Portland Trail Blazers vs Los Angeles Clippers: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

by Eric Patten

The final game before the All-Star break for the Clippers could hold meaning months from now. Wednesday night at Staples Center is the first of four-straight games against three of the Western Conference’s top teams and arguably one of its hottest. The stretch begins with the Portland Trail Blazers (36-16), who arrived in Los Angeles in the early morning hours after a 98-95 loss to Oklahoma City on Tuesday. They are 5-7 in their last 12 games, including five losses on the road.

For the Clippers (36-18), it’s a chance to move within percentage points of Portland for the No. 3 seed heading into All-Star Weekend and even the season series with the Blazers. After the break, they play a home game against the Spurs before road games against the Grizzlies and Thunder. While it’s only mid-February, the standings could begin to take shape over the next couple of weeks.

NOTEWORTHY MATCHUP

It’s tough to call this a “matchup” considering Lillard won’t guard Paul. The high-scoring first-time All-Star has not in the past. Instead, the Trail Blazers have elected to use Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews and others against the Clippers’ superstar. Paul, in his second game back, will guard Lillard, however, and in the past it has been relatively one-sided, including Paul outscoring Lillard, 34-14, on Dec. 26 and holding Lillard to 4-for-12 shooting.

THINGS TO WATCH FOR ON PRIME TICKET

- Even the return of rookie C.J. McCollum, who did not play in the first meeting against the Clippers due to a broken foot, has not done much to improve Portland’s bench. They play the fewest minutes (13.5) and score the fewest points (22.8) in the league among reserve units. It’s a carryover from a year ago when the Blazers also owned the least used bench in the NBA. The Clippers average 31.2 points per game off the bench, a number that is drastically affected by Jamal Crawford’s shift to the starting lineup with J.J. Redick nursing a sore right hip. Crawford scores 17.9 points off the bench (18.4 overall on the season), which is good for 57 percent of the Clippers’ reserve points.

- Paul is 17 points away from scoring 11,000 for his career, considering the way he’s traditionally played in his second game back from injury, that milestone should easily fall against the Blazers. More importantly, though, will be watching how Paul looks in his second game after missing 18 with a separated shoulder. Will he be more comfortable making contact in close quarters? Will his timing be improved? Will he tug at the protective sleeve under his jersey?

- According to Synergy Sports, the Blazers are one of the worst teams in the league in terms of pick-and-roll defense. They allow 0.835 points per possession against pick-and-roll ball handlers (26th in the NBA) and are only slightly better against the roll man (17th in the league in points per possession). The Clippers, according to Synergy, score 22 percent of their points out of pick-and-roll offense, including ranking first in points scored by the pick-and-roll ball-handler. Predominantly that means Paul or Crawford.

NOTES

Griffin is seeking to score 25 points or more in eight consecutive games, which would tie Elton Brand for the most in Los Angeles Clippers history… LaMarcus Aldridge has scored double figures in each of Portland’s first 52 games. He’s the only Trail Blazers player to do so… The Clippers have won three games in a row against Portland at Staples Center… A Portland win would ensure they win the season series over the Clippers. L.A. has not dropped a season series against the Blazers since 2010-11… Portland has the eighth youngest roster in the league (25.4 years old is the average age)… Portland is shooting 38.1 percent from 3-point range as a team (fourth in the league). The Clippers are the No. 1 3-point defense… The Clippers are 22-4 at home…

WHAT THEY’R

Source:- http://www.nba.com/clippers/games/PORLAC-140212

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS VS. MIAMI HEAT: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

by Randy Chambers

The Miami Heat will look to continue to have road success to when they take on the Golden State Warriors Wednesday night. These teams played one another in early January and the Warriors won 123-114 thanks to 15 three pointers from the Warriors offense.
Golden State heads into this matchup winning four of its last six games. But while the wins are still there, the Warriors offense hasn’t been clicking the way we’re used to seeing. In their last five games they’re shooting just 42.7 percent from the field and averaging 100.8 points. The shooting percentage is a far cry from the 45.9 percent they average on the season. Defensively, though, the Warriors are holding teams to 94 points in their last five, which is also lower than their season average of 98.7 points. Golden State is 23-27-2 ATS and 10-14-2 ATS at home.
The Heat have won four of their last five games and are fresh off of a Tuesday victory over the Phoenix Suns. LeBron James had one of his better games of the season in the win with 37 points, nine rebounds and five steals. During this winning stretch the Heat have allowed only one 100-point performance in their last five games and are shooting 48.7 percent from the field offensively. Against the spread Miami is 21-28 overall and 13-12 on the road.
Miami is 9-4 ATS in its last 13 games played on no days rest and is also 6-2-1 ATS in its last nine meetings in Golden State. The Warriors are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games played against Western Conference teams and has lost seven of their last 10 games against the Heat SU.
The line for this game hasn’t been released yet, so please check for a free pick later on.

Source:- http://sportschatplace.com/nba-picks/2014/02/12/golden-state-warriors-vs-miami-heat

76ers-Jazz Preview: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

by TAYLOR BECHTOLD

After losing by a total of 88 points on consecutive nights in California, the Philadelphia 76ers would like to forget what happened in the first two games of this brief trip.

However, their recent history in Salt Lake City has been just as forgettable.

The Atlantic Division-worst 76ers hope to avoid yet another rout - and their longest losing streak since 2009 - Wednesday night against the Northwest-worst Utah Jazz.

Following a 123-78 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on Sunday, Philadelphia (15-38) figured it couldn't get much worse than a game in which it trailed by 56 points in the third quarter.

It almost did, though, as the 76ers fell behind by 49 in the fourth en route to a 123-80 defeat at Golden State on Monday.

"You just look up at the scoreboard and see a lot of points. I really don't know," forward Evan Turner said. "We're in the game at one point."

Philadelphia came close to matching the NBA mark for the largest total margin of defeat in consecutive games, recorded when Detroit lost by 95 points combined in November 1966.

Now the 76ers look to avoid the league-record 109-point margin of defeat in a three-game stretch, set by Dallas on the way to an 11-71 record in 1992-93.

