***** NBA Previews from The Sports Network *****
Tuesday, March 16th
(All times eastern)
CHARLOTTE BOBCATS (34-31) AT INDIANA PACERS (21-45), 7 P.M.
(Sports Network) - The surging Charlotte Bobcats will try to stretch their
winning streak to a franchise-high seven straight games tonight, when they
take on the Indiana Pacers on the road at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Charlotte has won six in a row and opened a brief road trip with Sunday's
96-89 victory over the Orlando Magic in central Florida behind 28 points, six
rebounds and six assists from Stephen Jackson.
Raymond Felton finished with 16 points and seven assists for the Bobcats, who
also produced six-game tear from January 9-20. Bobcats star Gerald Wallace sat
out with an ankle injury and is expected to miss Tuesday's game.
"Big win is an understatement," Jackson said after snapping a seven-game slide
to the Magic. "Without having Gerald here, our All-Star, our sense of urgency
really showed."
Jackson has scored 20 points or more in 15 of his last 22 games, averaging
22.6 points on .440 shooting in that span. The Bobcats are 10-23 as the
visitor and sit even with Miami for the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.
With a record of 34-31 entering tonight's game, Charlotte is one win shy of
tying the team record of 35 wins in a season, which was set last year.
Indiana is playing out the string and has lost two straight and six of its
last seven games, including Sunday's 98-94 setback at Milwaukee in the finale
of a short two-game road trip.
Danny Granger led all scorers with 29 points and Troy Murphy added 14 points
and 13 boards for the Pacers. Earl Watson and Brandon Rush netted 15 and 13
points, respectively, in defeat.
"They're a good defensive team. I thought we had great looks, we just didn't
make shots," Pacers head coach Jim O'Brien said.
The Pacers are 14-16 as the host this season
Charlotte and Indiana have split a pair of meetings this season and 16
matchups overall. The Bobcats have dropped seven of 10 trips to Indy.
ATLANTA HAWKS (42-23) AT NEW JERSEY NETS (7-59), 7:30 P.M.
(Sports Network) - The Atlanta Hawks will hit the road for two straight games
starting with tonight's showdown against the lowly New Jersey Nets at the IZOD
Center.
Atlanta will visit Toronto as well and is 16-16 as the guest this season. It
is currently third in the Eastern Conference standings, just a half-game ahead
of Boston, and has won two straight and eight of the last 11 games. In a
112-99 victory versus Detroit on Saturday from Philips Arena, Joe Johnson
finished with 26 points and Josh Smith added 18 and a career-high 11 assists
for the Hawks, who shot a season-high 63 percent.
"Any time we can come out of the gate like that, it gives us confidence
throughout the game," said Johnson, who is expected to miss Tuesday's game
with an Achilles injury. "That makes us a tough team to beat. When
you've got to play catch-up on the road like that, it's always tough."
Sixth Man of the Year candidate Jamal Crawford made all three of his long-
distance attempts on his way to 17 points in a winning effort.
New Jersey will try to put the brakes on an 11-game home losing streak this
evening versus the Hawks, and has dropped four in a row overall. The Nets fell
to 7-59 this season after Saturday's 116-108 loss at Houston in which Courtney
Lee posted 24 points to lead the charge. Over his last seven games, Lee is
averaging 20.6 ppg.
Brook Lopez posted a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds for New
Jersey, which is trying desperately to avoid finishing with the worst record
in NBA history, set by the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers (9-73).
"It was a combination of their effort and our lack of effort," Lopez said on
NBA.com. "They moved the ball real well on us, and that was the difference."
In injury news for the Nets, guard Devin Harris (illness) is listed as
questionable for Tuesday's game.
Atlanta has won the first two meetings with New Jersey this season and three
in a row overall. The Nets, however, are unbeaten in the previous five
matchups as the host in this series.
The Hawks have lost 14 of their last 15 games in the Meadowlands.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (52-15) AT DETROIT PISTONS (23-44), 7:30 P.M.
