of the game live on ESPN. We’ll have NBA opening odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Wednesday schedule.... 

These two teams will face off in an early-season matchup that could help clear up the picture a little bit if either side comes away with a dominant win. Boston is still the more talented team but the Bucks have the home court advantage, so this could be a close contest. While the Cleveland Cavaliers will be the favorites in the East as long as LeBron James is healthy, these seem to be lining up as two of the biggest challengers.This war on the floor will go down Thursday, October 26, 2017, at 8 p.m. ET at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. The game will be televised live on TNT.... 

Sacramento is facing another year of rebuilding while the Pelicans hope the pairing of Cousins, who they acquired from the Kings in a trade last season, and Anthony Davis will lead this team to the playoffs. While both are talented players, it hasn’t resulted in team success yet.There is doubt about whether Davis will be healthy enough to play in this one, which would put more on Cousins’ plate in his return to Sacramento.... 

The Washington Wizards already knocked off one team with a bunch of youngsters, beating the Sixers and their top picks over the last two seasons in the opener. Now, the Wiz get a chance to stifle the Los Angeles Lakers and No. 2 overall pick Lonzo Ball when the two meet at Staples Center. Washington has one of the most talented backcourts in the NBA with John Wall and Bradley Beal, and they aren’t going to let the recent draft picks have too much success against them.... 

Don’t count the San Antonio Spurs out of the Western Conference race. While other clubs stacked their roster to keep pace with the defending champions Warriors, the Spurs didn’t make a huge offseason transaction, but they return the core group that led them to 61 wins and the Western Conference Finals last year. The Spurs also expect to have Kawhi Leonard back in the lineup sooner rather than later, which will make the Spurs a tough out for the Miami Heat.... 

The Golden State Warriors are going to be out for revenge. They were in front of the Houston Rockets almost the entire way, but the Rockets got hot from deep late and were able to push by Golden State and stun the defending champions 122-121. Golden State has had two days to stew and think about the loss, and there’s no doubt that they are ready to put it out of their heads. The New Orleans Pelicans are the unlucky team that has to deal with a ticked off Golden State squad.Don’t miss the hardwood action from the Smoothie King Center at 9:30 p.m. ET on Friday, October 20, 2017. Catch every moment of the game live on ESPN. We’ll have NBA opening odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Friday schedule.... 

Both the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Milwaukee Bucks got their seasons off to a good start with wins over the Boston Celtics. Cleveland knocked off Boston at home on Opening Night in a game where they were up by double digits in the first half, but needed to withstand a furious Celtics charge late. Milwaukee flipped the script on Boston by pouring it on in the fourth quarter to get past a tired Celtics squad. Now, it’s time to see whether Cleveland or Milwaukee is the superior team.Don’t miss the hardwood action from the BMO Harris Bradley Center at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, October 20, 2017. Catch every moment of the game live on ESPN. We’ll have NBA opening odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Friday schedule.... 

The Oklahoma City Thunder are ready to re-stake their claim in the Western Conference, with or without Kevin Durant. Oklahoma City added Paul George and Carmelo Anthony to the equation this offseason and will be looking to compete with Golden State for the top spot in the West. OKC is going to open its season, hosting Anthony’s former team, the New York Knicks. The Knicks have posted four straight losing seasons and fans in the Big Apple are ready for this team to turn it around.Don’t miss the hardwood action from Chesapeake Energy Arena at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, October 19, 2017. Catch every moment of the game live on TNT. We’ll have NBA opening odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Thursday schedule.... 

The Los Angeles Lakers are ready to reclaim their status as the top team in LA. For the last four seasons, the Lakers have played second fiddle to the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers blew everything up in the offseason though as Chris Paul, JJ Redick, and Jamal Crawford all left in the offseason. They still have Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan though and that makes them competitive for as long as Griffin can stay healthy. Now, let’s see if the Lakers can catch up to the Clippers.Don’t miss the hardwood action from the Staples Center at 10:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, October 19, 2017. Catch every moment of the game live on TNT. We’ll have NBA opening odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Thursday schedule.... 

The San Antonio Spurs have always been a contender under head coach Gregg Popovich. San Antonio has made the playoffs in each of his 20 seasons in charge, and has won five NBA championships during that time. Once again, the Spurs are being overlooked at the start of this season after the recent flashy additions that Houston and Oklahoma City made in order to stay competitive in the brutal Western Conference. They will start their season against the Minnesota Timberwolves.Don’t miss the hardwood action from the AT&T Center at 9:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, October 18, 2017. Catch every moment of the game live on ESPN. We’ll have NBA opening odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Wednesday schedule.... 

Trust the Process. That’s all we heard from Sam Hinkie when he was in charge of the Philadelphia 76ers and now it’s time for his hard work to pay off. The 76ers have oodles of young talent and are looking to show that they are ready to post their first winning record since 2004-05. Philadelphia took some big strides forward last season and looks to continue that into this year. Its first opponent this season, the Washington Wizards, will be looking to take another step forward too. The Wizards have made it to the Eastern Conference Semifinals in three of the last four seasons, but have been unable to advance any further. Last year, they took Boston to seven games before falling, and are looking to win two playoff series this time around.... 

The best team in the NBA is looking to defend its crown and win its third title in four years. Few analysts are picking anyone other than the Golden State Warriors to reign supreme over the NBA once again. Golden State is loaded with talent and has the best starting five in league history, and some key role players to boot. The Warriors will be hosting the Houston Rockets in their opener. Houston shook things up this offseason by adding Chris Paul and the hope is that he and James Harden will make up a lethal backcourt.... 

The NBA schedule makers must have some incredible foresight. The opening night matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics was already sure to be one of the most heated games on the slate due to a burgeoning rivalry between Cleveland and Boston. However, this meeting got a lot more spicy in the offseason when these two teams decided to swap franchise cornerstones. Cleveland sent Kyrie Irving to Boston in exchange for Isaiah Thomas after Irving publicly demanded a trade. Irving has been throwing shade at Cleveland these last few months and his return home should be saucy.... 

The player to beat is going to be Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball. He went No. 2 overall, and has the right talent and opportunity to make a quick impact. There is nobody standing in the way of Ball coming in right away and putting up solid numbers. He stuffed the stat sheet at UCLA as a freshman, and should be able to contribute nicely in points, rebounds and assists for the Lakers....