Philadelphia, though, has dropped eight straight and 22 of its last 24 visits to Utah.

"Don't anybody feel sorry for us," coach Brett Brown said. "We will wake up and be (OK) tomorrow."

In the finale of this three-game trip, Brown's squad will try to avoid its first eight-game losing streak since a 12-game slide more than five years ago with its first win in Salt Lake City since January 2005.

The Jazz (18-33) seek their first three-game winning streak of the season after a surprising 94-89 victory over visiting Miami on Saturday and a 96-79 road win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.

They limited the two-time defending champs to 43.3 percent shooting - their fourth-lowest mark this season - before holding the Lakers to 10 second-quarter points and a 38.8 field-goal percentage overall.

Alec Burks led the way with 24 points while making 8 of 11 shots and Gordon Hayward chipped in with 15 points, eight rebounds and seven assists as Utah rallied back from a 15-point first-quarter deficit.

Hayward has been in a bit of a shooting slump, averaging 10.5 points on 32.3 percent shooting in his last six games. But he also scored 15 in a 107-91 home win in the most recent meeting with the 76ers on March 25.

'Tomorrow's going to be a big game," Hayward said. "Obviously, Philadelphia's been beaten pretty handily the past couple of games, so they're going to come out with something to prove."

Although the Jazz have averaged just 87.4 points over their last five games, they should be able to find open looks against a Philadelphia team that has given up 116.9 points per game over its seven straight defeats.

Offensively, the 76ers have totaled 158 points while shooting 31.6 percent - including 5 of 45 (11.1 percent) from 3-point range - in their last two.

Turner has shot 35.4 percent during the losing streak while being held to 10.9 points per game - nearly seven below his team-best 17.4 average.

Michael Carter-Williams broke out of his recent funk with 24 points on 8-of-18 shooting in Monday's loss. The rookie guard had averaged 11.7 points while shooting 30.4 percent in his previous three games.

This will be the first game between Carter-Williams and fellow lottery pick Trey Burke since their Final Four meeting in April. Both struggled in Michigan's 61-56 win over Syracuse, with Burke scoring seven points on 1-of-8 shooting and Carter-Williams two while missing five of six shots

Source:- http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/preview/2014021226/philadelphia-76ers--utah-jazz

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES VS. DENVER NUGGETS: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

by Peter

A couple of struggling teams meet tonight when the Minnesota Timberwolves host the Denver Nuggets.
The Nuggets have lost five of their last seven and will be hoping to avoid a fourth straight loss after getting absolutely trounced by the Pacers on Monday. Wilson Chandler led the team with 17 points and JJ Hicksons added 12, but this game was over before it began as the Pacers showed no mercy and stormed to a 61-40 halftime lead and didn't slow down in the second half. Denver was without Ty Lawson and Nate Robinson so they never had much of a chances against a Pacers team coming off a tough loss. Denver is now 24-26 overall and 10-15 on the road.
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves have lost six of their last seven and will still be reeling after getting thumped by the Rockets by 107-89 on Monday. With Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Martin both out injured, the Wolves leaned heavily on Kevin Love who poured in 31 points, but he just didn't receive enough support, especially in the fourth quarter where Minnesota managed only 11 points as a team. Coach Rick Adelman wasn't even at the game either because of personal reasons, but he is expected to return tonight.
In ATS trends, the Nuggets are 5-11 ATS in their last 16 games following a loss and 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall, while the Wolves are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games overall and 0-4 ATS in their last four home games.
Head to head, Minnesota has dropped three straight and 23 of 27 against Denver, including two losses back in November of this season. In terms of ATS trends, the Nuggets are 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings overall and 12-3-1 ATS in the last 16 in Minnesota.
The All-Star break just can't come soon enough for both of these teams who have struggled with their respective injuries. In terms of picking this game, you couldn't be too confident about choosing either side here, but all I know is that Denver has allowed at least 100 points in 13 of its last 14 games so this game looks like it could be another high-scoring affair.

Source:- http://sportschatplace.com/nba-picks/2014/02/12/minnesota-timberwolves-vs-denver-nuggets

MILWAUKEE BUCKS VS. NEW ORLEANS PELICANS: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

by  Dan

The Milwaukee Bucks play host to Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.
Head to head, the Pelicans are 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings and 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings in Milwaukee while the underdog is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings. The Bucks are 4-1 ATS in the last 5 games overall, but just 6-13 ATS in their last 19 vs. Western Conference and 17-36 ATS in their last 53 home games. The Pelicans on the other hand are 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a S.U. loss, 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 vs. Eastern Conference and 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games playing on 1 days rest.
Carlos Delfino, Larry Sanders, John Henson, Caron Butler, O.J. Mayo, Luke Ridnour and Ersan Ilyasova. This isn’t a list of the Milwaukee Bucks top seven players, it’s their injury list heading tonight’s game against the New Orleans Hornets. Of those players I just listed, the first five have been confirmed out while the other two will be game time decisions, which makes it pretty hard for me cap this game. Regardless, I’ll do my best to come up with a winner.
Now the Bucks did suffer a pretty bad 16-point loss at home in their last outing against the Boston Celtics, however, they had covered the spread in their previous four outings, which was their longest streak of the season. They actually played pretty well against the Celtics up until the fourth quarter where they were outscored 32-18. As far as the Pelicans are concerned, they come enter tonight’s contest off the back of two straight road losses in Brooklyn and in Toronto on Monday night. They too have been hamstrung with injuries as they are missing Ryan Anderson, Jrue Holiday and Jason Smith, three of their top offensive players.
I really don’t want to take Milwaukee here, but the last time New Orleans won a road game on the road by seven points or greater was all the way back on the 23rd of December and that was when they had Holiday and Anderson in the line-up. Coming off back-to-back losses, this is a good chance for the Pelicans to get a much needed road win and I think they will get it, but will it be by more than seven points? Anthony Davis should have his way against the depleted front line of Milwaukee, but when in doubt, take the points right? Wouldn’t surprise me in the least to see a blowout in this one, but I simply have to take the points in what is clearly a stay away game....

