New York Travels To Cleveland Following Win
The Cleveland Cavaliers will host the New York Knicks at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on Monday night.
The Cavaliers (28-19) are coming off a win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night. Darius Garland was the best player for the Cavaliers and delivered another All-Star level performance with 23 points and 11 assists, while both Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley posted double-doubles. The former Nets big man had 14 points and 13 rebounds, while the rookie posted 15 points and 17 boards. Cedi Osman was the only other Cleveland player who scored in double digits as he ended with 10 points off the bench. Cleveland has now gone 13-9 when playing at home.
Rajon Rondo (hamstring) is listed as a game-time decision, while Lauri Markkanen (ankle) is out. Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio are both out for the rest of the season due to knee injuries.
The Knicks (23-24) are coming off a comfortable win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. R.J. Barrett was the leading scorer for the Knicks with 28 points and 14 rebounds, but he also added six assists and a block. Julius Randle also had a strong game and chipped in with 24 points, nine rebounds and five assists, but he also committed seven turnovers. Evan Fournier had 14 points, while Alec Burks ended with 10 points and four assists. No other Knicks player scored in double digits. New York has gone 11-10 when playing on the road.
Kemba Walker (knee), Ryan Arcidiacono (ankle), Mitchell Robinson (ankle) and Luka Samanic (heel) are all tabbed as game-time decisions. Derrick Rose (ankle) is out.
The Cavaliers (28-19) are coming off a win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night. Darius Garland was the best player for the Cavaliers and delivered another All-Star level performance with 23 points and 11 assists, while both Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley posted double-doubles. The former Nets big man had 14 points and 13 rebounds, while the rookie posted 15 points and 17 boards. Cedi Osman was the only other Cleveland player who scored in double digits as he ended with 10 points off the bench. Cleveland has now gone 13-9 when playing at home.
Rajon Rondo (hamstring) is listed as a game-time decision, while Lauri Markkanen (ankle) is out. Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio are both out for the rest of the season due to knee injuries.
The Knicks (23-24) are coming off a comfortable win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. R.J. Barrett was the leading scorer for the Knicks with 28 points and 14 rebounds, but he also added six assists and a block. Julius Randle also had a strong game and chipped in with 24 points, nine rebounds and five assists, but he also committed seven turnovers. Evan Fournier had 14 points, while Alec Burks ended with 10 points and four assists. No other Knicks player scored in double digits. New York has gone 11-10 when playing on the road.
Kemba Walker (knee), Ryan Arcidiacono (ankle), Mitchell Robinson (ankle) and Luka Samanic (heel) are all tabbed as game-time decisions. Derrick Rose (ankle) is out.
Pelicans Host Shorthanded Pacers
By Dan Bruno
The New Orleans Pelicans play host to the Indiana Pacers at Smoothie King Center on Monday evening.
The Pelicans (17-28) will look to build off a win in their most recent contest and add to their, 10-11, home record. Devonte' Graham (ankle) is listed as questionable for action, while Brandon Ingram (ankle) will be sidelined. Jonas Valanciunas continues to play well, averaging 17.7 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists, over his last 10 games. Josh Hart is averaging 13.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 10 steals, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker is averaging 12.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. The Pelicans are averaging 105.5 points per game, but they are giving up an average of 109.7 points per game.
Meanwhile, this marks the fifth and final game of a road trip for the Pacers (17-30), where they have gone, 2-2, so far. They will look to close the trip on a positive note and add to their, 5-18, road record. The Pacers continue to deal with injuries, as Myles Turner (foot), Domantas Sabonis (ankle), T.J. McConnell (wrist) and Malcolm Brogdon (achilles) will be sidelined, while Caris LeVert (calf) is listed as questionable for action. The Pacers will look to Goga Bitadze and Torrey Craig to step up in the frontcourt, while Chris Duarte and Lance Stephenson will be up for a boost in the backcourt. Duarte has been playing well lately, averaging 17.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.0 steals, over the last five games. The Pacers are averaging 108.2 points per game, but they are giving up an average of 109.1 points against.
The Pelicans (17-28) will look to build off a win in their most recent contest and add to their, 10-11, home record. Devonte' Graham (ankle) is listed as questionable for action, while Brandon Ingram (ankle) will be sidelined. Jonas Valanciunas continues to play well, averaging 17.7 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists, over his last 10 games. Josh Hart is averaging 13.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 10 steals, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker is averaging 12.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. The Pelicans are averaging 105.5 points per game, but they are giving up an average of 109.7 points per game.
Meanwhile, this marks the fifth and final game of a road trip for the Pacers (17-30), where they have gone, 2-2, so far. They will look to close the trip on a positive note and add to their, 5-18, road record. The Pacers continue to deal with injuries, as Myles Turner (foot), Domantas Sabonis (ankle), T.J. McConnell (wrist) and Malcolm Brogdon (achilles) will be sidelined, while Caris LeVert (calf) is listed as questionable for action. The Pacers will look to Goga Bitadze and Torrey Craig to step up in the frontcourt, while Chris Duarte and Lance Stephenson will be up for a boost in the backcourt. Duarte has been playing well lately, averaging 17.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.0 steals, over the last five games. The Pacers are averaging 108.2 points per game, but they are giving up an average of 109.1 points against.