(Sports Network) - The NBA's best road team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, will pay
a visit to the Detroit Pistons Tuesday night at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
The playoff-bound Cavs have won 14 of their last 19 road games and are 23-11
away from Quicken Loans Arena this season. They have won three in a row
overall and recently handed the Boston Celtics a 104-93 defeat on Sunday in
Cleveland, as NBA leading scorer LeBron James contributed 30 points, eight
rebounds and seven assists.
James, who is averaging 29.9 points this season, scored 24 of his points in
the second half and also collected three blocks and two steals. Antawn Jamison
returned from a one-game absence (knee) to register 15 points and 12 rebounds
for the Cavaliers, who never trailed in the second half en route to their
ninth win in 10 games overall.
"I thought that we played the right way. Usually when you play a team like
Boston, the most aggressive team is going to win, (not just) offensively, but
defensively too," Cavs head coach Mike Brown said. "I thought that we were
aggressive on both ends of the floor throughout most of the game."
Anderson Varejao added 17 points and 10 boards in the win. Cleveland's magic
number to clinch its second straight Central Division crown is two.
The Pistons have dropped two straight, three of four and nine of their last 11
games, including Monday's 119-93 decision against the Celtics in Beantown.
Will Bynum had 16 points and seven assists for banged-up Detroit, which is
winless in its last seven road games.
Jason Maxiell had 11 points and 10 rebounds in a losing effort.
"They did a great job of exploiting and we didn't react tonight," Pistons
coach John Kuester said. "It was one of the few games that our energy wasn't
the way it should be and I'm disappointed with the way we played."
Detroit center Ben Wallace missed his seventh straight game due to a sore
right knee. The team, which is also playing without Rodney Stuckey, lost
forward Tayshaun Prince to a back injury in the first quarter. Prince is
listed as questionable for Tuesday's game versus the Cavs.
Cleveland has won the first two meetings with the Pistons this season and five
in a row overall. Detroit is 13-4 in the last 17 matchups as the host.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS (39-25) AT MIAMI HEAT (35-32), 7:30 P.M.
(Sports Network) - Two teams battling for playoff positioning get together
tonight in south Florida, as the Miami Heat continue a six-game homestand
versus the San Antonio Spurs at AmericanAirlines Arena.
The Heat have won the first three tests of the homestand and are coming off
Sunday's 104-91 triumph over Philadelphia in which NBA star Dwyane Wade
recorded 38 points on 14-of-25 shooting to lead the victors.
"Coming out of the All-Star break we expected to go on a run," said Wade, who
is averaging 30.6 points and 7.9 assists over his last seven games. "We looked
at our schedule and we understood that the toughest part was behind us."
Udonis Haslem added 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Carlos Arroyo chipped in
12 points with 10 assists for the Heat, who have won six of seven overall and
six in a row as the host.
Miami will also welcome the Magic and Bobcats to town and is 20-14 in its own
backyard this season. The Heat are currently tied with Charlotte for the sixth
seed in the Eastern Conference standings.
In injury news for the Heat, forward Michael Beasley has missed back-to-back
games because of a bruised thigh and is questionable for Tuesday.
San Antonio will begin a brief journey through Florida with upcoming matchups
in Miami and Orlando, and is 15-15 away from the Alamo City this season. It
has won three straight and seven of eight games, including Saturday's 118-88
blowout of the Los Angeles Clippers at the AT&T Center.
Matt Bonner had a team-high 21 points, Richard Jefferson added 18 points and
nine rebounds and both Manu Ginobili and George Hill scored 14 points for the
Spurs, who are seventh in the West standings -- just a half-game behind
Phoenix and a half-game in front of Portland.
"Sometimes it's good to let the players do some of the coaching," Popovich
said of Hill taking over coaching duties in the final stanza. "It makes them
think a little bit and gives them confidence in what we are doing as a group."
In the 13 games since All-Star Weekend, Ginobili has scored in double figures
11 times and has posted 20-plus points on six occasions.
San Antonio defeated Miami, 108-78, back on December 31 this season and has
won 14 of the past 19 contests in the series. These two clubs have split the
previous 10 meetings in south Florida.
CHICAGO BULLS (31-34) AT MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (35-32), 8 P.M.