Source:- http://sportschatplace.com/nba-picks/2014/02/12/milwaukee-bucks-vs-new-orleans-pelicans

HOUSTON ROCKETS VS. WASHINGTON WIZARDS: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

by  Peter

The Houston Rockets will be looking to keep their winning streak alive when they take on the Washington Wizards tonight.
The Wizards have lost three of their last four and will be looking to avoid a third straight road loss tonight after falling to the Grizzlies by 92-89 last night. Bradley Beal made five threes on his way to a career-high 37 points, while Nene Hilario added 17 points, but John Wall really struggled against the defense of Nick Calathes and scored just five points. Despite Wall's struggles, the Wizards were able to ride Beal in the second half and come back from a 16-point deficit only to fall short on a missed jumper that would have sent the game to overtime. With the loss, Washington drops back below .500 at 25-26 on the season and 12-13 on the road.
Meanwhile, the Rockets have won nine of their last 11 and will be looking to build on their six-game win streak after blowing past the Timberwolves by 107-89 on Monday. All five starters finished in double figures with Chandler Parsons scored 20 points and James Harden adding 19, but the best part about the win was the Rockets' defense in the fourth quarter where they held the Wolves to just 11 points after allowing 58 in the first half. Houston is now 35-17 on the season and 14-10 on the road where they've won their last three.
In ATS trends, the Wizards are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games against a team with a winning record and 5-1 ATS in their last six road games, while the Rockets are 5-1 ATS in their last six home games and 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall.
Head to head, the Wizards are 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings in Houston and the Under is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings overall.
The Rockets have really started to put it together over the last couple of weeks and it was nice to finally see them play some defense like they did on Monday, but the Wizards have been one of the surprise teams lately and I am expecting Wall to bounce back with a strong outing and keep this game close. I'm taking Washington with the hefty spread here.

Source:- http://sportschatplace.com/nba-picks/2014/02/12/houston-rockets-vs-washington-wizards

NEW YORK KNICKS VS. SACRAMENTO KINGS: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

by  Randy Chambers

The Sacramento Kings and New York Knicks will play their first of two schedule meetings this season.
The Kings have lost their last three games, including a 109-99 loss Tuesday to the Cleveland Cavaliers, where they allowed Cleveland to shoot 47.7 percent from the field. Defense continues to be a problem for the Kings, as they’re allowing 103.5 points per game on the season. The offense hasn’t been there much either, as they’re shooting just 40.3 percent and scoring 94.8 points in their last five games. The Kings haven’t hit the 100-point mark in their last four road games. They are 23-26-2 against the spread on the season and 11-11-2 ATS on the road.
The Knicks have lost four of their last five and will play this quick home game before going on a four-game road trip. During this losing streak, the Knicks have gone back to not playing any defense, as opponents are shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc and 46.5 percent from the field, which has equaled to 100.6 points in their last five. Carmelo Anthony is still doing a lot of the heavy lifting offensively, as he’s averaging 26.8 points in the month of February. The Knicks are 21-30 ATS and 10-19 ATS at home.
Neither team is playing terrific basketball, but New York has a lot more pep in its step and has won five of its last seven home games SU. It is also 5-1 ATS in its last six games against teams with a losing SU record and has beaten the Kings SU in three of their last four meetings.
Sacramento also allows 104.9 points per game in contests where it has had no days’ rest. With the way New York shoots the ball, I like my chances.
It’s no secret the Knicks are the better team in this contest and with the game being played in the Garden, I see New York covering the small chalk.

Source:- http://sportschatplace.com/nba-picks/2014/02/12/new-york-knicks-vs-sacramento-kings

Cavaliers-Pistons Preview: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

by  NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO

Interim coach John Loyer would like to follow his winning debut by leading the Detroit Pistons to their longest home winning streak in six years.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, meanwhile, haven't won four straight in any fashion since LeBron James left for Miami.

The Pistons go for another win over the Cavaliers on Wednesday night before both teams enter the All-Star break.

While Detroit (22-29) remains in playoff contention in the weak Eastern Conference, the team's erratic play cost coach Maurice Cheeks his job Sunday.

Loyer has taken the reins with the Pistons trying to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2009, and the former assistant was verbally encouraging from the bench during a 109-100 win over San Antonio in his debut Monday.

"Brings positive energy, just comes to work each and every day, happy," said guard Rodney Stuckey, who had 20 points. "He's a really good teacher. We're all excited to have him as our head coach."

Loyer believes that approach can make a big difference.

"The ability to get your guys to play harder than the opponent - to me, that's a big part of coaching," he told the team's official website. "There's a lot of nights you're not going to make shots, a lot of nights the ball's not going to go in, a lot of nights you're going to throw it away. But the one thing you have control over is playing hard.

"I just think a few of our guys need very positive reinforcement. That's kind of who I am. That's who I was as an assistant and I told them I'll be the same guy as I was before. I'm not changing."

Perhaps that mantra can spur Detroit to a sixth straight home win, which would be its longest such streak since a seven-game run March 14-April 4, 2008.

The Pistons have had plenty of recent success against the Cavaliers (19-33), winning seven straight for their longest winning streak in the series since taking eight in a row from Jan. 5, 2002-Nov. 28, 2003.

Brandon Jennings had 21 points and 13 assists in a 115-92 win at Cleveland on Dec. 23 and enters this matchup averaging 25.0 points over his last six home games.

The Cavs are on the brink of their first four-game winning streak since James departed via free agency after the 2009-10 season.

Dion Waiters, who sat out Dec. 23 with a wrist injury, is averaging 20.7 points on 44.6 percent shooting from the field in the last three games after going 3 for 15 with six points over the previous two.

The guard had 20 points and eight assists in Tuesday's 109-99 win over Sacramento, helping Cleveland overcome the absence of Anderson Varejao due to a sore back.

The center reportedly will sit out against Detroit, leaving the Cavaliers without their top rebounder at 10.3 per game.

Anthony Bennett helped pick up the slack Tuesday, getting season highs of 19 points and 10 boards. The top pick in last year's draft is averaging 9.4 points and 5.1 rebounds in the past eight games - much better than his season marks of 3.8 and 2.8.

