Preview Roundups
January 18, 2020
L.A. Clippers at New Orleans 3:30 PM ET
The New Orleans Pelicans are anxiously awaiting the debut of rookie forward Zion Williamson while also proving that they won't need to look to him as a savior when he finally takes the floor. The Pelicans will play at least one more game without Williamson and try to pick up an 11th win in 15 games when they host the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday.
Milwaukee at Brooklyn 6:00 PM ET
The Brooklyn Nets haven't exactly taken off since All-Star guard Kyrie Irving returned from a 26-game absence, and he is already pointing out things that need to change. Irving and the Nets will try to avoid a three-game slide when they host the NBA-best Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday.
Phoenix at Boston 7:00 PM ET
The Boston Celtics are slipping with losses in back-to-back games and five of the last seven. The Celtics will try to take some of the fight they showed in the second half at Milwaukee on Thursday and translate it into a win when they host the Phoenix Suns on Saturday in the opener of a three-game homestand.
Detroit at Atlanta 7:30 PM ET
The last three wins for the Detroit Pistons have come on the road, a trend they'll try to keep alive with a visit to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. After recent wins at Golden State and Cleveland, the Pistons picked up an impressive 116-103 victory at the Boston Celtics on Wednesday.
Philadelphia at New York 7:30 PM ET
When Furkan Korkmaz finds his shooting touch the Philadelphia 76ers reap the rewards, and he will try to follow up a career night and lead his team to a third straight win in a visit to the New York Knicks on Saturday. The third-year pro from Turkey hit 6-of-9 3-pointers en route to a career-high 24 points in Friday's 100-89 win over the Chicago Bulls.
Cleveland at Chicago 8:00 PM ET
Two struggling teams that have each lost eight of their last 10 games square off when the Cleveland Cavaliers visit the Chicago Bulls on Saturday. Cleveland lost its third straight game by falling to the host Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, while Chicago also was on the road and suffered a defeat against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Toronto at Minnesota 8:00 PM ET
Karl-Anthony Towns is back from a knee injury and the two-time All-Star center will likely be in the lineup when the Minnesota Timberwolves face the visiting Toronto Raptors on Saturday. Minnesota went 5-10 while Towns was sidelined with a knee injury and the struggles continued in his return on Friday as the Timberwolves suffered a 116-114 loss to the host Indiana Pacers.
L.A. Lakers at Houston 8:30 PM ET
The Los Angeles Lakers saw their nine-game winning streak come to an end and look to start a new stretch of victories when they visit the Houston Rockets on Saturday. The Lakers lost 119-118 to the visiting Orlando Magic on Wednesday and reached the midway point with a 33-8 record.
Orlando at Golden State 8:30 PM ET
The Orlando Magic split their back-to-back set against the Los Angeles teams but are playing well enough of late to not be satisfied with going 1-1 against two of the best teams in the league on the road. The Magic will try to bounce back and pull above .500 on their six-game trip when they visit the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.
Portland at Oklahoma City 9:00 PM ET
The Portland Trail Blazers will likely be without shooting guard CJ McCollum when they visit the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday. McCollum departed Friday's 120-112 loss to the Dallas Mavericks with a sprained left ankle and coach Terry Stotts said afterward that he was still waiting to learn the severity.
Sacramento at Utah 9:00 PM ET
The Utah Jazz will try to bounce back from their first loss since before Christmas when they host the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. Utah's 10-game winning streak was five shy of matching the franchise record but it came to a crashing halt with a 138-132 setback in overtime at New Orleans on Thursday.