Preview Roundups
November 14, 2014
Denver at Indiana 7:00 PM ET
Denver head coach Brian Shaw has not been pleased with his team's effort during a six-game slide and changes may be coming for the struggling Nuggets, who begin a three-game road trip at Indiana on Friday. Following a 130-113 loss to Portland on Wednesday, Shaw only gave a brief statement to reporters that hinted at some possible alterations. "There's nothing else that needs to be said other than the guys who give that kind of effort will be rewarded by being on the floor and playing," he said.
Milwaukee at Orlando 7:00 PM ET
The last time the Orlando Magic lost to the Milwaukee Bucks at home, Dwight Howard was a gangly 19-year-old rookie. The Magic will try to make it 17 straight home triumphs against the much-improved Bucks when they meet Friday. Orlando is certainly not the same team since Howard departed three seasons ago, but the Magic have still managed to win the last three at home against the Bucks since his departure.
Miami at Atlanta 7:30 PM ET
The Miami Heat might not be searching for the panic button, but they no longer have a player who can provide instant offense, and that could be a problem when they visit the defensive-minded Atlanta Hawks on Friday. The Heat's offense sputtered in an 81-75 to visiting Indiana on Wednesday, and LeBron James wasn't there to bail them out late. The Hawks have won the past two meetings after dropping nine straight to Miami.
Cleveland at Boston 7:30 PM ET
The rebuilt Cleveland Cavaliers finally have their season headed in the right direction and they’ll try for three wins in a row when they visit the Boston Celtics on Friday night. The Cavaliers have strung together back-to-back victories against Denver and New Orleans, two teams that didn’t qualify for the playoffs last season, but wins are wins. The Celtics, meanwhile, come in smarting after giving up the first road win of the season to the injury-decimated Thunder on Wednesday night.
Utah at New York 7:30 PM ET
The New York Knicks are stumbling along with a six-game losing streak but figure to have a good chance to end the skid Friday when they host the Utah Jazz. New York has rattled off six consecutive victories against Utah, a team playing the fourth contest on a five-game road trip. The Jazz lost 100-97 to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday while the Knicks were suffering a 97-95 home loss to the Orlando Magic.
Philadelphia at Houston 8:00 PM ET
On paper, it will be a mismatch of massive proportions when winless Philadelphia continues a four-game road trip at Houston on Friday. While the Rockets rested Thursday from a 113-101 victory over Minnesota in Mexico City the night before, the 76ers began the Texas Triangle portion of the trip with their worst loss in over 20 years, a 123-70 defeat that continued their worst start since 1972-73. Houston topped Philadelphia by 22 at home in March and had a 104-93 victory at the Sixers on Nov. 3.
Detroit at Oklahoma City 8:00 PM ET
The Oklahoma City Thunder return home Friday after a brief two-game road trip seeking to continue a long winning streak against the Detroit Pistons. The Thunder have won 10 straight against the Pistons and have not lost to Detroit at home since the franchise moved from Seattle after the 2007-08 season. However, Oklahoma City won't have Kevin Durant (foot), who scored 79 points in the two wins last season, Russell Westbrook and a host of other supporting characters this time.
Minnesota at New Orleans 8:00 PM ET
If the New Orleans Pelicans are going to hang with the Western Conference powers, they have to take care of business against the bottom of the league. The upstart Pelicans hope for an easy victory when they host the struggling Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. New Orleans is aiming for its fourth win in five games and looks to continue its best start since winning eight straight to begin the 2010-11 campaign.
Charlotte at Phoenix 9:00 PM ET
Contributions from the bench could play a key role when the Phoenix Suns host the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night. Isaiah Thomas leads the Suns in scoring at 17.4 points a game, scoring at least 20 in five of eight games this season, and fellow reserve Gerald Green is averaging 17.7 points over the last six games, highlighted by his team-high 28 points Wednesday night against the Nets. Together, they have outscored the opposition 53-36 in the fourth quarter of the last two games.
San Antonio at L.A. Lakers 10:00 PM ET
The San Antonio Spurs are rounding into form and will look for their third straight win on a four-game road trip when they visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. San Antonio lost three of its first five games – including a rare home loss to the New Orleans Pelicans – but has started to display its typical form with back-to-back road wins over the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors. The Lakers have the worst record in the Western Conference at 1-7.