"You're starting to see a little bit of what we see in practice and the reason why we drafted him," coach Mike Brown said. "He's a talented young man and he's starting to come to life a little bit. He's even better than what you saw."

Bennett scored seven points in the first meeting with Detroit.

Source:- http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/preview/2014021208/cleveland-cavaliers--detroit-pistons

Charlotte Bobcats vs Brooklyn Nets: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

by  TAYLOR BECHTOLD

The Brooklyn Nets have shown a renewed focus on the defensive end to get back on track following their longest losing streak of 2014.

They'll look to continue that upward trend against the Charlotte Bobcats, who are coming off a rare scoring surge.

The Nets seek their fourth consecutive home victory while extending their winning streak there against the Bobcats to five Wednesday night.

After allowing 92.9 points per game and a 41.5 field-goal percentage during a seven-game home winning streak, Brooklyn (23-26) slipped by surrendering 224 points on 55.1 percent shooting in consecutive losses in late January.

Since then, the Nets have tightened things up, allowing an average of 90.3 points and a 42.3 field-goal percentage in three straight victories at Barclays Center.

The Nets bounced back from a 111-95 loss at Detroit on Friday with one of their best defensive performances in a 93-81 home win over New Orleans on Sunday. They limited the Pelicans to just 28 first-half points - their lowest total since allowing 28 against the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 27, 2005.

Brooklyn, 13-5 overall and 9-2 at home in 2014, appears to have a decent chance to keep it going against Charlotte, which ranks near the bottom of the league at 94.8 points per game.

The Bobcats (23-29), however, shot a season-best 54.9 percent - including 12 for 24 from 3-point range - in a 114-89 rout of visiting Dallas on Tuesday.

Al Jefferson continued his outstanding stretch with 30 points on 14-of-23 shooting as Charlotte won for the fourth time in six games and moved within 1 1/2 games of the seventh-place Nets in the Eastern Conference.

"It was really important to get this one and go to Brooklyn and beat a seed ahead of us," Jefferson said.

Jefferson, who missed a 95-91 home win over Brooklyn on Nov. 20 because of an ankle injury, has been a force lately with 27.5 points per game while shooting 55.4 percent over his last 14.

Kemba Walker had 31 points in the November win that snapped a seven-game losing streak in this series, but his status is uncertain after leaving Tuesday's win with stiffness in his Achilles.

Nets guard Deron Williams had 32 points in a 105-96 victory in the most recent matchup in Brooklyn on April 6. The point guard has averaged 22.3 points in four home meetings since joining the Nets.

Joe Johnson scored 15 in that contest and finished with 19 while hitting 4 of 9 from 3-point range in the Nov. 20 loss at Charlotte. His career 20.9 scoring average versus the Bobcats is the highest of any opponent he's faced.

The Nets, who visit Chicago on Thursday before the All-Star break, could use more production from a starting unit that totaled 34 points without a double-digit scorer against the Pelicans.

Williams and Johnson combined for 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting, though rookie Mason Plumlee finished with a career-high 22 points and matched his best with 13 rebounds in a strong effort by the reserves.

"Any time we can rest our older guys - it's no secret we're old, so we look at this as a win in a couple of ways," Plumlee said. "We can rest them and keep them fresh, and going into the All-Star break that's good."

The Bobcats have dropped four straight road meetings by an average of 12.0 points.

Source:- http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/preview/2014021217/charlotte-bobcats--brooklyn-nets

San Antonio Spurs vs Boston Celtics: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

by  NOEY KUPCHAN

Though they're sitting atop the Southwest Division, the banged-up San Antonio Spurs have fallen off their earlier pace over the last three-plus weeks.

They've played well against Boston of late, but the Celtics are starting to hold their own.

The visiting Spurs go for a fifth consecutive win in the series as the teams play their final game before the All-Star break Wednesday night.

San Antonio (37-15) is looking to get back on track after falling 109-100 at Detroit on Monday. Reserve Marco Belinelli had 20 points but was the only Spur to score more than 12 for San Antonio, 6-7 in its last 13.

The Spurs gave up 59 points in the first two quarters and trailed by as many as 23 against the Pistons, who were playing their first game under interim coach John Loyer.

"We lost the game because we probably played the worst defense we've played all season, especially in the first half," coach Gregg Popovich said. "We didn't bring it mentally or physically."

San Antonio continues to play without Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard, and Tiago Splitter missed his second straight game with a shin contusion. Danny Green, who recently returned from a broken hand, is expected to be OK after spraining his knuckle Monday.

"We're playing with a lot of different guys right now, we're missing a lot of our key guys," Tim Duncan said. "(We'll) try to finish this road trip strong and get a win in Boston and see if we can get healthy over the break."

The Spurs have allowed an average of 91.8 points in taking four straight from the Celtics, including a 104-93 victory Nov. 20. Tony Parker led six Spurs in double figures with 19 points as San Antonio scored 25 off 17 Boston turnovers.

The Celtics (19-34) have followed a 3-19 stretch by winning four of five. Jeff Green led the way with 29 points in Monday's 102-86 victory at Milwaukee.

"There are a lot of good things going on out there right now. There are guys stepping up," guard Jerryd Bayless said. "We have to continue to get it all the way around from everybody. When that continues to flow and everybody is playing well together we are a pretty good team."

Green, averaging a team-leading 16.6 points, has scored 25.0 per game over the last four.

"I am confident in every shot I put up," Green said. "Whenever it leaves my hand, I am confident that it will go in. ... That is my game, driving to the rim."

Jared Sullinger extended his career-best streak of double-doubles to six with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Rookie Kelly Olynyk added 14 and 11 off the bench.

"We talked about this before, Kelly and Jared's ability to pass, play and score," Stevens said. "It's great to have them in because they make so many basketball plays and you can run so much through them. They can handle the ball and they can do all kinds of things."

Sullinger is averaging 19.8 points and 12.8 boards during his run. He had 19 and 17 on Nov. 20.

All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo could return after sitting out Monday's game, the second of a back-to-back. He's averaged 14.0 points, 11.0 assists, 7.7 rebounds and 61.3 percent shooting in three games this month.

