Pistons Host Bulls To Open Season
The Detroit Pistons will host the Chicago Bulls at Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday evening.
The Pistons were one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference last season from a record perspective, as they won just 20 games, and that's not likely to change in the 2021-22 NBA season. Even though the addition of star rookie Cade Cunningham, plus one more year of experience in The Association for several young players, should be helpful, the Pistons' rebuilding process is just beginning. Some of their notable additions during the offseason included the return of Cory Joseph and the acquisition of Hamidou Diallo, but this year it'll be all about playing the young guys in Detroit. While a potential playoff run is highly unlikely, the Pistons will be one of the most exciting teams in the league simply because of all the young players they'll trout into the hardwood on a regular basis.
The Bulls did not reach the playoffs last season despite acquiring Nikola Vucevic just before the trade deadline, but if they weren't serious about making a playoff run last season, they're certainly looking to accomplish that in 2021-22. Aside from keeping Vucevic and Zach LaVine, the Bulls also added two bonafide starters in DeMar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball. It remains to be seen how DeRozan and LaVine will work together, but there's no question the Bulls now have untapped potential on the offensive side of the ball. They're coming off a 2020-21 season in which they posted a 31-41 record, the 11th best mark in the Eastern Conference, but they should target a low playoff seed in what promises to be a stacked Eastern Conference.
These teams played three times in the regular season during the 2020-21 NBA season, and the Bulls swept the series. In fact, the Bulls are riding a seven-game winning streak against the Pistons.
The Pistons were one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference last season from a record perspective, as they won just 20 games, and that's not likely to change in the 2021-22 NBA season. Even though the addition of star rookie Cade Cunningham, plus one more year of experience in The Association for several young players, should be helpful, the Pistons' rebuilding process is just beginning. Some of their notable additions during the offseason included the return of Cory Joseph and the acquisition of Hamidou Diallo, but this year it'll be all about playing the young guys in Detroit. While a potential playoff run is highly unlikely, the Pistons will be one of the most exciting teams in the league simply because of all the young players they'll trout into the hardwood on a regular basis.
The Bulls did not reach the playoffs last season despite acquiring Nikola Vucevic just before the trade deadline, but if they weren't serious about making a playoff run last season, they're certainly looking to accomplish that in 2021-22. Aside from keeping Vucevic and Zach LaVine, the Bulls also added two bonafide starters in DeMar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball. It remains to be seen how DeRozan and LaVine will work together, but there's no question the Bulls now have untapped potential on the offensive side of the ball. They're coming off a 2020-21 season in which they posted a 31-41 record, the 11th best mark in the Eastern Conference, but they should target a low playoff seed in what promises to be a stacked Eastern Conference.
These teams played three times in the regular season during the 2020-21 NBA season, and the Bulls swept the series. In fact, the Bulls are riding a seven-game winning streak against the Pistons.
Pacers and Hornets Tip Off New Season
The Indiana Pacers take on the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center on Wednesday night in the 2021-22 regular-season opener for both clubs.
The Pacers finished last season with a 34-38 record, which was enough to qualify them for a play-in game spot. Indiana then throttled the Hornets by a 144-117 score in the first play-in contest before suffering a lopsided 142-115 defeat at the hands of the Washington Wizards to end their brief postseason run. Indiana went on to fire head coach Nate Bjorkgren after just one season and brought back Rick Carlisle, who'd helmed Indiana from the 2003-04- 2006-07 seasons. The Pacers will open the season with Malcolm Brogdon, Caris LeVert and Domantas Sabonis as their top offensive options, although LeVert projects to be sidelined for the first four games of the campaign. Myles Turner, Jeremy Lamb and T.J. McConnell should play key complementary roles, while T.J. Warren could also be an important contributor once he's cleared to return from his foot injury.
The Pacers will be without LeVert (back), Warren (foot) and Kelan Martin (hamstring) for Wednesday's contest. Brogdon (shoulder) will carry a probable tag, while Jeremy Lamb (wrist) and Justin Holiday (ankle) are listed as questionable.
The Hornets' 33-39 record during the 2020-21 regular season qualified them for the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference before they were quickly dispatched by the Pacers, as noted earlier. Despite the poor won-loss mark, Charlotte retained James Borrego as head coach and returns the core of LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, Miles Bridges and Gordon Hayward. Miles Plumlee was added during the offseason to replace Cody Zeller, while offseason arrival Kelly Oubre and P.J. Washington will serve as high-quality depth on the second unit to open the campaign.
