Pistons Play Host to Free-Falling Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers travel to Motown to play the Detroit Pistons at Little Ceasar's Arena on Monday.
The Cavaliers (2-12) were expected to have a rough season but no one could see them struggling like this. It's easy to see why they're struggling so badly, with players like LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love all out of the picture. Love is actually the only player remaining from that "big three", as he'll be out another month due to a foot injury. It's now a mishmash of random players, with young players like Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson running the show. The loss of all these studs really shows in their offensive numbers, with Cleveland ranking 28th in scoring and 29th in assists. The offense isn't pretty either, with the Cavaliers ranking 26th in offensive efficiency. It's hard to see a silver lining with this team but there is some hope that these young players can develop with the vast amount of minutes they'll receive in what's already become a lost season.
The Pistons (7-6) come into this matchup winning three of their last four games, as that covers up a pretty ugly stretch. In fact, Detroit lost five-straight games prior to this mini-spurt. In addition, these Pistons actually won their first four games of the season prior to that five-game slide and it's a wonder why these swings have been so massive. It's no fault of Blake Griffin though, as he currently leads this team in scoring, assists and usage. That's the vintage Griffin from his Los Angeles days and Detroit just needs a little more from their backcourt to find some more consistency. Not only has Reggie Jackson been slumping, but the shooting guard position has also been in flux all season long. Having a dominant frontcourt with Griffin and Andre Drummond is definitely dangerous but it's impossible to compete in a guard-heavy NBA with a below-average backcourt like the one the Pistons possess.
Detroit won their one game over Cleveland earlier this season, 110-103, on October 25. With that said, the Cavaliers won their season series over the Pistons last season, 3-1.
The Cavaliers (2-12) were expected to have a rough season but no one could see them struggling like this. It's easy to see why they're struggling so badly, with players like LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love all out of the picture. Love is actually the only player remaining from that "big three", as he'll be out another month due to a foot injury. It's now a mishmash of random players, with young players like Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson running the show. The loss of all these studs really shows in their offensive numbers, with Cleveland ranking 28th in scoring and 29th in assists. The offense isn't pretty either, with the Cavaliers ranking 26th in offensive efficiency. It's hard to see a silver lining with this team but there is some hope that these young players can develop with the vast amount of minutes they'll receive in what's already become a lost season.
The Pistons (7-6) come into this matchup winning three of their last four games, as that covers up a pretty ugly stretch. In fact, Detroit lost five-straight games prior to this mini-spurt. In addition, these Pistons actually won their first four games of the season prior to that five-game slide and it's a wonder why these swings have been so massive. It's no fault of Blake Griffin though, as he currently leads this team in scoring, assists and usage. That's the vintage Griffin from his Los Angeles days and Detroit just needs a little more from their backcourt to find some more consistency. Not only has Reggie Jackson been slumping, but the shooting guard position has also been in flux all season long. Having a dominant frontcourt with Griffin and Andre Drummond is definitely dangerous but it's impossible to compete in a guard-heavy NBA with a below-average backcourt like the one the Pistons possess.
Detroit won their one game over Cleveland earlier this season, 110-103, on October 25. With that said, the Cavaliers won their season series over the Pistons last season, 3-1.
Pacers Looking For Third Straight Win
By Dan Bruno
The Indiana Pacers play host to the Utah Jazz, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Monday evening.
This marks the third and final game of a home stand for the Pacers (10-6), where they have gone 2-0 so far, with wins over the Hawks and the Heat. The Pacers are 5-3 at home this season. However, they could be at a disadvantage, as Victor Oladipo (knee) is questionable for action on Monday. On the bright side, Domantas Sabonis has been playing very well, averaging 13.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists, off the bench. Tyreke Evans had a big night on the first game of the home stand, where he led the way with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Evans is another player that gives the Pacers a great boost off the bench, averaging 11.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. It may come as a surprise that the Pacers own one of the best defenses in the league, holding opponents to a league-low 101.4 points per game.