Fellow guard Avery Bradley's status is uncertain due to a sprained ankle.

Source:- http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/preview/2014021202/san-antonio-spurs--boston-celtics

Atlanta Hawks vs Toronto Raptors: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

by  JEFF BARTL

The Toronto Raptors haven't played this well before the All-Star break since Chris Bosh's final season north of the border, but in no way does that mean they're satisfied.

They'll look to head into the long weekend on a positive note by ending a five-game home losing streak to the struggling Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night.

Toronto (27-25) leads the Atlantic Division by three games and is enjoying its best run before the break since going 29-23 in 2009-10. It is coming off a 108-101 home victory over New Orleans on Monday after dropping three of four to end a five-game road trip.

Patrick Patterson - starting in place of the injured Amir Johnson - scored a season-high 22 points, while Kyle Lowry added 19 and 12 assists.

"There's no one on this team that's not focused. There's no one on this team that's not ready to play," said Patterson, who may start again Wednesday with Johnson nursing an ankle injury. "We have to go into (the game against Atlanta) with the same mentality that we had (Monday).

"Nobody can focus on the All-Star break, no one can focus on getting away and being with family. We have to handle what we have here and get things done."

DeMar DeRozan, who also scored 22 points against the Pelicans, won't get as much time off as he's headed to New Orleans to compete in the 3-point contest and All-Star game for the first time in his five-year career. He stressed the need to head into the break with a solid showing at home.

Toronto has gone 10-3 at Air Canada Centre since losing eight of its first 12 there.

"We dropped a lot of games earlier in the season at home," said DeRozan, who has averaged 23.8 points while shooting 54.5 percent in his last six against Atlanta. "We really took the onus to understand that we've got to take advantage of home court, and that's what we've been trying to do."

The Raptors have lost seven of the last eight home meetings with Atlanta and dropped the first matchup this season 102-95 on the road Nov. 1 despite DeRozan's 31 points.

The Hawks, though, head into this contest on a season-worst four-game skid after falling 100-85 at Chicago on Tuesday. Paul Millsap scored a team-high 15 points for Atlanta (25-25), which has averaged 86.5 points during its skid - well below its season average of 101.8.

"We just have to stay together," Millsap said. "Get back to playing our style of basketball. We feel like we have not played at our pace in the last few games."

Atlanta was outrebounded 57-28 and ranks near the bottom of the league with a minus-3.2 differential. It made a charge in the second half, though, pulling to within eight points with 8:47 remaining after trailing by as many as 25.

"I think the second half is what we expect from our group, what we expect of each other, and the challenges to find a way to play that way for 48 minutes," coach Mike Budenholzer said.

The Hawks haven't lost in Toronto since Bosh hit a jumper in the closing seconds of a 106-105 defeat March 17, 2010, but they've dropped three of their last four on the road heading into this contest.

Source:- http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/preview/2014021228/atlanta-hawks--toronto-raptors

Memphis Grizzlies vs Orlando Magic: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

by  KEVIN CHROUST

The Orlando Magic probably aren't looking forward to the All-Star break quite as much as one might think. Sitting firmly at the bottom of the Southeast Division and 21 games under .500, they could enter the hiatus as the hottest team in the Eastern Conference.

Orlando seeks a season-best fourth straight win Wednesday night when it hosts the Memphis Grizzlies, who will go into the break on the outside of the playoff picture a season after reaching the Western Conference finals.

The Magic (16-37) have won five straight at home for the first time in over three years, including the first three of a four-game homestand - and their previous two opponents haven't exactly been pushovers.

Orlando's victories over Indiana and Oklahoma City marked the first time in 47 years that a team at least 20 games under .500 beat the clubs with the top two records in the league in back-to-back games.

"There's just a trust and confidence that is growing inside of us, especially with our young players," Glen Davis told the team's official website. "They are helping out tremendously - (Maurice Harkless), Tobias (Harris) and Kyle (O'Quinn). We've been through a lot this year, especially the month of January, and we want to make sure that we don't want to feel that pain again. We're trying to do whatever we can because we want to win."

Both wins were by one point, and Sunday's 93-92 victory over the Pacers featured a double-digit comeback in the fourth quarter against the league's best defensive team.

Nikola Vucevic had 19 points and 13 rebounds, while Victor Oladipo scored 13 of his team-high 23 points in the fourth quarter.

"It starts with his enthusiasm for basketball, and it's really infectious to his teammates," coach Jacque Vaughn said of Oladipo. "They want to play for him, they want to play with him and I'm sure glad he's in a Magic uniform."

Oladipo has come off the bench for the last three games, which has worked well with the Magic getting an average of 19.0 points from him in the victories.

Very little has worked for the Magic against the West. They're 4-16 in non-conference games, and they've lost five straight to the Grizzlies (28-23), including a 94-85 defeat in Memphis on Dec. 9.

The Grizzlies held on Tuesday for a 92-89 home win over Washington, improving to 8-3 since Jan. 24 - a stretch in which they've yielded 88.2 points per game. Still, coach David Joerger said his team is ready for a mental breather.

"Mentally, we're tired," Joerger said. "We messed up in some plays coming out of timeouts where guys didn't go to the right spot. We lost some balls normally we don't lose. But at the end of the day, we got 11 different times in the course of the game we got three stops in a row. It was really all about our defense."

Marc Gasol and Nick Calathes each scored 18, while Zach Randolph, Courtney Lee and James Johnson added 13 apiece.

Calathes, filling in for the injured Mike Conley, is averaging 15.2 points on 53.5 percent shooting in six starts since the beginning of the month after cracking double figures twice in the first 34 games of his career.

"Ninety-eight percent of the time, he makes the right play and the right pass," Joerger said. "What he's doing right now in leading this ballclub is absolutely tremendous."

Conley was considered a game-time call against the Wizards, as was Tony Allen, who has been out since Jan. 5 with a hand injury.

Source:- http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/preview/2014021219/memphis-grizzlies--orlando-magic

INDIANA PACERS VS. DALLAS MAVERICKS: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

by  Dan

The Indiana Pacers welcome Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks to town on Wednesday night.

