The Celtics, Nuggets, Lakers, and Timberwolves are among the teams making their early preparations, as the 2024-25 NBA campaign is just around the corner, and they treated SBOTOP basketball fans with some preseason action.
The Celtics and Nuggets went to the Middle East and entertained the fans in Abu Dhabi as they fielded their championship-calibre lineups, and it was the defending champions who came away with a victory.
Elsewhere, the Timberwolves beat the Lakers at the Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in a game that featured mostly their top young talents.
However, it’s not all rainbows and butterflies this preseason, as several teams were on the receiving end of some bad NBA 2024 news. One of them was one of last season’s finalists, the Mavericks, as one of their best players recently caught the injury bug.
Celtics defeat Nuggets in battle of champions
The Celtics flexed their championship credentials by opening the preseason tour with a 107-103 win against the Nuggets.
Payton Pritchard led the way for Boston with a game-high 21 points and six assists off the bench, including going 6-for-12 from three-point range. The Celtics’ trio of Olympic gold medalists from this summer’s Paris Games – Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, and Jrue Holiday – combined for 25 points, while Finals MVP Jaylen Brown had eight points.
The Nuggets were led by Nikola Jokic, as the reigning league MVP recorded 14 points, eight rebounds, and two steals on 5-for-7 shooting.
Summer signing Russell Westbrook came off the bench and dropped 12 points, eight rebounds, and four assists while going 3-for-6 from three-point range, and Michael Porter Jr. also had 12 points.
After playing their starters in the first half, the Celtics and Nuggets sat them in the second half with the exception of Luke Kornet.
Boston and Denver will play one more game in the same venue on Sunday before returning to the United States. The Celtics will take on the Sixers and Raptors twice next, while the Nuggets will square off against the Suns, Thunder, and Timberwolves to round out their preseason schedule.
Timberwolves blow out Lakers in Pittsburgh
The Timberwolves defeated the Lakers 124-107 on Friday night, and it is worth noting that both teams were missing some of their key players.
Julius Randle, who was acquired via a three-team deal with the Knicks and the Hornets, didn’t suit up for Minnesota alongside Anthony Edwards. LeBron James and Anthony Davis also didn’t play for Los Angeles but were in attendance to watch the game.
Meanwhile, Donte DiVincenzo, also a new Minnesota player, played 10 minutes and notched 11 points while going perfect from the field (4-for-4).
Josh Minott, Rob Dillingham, and Luka Garza stole the show for the Timberwolves, combining for 63 points, including some highlight-reel plays.
As for the Purple and Gold, they were led by Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht, who both have 16 points each. D’Angelo Russell, Max Christie, and Gabe Vincent were the Lakers’ other double-digit scorers with 14, 11, and 11, respectively.
And, of course, no Lakers game would be complete from now on without an evaluation of Bronny James. The 55th overall pick of this summer’s NBA Draft tallied two points and three blocks and went 1-for-6 from the field in 16 minutes, but he has earned rave reviews from his new head coach, JJ Redick.
“He can do some things defencively at his size that are really unique, and I think he can turn into a really disruptive defender,” Redick said about Bronny. “That manifested itself. On the offencive end, he’s still figuring out who he is. That’s our job as a player development program just to build him in.”
“But truthfully, he’s so easy to coach. He’s got a great soul. And just a great energy about him. I like being around him. I’m rooting for him. He’s a good player that we’re happy to have in our program,” he added.
Mavericks dealt with huge injury blow
The Mavericks recently announced that Luka Doncic will be reassessed in a week after sustaining a calf injury during practice. The Slovenian point guard is ruled out in the team’s preseason opener on Monday and might miss more games.
Doncic also dealt with a calf injury last preseason when he suffered a strain during Dallas’ preseason tour in Abu Dhabi and Madrid. However, he recovered in time to play in the regular season opener against the Spurs. Dallas needs Doncic at 100-per cent fitness, as they aim to make it back to the NBA Finals next season, despite the unfavourable NBA 2024 odds.
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