MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES @ LA LAKERS
Tuesday @ 10:30
Grizzlies 2-0 (1-0 away)
Avg points: 101.3 ...Avg Points against: 99.3
Lakers
3-0 (2-0 home)
Avg points: 111 ...Avg points against: 99.7
Team Leaders
GRIZZLIES LAKERS
Rudy Gay: 22.3 ppg Pau Gasol: 25.3 ppg
Marc Gasol: 11.3 rpg Lamar Odom: 13.7 rpg
Mike Conley: 8.3 apg Paul Gasol: 5 apg
Mike Conley: 3.7 spg Ron Artest: 3 spg
Hasheem Thabeet: 1 bpg Pau Gasol: 2 bpg
Key Players:
For the Grizzlies, Marc Gasol is back from his injury, and has left off right where he started last year. Much like his brother, he is a great scorer and rebounder, and can come through when the game is close. Mike Conley is averaging 15 ppg which is goes well along with his 8.3 assist per game stat. Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo are both putting up their respective numbers in scoring. (Gay: 22.3 ppg...Mayo: 19.3))
For the Lakers, Gasol has started out hot this year, outscoring Kobe in the first two games of the season. This team already looks like they are in championship form, blowing past the Suns and Golden State respectively. Steve Blake, Theo Ratliff, and Matt Barnes have also been crucial coming off of the bench and Luke Walton will be back from his strained hamstring.
FINAL NOTES:
Both teams have come out with some fire this year and are putting up a good amount of points.
The Lakers have the edge here definitely in this one, but like was said earlier this year: "For those who expect us to go 82-0, we're sorry." As tough as this may be to say...I think that:
Grizzlies 107
Lakers 101
SAN ANTONIO SPURS @ PHOENIX SUNS
Wednesday @ 10:30
Spurs: 2-1 (1-0 away)
Avg Points: 103... Avg Points allowed: 98.7
Suns: 1-2 (0-1 home)
Avg Points: 102.7... Avg Points allowed: 104.7
Team Leaders
SPURS SUNS
Manu Genobli: 19.7 ppg Jason Richardson: 18.3 ppg
Tim Duncan: 8.7 rpg Robin Lopez: 8.3 rpg
Tony Parker: 7.3 apg Steve Nash: 6.7 apg
Manu Genobli: 2.7 spg Steve Nash: 1.3 spg
Tim Duncan: 1.3 bpg Channing Frye: 1.7 bpg
Key Players:
For the Spurs, the big 3 in the West are in the building! Tim Duncan, Manu Genobli, and Tony Parker are back. With Parker being healthy so far this season, the Spurs are playing some decent ball. With George Hill being day-to-day (shoulder), look for rookie Gary Neal (PG) to show out again just like he did vs the Clippers, where he scored 16 points and had 6 rebounds to go with that in only 20 minutes. Rookie Tiago Splitter will play his second game as well after being sidelined last game with an ankle injury.Th is bench will be the factor that carries the Spurs in this game (and for that matter really any game this year)
For the Suns, this team is having a little trouble being cohesive as a team. But they are still getting used to one another and in their defense they have played some rough games thus far vs Portland, Utah, and the Lakers. Steve Nash and Jason Richardson will once again have to shoulder a large scoring role, Josh Childress is out with a fractured finger, and with a little manuevering, Grant Hill will be starting in his place, who is averaging 11.3 ppg.