The Hornets will list Rozier (ankle) and Miles Bridges (knee) as probable for Wednesday's contest.
Wednesday's game marks the first of four meetings between the teams this season. The Hornets won the three-game 2020-21 season series between the teams by a 2-1 margin before falling in the play-in game to the Pacers.
The Pacers finished last season with a 34-38 record, which was enough to qualify them for a play-in game spot. Indiana then throttled the Hornets by a 144-117 score in the first play-in contest before suffering a lopsided 142-115 defeat at the hands of the Washington Wizards to end their brief postseason run. Indiana went on to fire head coach Nate Bjorkgren after just one season and brought back Rick Carlisle, who'd helmed Indiana from the 2003-04- 2006-07 seasons. The Pacers will open the season with Malcolm Brogdon, Caris LeVert and Domantas Sabonis as their top offensive options, although LeVert projects to be sidelined for the first four games of the campaign. Myles Turner, Jeremy Lamb and T.J. McConnell should play key complementary roles, while T.J. Warren could also be an important contributor once he's cleared to return from his foot injury.
The Pacers will be without LeVert (back), Warren (foot) and Kelan Martin (hamstring) for Wednesday's contest. Brogdon (shoulder) will carry a probable tag, while Jeremy Lamb (wrist) and Justin Holiday (ankle) are listed as questionable.
The Hornets' 33-39 record during the 2020-21 regular season qualified them for the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference before they were quickly dispatched by the Pacers, as noted earlier. Despite the poor won-loss mark, Charlotte retained James Borrego as head coach and returns the core of LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, Miles Bridges and Gordon Hayward. Miles Plumlee was added during the offseason to replace Cody Zeller, while offseason arrival Kelly Oubre and P.J. Washington will serve as high-quality depth on the second unit to open the campaign.
The Hornets will list Rozier (ankle) and Miles Bridges (knee) as probable for Wednesday's contest.
Wednesday's game marks the first of four meetings between the teams this season. The Hornets won the three-game 2020-21 season series between the teams by a 2-1 margin before falling in the play-in game to the Pacers.
Celtics Visit Knicks To Tip Off Regular Season
The New York Knicks will host the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday evening.
The Knicks were one of the most impressive teams during the preseason after going undefeated, and while that doesn't mean anything heading into the grind of the regular season, the franchise is certainly on the rise after reaching the playoffs in 2020-21. The Knicks posted a 41-31 record during the 2020-21 regular season and finished as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, and considering they will have their core for this season mostly unchanged, the expectations are quite high for Tom Thibodeau's team. The Knicks also posted a 25-11 record at home during last season, and they have everything in place to repeat what they already accomplished last season. The play of star forward Julius Randle, who averaged a career-high 24.1 points per game to go along with 10.2 rebounds per contest, will be pivotal for the team's success.
The Celtics were one of the biggest disappointments during the 2020-21 NBA season, hovering around the .500 mark during most of the campaign and ultimately finishing in seventh place of the Eastern Conference with a 36-36 mark -- something that resulted in a first-round playoff exit. Brad Stevens is no longer the head coach, and the roster underwent quite a few changes compared to the previous campaign. The Celtics should be primed for a bounce-back year solely based on the quality of their players, but ultimately, this is a team that will go as far as the star duo of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum can carry it. Unfortunately, Brown has been listed as a game-time call for the season opener due to COVID-19 protocols. Al Horford has already been ruled out due to the same reason.
These teams played three times during the 2020-21 NBA regular season and the Knicks edged that series by a 2-1 score.
The Knicks were one of the most impressive teams during the preseason after going undefeated, and while that doesn't mean anything heading into the grind of the regular season, the franchise is certainly on the rise after reaching the playoffs in 2020-21. The Knicks posted a 41-31 record during the 2020-21 regular season and finished as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, and considering they will have their core for this season mostly unchanged, the expectations are quite high for Tom Thibodeau's team. The Knicks also posted a 25-11 record at home during last season, and they have everything in place to repeat what they already accomplished last season. The play of star forward Julius Randle, who averaged a career-high 24.1 points per game to go along with 10.2 rebounds per contest, will be pivotal for the team's success.