Meanwhile, the Jazz (8-8) recovered nicely from a two-game slide, by topping the Celtics in Boston in their most recent contest. This marks the final game of a road trip for the Jazz, where they have gone 2-2 so far. They are 6-4 on the road this season, which is better than their 2-4 home record. Donovan MItchell led the way in the Jazz's last outing, with 28 points on 10-of-21 shooting, which was much more efficient than the 31 points on 13-of-35 shooting that he tallied in the game before. Rudy Gobert has been a staple for Utah, holding it down inside, with an average of 15.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game. The Jazz are allowing opponents an average of 107.8 points per game, which is seventh best in the league.
This marks the third and final game of a home stand for the Pacers (10-6), where they have gone 2-0 so far, with wins over the Hawks and the Heat. The Pacers are 5-3 at home this season. However, they could be at a disadvantage, as Victor Oladipo (knee) is questionable for action on Monday. On the bright side, Domantas Sabonis has been playing very well, averaging 13.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists, off the bench. Tyreke Evans had a big night on the first game of the home stand, where he led the way with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Evans is another player that gives the Pacers a great boost off the bench, averaging 11.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. It may come as a surprise that the Pacers own one of the best defenses in the league, holding opponents to a league-low 101.4 points per game.
Meanwhile, the Jazz (8-8) recovered nicely from a two-game slide, by topping the Celtics in Boston in their most recent contest. This marks the final game of a road trip for the Jazz, where they have gone 2-2 so far. They are 6-4 on the road this season, which is better than their 2-4 home record. Donovan MItchell led the way in the Jazz's last outing, with 28 points on 10-of-21 shooting, which was much more efficient than the 31 points on 13-of-35 shooting that he tallied in the game before. Rudy Gobert has been a staple for Utah, holding it down inside, with an average of 15.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game. The Jazz are allowing opponents an average of 107.8 points per game, which is seventh best in the league.
Sixers Undefeated At Home Host Suns
By Dan Bruno
The Philadelphia 76ers play host to the Phoenix Suns, at Wells Fargo Center on Monday evening.
The Sixers (11-7) have won two in a row and are beginning to look comfortable with their new line up featuring superstar, Jimmy Butler. Butler is making it easy considering he came up with a game-saving block, followed by the game-winning three pointer in the Sixers' last contest, where they topped the home-team Hornets in overtime. Joel Embiid has been an absolute force this season, averaging 27.7 points 12.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.2 blocks per game, while Ben Simmons is averaging 14.7 points, 9.1 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game. J.J. Redick has been a consistent contributor, averaging 18.3 points, 3.2 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game. The Sixers sit fourth in the East, with a home record of 8-0. This marks the first game of a three-game home stand for the 76ers, which will put their perfect record to the test.
Meanwhile, this marks the first game of a four-game road trip for the Suns (3-12), who are 0-6 on the road this season. However, their struggles have been all around, as they are 2-8 in their last 10 games, and own the lowest scoring offense in the league, as they average 102.1 points per game. Devin Booker has led the Suns so far this season, averaging 22.7 points, 7.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game. Deandre Ayton has also had a good start, averaging 16.3 points per game, 10.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game, while Josh Jackson has been off to a slower start, averaging 7.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists, in 17.5 minutes per game.
The Sixers (11-7) have won two in a row and are beginning to look comfortable with their new line up featuring superstar, Jimmy Butler. Butler is making it easy considering he came up with a game-saving block, followed by the game-winning three pointer in the Sixers' last contest, where they topped the home-team Hornets in overtime. Joel Embiid has been an absolute force this season, averaging 27.7 points 12.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.2 blocks per game, while Ben Simmons is averaging 14.7 points, 9.1 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game. J.J. Redick has been a consistent contributor, averaging 18.3 points, 3.2 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game. The Sixers sit fourth in the East, with a home record of 8-0. This marks the first game of a three-game home stand for the 76ers, which will put their perfect record to the test.
Meanwhile, this marks the first game of a four-game road trip for the Suns (3-12), who are 0-6 on the road this season. However, their struggles have been all around, as they are 2-8 in their last 10 games, and own the lowest scoring offense in the league, as they average 102.1 points per game. Devin Booker has led the Suns so far this season, averaging 22.7 points, 7.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game. Deandre Ayton has also had a good start, averaging 16.3 points per game, 10.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game, while Josh Jackson has been off to a slower start, averaging 7.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists, in 17.5 minutes per game.
