NBA Weekly Recap: November 20-26

Sunday (11/20)

Better:
Rockets @ Pacers: At 3-6, Houston really needs a tough win at Indiana. No matter how shallow the West is, it’s bad to be in last place. Yao Ming gets into foul trouble a lot, and you can disqualify him against Jermaine O’neal. McGrady won’t always show up in the 4th quarter; he has to contribute early and have a great first half.
Runner-up:
Grizzlies @ Nuggets: Memphis has looked more impressive with each game. Denver has looked good sporadically with injuries to Boozer, Nene and coach George Karl. It’s hard to say who should be the favourite. Whoever of Gasol and Anthony takes the most step will lead his team to victory.
Burst:
Heat @ Raptors: Last Sunday’s Raptors game was one to watch. However, Toronto will be in a similar situation: down 18 in the fourth and looking to come back. Regardless of injuries to Williams and Shaq, Miami is starting to click. A double-digit victory should be expected for Miami.

Monday (11/21)

Better:
Nets @ Warriors: Kidd vs. Davis and Carter vs. Richardson highlight this matchup. Golden State hasn’t had to travel much lately, so they should be well rested for this matchup. However, Richard Jefferson will exploit Dunleavy in SF. Someone has to step up for the Warriors.

Runner-up:
Hornets @ Sixers: The young guys in New Orleans/Oklahoma City will find a lot of easy shots with Sam Dalembert injured. Iverson should have a good game, but Webber could tire easily. This is Philly’s game to win, but they could easily get complacent before the game even starts.

Burst:
Bucks @ Jazz: Utah owner Larry Miller freaked out when they lost a game scoring just 63 points. You shouldn’t worry as Utah had 4 of their 5 starters injured in that game. However, he should be concerned because those situations will come up frequently, and this matchup with Milwaukee will be no different if McLeod, Boozer, Giricek and Kirilenko are injured.

Tuesday (11/22)

Better:
Celtics @ Cavaliers: These 2 have a history against each other, dating back to when Paul Pierce spat on the Cavs’ bench. The Celtics hustle will certainly compete against Cleveland. Boston started the year with 3 straight overtime games or last second games, so you know a tight deal is in order.

Runner-up:
Rockets @ Mavericks: These 2 teams played 7 games in the playoffs last year and could very well meet again this year (assuming the Rockets finish strong again). Just like the postseason, Yao needs to step up to give Houston a good chance to win.

Burst:
Raptors @ Suns: Toronto has allowed a ridiculous 112+ PPG in their last 4. Three times in their last 7 games they have allowed their opponent to score 117 or more. Phoenix doesn’t score as much as it used to, but it shouldn’t take much to overwhelm Toronto.

Wednesday (11/23)

Better:
Bobcats @ Knicks: At the very least, both teams will be in trouble all the time. Expect plenty of fouls, 3-point attempts, and layups. Why watch it? Neither team wins their games on blowouts, so a screeching call is needed.

Runner-up:
Spurs @ Warriors: Golden State has a day off, so they should be able to dictate the pace of the game. In the half-court game, Golden State is outmatched. They play the same way as San Antonio, but their pace is a bit faster. They made 12 3-pointers to win at Milwaukee, and they’ll need to make a high percentage to come away with a W.

Burst:
Nuggets @ Pistons: We know Detroit is the genuinely great team we hoped for, but Denver is still up in the air. If Denver plays the best he can, he could compete, but he just doesn’t compare well to Detroit’s defensive firepower. And Darko Milicic will make sure Carmelo Anthony has a bad game.

Thursday (11/24)
Note that there are only 2 NBA games on Thanksgiving so these 2 were the only ones. They both could have made the cut anyway.

Better:
Cavaliers @ Pacers: A central division matchup that will show more about Cleveland if they win. Getting to the playoffs isn’t as much of a concern as winning the division. This important game will be played hard and will hopefully delay the start of the Sonics/Lakers game.

Runner-up:
Sonics @ Lakers: Love is not in the air. If there’s one guy Ray Allen doesn’t seem to have class for, it’s Kobe. The Sonics are worse and the Lakers are slightly better. The Sonics have owned the Lakers in the 21st century, but Kobe Bryant will step up for a big performance.

Friday (11/25)

Better:
Blazers @ Magic: Orlando has had some trouble containing fairly inexperienced teams. Portland is sure to give them trouble. Orlando is a low scorer and does not eliminate any team. Composure is going to be key. It adds up to wrap up the ending, and whether Turkoglu or Ratliff can produce.

Runner-up:
Mavericks @ Heat: If Detroit really is the best team in the East, then Dallas’ 37-point win against them last Saturday speaks volumes. Of course, Miami just isn’t up there with Detroit or even Indiana in Shaq’s absence. A win here should elevate his status.

Burst:
Bulls @ Spurs: Chicago lost in overtime to San Antonio earlier in the year, and it will be even harder for them to redeem themselves. Songalia and Chandler provide a little block on Tim Duncan to get them through. Hinrich is as good as anyone to take on Parker, but you’ll still see Tony get 20+ points. He expects the deficit to hit 20 in the third quarter.

Saturday (11/26)

Better:
76ers @ Knicks: Iverson and Marbury have been known as coach killers, but Iverson seems to freeze with Maurice Cheeks. The same can’t be said for Marbury, who, like all Knicks players, faces trade rumors. Divisional player matches are what make this game a tie.

Runner-up:
Pistons @ Bucks: Another good Central division matchup, and once again Milwaukee is trying to validate its 3-0 start. With the division as tight as it is, both teams should play harder than usual. Detroit definitely needs a better performance on the road than that blitz they suffered in Dallas.

Burst:
Hornets @ Sonics: JR Smith will get a lesson in defending pure shooters like Ray Allen, assuming Smith isn’t injured and doesn’t play. Either way, Seattle should dominate offensively. A really bad field goal percentage for the Sonics will be the only factor that will prevent a blowout from happening.

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