FINAL NOTES:
As stated earlier, the Suns are sitll having a little trouble getting their chemistry together. With really only two players being able to consistently put up points in Richardson and Nash, this team may not be too hard for the Spurs to shut down. The Spurs are healthy coming into this one and are really gelling as a team even with their rookies playing a substantial amount of minutes. But this Suns team has always been able to put up lots of points and with their speed and quick pass offense, San Antonio may not be quick enough to keep up with them...still though:
Spurs 100
Suns 96
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER @ PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS
Thursday @ 10:30
Thunder: 2-1 (1-1 away)
Avg points: 103.3... Avg points allowed: 106.3
Trailblazers: 3-1 (1-0 home)
Avg points: 100.5... Avg points allowed: 96.3
Team Leaders
Thunder Trailblazers
Kevin Durant: 29.3 ppg Brandon Roy: 23 ppg
Serge Ibaka: 8.3 rpg Marcus Camby: 10 rpg
Russell Westbrook: 7.3 apg Andre Miller: 8 apg
Russell Westbrook: 2.7 spg Andre Miller: 2.3 spg
Serge Ibaka: 3 bpg Marcus Camby: 1.8 bpg
Key Players:
For the Thunder, Kevin Durant of course is going to be a handful averaging almost 30 ppg. And standout Sergio Ibaka is playing the PF/C role perfectly, defensively and as far as grabbing the boards. Russell Westbrook continues to solidify his skills and become more of a household name in the NBA, and Jeff Green is continuing to make the tough baskets, beginning in his hot start versus the Bulls where he dropped 15 points.
For the Trailblazers:
Andre Miller continues to be a force as the point gaurd. He is truly a game manager and his experience feeds to the rest of his players. He is also making an impact on the defensive side of the ball averaging a little over 2 steals a game. Brandon Roy is an All Star gaurd who can give any defense trouble and has the ability to score from anywhere.
FINAL NOTES:
Both teams actually look really solid so far this season. Offensively and defensively, the Trailblazers have seemed to have found their identity as a team that can block, steal, and run the fastbreak with ease. On the other end, the Thunder can do much of the same, except they have more people on the offensive end who can score. In the end, these teams mirror one another very well, and this game could actually go down to the wire pending that the Blazers bench can come in and be a force against a polished Thunder team...prediction?
Thunder 101
Trailblazers 99
Heres the rest of the match ups over the span of the next three days:
WEDNESDAY:
New Orleans Hornets @ Houston Rockets
The Rockets just cant seem to buy a win although they have a very talented roster. Meanwhile, on the defensive end, the Hornets have found their identity. Chris Paul is dishing assists like a madman with 23 over the last two games and they are coming off of a great win versus the Spurs 99-90...This Game?
Hornets 98
Rockets 82
Dallas Mavericks @ Denver Nuggets
Dirk is averaging 23.7 ppg, Carmelo is averaging 23.7 a game. Both point gaurds in Kidd and Billups are finding their men, and both benches have the talent to come in and show out. So which team will show up to win?
Denver 105
Dallas 100
Toronto Raptors @ Utah Jazz
Definitely some jazzy numbers for Paul Millsap. Last game he had 16 points and 13 boards. After tough starts for both teams, look for this game to be a rebound. The Raptors are still a pretty new bunch and need to solidify some chemistry...
Jazz 111
Raptors 80
Memphis Grizzlies @ Golden State Warriors
Both of these teams can put up points fast and in a hurry. Stephen Curry is day-to-day with an ankle injury, but Monta Ellis has definitely been able to score on his behalf (27 ppg). On the other side, the Grizzlies have alot of offensive firepower and with Marc Gasol back in action, look for him to force Biedrins to commit early fouls and get him out the game...the team with the most offense will win this one....
Grizzlies 115
Warriors 100
Oklahoma City Thunder @ LA Clippers
Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, and Serge Ibaka have been playing phenomenal basketball. But dont count out Baron Davis, Chris Kaman, and Blake Griffin, who is making an excellent run at rookie of the year thus far....whos got more firepower here?
Thunder 100
Clippers 94
LA Lakers @ Sacremento Kings
Boy this game would be great if the Kings had their 2002 roster with Bibby, Webber, Divac, Christie and Stojackovic....but ehhh...we'll see what Tyreke Evans, Fransisco Garcia, and Demarcus Cousins can do...
Lakers 120
Kings 90
Theres your NBA update for the next three days. Teams now know what to expect this year, and this will no doubt be a better week than the first....
No comments:
Post a Comment