Preview Roundups
January 25, 2015
Miami at Chicago 1:00 PM ET
Miami forward Luol Deng returns to Chicago as a visiting player for the first time when the Heat visit the Bulls on Sunday. Deng spent nine-plus seasons with Chicago before being dealt to the Cleveland Cavaliers during last season and signing with Miami as a free agent. Deng is averaging 14.3 points while starting 40 games and shooting 50.1 percent from the field, the second-highest percentage of his career.
Oklahoma City at Cleveland 3:30 PM ET
Oklahoma City and Cleveland both have endured difficult stretches early in the season, but the Thunder and Cavaliers are playing like championship contenders as they prepare to clash Sunday in Cleveland. The streaky Cavs have won five straight following a six-game skid, while the Thunder had a four-game winning streak snapped with a 103-93 loss at red-hot Atlanta on Friday. It's the last of two meetings this season; Oklahoma City won 103-94 at home on Dec. 11.
L.A. Clippers at Phoenix 6:00 PM ET
Teams playing arguably their best basketball of the season meet Sunday when the Phoenix Suns host the Los Angeles Clippers. When it seemed just a matter of time before the fully-healthy Oklahoma City Thunder would catch the Suns for the eighth spot in the West, Phoenix rolled off wins in 14 of its last 19 games. The Clippers, with sights on an NBA title, have struggled with consistency but have won nine of their last 12 games and may be finally fortifying a troublesome bench.
Dallas at New Orleans 6:00 PM ET
The New Orleans Pelicans just got above .500 and have no intention of going backward. In order to stay above the break-even point, the Pelicans will have to solve the Dallas Mavericks, who visit on Sunday and have taken nine straight in the series. The Mavericks had a three-game winning streak come to an end with a 102-98 home loss to the Chicago Bulls on Friday and will need to figure out a way to deal with Anthony Davis and Omer Asik on the glass.
Minnesota at Atlanta 6:00 PM ET
The Atlanta Hawks are closing in on a month of perfection as they prepare for the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. The Hawks have won a franchise-record 15 straight dating to Dec. 26, and they've won 29 of their last 31. The Timberwolves aren't likely to threaten the dominant run — they've lost three straight and 19 of 21 and own the worst record in the NBA.
Indiana at Orlando 6:00 PM ET
The Indiana Pacers look to snap their third extended losing streak of the campaign when they visit the equally-struggling Orlando Magic on Sunday. The Pacers have dropped seven straight contests -- their third string of six or more -- and will try to avoid matching their season high skid to close out a five-game road trip. Orlando center Nikola Vucevic is making a case for an All-Star Game bid, averaging 24 points and 12 rebounds the last 10 games, but the Magic are 2-10 in their last 12.
Milwaukee at San Antonio 7:00 PM ET
Aside from an embarrassing loss at Chicago on Thursday, the San Antonio Spurs are starting to look like the defending champions again. The Spurs seek a sixth win in seven games when they play the second of six straight home games against the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday. San Antonio got its homestand off to a good start when it beat the Los Angeles Lakers 99-85 on Friday.
Detroit at Toronto 7:00 PM ET
Detroit guard Brandon Jennings has been dominant against Toronto this season, but will be watching from the sidelines when the two teams meet in Canada on Sunday. Jennings, who has averaged 28 points and nine assists as the teams have split two meetings thus far, left Saturday's 101-86 loss to Milwaukee with a leg issue. The veteran, who is averaging 15.4 points per game, reportedly has an Achilles injury and is out indefinitely.
Boston at Golden State 8:00 PM ET
The Boston Celtics are in the midst of their first road winning streak against Western Conference teams in the Brad Stevens era but are about to run into a buzzsaw. The Celtics will attempt to improve to 3-1 on their road trip when they visit the NBA-best Golden State Warriors on Sunday. The Warriors are winners of 18 straight home games – the last 11 by at least 13 points – and Klay Thompson is on fire.
Washington at Denver 8:00 PM ET
The Denver Nuggets will try to avoid matching their longest losing streak of the season when they host the Washington Wizards on Sunday night. The Nuggets have allowed an average of 108.2 points in their five-game losing streak and will face a Washington team that scored 119 against them in a 30-point victory Dec. 5. Denver leading scorer Ty Lawson returned to practice Saturday after sitting out Friday’s one-point loss to the Boston Celtics following a charge of driving under the influence.
Houston at L.A. Lakers 9:30 PM ET
The Houston Rockets are in the midst of a mediocre 3-3 stretch and are hoping a dramatic finish against the Phoenix Suns on Friday will propel them to another hot streak. The Rockets visit the struggling Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, two nights after star guard James Harden drained a 20-footer as time expired to record a 113-111 win over the Suns. Los Angeles enters with a seven-game losing streak and has lost veteran guard Kobe Bryant with a season-ending shoulder injury.