Head to head, the Mavericks are 0-6 ATS in the last 6 meetings and are 3-9 ATS in the last 12 meetings in Indiana while the road team is 7-2 ATS in the last 9 meetings. The Pacers are 26-10 ATS in their last 36 home games and 16-5 ATS in their last 21 vs. NBA Southwest, but just 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games playing on 1 days rest. The Mavericks on the other hand are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600 and 38-13 ATS in their last 51 road games, but just 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games playing on 0 days rest.

(Please note, this was written before the Mavericks game in Charlotte on Tuesday night)

Despite what happens in the Queen’s City tonight, the Dallas Mavericks are the leagues premier team at covering the spread away from home and have been for some time now. The Mavs have covered the number in 18 of their 26 road games to date and 38 of their last 51 overall, which is really quite remarkable when you think about it. Having that that, tonight’s game will be their third straight road game in four nights and they haven’t covered the spread in any of their last four games playing on zero days rest. Just on this, Dallas has been pretty bad in their last four matches on no rest as they have lost three of them by an average of 17.6 points per game while the other game resulted in a three-point home win over New Orleans, despite being 8.5 favorites.

The Mavs will also have their hands full against arguably the best home team in the NBA in the Indiana Pacers, who have won 25 of 27 games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse this season. Not only that, but Indiana is also 18-9 against the spread at home in those 27 contests and are coming off a 39-point beat down against the visiting Denver Nuggets on Monday night. The Pacers dominated the Nuggets from start to finish as they held them to 31 percent shooting from the field and outscored them by nearly 10 points each and every quarter.

It might seem like getting nearly 10 points on the road is an absolute gift for a team that has covered in 38 of 51 away from home. And I would usually take them eight times out of 10 in this instance, but the fact remains that they have been blown out in three of their last four games when playing in the second game of a back-to-back. Plus, they are facing the leagues most dominate home team...

Source:- http://sportschatplace.com/nba-picks/2014/02/12/indiana-pacers-vs-dallas-mavericks

Dallas Mavericks Vs Charlotte Bobcats: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

by Adam Markowitz

The Charlotte Bobcats ( 22-29, 28-21-2 ATS ) will try their best to take down the Dallas Mavericks ( 31-21, 30-22 ATS ) on Tuesday, February 11th at 7:00 p.m. ET.

This soiree against the NBA odds from the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, NC will be seen live on Sports South and FOX Sports Southwest.

The Mavericks have been one of the hottest teams on the NBA betting odds of late. They went on the road and mauled the Boston Celtics on Sunday, and they have now won five games in a row and covered four straight as well. The team has scored at least 102 points in each of those games, but more impressive has been the defense, which has held three straight teams down to an average of under 90 points per game.

What's really getting the Mavericks over the hump though, is their rebounding. For everything which they do well, this isn't the biggest team in the world, and it is often that opponents find a way to do damage by scoring quite a bit off of rebounding. However, it's been four straight games that Dallas has outrebounded its foes, and when you can both outrebound and outshoot your opponents on the same night, you're going to win significantly more often than not.

Charlotte though, can't be overlooked either. These aren't the same Bobcats who were arguably the worst team in NBA history just a couple seasons ago, as they have some fight in them and have covered four of their last five games on the NBA gambling odds.

This team isn't nearly there yet, as it really needs a couple dominating draft picks to go right to make things work. Still, picking up C Al Jefferson in the offseason gave the team a presence on the inside which it can build around for sure. Jefferson is averaging 20.0 points and 10.6 boards per game, and he could be a matchup nightmare in this one for the Mavericks.

Charlotte is also going to count on G Kemba Walker and G Gerald Henderson to make smart decisions with the basketball and take high percentage shots, something that doesn't seem to be in the vocabulary of any of the team's guards. Walker, Henderson, Ramon Sessions, Jeffrey Taylor, and Ben Gordon are combining to shoot under 40 percent from the field, and that just isn't going to get the job done when it comes to beating the NBA wagering odds against some of the best teams in the league.

Free Pick – Though the Mavs have been hot, the fact of the matter is that they wouldn't be blamed for having one eye turned to the game against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night to wrap up the first half of the season. The timing of this one just isn't the best, and a Charlotte team which has been much better than you would think of late might be ripe for the taking.

Source:- http://www.gamblerspalace.com/articles/basketball/nba/nba-odds-charlotte-bobcats-to-catch-dallas-mavericks-napping-28977

Golden State Warriors vs Utah Jazz: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

by ELI KABERON

Each time it appears the Golden State Warriors have shaken their sloppy play, they fail to build any momentum.

Following one of their most impressive wins of the season, the Warriors will look to stop that trend Friday night when they visit the last-place Utah Jazz.

Since their 10-game winning streak was snapped Jan. 8, the Warriors (28-19) have gone 4-6, with none of the wins coming consecutively. The most recent of those victories came Thursday, when Golden State defeated the Pacific Division-leading Los Angeles Clippers 111-92 in wire-to-wire fashion. The Warriors dominated down low, holding a 53-34 edge in rebounding and 66-22 advantage in points in the paint.

David Lee had 22 points and 11 rebounds and Andrew Bogut added 14 and 17 boards as Golden State outrebounded an opponent for the first time in 10 games.

"We needed that to get ourselves going, we've been struggling as of late. This was a big for us, against a good team, but the test for us is to back it up (against Utah)," guard Stephen Curry said. "We have to make winning plays, pay attention to details, defend at a high level. That will travel with us and let us get wins."

Curry was extremely efficient versus the Clippers, scoring 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting. He also had seven assists to just three turnovers, which has been a key to the Warriors' success this season. When Curry protects the basketball, Golden State does well, as he averages 5.4 turnovers in losses, compared to 3.5 in wins.

That is good news against a Utah defense that is among the league's worst at forcing turnovers. Opponents give up the ball only 12.9 times per game against the Jazz (16-29), though the team is able to capitalize turning those turnovers into 17.1 points per game.

Utah has won back-to-back games - both at home - for only the third time this season and will be seeking its longest win streak of 2013-14.