The Celtics were one of the biggest disappointments during the 2020-21 NBA season, hovering around the .500 mark during most of the campaign and ultimately finishing in seventh place of the Eastern Conference with a 36-36 mark -- something that resulted in a first-round playoff exit. Brad Stevens is no longer the head coach, and the roster underwent quite a few changes compared to the previous campaign. The Celtics should be primed for a bounce-back year solely based on the quality of their players, but ultimately, this is a team that will go as far as the star duo of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum can carry it. Unfortunately, Brown has been listed as a game-time call for the season opener due to COVID-19 protocols. Al Horford has already been ruled out due to the same reason.
These teams played three times during the 2020-21 NBA regular season and the Knicks edged that series by a 2-1 score.
Wizards and Raptors Face Off in Opener
The Washington Wizards take on the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night in the opening game of the season for both teams.
The Wizards finished the 2020-21 campaign with a 34-38 record that qualified them for a play-in tournament spot, which they ultimately parlayed into a first-round playoff appearance. Washington was defeated by the 76ers in five games, and in the offseason, notably parted ways with Russell Westbrook and head coach Scott Brooks. Wes Unseld, Jr. is the new man at the top for the Wizards, while Spencer Dindwiddie was brought in as Westbrook's replacement at point guard. Bradley Beal will begin his 10th season with the team after averaging a career-high 31.3 points on career-best 48.5 percent shooting and projects to once again serve as the centerpiece of the team's efforts.
The Wizards will list Beal (knee) as probable for Wednesday's game while Rui Hachimura (COVID-19 protocols) and Thomas Bryant (knee) will be out.
The Raptors had a drastically disappointing 2020-21 season that saw them finish with a 27-45 mark fueled by a particularly poor start to the season. Nick Nurse nevertheless is back for his fourth season in Toronto after enduring the difficult circumstances of having to operate out of Tampa, Florida for the entirety of the campaign due to COVID-19 restrictions in Canada. Wednesday's contest will mark Toronto's first regular-season game on its home floor since March 2020, but they'll make their grand return without franchise leader Pascal Siakam, who's still recovering from June shoulder surgery. Additionally, the Raptors will be in the unfamiliar position of going to battle without Kyle Lowry, who signed with the Heat in the offseason after 11 seasons with the franchise. Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby and Siakam are essentially the new Big Three in Toronto, while Lowry's replacement Goran Dragic will try to make his own mark on the team as the season unfolds.
The Raptors will be without Siakam and Yuta Watanabe (calf) for Wednesday's contest. Chris Boucher (finger) will be listed as questionable.
Wednesday's game marks the first of four 2021-22 meetings between the clubs. The Raptors won the 2020-21 series between the teams by a 2-1 margin.
The Wizards finished the 2020-21 campaign with a 34-38 record that qualified them for a play-in tournament spot, which they ultimately parlayed into a first-round playoff appearance. Washington was defeated by the 76ers in five games, and in the offseason, notably parted ways with Russell Westbrook and head coach Scott Brooks. Wes Unseld, Jr. is the new man at the top for the Wizards, while Spencer Dindwiddie was brought in as Westbrook's replacement at point guard. Bradley Beal will begin his 10th season with the team after averaging a career-high 31.3 points on career-best 48.5 percent shooting and projects to once again serve as the centerpiece of the team's efforts.
The Wizards will list Beal (knee) as probable for Wednesday's game while Rui Hachimura (COVID-19 protocols) and Thomas Bryant (knee) will be out.
The Raptors had a drastically disappointing 2020-21 season that saw them finish with a 27-45 mark fueled by a particularly poor start to the season. Nick Nurse nevertheless is back for his fourth season in Toronto after enduring the difficult circumstances of having to operate out of Tampa, Florida for the entirety of the campaign due to COVID-19 restrictions in Canada. Wednesday's contest will mark Toronto's first regular-season game on its home floor since March 2020, but they'll make their grand return without franchise leader Pascal Siakam, who's still recovering from June shoulder surgery. Additionally, the Raptors will be in the unfamiliar position of going to battle without Kyle Lowry, who signed with the Heat in the offseason after 11 seasons with the franchise. Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby and Siakam are essentially the new Big Three in Toronto, while Lowry's replacement Goran Dragic will try to make his own mark on the team as the season unfolds.
