Toronto’s finest, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, headlines the NBA marquee on Saturday as the budding OKC Thunder visit the rebuilding Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena.
The Thunder emerge as the top team in the Western Conference thanks to a three-game winning streak and a banged-up Timberwolves squad. Their recent success this season has been a holistic effort from the entire budding team, but it’s the contributions of their MVP candidate, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, that have set them apart from any other adversary in the West.
SGA headlined recent NBA 2024 news, thanks to another 31-point game, his 50th game this season with 30-plus points. He now joins the elite cast of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, James Harden, and Tracy McGrady as the only players in NBA history to ever do so.
SGA will have a chance for another scoring outburst when they visit the rebuilding Raptors on Saturday.
The Raptors rebuild isn’t looking so great. They’re currently riding an eight-game losing streak, and the Thunder aren’t necessarily the team you’d want to go against if you want to get out of a slump.
With a 23-46 record and 1-9 in their last 10, the young Raptors squad’s chances to qualify in the Play-In tournament are close to none. Despite the recent struggles, expect a spirited fight from the ailing Raptors as they welcome Toronto native SGA to Scotiabank Arena.
Aside from this marquee matchup, read more below for other notable head-to-heads during Saturday’s slate.
Boston Celtics @ Detroit Pistons
The NBA 2024 odds favourites, the Boston Celtics, will have a great opportunity to extend their already massive lead in the East when they visit the struggling Detroit Pistons for an Eastern Conference bout.
After their statement win against the Bucks, Jayson Tatum and the Celtics have extended their winning streak to seven games and are now 8-2 in their last 10 games, making them the hottest team in the league.
The Celtics are currently 11 games clear of the second-seeded Bucks, and they could add to that already unpassable lead with a win in Detroit.
The Pistons, like every other bottom-six team in the East, are on a losing streak. After their 103-122 loss to Haliburton’s Pacers, Detroit are now on a four-game skid, and it won’t help their case that the best team in the NBA will have a crack at them next.
Cleveland Cavaliers @ Minnesota Timberwolves
The Wolves are looking for answers after losing basically their entire front court. Naz Reid, Rudy Gobert, and Karl-Anthony Towns were all in street clothes during their clash against the defending champions, the Denver Nuggets.
It was a heroic effort from Anthony Edwards as he tried to carry the ailing Wolves past a formidable Jokic-led team, but the Nuggets are just simply too good. KAT will surely be unavailable for Saturday’s game against the Cavs, while Gobert and Reid’s availability is still up in the air.
The Timberwolves could use all the help they can get down low when they host Jarrett Allen and the rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Cavs, like the Timberwolves, are dealing with a plethora of injuries on their roster. Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, and Evan Mobley are all currently sidelined due to injuries, and losing three of your starting five isn’t necessarily the formula for success.
Indiana Pacers @ Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are now in legit contention with the Houston Rockets for the last spot in the Play-In tournament. Thanks to a surging Jaylen Green, the Rockets have become the hottest team in the West, boasting a six-game winning streak. The Rockets are now just three games from overtaking the Warriors for the 10th seed, and they could narrow that lead even further with a win against the Bulls tomorrow.
The Pacers, on the other hand, are clinging to the last playoff spot in the East. They are just 1.5 games ahead of the Heat, and a loss of focus could send them to the Play-In tournament when it’s all said and done.
Haliburton and Siakam will lead their outfit in a three-game Western Conference road trip that will start with the Warriors and end with the Clippers while visiting the Lakers in between.
LA Clippers @ Portland Trail Blazers
The Clippers chose the most inopportune time to crumble. Ty Lue’s Clips were one of the most convincing outfits in the West, and they even summited the tough conference at one point during the season.
But now, they face a familiar foe for the organisation: injuries.
Since the start of their injury woes, the Clippers have fallen from grace and have withdrawn from the upper echelon of the Western Conference. At least this SBOTOP writer thinks so.
They have joined the middle of the pack and are now five games behind the conference leaders, OKC Thunder. Thanks to their 5-5 record in their last 10, the inspired Pelicans are now breathing down their necks and are poised to overtake the Clippers in the fourth spot in the standings.
Luckily for Kawhi and the rest of his teammates, they’ll face off against the tanking Trail Blazers on Saturday. A win against Chauncey Billups and his boys could keep the Clippers within striking distance of the ailing Wolves and bring back their status as one of the most dangerous teams in the West.
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