Bulls and Thunder Set for Interconference Clash
The Chicago Bulls take on the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Monday night.
The Bulls (28-17) come into Monday's contest in the midst of their most adverse stretch of the season, as they've dropped six of seven games and will continue to be without multiple key players Monday. Chicago's most recent stumble came Sunday evening, when they were routed by the Orlando Magic, 114-95. DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 41 points, adding five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Coby White followed with 22 points, four boards, one steal and one block. Nikola Vucevic generated a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double that included three assists.
The Bulls will continue without Lonzo Ball (knee), Zach LaVine (knee), Alex Caruso (wrist) and Derrick Jones (knee) for Monday's game. Javonte Green (groin) will be listed as probable.
The Thunder (14-32) have been even more infrequent visitors to the win column than their opponents, as they've dropped five consecutive games and 10 of their last 11 overall. Their most recent defeat came at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers, which edged them by a 94-87 score Saturday night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 29 points, complementing them with nine rebounds, six assists, three steals and one block. Kenrich Williams totaled 12 points, four boards and two assists. Aaron Wiggins poured in 11 points, while Luguentz Dort delivered 10 points, one assist and two steals.
The Thunder will be without Derrick Favors (back) for Monday's contest.
Monday's game marks the first of two meetings between the teams this season. The two clubs split the two-game 2020-21 season series.
The Bulls (28-17) come into Monday's contest in the midst of their most adverse stretch of the season, as they've dropped six of seven games and will continue to be without multiple key players Monday. Chicago's most recent stumble came Sunday evening, when they were routed by the Orlando Magic, 114-95. DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 41 points, adding five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Coby White followed with 22 points, four boards, one steal and one block. Nikola Vucevic generated a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double that included three assists.
The Bulls will continue without Lonzo Ball (knee), Zach LaVine (knee), Alex Caruso (wrist) and Derrick Jones (knee) for Monday's game. Javonte Green (groin) will be listed as probable.
The Thunder (14-32) have been even more infrequent visitors to the win column than their opponents, as they've dropped five consecutive games and 10 of their last 11 overall. Their most recent defeat came at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers, which edged them by a 94-87 score Saturday night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 29 points, complementing them with nine rebounds, six assists, three steals and one block. Kenrich Williams totaled 12 points, four boards and two assists. Aaron Wiggins poured in 11 points, while Luguentz Dort delivered 10 points, one assist and two steals.
The Thunder will be without Derrick Favors (back) for Monday's contest.
Monday's game marks the first of two meetings between the teams this season. The two clubs split the two-game 2020-21 season series.
Suns Host Jazz on Monday
The Utah Jazz travel to Arizona to face the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center on Monday.
The Jazz (30-18) are in their worst stretch of the season right now, entering this matchup losing seven of their last nine games. That's Utah's worst stretch in two years, but it's easy to understand why. The poor stretch started when Rudy Gobert landed in COVID protocols, and it continues with Donovan Mitchell landing in concussion protocols over the weekend. Those two run the show for this talented team, and they simply don't have enough without their best offensive player and the best defender in the lineup. In any case, Utah still sits third in the west, and they have quite the cushion with everyone else middling around .500.
The Suns (36-9) have the best record in the NBA, and they're putting some separation between them and the Golden State Warriors. It was Chris Paul who helped get them to the Finals last year, and he's in the midst of another sensational season. He's leading the NBA in assists, collecting 18 points, four rebounds, 16 assists and four steals in the most recent win on Saturday. Performances like that are hard to understand from a guy who's been around for nearly 20 years, and it looks like he's dipped into the fountain of youth. What makes the run even more amazing is the fact that they've been missing Deandre Ayton for about half the season. He's one of the keys to this team, and it's scary to think how good they'll look when he's back and fully healthy. In any case, JaVale McGee ad Bismack Biyombo have been an amazing one-two punch filling in for him.
Phoenix dominated this series last year, sweeping the three-game season series. With that said, Utah won 15 of their previous 16 games in this series before that, dating back to 2015.
The Jazz (30-18) are in their worst stretch of the season right now, entering this matchup losing seven of their last nine games. That's Utah's worst stretch in two years, but it's easy to understand why. The poor stretch started when Rudy Gobert landed in COVID protocols, and it continues with Donovan Mitchell landing in concussion protocols over the weekend. Those two run the show for this talented team, and they simply don't have enough without their best offensive player and the best defender in the lineup. In any case, Utah still sits third in the west, and they have quite the cushion with everyone else middling around .500.
The Suns (36-9) have the best record in the NBA, and they're putting some separation between them and the Golden State Warriors. It was Chris Paul who helped get them to the Finals last year, and he's in the midst of another sensational season. He's leading the NBA in assists, collecting 18 points, four rebounds, 16 assists and four steals in the most recent win on Saturday. Performances like that are hard to understand from a guy who's been around for nearly 20 years, and it looks like he's dipped into the fountain of youth. What makes the run even more amazing is the fact that they've been missing Deandre Ayton for about half the season. He's one of the keys to this team, and it's scary to think how good they'll look when he's back and fully healthy. In any case, JaVale McGee ad Bismack Biyombo have been an amazing one-two punch filling in for him.
Phoenix dominated this series last year, sweeping the three-game season series. With that said, Utah won 15 of their previous 16 games in this series before that, dating back to 2015.