(Sports Network) - The fading Chicago Bulls hope to put the brakes on season-
long seven-game skid and improve their standing in the Eastern Conference
playoff picture when they visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday.
Chicago's losing streak is its longest since dropping eight in a row from Dec.
20, 2005-Jan. 4, 2006, and if the postseason started today, the Bulls, who are
one game behind Toronto for the eighth playoff spot in the East, would be left
out of the party.
Most recently the banged-up Bulls fell to 0-2 on a four-game road trip in
Miami on Friday when Quentin Richardson made 7-of-11 three-pointers on his way
to 23 points while pulling down seven rebounds, as the Heat handled Chicago,
108-95.
James Johnson and Jannero Pargo each finished with 20 points for the Bulls,
who played without a host of key contributors. Brad Miller tallied 18 points
and 11 rebounds, while Flip Murray registered 15 points off the bench.
Defensive stalwart Joakim Noah (plantar fasciitis) has missed each game during
the Bulls slide and he has been joined on the sidelines by forward Luol Deng
(calf) and All-Star point guard Derrick Rose (sprained left wrist).
Meanwhile, guard Kirk Hinrich was ejected after two technical fouls against
Miami and made contact with a referee while arguing the second technical,
resulting in a one-game suspension that will be served tonight.
"The bottom line is you have to do it on the court," Bulls coach Vinny Del
Negro said. "You have to play and keep battling."
Rose and Deng figure to be game-time decisions tonight but Noah will assuredly
stay on the bench with Hinrich.
The Grizzlies, meanwhile, saw a three-game win streak halted on Saturday when
J.R. Smith scored 16 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, as the Denver
Nuggets used a huge final period to defeat Memphis, 125-108, at FedEx Forum.
O.J. Mayo finished with 25 points for the Grizzlies, who are now five games
behind Portland for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.
Zach Randolph tallied 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Marc Gasol added 17
points, seven boards, and six assists in defeat.
"It's 85-85 going into the fourth, and they just went on a tear on us," Mayo
said. "Then we kind of dropped our heads too soon. We played hard for 36
minutes, then let the fourth quarter get away from us."
Memphis will be shooting for a home-and-home season sweep of the series after
taking a 105-96 win in the Windy City earlier this month. The Grizz haven't
swept the Bulls since the 2003-04 season.
WASHINGTON WIZARDS (21-44) AT DENVER NUGGETS (45-22), 9 P.M.
(Sports Network) - The Denver Nuggets hope to have head coach George Karl back
on the bench tonight when the Western Conference power kicks off a three-game
homestand against the woeful Washington Wizards.
Karl announced last Friday that he would miss the team's road trip to adjust
to a feeding tube that was placed into his stomach as part of his treatment
for neck and throat cancer. The veteran mentor planned to return tonight.
"Hopefully I'll be ready to rejoin them when they come home," said Karl when
he announced his absence.
The Nuggets have certainly persevered under lead assistant Adrian Dantley,
finishing 3-1 on their recent trip but faltering in the finale, a tough
125-123 loss in Houston last night. Aaron Brooks scored 31 points and drained
the game-winning jumper with 2.9 seconds left in that one to lift the Rockets.
Carmelo Anthony led all scorers with 45 points along with 10 rebounds for the
Nuggets, who lost for the first time in seven games. Chauncey Billups and J.R.
Smith each netted 17 as the Nuggets led for most of the contest, but couldn't
hold on late.
Nene aided Denver with 15 points and 10 boards, while Johan Petro scored 11 to
go with 10 rebounds in defeat.
"We just didn't execute. The bottom line was that we didn't get back on
transition defense," said Dantley. "You have to give Houston a lot of credit.
They hit some big shots. We wanted the game but they didn't quit and it big
shots at the end."
The Wizards, meanwhile, continue to play out the string, dropping the opener
of a four-game road trip in Utah on Monday. Carlos Boozer led the way with 23
points and nine rebounds in that one, as the Jazz sent the reeling Wizards to
their eighth consecutive defeat, 112-89.