The Raptors will be without Siakam and Yuta Watanabe (calf) for Wednesday's contest. Chris Boucher (finger) will be listed as questionable.
Wednesday's game marks the first of four 2021-22 meetings between the clubs. The Raptors won the 2020-21 series between the teams by a 2-1 margin.
Sixers Open Season Away At Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans will host the Philadelphia 76ers at Smoothie King Center on Wednesday night.
The Pelicans, who will be without Zion Williamson for the season opener -- and a few more games -- due to injury, have one clear objective in their minds to start the season: reaching the playoffs for the first time since the 2017-18 season. The Pelicans ended last season with a 31-41 record and finished in 11th place of the Western Conference, but they were quite far from reaching a spot in the play-in tournament. Led by Williamson and Brandon Ingram, two of the league's most exciting young players, and after adding names such as Jonas Valanciunas and Devonte' Graham in the offseason, the Pelicans will be an entertaining team to watch, one that will score for fun and will play with a lot of pace. However, it remains to be seen if that intensity will translate to wins -- something that has been lacking at New Orleans of late.
The Sixers have been grabbing headlines over the last 24 hours, but it has been due to all the wrong reasons -- it mostly has to do with the handling of the Ben Simmons' situation that led to the star player being suspended for the season opener due to "conduct detrimental to the team." The Sixers finished last season with the best record in the Eastern Conference at 49-23, but that wasn't translated to the playoffs and they lost in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks. It remains to be seen if Doc Rivers' will repeat what they did during the regular season in 2020-21, but the team's focus right now is to improve what they did last year in the playoffs and get noticed by what they do on the hardwood, not what happens outside of the court.
These two teams played twice last season, and the head-to-head record ended tied at 1-1. However, the Sixers have won five of the last six against New Orleans.
The Pelicans, who will be without Zion Williamson for the season opener -- and a few more games -- due to injury, have one clear objective in their minds to start the season: reaching the playoffs for the first time since the 2017-18 season. The Pelicans ended last season with a 31-41 record and finished in 11th place of the Western Conference, but they were quite far from reaching a spot in the play-in tournament. Led by Williamson and Brandon Ingram, two of the league's most exciting young players, and after adding names such as Jonas Valanciunas and Devonte' Graham in the offseason, the Pelicans will be an entertaining team to watch, one that will score for fun and will play with a lot of pace. However, it remains to be seen if that intensity will translate to wins -- something that has been lacking at New Orleans of late.
The Sixers have been grabbing headlines over the last 24 hours, but it has been due to all the wrong reasons -- it mostly has to do with the handling of the Ben Simmons' situation that led to the star player being suspended for the season opener due to "conduct detrimental to the team." The Sixers finished last season with the best record in the Eastern Conference at 49-23, but that wasn't translated to the playoffs and they lost in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks. It remains to be seen if Doc Rivers' will repeat what they did during the regular season in 2020-21, but the team's focus right now is to improve what they did last year in the playoffs and get noticed by what they do on the hardwood, not what happens outside of the court.
These two teams played twice last season, and the head-to-head record ended tied at 1-1. However, the Sixers have won five of the last six against New Orleans.
Rockets and Timberwolves Set for Season-Opening Clash
The Houston Rockets take on the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on Wednesday night in the season-opening game for each team.
The Rockets endured one of the worst seasons in franchise history during the 2020-21 campaign, finishing with a 17-55 record that qualified as the worst in the NBA. Houston nevertheless will once again be led by Stephen Silas, who did seem to get his team to play hard and even pull multiple upsets against playoff teams last season. Silas will apparently not have one of his best players from last season at his disposal moving forward, however, as John Wall and the team have agreed he will eventually be traded and not play at all for the Rockets. That leaves Kevin Porter, who did a fine job resurrecting his career at the tail end of last season, as the starting point guard, while Eric Gordon, offseason arrival Daniel Theis and Christian Wood will help round out the starting five. There's also plenty of excitement surrounding rookie second overall pick Jalen Green, who'll be entrusted to handle starting shooting guard duties right from Opening Night.
The Rockets will list Danuel House (personal) as questionable for Wednesday's game.
The Timberwolves finished last season in only marginally better shape than the Rockets, with Minnesota's 23-49 mark keeping them far away from the postseason picture as well. Chris Finch begins his first full season as the T-Wolves' head coach with the same core of players from last season, as D'Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns will be at the forefront and Josh Okogie and Jaden McDaniels will serve as complementary options in each forward spot. Veteran offseason addition Patrick Beverley and Malik Beasley are set to serve as Finch's top second-unit assets.