Hornets Host Struggling Celtics
The Charlotte Hornets play host to the Boston Celtics at Spectrum Center on Monday.
The Celtics (9-7) are in a bit of a slide right now, as they have just three wins across their last eight games. While that's nothing to be concerned with, it's shocking to see from a consistent team like the Celtics. What's really surprising in that stretch is the lackluster defense, with Boston allowing over 106 points per game in their five losses. They do still rank top-five in both points allowed and defensive efficiency though, as that truly shows how dominant their defense is even with a mini-slump. The offense has been in more than just a slump though, with Boston sitting 24th in scoring. That simply won't get it done for a title contender and they need to figure that out if they want to end this slide. The fact that Gordon Hayward had his minutes restriction lifted earlier this week could be a huge boost to this offense, as his recent struggles have played a part in the offensive struggles. He's too good to be posting lackluster numbers like this and the rise in his play with surely correlate with Boston's offense going forward.
The Hornets (7-8) come into this matchup losing three of their last four games despite the fact that Kemba Walker is having the best season of his career. The most recent game shows just how amazing he's been, as he dropped a career-high 60 points against the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday. The fact that they lost that game shows what's really wrong with this team, as the role players simply aren't doing enough for Kemba. Walker is leading this team with 28.7 points and 6.7 assists per game but there's really no second weapon on this team. That used to be Nicolas Batum, but his averages of 9.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists are way below his career averages. Jeremy Lamb has done a nice job as the number-two scorer but they won't stay competitive until they find a number-two playmaker.
Boston has dominated Charlotte over recent years, winning seven-straight games against them. In fact, the Celtics are winning those games by nearly 10 points per outing.
The Celtics (9-7) are in a bit of a slide right now, as they have just three wins across their last eight games. While that's nothing to be concerned with, it's shocking to see from a consistent team like the Celtics. What's really surprising in that stretch is the lackluster defense, with Boston allowing over 106 points per game in their five losses. They do still rank top-five in both points allowed and defensive efficiency though, as that truly shows how dominant their defense is even with a mini-slump. The offense has been in more than just a slump though, with Boston sitting 24th in scoring. That simply won't get it done for a title contender and they need to figure that out if they want to end this slide. The fact that Gordon Hayward had his minutes restriction lifted earlier this week could be a huge boost to this offense, as his recent struggles have played a part in the offensive struggles. He's too good to be posting lackluster numbers like this and the rise in his play with surely correlate with Boston's offense going forward.
The Hornets (7-8) come into this matchup losing three of their last four games despite the fact that Kemba Walker is having the best season of his career. The most recent game shows just how amazing he's been, as he dropped a career-high 60 points against the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday. The fact that they lost that game shows what's really wrong with this team, as the role players simply aren't doing enough for Kemba. Walker is leading this team with 28.7 points and 6.7 assists per game but there's really no second weapon on this team. That used to be Nicolas Batum, but his averages of 9.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists are way below his career averages. Jeremy Lamb has done a nice job as the number-two scorer but they won't stay competitive until they find a number-two playmaker.
Boston has dominated Charlotte over recent years, winning seven-straight games against them. In fact, the Celtics are winning those games by nearly 10 points per outing.
Clippers, Hawks Square Off in Atlanta
By Oscar Heanue
The Los Angeles Clippers will visit the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on Monday evening.
The game marks the second in a three-game East Coast road trip for the Clippers (10-5), who kicked off their travels with a win in Brooklyn on Saturday. The win was the Clippers' fourth straight, as the team has put together a quick win streak that has propelled them into a tie for second place in the Western Conference standings. Tobias Harris, in his first full season as a Clippers, has taken a leading role in the team's newfound success. Harris leads the Clippers with averaged of 20.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, both career highs. On Saturday, Harris scored 27 points in Brooklyn, helping his team total 127 points in the win. Forward Danilo Gallinari, coming off two straight injury-plagued seasons, is also finally finding a rhythm with the Clippers. Gallinari scored 28 points on Saturday, bringing his season average to an impressive 19.6 points per game.
