In the wake of the announcement of the completed NBA All-Star teams, SBOTOP brings you an in-depth preview of tomorrow’s hefty slate filled with players who pursue validation of their All-Star selection, as well as players who seek vindication from being snubbed.
Also, there are virtually four teams in the West that could take the summit after tomorrow’s games are done. The Thunder, Clippers, Nuggets, and Timberwolves are all neck-and-neck in the upper echelon of the Western Conference standings, and it’s only a matter of time before one team emerges as the undisputed sovereign.
LA Clippers @ Miami Heat
The Heat’s All-Star, Bam Adebayo, will look to dominate the paint with Ivica Zubac still absent for the visiting Clippers.
Adebayo was named as one of the Eastern Conference All-Star reserves, with averages of 20.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, one steal, and one block for the Heat this season.
He led the Heat to a 26-23 record for the most part of the season without his running mate Jimmy Butler due to injuries, which is why his spot on the All-Star team is well-deserved, in my humble opinion.
They’re well within striking distance of overtaking the struggling Pacers in the sixth spot of the standings, who have questionably been struggling since their acquisition of Pascal Siakam.
Meanwhile, All-Star Kawhi Leonard and the rest of the LA Clippers have been on a tear in the Western Conference, pushing themselves past the Nuggets and sitting pretty in third place thanks to their 8-2 record in their last 10.
Health has been the main antagonist for the Clippers since the signing of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, but it’s looking like this season has been their healthiest since time immemorial, and with the addition of James Harden and Russell Westbrook, Ty Lou’s outfit could very well be a legitimate title contender.
Milwaukee Bucks @ Utah Jazz
The fact that Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard were selected as Eastern Conference All-Star starters is a testament to the Bucks’ strength from the beginning of the season. But it wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies, though, as they had some internal struggles as well.
In recent NBA 2024 news updates, the Bucks just sacked Adrian Griffin, who led them to a 30-13 record before his firing. There are still question marks on their decision to move on from Griffin, and even more question marks on assigning Doc Rivers as the replacement.
Only time will tell if their decision was sound, but they have to move past the controversy, as they’ll be facing the scrappy Utah Jazz at Delta Center.
All-Star snub Lauri Markkanen will have the chance to prove the doubters wrong when they host the Bucks tomorrow.
The Jazz are currently on a three-game losing streak, and they’ll have quite the slate in their upcoming matchups, having to face the Bucks, Thunder, Lakers, and Warriors for their next five contests.
Jazz fans can only hold their breaths and hope for the best.
Memphis Grizzlies @ Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are hungry for redemption after suffering a loss to their archrivals, the Lakers, who were without LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
TD Garden was shaking, and fans were having a hard time swallowing the tough pill of a Lakers win in Boston. The Celtics were the NBA 2024 odds favourites coming into their match against the Lakers, and most of the basketball world anticipated a dominating performance by Tatum and co. But the Lakers held three of the Celtics’ starting five to single digits, including All-Star Jaylen Brown.
On the other side of the court, Austin Reaves had a career night, scoring a game-high 32 points. Reaves is now living rent-free in the heads of Bostonians for a while.
Luckily for the Celtics, they’ll be facing a struggling Grizzlies outfit tomorrow, who are on a four-game losing streak. The Grizzlies’ season went downhill when Ja Morant suffered a season-ending injury, and facing the best team in the league at TD Garden certainly won’t help them get out of their slump.
Portland Trail Blazers @ Denver Nuggets
Malone’s Nuggets are still one of the best outfits in the league, quietly boasting a 34-16 record. A win against the lowly Blazers could propel themselves back to the summit of the Western Conference standings, as they’re just 0.5 games behind the OKC Thunder.
This will serve as the tail-end bout of a back-to-back for these Western Conference rivals. The Nuggets cruised past the Trail Blazers yesterday with a 120-108 win, and they’ll look to do more of the same tomorrow.
Deandre Ayton will have a chance for a redemption game against All-Star starter, Jokic, as the Arizona standout only posted eight points and three rebounds against the Joker during their last tie.
Toronto Raptors @ Oklahoma City Thunder
Meanwhile, the best team in the West, the OKC Thunder, will host the rebuilding Toronto Raptors at Paycom Center.
All-Star starter Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, alongside Chet Holmgren are expected to set the tone for the young Thunder. The budding duo will have to compensate for Jalen Williams’ absence due to an ankle injury, but their wins against the Nuggets and Hornets are proof that they’re more than capable of keeping the ship afloat even without their promising wing on the court.
The Raptors, on the other hand, have Immanuel Quickley back in the lineup after dealing with a thigh injury.Their core of Barnes, Barrett, and Quickley won’t be on full display against the Thunder, as their hometown hero, RJ Barrett, is marked as questionable due to a knee injury. It will surely be a litmus test for Scottie Barnes, for the most part, as all eyes will be on the Raptors’ new go-to guy.
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