February 26 Game Previews
ORL @ PHI: Though they lost to the Knicks at Madison Square, Philly played much better last time, with Thaddeus Young back from his hamstring injury. Jrue Holiday should be able to have his way tonight against backup point guards E’Twaun Moore and/or Beno Udrih. Up front, Spencer Hawes needs to handle former Sixer Nikola Vucevic. The Magic have lost 28 of their last 31 games and ten straight on the road. If you see signs of them coming around, let me know.
GSW @ IND: The best defensive team in the NBA in both opponents’ points and FG% has been harder to solve than ever during their last four wins. Now the Pacers are working Danny Granger back into the rotation. Once he’s up to speed, Lance Stephenson will make the bench stronger. Golden State has won three in a row, but this is a tougher test. The Warriors have All-Star David Lee and a better player in Stephen Curry, but their leader has been sixth man Jarrett Jack. Should be a good one, if not particularly high-scoring.
SAC @ MIA: The outcome isn’t really in doubt. It’s a 5-25 road team visiting the champions, who are 24-3 at home. The type of game is up to Miami. When they met in Sacramento last month, it was 128-99, and a shootout is more fun than playing tight D. LeBron James won’t have to play huge minutes on his sore leg, and Dwyane Wade is quite capable of being the primary option.
BRK @ NOH: It would help if Joe Johnson (heel) can play; officially he’s a game-time decision. Deron Williams has wonky ankles and got kicked in the calf last game, but is probable. Brook Lopez was benched for the fourth quarter vs. the Grizzlies; he should bounce back against his twin brother. The Hornets aren’t in the playoff hunt, but they often come up big at home. Greivis Vasquez is a must-start, Anthony Davis is coming off a big night and if Eric Gordon isn’t feeling it, Ryan Anderson can heat up fast off the bench.
CLE @ CHI: Every so often, the Bulls are awful. There was a brutal New Year’s Eve loss at home to Charlotte, late January when they scored 73 at Washington, and two games last week, where they scored only 67 in Miami and 72 in Oklahoma City. However, they tend to bounce back from those disasters with wins. Taj Gibson (knee) is doubtful, so look for Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer to play big minutes. Kyrie Irving could have a field day against Nate Robinson, so the Cavs do have a chance.
MIL @ DAL: Sunday’s loss to the Lakers was costly to any hopes Dallas has left of making the playoffs. They should have a sense of desperation tonight. Milwaukee has lost three straight and seven of eight, but they still enjoy a four-game cushion for the final East playoff spot. Dirk Nowitzki has come up huge the last two games and the Bucks have shown a recent tendency to cough up leads. It was a pleasant surprise for owners of J.J. Redick when he got 35 minutes in his post-trade debut, scoring 16 points. Larry Sanders is another must-start against the Mavs’ centers.
MIN @ PHO: It will be fun to watch Ricky Rubio take on Goran Dragic, and when Marcin Gortat plays his best, he matches up well with Nikola Pekovic. Phoenix is dangerous tonight; rested and at home against an opponent that has little to play for, this is their best chance of the week for a W. For Minnesota, former Arizona star Derrick Williams has been playing well and Andrei Kirilenko seems healthy again. The Suns’ new addition Marcus Morris played six minutes in his first game, 20 in the next and this may offer more clues about how he’s going to be used.
CHA @ LAC: It’s a gigantic mismatch, but the Clippers know that. They might be overconfident or careless. Even if they pour it on, that will mean garbage time. Paradoxically, the better the Bobcats play, the better for fantasy owners of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. I’m more inclined to speculate on second-unit guys like Lamar Odom, Matt Barnes and Eric Bledsoe as bargains in daily leagues than pay retail for the stars. Kemba Walker is having a fine season for the Bobcats, but CP3 is a very tough matchup. Byron Mullens has been colder than liquid nitrogen the last two games; use him at your own risk.