The Timberwolves will be without Beverley (suspension) for Wednesday's contest. Jaylen Nowell (back) and Jordan McLaughlin (groin) will carry questionable tags.
Wednesday's game marks the first of three meetings between the teams this season. The Timberwolves won the three-game 2020-21 series by 2-1 margin.
The Rockets endured one of the worst seasons in franchise history during the 2020-21 campaign, finishing with a 17-55 record that qualified as the worst in the NBA. Houston nevertheless will once again be led by Stephen Silas, who did seem to get his team to play hard and even pull multiple upsets against playoff teams last season. Silas will apparently not have one of his best players from last season at his disposal moving forward, however, as John Wall and the team have agreed he will eventually be traded and not play at all for the Rockets. That leaves Kevin Porter, who did a fine job resurrecting his career at the tail end of last season, as the starting point guard, while Eric Gordon, offseason arrival Daniel Theis and Christian Wood will help round out the starting five. There's also plenty of excitement surrounding rookie second overall pick Jalen Green, who'll be entrusted to handle starting shooting guard duties right from Opening Night.
The Rockets will list Danuel House (personal) as questionable for Wednesday's game.
The Timberwolves finished last season in only marginally better shape than the Rockets, with Minnesota's 23-49 mark keeping them far away from the postseason picture as well. Chris Finch begins his first full season as the T-Wolves' head coach with the same core of players from last season, as D'Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns will be at the forefront and Josh Okogie and Jaden McDaniels will serve as complementary options in each forward spot. Veteran offseason addition Patrick Beverley and Malik Beasley are set to serve as Finch's top second-unit assets.
The Timberwolves will be without Beverley (suspension) for Wednesday's contest. Jaylen Nowell (back) and Jordan McLaughlin (groin) will carry questionable tags.
Wednesday's game marks the first of three meetings between the teams this season. The Timberwolves won the three-game 2020-21 series by 2-1 margin.
Grizzlies Look To Start Strong After Impressive Run Last Season
By Dan Bruno
The Memphis Grizzlies play host to the Cleveland Cavaliers at FedEx Forum on Wednesday evening.
The Grizzlies will look to pick up where they left off last season, as they exceeded many expectations by earning a spot in the playoffs by way of the play-in round. They were able to defeat the Warriors and the Spurs in the play-in rounds, to earn a shot against the Utah Jazz in the first round, where they actually stole game one and really put the league on notice. However, the cinderella story ended there, as the Jazz bounced back to win four games straight, sending the young Grizzlies team home. The Grizz will be returning mostly the same lineup other than a change at the center position, where they swapped Jonas Valanciunas for Steven Adams. Ja Morant will be leading the way yet again and after a solid sophomore season, where he averaged 19.1 points, 7.4 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game, there is no limit as to what to expect from him this season.
Meanwhile, after finishing last season 13th in the East, the Cavaliers will be looking to make strides this season, especially with the help of offseason acquisitions, veteran point guard, Ricky Rubio, and up-and-coming Lauri Markkanen. Collin Sexton showed that he is a legitimate problem for opposing teams as he averaged 24.3 points on 47.5 percent shooting, including 37.1 percent from long range last season. Darius Garland also showed progress in his sophomore season, averaging 17.4 points per game, up from 12.3 in his rookie season, with only two more minutes per game on average. Perhaps more importantly, Garland went from 3.9 assists per game in his rookie season, to 6.1 assists per game last season. Kevin Love remains with the team, and although he was limited to just 25 games as he dealt with injuries for most of last season, he is expected to be ready to go this year, and could turn out to be a key contributor if he can get to anywhere near his former production.
The Grizzlies will look to pick up where they left off last season, as they exceeded many expectations by earning a spot in the playoffs by way of the play-in round. They were able to defeat the Warriors and the Spurs in the play-in rounds, to earn a shot against the Utah Jazz in the first round, where they actually stole game one and really put the league on notice. However, the cinderella story ended there, as the Jazz bounced back to win four games straight, sending the young Grizzlies team home. The Grizz will be returning mostly the same lineup other than a change at the center position, where they swapped Jonas Valanciunas for Steven Adams. Ja Morant will be leading the way yet again and after a solid sophomore season, where he averaged 19.1 points, 7.4 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game, there is no limit as to what to expect from him this season.
