Preview Roundups
November 18, 2016
Atlanta at Charlotte 7:00 PM ET
Kemba Walker continues establishing himself as one of the NBA’s elite players, lifting the Charlotte Hornets to victories in seven of their first 10 games. Walker and his teammates face an early-season test Friday when the Hornets host the Atlanta Hawks, who feature one of the top defenses in the league while winning six games in a row in building a 1½ game lead over the Hornets in the Southeast Division.
Phoenix at Indiana 7:00 PM ET
The Indiana Pacers got some help from the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, when LeBron James was rested on the second night of a back-to-back, and came away with a 103-93 win to improve to 2-1 on their four-game homestand. The Pacers will try to clinch a winning homestand when they host the Phoenix Suns on Friday.
Detroit at Cleveland 7:30 PM ET
LeBron James should be well-rested on Friday after getting the night off Wednesday as the Cleveland Cavaliers were falling at Indiana on the second night of a back-to-back. The Detroit Pistons, who visit the Cavaliers on Friday, are the unfortunate team that gets to defend a healthy and rested James.
Portland at New Orleans 8:00 PM ET
Point guard Jrue Holiday has been dealing with a tough family situation but has returned to New Orleans and will make his season debut when the Pelicans host the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday. Holiday has been away from the team while his wife, Lauren, underwent treatment for a brain tumor, which led to a complicated birth of their daughter prior to the surgery.
Brooklyn at Oklahoma City 8:00 PM ET
A consistent complimentary scorer is one thing the Oklahoma City Thunder are still trying to find for Russell Westbrook, and Victor Oladipo seems to be auditioning for the job. Oladipo will try to follow up one big game with another when the Thunder host the Brooklyn Nets on Friday.
Golden State at Boston 8:00 PM ET
The Boston Celtics finally appear to be getting things in order on the defensive end, just in time to welcome the highest-scoring team in the NBA to town. The Celtics will try to earn a fourth win in five games and slow down an offensive juggernaut when they host the Golden State Warriors on Friday.
Memphis at Dallas 8:30 PM ET
The Memphis Grizzlies have been floundering a bit under first-year coach David Fizdale but may have notched the type of victory to get the team moving in the right direction. Memphis dropped the red-hot Los Angeles Clippers in its last game and attempts to keep the momentum going when it visits the Dallas Mavericks on Friday.
Toronto at Denver 9:00 PM ET
After back-to-back losses against the league's elites, the Toronto Raptors hope to find a soft landing spot when they visit the Denver Nuggets on Friday in the opener of a five-game road trip. The Raptors' hot start came to a grinding halt with losses on consecutive nights to Cleveland and Golden State, although they came by a combined 10 points.
San Antonio at L.A. Lakers 10:30 PM ET
The Los Angeles Lakers are much more competitive than expected with first-year coach Luke Walton at the helm and they seek their seventh win in the past nine games when they host the San Antonio Spurs on Friday. Los Angeles didn't win its seventh contest last season until Jan. 1 (in game 34), and gets a chance to test themselves against the perennial playoff contender Spurs.
L.A. Clippers at Sacramento 10:30 PM ET
The Los Angeles Clippers were served a reminder that they aren't just going to cruise to victories on a nightly basis. Los Angeles looks to rebound from its second loss of the season when it visits the Sacramento Kings on Friday.