Andray Blatche had 24 points for the Wizards, who haven't won since February
28 at New Jersey. Mike Miller recorded 14 points and 10 rebounds for
Washington, which shot just 36.9 percent from the field.
"Their energy level was pretty good," Miller said. "Obviously just a Jerry
Sloan coached team. They're going to execute and play hard. And tonight we
didn't match their intensity. That's why they have 43 wins and we're
opposite."
Washington has lost in three straight and six of its past seven trips to the
Rockies but did beat the Nuggets in the nation's capital, 107-97, last month.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS (49-18) AT SACRAMENTO KINGS (23-44), 10 P.M.
(Sports Network) - The reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers shoot for a
third straight 50-win season tonight in California's capital against Pacific
Division foe Sacramento.
The Lakers won their third straight game last night in Oakland when Kobe
Bryant scored 29 points and Los Angeles held on for a 124-121 win over Golden
State, their ninth straight win over the Warriors.
Pau Gasol added 26 points, while Andrew Bynum contributed 19 points and 14
rebounds, as the Lakers moved four games ahead of both Dallas and Denver for
the top spot in the Western Conference. Lamar Odom totaled 17 points and 12
boards in the win.
"We let them get back into the game, but at the end of the day, we still won,"
Bryant said. "The only issue I am having is with my own turnovers. I turned
the ball over too many times."
The Kings, meanwhile, improved to 2-1 on a five-game homestand Sunday when
rookie star Tyreke Evans came just shy of a triple double, finishing with 29
points, 11 assists and nine rebounds, as Sacramento routed the Minnesota
Timberwolves, 114-100.
Donte Greene added 19 points and eight rebounds for the Kings, who had lost
four of their previous five but snuck above the .500 mark at home with a 17-16
mark. Jason Thompson provided 15 points and eight boards, while Carl Landry
had 13 points and six rebounds in the resounding win.
"What he's doing is what he's supposed to be doing," Greene said of Evans.
"He's a talented player, 6-foot-6, a strong point guard, doing his thing and
having fun."
The Lakers have struggled a bit against the Kings this season, needing two
overtimes to win 112-103 in Sacramento on Dec. 26, and a buzzer-beating three
from Bryant to roar back from a 20-point deficit on Jan. 1. Overall, LA has
won four straight and seven of eight over Sacramento.
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (14-53) AT PHOENIX SUNS (41-26), 10 P.M.
(Sports Network) - The playoffs are likely a foregone conclusion for the
Phoenix Suns, who resume a season-long seven-game homestand tonight against
the Western Conference's worst team, the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Suns improved to 2-2 on their latest residency on Sunday when Amare
Stoudemire scored 36 points, pulled down 12 rebounds and sank all 14 of his
free throw attempts, as Phoenix ran past the New Orleans Hornets, 120-106.
Jason Richardson had 20 points, while Steve Nash tallied 13 points and 12
assists as the Suns won for the ninth time in 12 contests and moved a half-
game ahead of San Antonio, into sixth place in the West.
More importantly, Phoenix is six games clear of ninth place Houston with 15
games to play and only a monumental collapse would keep the team from
postseason action.
Jared Dudley also scored 13 points and Robin Lopez had 10 against the Hornets.
"We definitely wanted to set the tone early," Stoudemire said. "It was a very
important game for us and we came out with the intensity from the start and
we've just got to keep the momentum going and keep improving as a unit."
The hapless Wolves, meanwhile, dropped their ninth straight game in Sacramento
on Sunday when Tyreke Evans came just shy of a triple double, finishing with
29 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds, as the Kings routed Minnesota,
114-100.
Al Jefferson scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the dismal
Timberwolves, who have lost 15 of 16 overall. Wayne Ellington came off the
bench to add 15 points, while Ryan Gomes contributed 14 points in
defeat.
"Those guys made a lot of good shots. They're a different team at home than
versus being away. Tyreke Evans put together one of those great games and
showed why he is a great player," Timberwolves center Ryan Hollins said.
Phoenix has won three straight over the Wolves, including a 120-112 win in the
desert earlier this season.
03/16 10:59:15 ET
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