The Golden State Warriors are not who they used to be in 2022, but that won’t stop them from duelling against the most dominant team in the NBA this season, the Boston Celtics.
Steph Curry led the Warriors past the Celtics during their first bout of the season back in December 2023, but the Celtics have done nothing but improve as the season progresses.
Jason Tatum was held to just 15 points during their last matchup, and it’s tough to imagine the budding superstar being confined to under 20 points two games in a row.
Basketball fans will once again be spoiled with not just the marquee matchup of the Warriors and the Celtics but also with the plethora of main-event-worthy matchups happening in the league tomorrow. So, read more below as SBOTOP gives you an in-depth preview of some of the notable ties in the upcoming NBA schedule.
Golden State Warriors @ Boston Celtics
The basketball world is in for a treat as the surging Golden State Warriors visit the Boston Celtics at TD Garden for a 2022 NBA finals rematch.
The Warriors have been playing their best basketball since the start of the 2024 season. The group led by Steph Curry is now 8-2 in their last 10 and on a three-game winning streak that helped them climb a few spots up the tough Western Conference standings.
The Dubs are still without their veteran winger, Andrew Wiggins, who has been missing from the lineup due to personal matters, but his absence paved the way for guys like Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga to step up and bear some of the defensive responsibilities and spacing capabilities Wiggins gives when available.
Another catalyst to their recent success is the new role Klay Thompson has embraced moving forward. Thompson, 34, is now coming off the bench alongside veteran floor general Chris Paul to give Kerr’s second unit a little boost and morale.
Thompson has seen an uptick in his numbers since becoming the sixth man for the Warriors, and with the return of Chris Paul, the Warriors second-five looks like a tough matchup for any team in the league.
Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics are still the most dominant team in the NBA. With a whopping eight-game lead in the East, the Celtics remain the NBA 2024 betting odds favourites to win the chip this season.
Tatum and his teammates topple every adversary that comes their way, especially at home, where they boast the best home record in the entire league (28-3).
LA Clippers @ Minnesota Timberwolves
The Clippers were once the kings of the Western Conference, but they’ve not been in their best form in the past few games. They’re 5-5 in their last 10, and a reason as to why may be because of their injuries. Once again, the Clippers are battling their greatest adversaries: themselves.
Paul George, Ivica Zubac, and Russell Westbrook have missed time due to various injuries, and their absence has been costing the Clippers some pivotal games down the stretch.
Luckily for Ty Lou and Clippers nation, Paul George recently returned to action after missing a couple of games. The veteran wing returned to the floor during their 140-115 thrashing of the struggling Washington Wizards. George played 30 minutes and scored 22 points to help Kawhi Leonard and James Harden carry the load for the ailing Clippers.
The Timberwolves, on the other hand, are still the kings of the Western Conference, but barely. They’re clinging on to the top spot with just a half-game lead over the OKC Thunder and the Denver Nuggets.
Their golden boy, Anthony Edwards, had to leave the game at halftime during their clash with the Sacramento Kings to attend to his newborn baby. Jaden McDaniels took over for the Wolves by scoring the team-high 26 points.
Unfortunately for McDaniels, his career night was thrown out the window by Malik Monk and the rest of the Kings with a 120-124 win in overtime. The Kings were without their star point guard, De’Aaron Fox, but they still got the job done and went home with a crucial win.
Oklahoma City Thunder @ Phoenix Suns
The OKC Thunder missed a great opportunity to top the Western Conference when they were stunned in San Antonio with a 132-118 loss to Victor Wembanyama and the rest of the Spurs.
It was the usual suspects who carried the Thunder during that loss. Jalen Williams, SGA, and Chet Holmgren combined for 80 of the Thunder’s points during their tie against the Spurs, but it wasn’t enough to stop the surging, and, as many would say, the ROTY-lock, Victor Wembanyama.
They’ll get another chance at the top of the standings, but this time, it’s against the veteran team, the Phoenix Suns.
The Suns have had a rocky season thus far, with a lot of winning streaks coupled with a bunch of injury-ridden stretches to boot.
After missing five games, Brandley Beal was back in action against the Houston Rockets at Footprint Center. But to the frustration of Suns fans, Beal was ineffective during his return and was even thrown out of the game after receiving two technical fouls.
KD was left to be the spearhead and lead the Suns to victory once again, but his 30 piece wasn’t enough to get past Sengun, Green, and VanVleet, who combined for 79 points.
Beal will get the chance to redeem himself and prove that he is a relevant and vital piece to the success of the promising Phoenix Suns when they face the young but poised OKC outfit at Footprint Center.
Indiana Pacers @ San Antonio Spurs
As stated above, the Spurs stunned the OKC Thunder thanks to a historic performance from Victor Wembanyama. The young Frenchman posted five threes, 28 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and five blocks. He became the first player in NBA history to record 25+ points, 10+ rebounds, 5+ assists, 5+ blocks, and 5+ 3PM in a game.
It would be unfair for the Spurs to expect the same performance from their rookie against the Indiana Pacers, but Wemby is making it look so easy that NBA fans are starting to expect these types of NBA 2024 highlights from the No. 1 overall pick night in and night out.
The Pacers, on the other hand, are looking to avenge their humbling 129-102 defeat to the Pelicans. In that game, All-Star starter Tyrese Haliburton had the worst game of his young career, posting zero points with just three rebounds and three assists in 23 minutes.
They will have a good opportunity to get back to their winning ways against the unripe Spurs at AT&T Center.
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