Atlanta (3-13), on the other hand, has struggled to string together wins early in the season. The Hawks are in the midst of a seven-game losing streak, including a crushing 138-93 blowout in Denver last Thursday. Atlanta has been unable to piece it together on either end of the floor, owning the league's worst offensive rating (101.1) while also giving up the most points per game (117.7). Injuries have not helped the team's case at all. An Achilles injury held Taurean Prince, Atlanta's second-leading scorer, out of Saturday's tilt against the Pacers. Despite the team's woes, though, the Hawks will have a chance to regroup with their first home stand in over a week.
The Clippers swept the season series between the two teams in 2018, two games to none. The Hawks will hope to reverse that trend and build some momentum on Monday.
The game marks the second in a three-game East Coast road trip for the Clippers (10-5), who kicked off their travels with a win in Brooklyn on Saturday. The win was the Clippers' fourth straight, as the team has put together a quick win streak that has propelled them into a tie for second place in the Western Conference standings. Tobias Harris, in his first full season as a Clippers, has taken a leading role in the team's newfound success. Harris leads the Clippers with averaged of 20.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, both career highs. On Saturday, Harris scored 27 points in Brooklyn, helping his team total 127 points in the win. Forward Danilo Gallinari, coming off two straight injury-plagued seasons, is also finally finding a rhythm with the Clippers. Gallinari scored 28 points on Saturday, bringing his season average to an impressive 19.6 points per game.
Atlanta (3-13), on the other hand, has struggled to string together wins early in the season. The Hawks are in the midst of a seven-game losing streak, including a crushing 138-93 blowout in Denver last Thursday. Atlanta has been unable to piece it together on either end of the floor, owning the league's worst offensive rating (101.1) while also giving up the most points per game (117.7). Injuries have not helped the team's case at all. An Achilles injury held Taurean Prince, Atlanta's second-leading scorer, out of Saturday's tilt against the Pacers. Despite the team's woes, though, the Hawks will have a chance to regroup with their first home stand in over a week.
The Clippers swept the season series between the two teams in 2018, two games to none. The Hawks will hope to reverse that trend and build some momentum on Monday.
Pelicans Host Spurs
By Jason Rubin
The New Orleans Pelicans will host the San Antonio Spurs at Smoothie King Center on Monday.
The Pelicans have been on a home tear where they have not lost since October 27th against the Utah Jazz. The stand out note from that loss was Anthony Davis' absence. Davis' home splits this year have been MVP caliber, as the Pelicans franchise cornerstone has posted 36.6 points, 12.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.9 blocks on 51.1 percent shooting. New Orleans (9-7) has won five of their last six games, and is boasting quality play from Jrue Holiday, who is the NBA's second leading player in assists with 9.3 per game, second to only Kyle Lowry. Julius Randle has put together an impressive season so far across 16 games, most of which have seen the former Lakers forward come off the bench. In those games, Randle is scoring 17.3 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game in 25.5 minutes per contest.
The Pelicans will have a tired Spurs team who are playing the second game of a back-to-back after defeating the Golden State Warriors at home on Sunday. LaMarcus Aldridge led the way for the Spurs (8-7) after he scored 24 points and added 18 rebounds in the win. The Warriors were without Stephen Curry (groin) and Draymond Green (toe) in the win, but had their hands full keeping Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant to 51 points on a combined 51 shots. The win ended a three game losing streak for Spurs.
The Pelicans have been on a home tear where they have not lost since October 27th against the Utah Jazz. The stand out note from that loss was Anthony Davis' absence. Davis' home splits this year have been MVP caliber, as the Pelicans franchise cornerstone has posted 36.6 points, 12.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.9 blocks on 51.1 percent shooting. New Orleans (9-7) has won five of their last six games, and is boasting quality play from Jrue Holiday, who is the NBA's second leading player in assists with 9.3 per game, second to only Kyle Lowry. Julius Randle has put together an impressive season so far across 16 games, most of which have seen the former Lakers forward come off the bench. In those games, Randle is scoring 17.3 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game in 25.5 minutes per contest.
The Pelicans will have a tired Spurs team who are playing the second game of a back-to-back after defeating the Golden State Warriors at home on Sunday. LaMarcus Aldridge led the way for the Spurs (8-7) after he scored 24 points and added 18 rebounds in the win. The Warriors were without Stephen Curry (groin) and Draymond Green (toe) in the win, but had their hands full keeping Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant to 51 points on a combined 51 shots. The win ended a three game losing streak for Spurs.
