The Timberwolves are now 6-4 in their last 10 games after suffering a heartbreaking defeat in overtime against the Cleveland Cavaliers. With that loss, they have completely conceded the top spot in the NBA Western Conference to the 44-19 OKC Thunder.
Anthony Edwards and the rest of the Wolves need to find their bite and strike on the ailing Los Angeles Lakers, who might be without their talismans, LeBron James and Anthony Davis, during their bout at Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers, on the other hand, will need a holistic effort if they want to fare well against the salivating Timberwolves. Many expect to see another spectacle from the red-hot D’angelo Russell, who has been playing his best stretch of basketball this season.
Meanwhile, the Bucks, Pelicans, Wizards, Pacers, Rockets, 76ers, Nets, and Grizzlies are scheduled to visit the Clippers, Hawks, Heat, Magic, Kings, Knicks, Cavaliers, and Thunder, respectively, in what will be a hefty NBA slate tomorrow.
So, read more below for in-depth previews of the top four games on the marquee.
Milwaukee Bucks @ LA Clippers
As soon as this SBOTOP writer asked if it was time to fear the deer again, the Bucks lost back-to-back games.
Right when the basketball world thought that they finally got things together with Doc Rivers as the man at the helm, they went right back to the drawing board.
This time, head for a rematch against the LA Clippers, whom they beat 113-106 a few days ago before their losing skid.
The Clippers, on the other hand, won two straight after falling short in Cream City, overcoming Houston and Chicago with ease.
James Harden was the maestro behind their mini-win streak by scoring 21 points against the Rockets, and then followed it up with a quiet triple-double to get past the Bulls.
It’s important to take note that Giannis was in street clothes the last time these teams met, and Milwaukee still got the win. It’ll be interesting to see these Doc Rivers-coached teams go head-to-head in full strength.
Philadelphia 76ers @ New York Knicks
The Embiid-less Sixers visit the Mecca of Basketball to go up against the Randle-less Knicks in an Eastern Conference clash.
Both of these contenders are currently facing an injury-riddled stretch, and unfortunately, both of them are slowly slipping down the standings to boot.
The Sixers were once one of the NBA 2024 odds favourites to win the East, but since the fall of Embiid, Nick Nurse and the rest of his team have slipped down to the seventh seed and are now fighting for their spot in the Play-In tournament.
To add insult to injury, their second option, Tyrese Maxey, will also be on the sidelines for Nick Nurse, as the budding point guard remains in concussion protocol. This will be the fourth straight game that Maxey will miss. Expect veteran winger Tobias Harris to carry the load for the Ailing Sixers squad in New York.
On the other side of the coin, the Knicks’ All-Star floor general, Jalen Brunson, recently returned to action after missing two games due to a minor knee injury.
In his return, Brunson scored 26 points in 29 minutes to help thrash the Orlando Magic 98-74. This comes as terrific news for Knicks fans, as they’re already traversing the tail end of the season without Julius Randle, who is still recovering from a dislocated right shoulder.
But despite the injury woes, this matchup has all the hallmarks to headline NBA 2024 news stories once the final buzzer sounds.
Minnesota Timberwolves @ Los Angeles Lakers
After their loss to the Cavaliers, the Timberwolves are now 6-4 in their last 10 and have the defending champions Denver Nuggets breathing down their necks. They will have a chance to get back to the summit of the Western Conference if they win both games in their Los Angeles tour in a couple of days.
Firstly, they need to get past the surging Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Unfortunately for Lakers fans, LeBron James (left ankle peroneal tendinopathy) and Anthony Davis (left shoulder soreness) are questionable for their game against Minnesota.
But there is a silver lining if you’re rooting for the Purple and Gold, and that silver lining is D’Angelo Russell. The 28-year-old combo guard has been playing his best brand of basketball as of late, averaging 24.3 points, four rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.3 steals, and 4.5 3PTM.
Russell had his best game of the season yesterday against the Bucks, where he posted 44 points, nine assists, six rebounds, and shot nine threes.
The question is: can DLo continue his solid run against the Timberwolves, who have one of the most dominant defences in the entire league this season?
Houston Rockets @ Sacramento Kings
Rockets big man Alperen Sengun is having a stellar late-season run with the Houston Rockets. In the past week, Sengun has been averaging 27 points, 13.5 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 2.5 steals. If the budding big man continues to post numbers like these, the Rockets may find themselves in contention for the Play-In Tournament.
Sengun will match up against another talented big, Domantas Sabonis, as the Rockets march to Golden 1 Center in hopes of stealing a win against the Kings, who are in the middle of a back-to-back win streak.
The Kings shrugged off the efforts of the Lakers and the Spurs and continued to dominate since the return of their star point guard, De’Aaron Fox.
Thanks to their mini-streak, the Kings find themselves in the sixth seed, just one and a half games behind the surging Pelicans. A win against the struggling Rockets would give them more breathing room from the Phoenix Suns, who are well within striking distance of overtaking them in the standings.
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