Sunday Previews
TOR @ WAS: Most NBA fans will be watching Duke vs. Louisville when this one tips off at 6:00 EDT. Many of the Raptors and Wizards might prefer to be glued to the TV, but they have to perform anyway. John Wall has been sensational, and Kyle Lowry has been limited by a sore knee. Rudy Gay has a troublesome back and is a shutdown candidate if it flares up one more time. Nene (knee) is a game-time decision; Amir Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas are worth starting for Toronto.
CLE @ NOH: Given that the Hornets have knocked off a few very good teams at home lately, they should have little trouble with what’s left of the Cavaliers. Greivis Vasquez (ankle) is not 100%, so Brian Roberts might get another start. Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon are the main scoring threats, and Anthony Davis matches up well against Tristan Thompson.
DET @ CHI: Don’t expect this one to be a classic. The Bulls were sky-high on Wednesday when they ended Miami’s win streak, then lost a heartbreaker in Dallas last night. They should beat the lowly Pistons, whose only win of the month was a 1-point squeaker in Charlotte. Rookie Andre Drummond is a must-start, must-add player if you need rebounds and blocks down the stretch.
MIA @ SAS: Obviously the game of the night. These teams know they could meet in the Finals, where the Heat could all but guarantee home-court advantage with a victory in this contest. If the Spurs win, the battle for best overall record in the league will really heat up. Their only other meeting was the controversial Thursday night in November when Gregg Popovich rested his four best players. Tonight, I love Tony Parker and Tim Duncan, but Manu Ginobili (hamstring) is out, so Kawhi Leonard needs to be at his best. LeBron James will face a variety of different looks but he can never be completely contained.
BOS @ NYK: These teams don’t like each other, to put it politely. Kevin Garnett (ankle) won’t be in the face (and mind) of Carmelo Anthony tonight, and J.R. Smith is averaging almost 35 points over his last three games. Boston is relying very heavily on Paul Pierce, with Jeff Green doing a nice job as a starter, but they seem unlikely to snap the Knicks’ 7-game winning streak. Tyson Chandler (neck) can take another night off to get well, as both teams are content to play smallball.
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