After taking the day off for Election Day, the NBA is ready to return with a massive 13-game schedule. Headlining this jam-packed slate are the two city battles between the two New York teams – the Knicks and Nets – as well as the two Los Angeles teams – the Lakers and Clippers.
Meanwhile, the surprising Utah Jazz will look to widen their lead atop the Western Conference when they face the Atlanta Hawks, who are also surging.
Read on below as SBOTOP previews the three most interesting matchups in this busy 13-game NBA slate.
New York Knicks @ Brooklyn Nets
The New York Knicks are the top team in New York at the moment. They returned to .500 at 5-5 after a 120-107 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Julius Randle seems to be breaking out of his early-season slump as he scored a season-high 31 points. Meanwhile, the starting backcourt of Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett combined for 45 points and 13 assists.
Brunson is so far living up to his massive $100 million contract as he’s averaging 19 points and 7 assists and has scored 20 or more points in each of his last four games.
Brunson will look to keep his strong run going against the Brooklyn Nets, who dropped to 4-7 on the season as their two-game win streak ended with a 96-94 defeat to Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.
Kevin Durant had 26 points to lead the Nets, and with Kyrie Irving still suspended, Cam Thomas added 19 points off the bench. Ben Simmons returned from his recent absence due to a knee injury but played just 16 minutes and scored 2 points with 3 rebounds and 2 assists.
Utah Jazz @ Atlanta Hawks
The Utah Jazz just keep winning. Despite trading All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert in the offseason, they still find themselves atop the Western Conference at 9-3 after a dominant 139-116 win over the LeBron James-less Lakers.
Lauri Markkanen had another strong game with 23 points, while the backcourt trio of Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, and Collin Sexton combined for 53 points on 62 per cent shooting.
Markannen is having a fantastic season, averaging 21.8 points and 9.4 rebounds on 51 per cent shooting – all career highs.
Markannen and the Jazz will look to maintain their lead in the West when they visit the Atlanta Hawks, who are 7-3 on the season and have won three games in a row.
Despite star point guard Trae Young sitting out with a shin injury, the Hawks still produced one of the more surprising NBA 2022 results as they beat the Milwaukee Bucks 117-98, Giannis Antetokounmpo and co.’s first defeat of the season.
Guard Dejounte Murray, who was the team’s marquee offseason acquisition, led the way with 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 11 assists in Young’s absence, while rookie AJ Griffin added 24 points after scoring just 23 in his first five games.
Young, who is averaging 28 points and 9 assists per game, should be ready to return after getting another day of rest.
Los Angeles Lakers @ LA Clippers
The Lakers are second to last in the West after their loss to the Jazz, their third straight defeat. Russell Westbrook had another impressive game with 22 points in 24 minutes while Anthony Davis added 29, but it wasn’t nearly enough to offset the absence of LeBron James, as well as Patrick Beverley and Lonnie Walker IV.
James, who is dealing with left foot soreness, is having an underwhelming season as a scorer. He is averaging just 24.3 points and shooting 44.7 per cent, his lowest numbers since his rookie season. But he is still a massive part of the Lakers, particularly his passing and playmaking (7.1 assists per game).
The Lakers will be hoping to get LeBron back to face their city rivals, the Clippers, who beat the streaking Cavaliers 119-117, snapping Cleveland’s eight-game winning run.
Paul George had another excellent performance with 26 points, and he got a lot of help for a change as five other Clippers finished in double digits.
The Clippers’ impressive strength in depth was a major reason why the NBA 2022 odds had them as top title contenders. And while superstar Kawhi Leonard still isn’t ready to return anytime soon, having their other players returning to form is a big boost for them.
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