Nuggets Visit Bucks in Milwaukee
By Oscar Heanue
The Denver Nuggets will visit the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on Monday.
Denver (10-6) has fallen off sharply after its hot 9-1 start. The Nuggets have dropped five of their last six games, including a home court loss to Milwaukee last week. Most recently, the Nuggets fell 125-115 to the Pelicans on Saturday, allowing 40 points to New Orleans superstar Anthony Davis. Despite the team's recent struggles, however, the Nuggets have plenty to be excited about. Four of the team's last five losses have come by single digits, and Denver's lone win in the last week was a 45-point rout of the Atlanta Hawks. Denver remains one of the league's top teams on both sides of the ball, ranking top 10 in both offensive and defensive rating. Superstar center Nikola Jokic also continues to put together an impressive campaign, averaging 17.6 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game. He leads the team in all three categories.
Milwaukee (11-4) is in a similar position, having gone just 4-4 in its last eight games after an immaculate 7-0 start to the season. The Bucks have also been carried by a young superstar, as Giannis Antetokounmpo is delivering staggering averages of 25.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game while shooting 55.8 percent from the field. Antetokounmpo, a reigning All-Defense Team selection, is also posting 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. Monday's game will be the third in a seven game home stand for the Bucks, who are 7-1 at Fiserv Forum this season.
The teams have clashed once already this season, resulting in a 121-114 win for Milwaukee. Denver will hope to even the score on Milwaukee's home court on Monday.
Denver (10-6) has fallen off sharply after its hot 9-1 start. The Nuggets have dropped five of their last six games, including a home court loss to Milwaukee last week. Most recently, the Nuggets fell 125-115 to the Pelicans on Saturday, allowing 40 points to New Orleans superstar Anthony Davis. Despite the team's recent struggles, however, the Nuggets have plenty to be excited about. Four of the team's last five losses have come by single digits, and Denver's lone win in the last week was a 45-point rout of the Atlanta Hawks. Denver remains one of the league's top teams on both sides of the ball, ranking top 10 in both offensive and defensive rating. Superstar center Nikola Jokic also continues to put together an impressive campaign, averaging 17.6 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game. He leads the team in all three categories.
Milwaukee (11-4) is in a similar position, having gone just 4-4 in its last eight games after an immaculate 7-0 start to the season. The Bucks have also been carried by a young superstar, as Giannis Antetokounmpo is delivering staggering averages of 25.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game while shooting 55.8 percent from the field. Antetokounmpo, a reigning All-Defense Team selection, is also posting 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. Monday's game will be the third in a seven game home stand for the Bucks, who are 7-1 at Fiserv Forum this season.
The teams have clashed once already this season, resulting in a 121-114 win for Milwaukee. Denver will hope to even the score on Milwaukee's home court on Monday.
Grizzlies Host Mavericks With Both Teams Streaking
The Dallas Mavericks travel to Tennessee to play the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum on Monday.
The Mavericks (7-8) come into this matchup in the midst of a four-game winning streak, as they finally appear to be finding some rhythm. That ended a really ugly stretch in which Dallas lost seven of their previous eight games and it's a wonder how they got in such a bad slide in the first place. The fact that Dallas is winning by 24.3 points per game in this winning streak shows just how dominant they can be, with those victories coming against teams like the Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors. That's no joke of a schedule and this could become a scary team in the second half if they can find consistency like this going forward. The improvement on the offensive end is definitely the reason for the success, as they currently sit 15th in scoring. This is a Mavericks team who ranked bottom-three in scoring and offensive efficiency last season and the addition of Luka Doncic is undoubtedly playing a huge role in their success.
The Grizzlies (10-5) come into this matchup winning three-straight and five of six games in total. It's gotten this team to a top-three seed in the west, as that's shocking from a team who finished with one of the worst records in the league last season. Getting Mike Conley back and healthy is obviously the correlation, as he's sneakily one of the best point guards in the NBA. Pairing him with Marc Gasol is a guard-center combo that many teams can't match up with and Memphis is back to playing their patented grit-and-grind defense. There are some things they need to improve on going forward though, as the Grizzlies currently sit 27th in scoring and 30th in rebounding. That makes this start all the more surprising, as this is yet another good Western Conference team who will battle for a playoff spot.