Meanwhile, after finishing last season 13th in the East, the Cavaliers will be looking to make strides this season, especially with the help of offseason acquisitions, veteran point guard, Ricky Rubio, and up-and-coming Lauri Markkanen. Collin Sexton showed that he is a legitimate problem for opposing teams as he averaged 24.3 points on 47.5 percent shooting, including 37.1 percent from long range last season. Darius Garland also showed progress in his sophomore season, averaging 17.4 points per game, up from 12.3 in his rookie season, with only two more minutes per game on average. Perhaps more importantly, Garland went from 3.9 assists per game in his rookie season, to 6.1 assists per game last season. Kevin Love remains with the team, and although he was limited to just 25 games as he dealt with injuries for most of last season, he is expected to be ready to go this year, and could turn out to be a key contributor if he can get to anywhere near his former production.
Spurs, Magic Young Cores Set To Clash
By Dan Bruno
The San Antonio Spurs play host to the Orlando Magic at AT&T Center on Wednesday evening.
The Spurs have entered full rebuild mode as they let go of DeMar DeRozan in the offseason, leaving leadership duties to the likes of Dejounte Murry and Derrick White, while Lonnie Walker, Keldon Johnson, and Jakob Poeltl round out the young core. However, the Spurs added some veteran reinforcements, with Thaddeus Young and Doug McDermott, who can both provide solid reliability in their roles. They also got Bryn Forbes back on the roster, who now brings the championship pedigree he earned with the Bucks last season, which will help offer perspective and motivation to the rest of the squad. Dejounte Murray has shown that he has tons of potential and can emerge as a statistical leader for the team, as he averaged 15.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.4 assists last season. Derrick White also had a strong season last season and has shown consistent improvement through his four seasons with the Spurs, as he averaged a career-high of 15.4 points per game last season, to go along with 3.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game.
Meanwhile, the Magic are in a similar situation with a promising young core, supplemented by a couple of solid veterans to help keep the balance. Number-five pick, Jalen Suggs is expected to make his NBA regular season debut and will be a much-anticipated part of the Magic's 2021-22 season, as he has shown through his college career that he can be a game-changer. Playing alongside Suggs will be sophomore, Cole Anthony, who looked good in his rookie season, averaging 12.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 27 minutes per game. The young backcourt has tonnes of potential and will be a key part of the Magic's focus going forward. The Magic inked big man, Wendell Carter Jr. to a four-year contract extension, providing them a solid presence in the paint on both ends of the floor. Terrence Ross remains as the team's savvy veteran, as he is heading into his 11th year in the league.
The Spurs have entered full rebuild mode as they let go of DeMar DeRozan in the offseason, leaving leadership duties to the likes of Dejounte Murry and Derrick White, while Lonnie Walker, Keldon Johnson, and Jakob Poeltl round out the young core. However, the Spurs added some veteran reinforcements, with Thaddeus Young and Doug McDermott, who can both provide solid reliability in their roles. They also got Bryn Forbes back on the roster, who now brings the championship pedigree he earned with the Bucks last season, which will help offer perspective and motivation to the rest of the squad. Dejounte Murray has shown that he has tons of potential and can emerge as a statistical leader for the team, as he averaged 15.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.4 assists last season. Derrick White also had a strong season last season and has shown consistent improvement through his four seasons with the Spurs, as he averaged a career-high of 15.4 points per game last season, to go along with 3.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game.
Meanwhile, the Magic are in a similar situation with a promising young core, supplemented by a couple of solid veterans to help keep the balance. Number-five pick, Jalen Suggs is expected to make his NBA regular season debut and will be a much-anticipated part of the Magic's 2021-22 season, as he has shown through his college career that he can be a game-changer. Playing alongside Suggs will be sophomore, Cole Anthony, who looked good in his rookie season, averaging 12.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 27 minutes per game. The young backcourt has tonnes of potential and will be a key part of the Magic's focus going forward. The Magic inked big man, Wendell Carter Jr. to a four-year contract extension, providing them a solid presence in the paint on both ends of the floor. Terrence Ross remains as the team's savvy veteran, as he is heading into his 11th year in the league.