After a three-point win over Washington two days earlier, the Jazz did most of their damage at the foul line Monday in a 106-99 victory over a depleted Sacramento team. Derrick Favors had 17 points and 12 rebounds as one of three players with double-doubles, and Utah made 35 of a league season-high 53 free throws.

The two straight wins have pushed the Jazz out of last place in the Western Conference, a spot they occupied since losing 14 of their first 15 games.

"It's a good feeling for us to move out of last place in the West," said forward Gordon Hayward. "It's a step forward for us as a team."

Hayward has been strong for the Jazz since missing five games earlier this month with a hip injury, averaging 18.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists in three contests.

The Warriors swept the Jazz in a home-and-home series November 16 and 18, winning 98-87 at Salt Lake City in the back end. Golden State hasn't won multiple regular season games in Utah in the same season since the 1980-81 campaign.

Source:- http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/preview/2014013126/golden-state-warriors--utah-jazz

Charlotte Bobcats v Los Angeles Lakers: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

by Kyle Solomon

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Source:- http://online.pl.ua/charlotte-vs-la-lakers-live-stream-31-01-2014/

Toronto Raptors vs Denver Nuggets: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

by NOEY KUPCHAN

The Denver Nuggets couldn't keep up without their leading scorer last time out.

The Toronto Raptors, meanwhile, haven't missed a beat without theirs.

Ty Lawson and DeMar DeRozan are questionable to play Friday night when the Nuggets go for a 10th consecutive home win over the Raptors.

Denver (22-22) had posted back-to-back wins before falling 101-98 to Charlotte on Wednesday. The Nuggets were held to under 101 points for the first time in 14 games and shot just 39.0 percent with Lawson sidelined due to a left shoulder injury.

Leading the team with 17.9 points, 8.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game, Lawson is day to day.

"The one position that we cannot afford to have an injury or to have that player missing is Ty Lawson," coach Brian Shaw said. "His speed, along with being a pure point guard that can run the perimeter and direct everybody where to go and keep the defense on their toes, so we lose a lot of speed, we lose that playmaking ability. We tried to mix and match and make up for it in other ways but it definitely shows his value when he's not in there."

The Nuggets also lost Lawson's backup - Nate Robinson - to a sprained knee in the first quarter, leaving Randy Foye to play the point. He finished with a season-high 33 points and matched a season best with seven assists.

"It was hard playing without Ty Lawson and Nate Robinson because they push the ball so well and they do so many different things on the court," Foye said. "I just tried to mimic what those guys do on the court, just being really aggressive by attacking the defense.

"We will figure it out there is no quitting on this team."

The Raptors (24-21) enter the weekend having won four of five, including back-to-back victories without DeRozan. The fifth-year guard, averaging a career-best 21.8 points, is dealing with a foot injury but will travel with the team on its five-game road trip.

"We can't really have him out too long," said Greivis Vasquez, who started in place of DeRozan during Wednesday's 98-83 win over Orlando. "We need him."

Kyle Lowry has carried the load during DeRozan's absence, scoring 64 points while shooting 55.3 percent over the last two games. He added 11 assists and shot 6 of 11 from 3-point range against the Magic.

"His aggressive play means a lot," coach Dwane Casey said. "His veteran leadership out there on the court, you can't say enough."

Lowry, averaging career highs of 16.8 points and 7.6 assists, is hoping to make the Eastern Conference All-Star team.

"I keep my fingers crossed that the coaches voted him in because he deserves it," Casey said. "Right now he's one of the best point guards in the league."

Lowry was held in check during a 112-98 loss to Denver on Dec. 1, posting 17 points, but also shooting 5 of 15 while committing five turnovers. The Raptors have dropped 16 of 19 in this series since 2004-05, including nine straight road meetings by an average of 17.8 points while giving up 118.6 per game in that span.

Jonas Valanciunas, who had 18 points and 11 boards against the Nuggets last month, has shot 58.8 percent and averaged 17.0 and 13.3 while putting together a season-best three consecutive double-doubles. Toronto has won 12 of its last 14 when Valanciunas scores at least 12.

Source:- http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/preview/2014013107/toronto-raptors--denver-nuggets

Dallas Mavericks vs Sacramento Kings : Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

by RAMI MICHAIL

The Dallas Mavericks (26-21) host the Sacramento Kings (15-30) at 7:30 pm CT.

The Mavericks are coming off a 117-115 loss to the Houston Rockets in which All-Star Dirk Nowitzki finished with 38 points and 17 rebounds.

Quick Hits for the Mavs-Kings game

Flashback: The Kings embarrassed the Mavs in Sacramento in their last matchup 112-97. DeMarcus Cousins (32), Derrick Williams (31), and Isaiah Thomas (24) lit up the Mavs defense. This was also the first game the Kings played post Rudy Gay trade. Gay was not active for this game.

Boogy Cousins: The Mavs had no answer inside for him in their last meeting. To go along with his 32 points he also had 19 rebounds. Cousins has been out with an ankle injury so his status for this game is still up in the air. The Kings have lost 5 straight game with their star player sidelined.

D in Dallas?: Will the Mavericks be able to show any sign of life on defense? The Kings have Cousins, Thomas, Gay, Williams, Marcus Thornton, and Carl Landry who can all have big games. If the Mavs don’t bring it on the defensive side, the Kings can be in for another high scoring night.

Support: While Nowitzki was putting up 38 and 17 the rest of the starters combined for just 22 points. With the lack of defense the starting unit supplies as a whole, an off-night on offense will most likely result in a Mavs loss.

Bench Surging: Behind Devin Harris and Vince Carter the Mavs bench has been performing at a high level. In the last three games the bench has averaged 49 points. The Mavs need the bench to continue giving them a boost.

Topics: Dallas Mavericks, Demarcus Cousins, Dirk Nowitzki, Sacramento Kings

Source:- http://thesmokingcuban.com/2014/01/30/dallas-mavericks-vs-sacramento-kings-preview/?utm_source=FanSided&utm_medium=Network&utm_campaign=Around%20the%20Network

Oklahoma City Thunder vs Brooklyn Nets: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

by JUSTIN EINHORN

Standing in the way of the Brooklyn Nets finishing with the NBA's best record in January are the hottest team and player in the league.

Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder, coming off a dazzling performance against the defending champions, can record their second double-digit winning streak since moving to the Sooner State as they visit the Nets on Friday night.

Durant's streak of 12 straight games with at least 30 points matches the league's best since Tracy McGrady's run of 14 in 2002-03. His team owns the NBA's longest current win streak at nine, and the only time the Thunder (37-10) have had a better one since leaving Seattle in 2008 was a 12-game run last season.

Both streaks were extended Wednesday when Durant scored 33 as Oklahoma City rallied from an early 18-point deficit and rolled to a 112-95 win in Miami.

"I've scored points before in this league, it's not like this is totally new to me. But this long of a stretch of 30 points, I guess, is different for me," said Durant, averaging 38.0 points during his 12-game tear.

"I'm just trying to do whatever my team needs, night in and night out, to figure out what we need to do to win a basketball game."

Only twice in 18 games since Christmas has Durant failed to score 30, and one came Jan. 2 against the Nets (20-23). They held him to 24 points, rallied from 10 down in the final seven minutes and won 95-93 at Oklahoma City on Joe Johnson's jumper at the buzzer.

That victory propelled Brooklyn to a 10-2 record this month - both defeats came to Toronto. Every other team has at least three losses in January, though no club has been better in the second half of the month than the Thunder.

The Western Conference leaders have topped 100 points in every game of the streak, averaging 109.1 while shooting 51.3 percent. They've been no lower than that percentage in five straight games, including four on the road.

Serge Ibaka is shooting 59.3 percent during the streak while averaging 18.1 points, topping 20 for the third time in four games Wednesday. Derek Fisher scored a season-best 15 against Miami and is 13 of 21 from 3-point range over the past six games. Jeremy Lamb has totaled 32 points on 12-of-18 shooting in his last two.

"I trust in my teammates a lot more," Durant said. "No matter what happens, keep having faith in those guys."

Oklahoma City has surpassed 20 assists in five consecutive games despite being without point guard Russell Westbrook (knee).

"We're just playing together, trying to really come together as a team," Lamb said. "... It's fun when you play like that, sharing the ball. Everyone's having fun."

So were the Nets until having a five-game winning streak snapped Monday with a 104-103 home loss to the Raptors. Paul Pierce had a season-high 33 points but missed a long 3-pointer as time expired.

Brooklyn had given up the go-ahead jumper to Patrick Patterson with 6 seconds left after he stole Deron Williams' inbounds pass.

"I can't take it back," Williams told the team's official website. "It's not my first time turning the ball over to lose the game, and probably won't be my last, so we just have to respond on Friday."

That will be tough against a Thunder team which is 8-0 away from home versus East opponents. Brooklyn, though, joins Toronto as the only East teams to beat Oklahoma City, and Williams scored a season-best 29 in that win four weeks ago.

Source:- http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/preview/2014013117/oklahoma-city-thunder--brooklyn-nets

Memphis Grizzlies vs Minnesota Timberwolves: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

by JEFF MEZYDLO

While the Minnesota Timberwolves have been playing well, the Memphis Grizzlies have been even better.

The Grizzlies can match a season high with a fifth straight victory by continuing their success in Minnesota and preventing the Timberwolves from recording a third consecutive win Friday night.

Mike Conley had 27 points and 10 assists as Memphis (24-20) shot 54.7 percent to win 99-89 at Sacramento on Wednesday. Winners in nine of 10, the Grizzlies have finally found a rhythm.

"Our chemistry right now is as good as I've ever seen it," first-year coach David Joerger said. "Our confidence is high and we're really trying to stay in the moment."

Memphis continues to flourish while going 7-1 since Marc Gasol returned from missing 23 games with a sprained knee. The Grizzlies have allowed an average of 85.9 points on 40.5 percent shooting since the reigning defensive player of the year came back, compared to the 98.3 and 46.5 percent they yielded while going 10-13 without him.

"Ever since we got Marc back we've been playing better," teammate Tayshaun Prince said. "You can see our confidence coming back. He helps us so much on defense. He has a real presence back there. When he was out we couldn't get stops regularly like we are now."

Conley is averaging a career-high 18.2 points, and totaled 46 on 16-of-27 shooting while dishing out 17 assists in the last two contests.

"I'm playing at a high level and doing what my team needs me to do to do," he said. "I'm just playing to win."

Without Gasol, Conley scored 28 against the Timberwolves on Dec. 15, but the Grizzlies' 11-game winning streak in the series ended with a 101-93 home loss. Memphis has still won five straight at Minnesota by an average of 10.2 points.

Hoping to end that slide, the Timberwolves (23-22) also look to match their season-best winning streak after they topped the .500 mark for the first time since Nov. 23 with an 88-77 home win over New Orleans on Wednesday.

Playing their first game since losing starting center Nikola Pekovic (18.0 points, 9.1 rebounds per game) for at least a week to an ankle injury, Kevin Love had 30 points and 14 rebounds as the Timberwolves won for the fifth time in six games.

"I was a little upset with myself with some of the shots I took that I felt like I could've made," said Love, who has 61 points in two games but was 11 of 26 and missed five of six 3-pointers Wednesday.

"The ball didn't feel great. That's the way it goes sometimes. If I can do that and we can win without Pek, that's a good sign."

Minnesota overcame a 40.2-percent shooting effort by holding the Pelicans to 35.4. Two nights earlier it held Chicago to 37.6 percent in a 95-86 road win.

"You're just trying to get better and understand what you're trying to accomplish out there," Ronny Turiaf told the Timberwolves' official website after he had four points and eight rebounds while starting for Pekovic.

Injuries have limited Love to action in three of Minnesota's last nine games against the Grizzlies. He's averaged 28.3 points during that span, and scored 30 at Memphis last month.

The Grizzlies could be without forward Mike Miller after he sprained his right thumb on Wednesday. Miller, who has played in all 44 games averaging 21.5 minutes, is listed as day to day.

Source:- http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/preview/2014013116/memphis-grizzlies--minnesota-timberwolves