Dallas has won four of their last five games over Memphis dating back two seasons. In fact, the Mavericks are holding the Grizzlies to just 90 points per game in those four victories.
The Mavericks (7-8) come into this matchup in the midst of a four-game winning streak, as they finally appear to be finding some rhythm. That ended a really ugly stretch in which Dallas lost seven of their previous eight games and it's a wonder how they got in such a bad slide in the first place. The fact that Dallas is winning by 24.3 points per game in this winning streak shows just how dominant they can be, with those victories coming against teams like the Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors. That's no joke of a schedule and this could become a scary team in the second half if they can find consistency like this going forward. The improvement on the offensive end is definitely the reason for the success, as they currently sit 15th in scoring. This is a Mavericks team who ranked bottom-three in scoring and offensive efficiency last season and the addition of Luka Doncic is undoubtedly playing a huge role in their success.
The Grizzlies (10-5) come into this matchup winning three-straight and five of six games in total. It's gotten this team to a top-three seed in the west, as that's shocking from a team who finished with one of the worst records in the league last season. Getting Mike Conley back and healthy is obviously the correlation, as he's sneakily one of the best point guards in the NBA. Pairing him with Marc Gasol is a guard-center combo that many teams can't match up with and Memphis is back to playing their patented grit-and-grind defense. There are some things they need to improve on going forward though, as the Grizzlies currently sit 27th in scoring and 30th in rebounding. That makes this start all the more surprising, as this is yet another good Western Conference team who will battle for a playoff spot.
Dallas has won four of their last five games over Memphis dating back two seasons. In fact, the Mavericks are holding the Grizzlies to just 90 points per game in those four victories.
Kings Host Thunder
By Jason Rubin
The Sacramento Kings will host the Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden 1 Center on Monday.
Russell Westbrook will not play Monday as his ankle injury is still lingering and the former MVP also welcomed the birth of twin daughters. Westbrook has not taken the floor since November 5th in a win against the New Orleans Pelicans. In Westbrook's absence, Dennis Schroder has been fantastic in taking over the starting point guard role. With massive shoes to fill, Schroder is averaging 18.5 points and 6.0 assists over his last six games. Paul George, as expected, has carried the scoring work for the Thunder (10-5). George is coming off one of his strongest performance of the season after a 110-100 win over the Suns, as George finished with 32 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, three steals and three blocks.
The Kings (8-8) surprised most of the league after a strong start to the season, however, the difficulty in competition they faced was lacking and when they went up against the top tier teams in the league, they began to fall off a bit. Winners of just two of their last seven games, Sacramento has still shown some positive signs this season. De'Aaron Fox took another step forward and is leading the league in points and assists, while Marvin Bagley III played some minutes off the bench at Center in favor of Willie Cauley-Stein who has been in a slump. Bagley finished with 16 points and eight rebounds across 27 minutes in the recent 132-112 loss to the Houston Rockets.
Russell Westbrook will not play Monday as his ankle injury is still lingering and the former MVP also welcomed the birth of twin daughters. Westbrook has not taken the floor since November 5th in a win against the New Orleans Pelicans. In Westbrook's absence, Dennis Schroder has been fantastic in taking over the starting point guard role. With massive shoes to fill, Schroder is averaging 18.5 points and 6.0 assists over his last six games. Paul George, as expected, has carried the scoring work for the Thunder (10-5). George is coming off one of his strongest performance of the season after a 110-100 win over the Suns, as George finished with 32 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, three steals and three blocks.
The Kings (8-8) surprised most of the league after a strong start to the season, however, the difficulty in competition they faced was lacking and when they went up against the top tier teams in the league, they began to fall off a bit. Winners of just two of their last seven games, Sacramento has still shown some positive signs this season. De'Aaron Fox took another step forward and is leading the league in points and assists, while Marvin Bagley III played some minutes off the bench at Center in favor of Willie Cauley-Stein who has been in a slump. Bagley finished with 16 points and eight rebounds across 27 minutes in the recent 132-112 loss to the Houston Rockets.