Top-Tier Jazz Open Season Against Young Thunder
By Dan Bruno
The Utah Jazz play host to the Oklahoma City Thunder at Vivint Arena on Wednesday evening.
The Jazz are coming off a formidable yet at the same time disappointing season, as they finished the season as the top seed in the West, before getting bounced by the Clippers in the conference semi-finals. They will be returning with virtually the same lineup as last season, as they did not have much reason to look elsewhere from their solid lineup. With 2021 Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert patrolling the paint, the Jazz's defense will remain one to be reckoned with, while Donovan Mitchell will continue to lead the way offensively as one of the league's brightest young stars. Mitchell averaged career-highs of 26.4 points, 5.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game last season and one can only expect him to continue to improve as he gets set to begin the fifth season of his career. Another key part of the Jazz's success has been their depth, as guys like Bojan Bogdanovic, Jordan Clarkson, Joe Ingles and Royce O'Neale are all set to excel in their roles yet again.
Meanwhile, The Thunder are committed to their rebuild and the development of their young core, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has already shown he can compete among the league's best guards. Although, he was hampered by injuries last season and only able to play 35 games, Gilgeous-Alexander showed flashes of greatness, averaging 23.7 points, 5.9 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game. Luguentz Dort and Darius Bazley are both coming off solid sophomore seasons, where they showed much improvement and even flashes of greatness at times. Both players should be set to take further steps in their development and prove to be a hassle for opponents on either end of the floor. The Thunder are also looking forward to the debut of their first-round pick, guard/forward, Josh Giddy, whom they drafted sixth overall.
The Jazz are coming off a formidable yet at the same time disappointing season, as they finished the season as the top seed in the West, before getting bounced by the Clippers in the conference semi-finals. They will be returning with virtually the same lineup as last season, as they did not have much reason to look elsewhere from their solid lineup. With 2021 Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert patrolling the paint, the Jazz's defense will remain one to be reckoned with, while Donovan Mitchell will continue to lead the way offensively as one of the league's brightest young stars. Mitchell averaged career-highs of 26.4 points, 5.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game last season and one can only expect him to continue to improve as he gets set to begin the fifth season of his career. Another key part of the Jazz's success has been their depth, as guys like Bojan Bogdanovic, Jordan Clarkson, Joe Ingles and Royce O'Neale are all set to excel in their roles yet again.
Meanwhile, The Thunder are committed to their rebuild and the development of their young core, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has already shown he can compete among the league's best guards. Although, he was hampered by injuries last season and only able to play 35 games, Gilgeous-Alexander showed flashes of greatness, averaging 23.7 points, 5.9 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game. Luguentz Dort and Darius Bazley are both coming off solid sophomore seasons, where they showed much improvement and even flashes of greatness at times. Both players should be set to take further steps in their development and prove to be a hassle for opponents on either end of the floor. The Thunder are also looking forward to the debut of their first-round pick, guard/forward, Josh Giddy, whom they drafted sixth overall.
Suns Host Nuggets in Opener
The Phoenix Suns play host to the Denver Nuggets at Footprint Center on Wednesday.
Denver continues to be a better team than everyone expects. They journeyed their way to the Western Conference semi's last season after getting to the Western Conference Finals in the year prior. Last year's run might have been even more impressive, doing that damage without Jamal Murray. The star point guard suffered an ACL tear last season, and there's some hope that he'll be ready by January or March. The Nuggets surprisingly didn't go out and sign someone in his absence, leaning on the Facundo Campazzo and Monte Morris duo once again. It's all about Nikola Jokic, though, with the big man earning Denver's first-ever MVP. He's truly developed into one of the best players in basketball, and it's crazy to see how dynamic he's become from the center position.
The Suns were the biggest surprise in the NBA last season and fell just a few games shy of becoming NBA Champions. Getting all the way to the Finals is an excellent testament to how much this team has grown, riding Chris Paul's leadership to that unlikely spot. They also got some significant improvements from Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges and Deandre Ayton, making this one of the favorites this year. Many people believe that it was a fluke, though, but a win against a formidable Denver team could give them the confidence to continue growing with this impressive core. Like Denver, they didn't do much in the offseason, and it'll be interesting to see if that hurts or helps them going forward.
Denver won the season series against Phoenix last year, winning two of the three games in overtime. The Suns won when it mattered most, though, sweeping the Nuggets in the Western Conference Semis.
