After a quiet two-game slate, the NBA will spoil basketball fans all over the globe tomorrow with a full 10-game showcase that features top teams like the Clippers, Timberwolves, Nuggets, Bucks, Cavs, and many more.
After a 3-7 start, the Clippers are now cemented as one of the teams in the upper echelon of a tough Western Conference. After seesawing with the Timberwolves for the top spot in the standings, they will finally go head-to-head to settle their differences, and by the end of tomorrow, the Clippers might summit the West once again.
Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors are finally putting up a convincing run this season, winning four games in a row, and are now back at .500 with a 25-25 record. Can they keep up their winning ways and beat the Jazz in Utah?
So, read more below for previews and get to know the narratives of some of the games featured on tomorrow’s NBA slate, courtesy of SBOTOP.
Minnesota Timberwolves @ LA Clippers
Anthony Edwards continued his stellar campaign with a team-high 26 points to lead the Timberwolves past the ailing Milwaukee Bucks last week. The Wolves got much-needed contributions from their veteran floor general, Mike Conley, who posted 18 points, nine rebounds, and three assists, which served as a breath of fresh air for Chris Finch, given that Conley was previously dealing with lingering injuries and lackluster performances.
Meanwhile, the Clippers are officially one of the top teams in the West—the entire league, even—after going 16-4 since the start of the new year. The Clippers’ main cast remains healthy and on the floor, which is something we haven’t seen on a consistent basis ever since Paul George and Kawhi Leonard went to LA.
A win against the Timberwolves would once again make them the top seed in the West, a position they held before Minnesota’s win against the Bucks.
Betting tip: 1X2 LA Clippers @ 1.61
Golden State Warriors @ Utah Jazz
Steph Curry and the rest of the Warriors have finally started to get their groove back after falling as low as the 12th seed in the Western Conference.
The rise of Jonathan Kuminga has been one of the headlines in the NBA 2024 news for the past few weeks and has also been a ray of hope for the aging Warriors.
Aside from Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski also made his mark in the Warriors rotation with averages of 10.5 points, 5.3 assists, and 6.8 rebounds in his last 10 appearances. Drafted as the 19th pick, some are saying that the Santa Clara standout is the steal of the draft.
A notable difference in the Warriors rotation is glaring in the final minutes of games. Klay Thompson, the other Splash Brother, is no longer finishing games for Steve Kerr and the Warriors, which is a headscratcher for most fans. But if it translates to wins, then there’s little to talk about here.
The Jazz, on the other hand, have slid down to the 11th spot after losing to the Suns last week. Their scrappy core has been thriving, though, with All-Star snub Lauri Markkanen leading the way with 23.7 PPG in 50.1 FG percentage.
As it stands, the Warriors and the Jazz are the two teams battling it out for the last spot in the play-in tournament, so their upcoming match will be a pivotal one, to say the least.
Betting tip: 1X2 Golden State Warriors @ 1.92
Denver Nuggets @ Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks were doing well with Adrian Griffin, boasting a record of 30-13, but the organisation decided to replace him with Doc Rivers.
Now, the Bucks are 2-5 with Rivers as their head coach, a slow start to what Bucks fans hoped to be a plug-and-play situation. They conceded their second spot in the Eastern Conference standings to the red-hot Cavaliers and are currently 34-19.
Khris Middleton remains sidelined due to an ankle injury, while Giannis and Lillard are both considered day-to-day. So, it’s possible that all of the Bucks’ big three will be in street clothes against the defending champions, the Denver Nuggets.
Jokic and the Nuggets are probably the most consistent team in the West. The Timberwolves, Clippers, Thunder, and Suns have all had great stretches of basketball for the past month or two, but the Nuggets have remained unswerving since the start of the season.
So it would be only fair to expect a poised and surgical performance from the defending champions against the puzzled Bucks.
Philadelphia 76ers @ Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs are the hottest team in the league, with a nine-game winning streak and a 17-1 record since January 2. They’re now the second-best team in the East with a 35-16 record, trailing only the mighty Boston Celtics, who have five games cleared at the top.
But that gap could quickly narrow down as Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, and the rest of the Cavaliers will welcome the injury-ridden 76ers to an Eastern Conference bout.
The 76ers not only have Joel Embiid unavailable, but other rotation players like Nicolas Batum, De’Anthony Melton, Mo Bamba, and Robert Covington are also sidelined against the Cavs. Which is why the Cavaliers are the NBA 2024 betting odds favourite at 1.24 to win.
The Sixers season turned a complete 180 after Embiid’s injuries took the best of him. They are now 2-8 in their last 10 games. Luckily for them, Maxey, Harris, Oubre, and the newly acquired Buddy Hield will be able to suit up for Nick Nurse.
Betting tip: Under 228.5 @ 1.90
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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