Denver continues to be a better team than everyone expects. They journeyed their way to the Western Conference semi's last season after getting to the Western Conference Finals in the year prior. Last year's run might have been even more impressive, doing that damage without Jamal Murray. The star point guard suffered an ACL tear last season, and there's some hope that he'll be ready by January or March. The Nuggets surprisingly didn't go out and sign someone in his absence, leaning on the Facundo Campazzo and Monte Morris duo once again. It's all about Nikola Jokic, though, with the big man earning Denver's first-ever MVP. He's truly developed into one of the best players in basketball, and it's crazy to see how dynamic he's become from the center position.
The Suns were the biggest surprise in the NBA last season and fell just a few games shy of becoming NBA Champions. Getting all the way to the Finals is an excellent testament to how much this team has grown, riding Chris Paul's leadership to that unlikely spot. They also got some significant improvements from Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges and Deandre Ayton, making this one of the favorites this year. Many people believe that it was a fluke, though, but a win against a formidable Denver team could give them the confidence to continue growing with this impressive core. Like Denver, they didn't do much in the offseason, and it'll be interesting to see if that hurts or helps them going forward.
Denver won the season series against Phoenix last year, winning two of the three games in overtime. The Suns won when it mattered most, though, sweeping the Nuggets in the Western Conference Semis.
Trail Blazers Host Kings on Wednesday
The Portland Trail Blazers play host to the Sacramento Kings at Moda Center on Wednesday.
Sacramento has been slumping for about two decades now, and it was genuinely shocking to see them retain Luke Walton in the offseason. He made numerous coaching errors last year, and it's a wonder why they decided to give him another chance. This club still has all the talent it can ask for, throwing out a lineup with guys like De'Aaron Fox, Tyler Haliburton and Richaun Holmes. That's quite the core to build around, and management needs to see some improvements this year, or it will be Walton's last season in cotrol. Where they need to know this club improve on the defensive end. The Kings were 29th in points allowed last year, and it doesn't look like they addressed that at all in the offseason.
The Trail Blazers had a disappointing season themselves, riding a substantial late-season run to finish sixth in the west. That did allow them to avoid the play-in game, but a quick exit against a shorthanded Denver Nuggets team in the first round showed their true colors. The problem with Portland is that they couldn't defend either, ranked 27th in points allowed last season. They also sat dead-last in assists too, which is genuinely shocking since their two best players are their guards. They did address the defensive issue by adding Larry Nance in the offseason, and he should give this team an exciting option at the four. He might not be the big-name add that Portland fans were praying for but keeping Damian Lillard in the offseason is all they could ask for. In any case, this team has all the weapons to be a trust threat, and it's a club that no one wants to face at any point.
Portland swept the three-game series over Sacramento last season, scoring at least 123 points in all three fixtures. That gives the Trail Blazers 22 wins in their last 29 meetings with the Kings in total.
Sacramento has been slumping for about two decades now, and it was genuinely shocking to see them retain Luke Walton in the offseason. He made numerous coaching errors last year, and it's a wonder why they decided to give him another chance. This club still has all the talent it can ask for, throwing out a lineup with guys like De'Aaron Fox, Tyler Haliburton and Richaun Holmes. That's quite the core to build around, and management needs to see some improvements this year, or it will be Walton's last season in cotrol. Where they need to know this club improve on the defensive end. The Kings were 29th in points allowed last year, and it doesn't look like they addressed that at all in the offseason.
The Trail Blazers had a disappointing season themselves, riding a substantial late-season run to finish sixth in the west. That did allow them to avoid the play-in game, but a quick exit against a shorthanded Denver Nuggets team in the first round showed their true colors. The problem with Portland is that they couldn't defend either, ranked 27th in points allowed last season. They also sat dead-last in assists too, which is genuinely shocking since their two best players are their guards. They did address the defensive issue by adding Larry Nance in the offseason, and he should give this team an exciting option at the four. He might not be the big-name add that Portland fans were praying for but keeping Damian Lillard in the offseason is all they could ask for. In any case, this team has all the weapons to be a trust threat, and it's a club that no one wants to face at any point.
Portland swept the three-game series over Sacramento last season, scoring at least 123 points in all three fixtures. That gives the Trail Blazers 22 wins in their last 29 meetings with the Kings in total.