SR – NBA Primetime Preview: Houston Rockets Vs. Los Angeles Clippers

by Marcus Van Diver | Nov 23, 2019 | Featured, NBA

Game two of Week 5’s ESPN Friday doubleheader revisits the rivalry between the Clippers and Rockets, as game two of their seasonal four-game series takes place at 10:30 p.m. on ESPN, right after the Spurs and Sixers finish up.

The Rockets won their last duel in Houston, when it seemed that once Kawhi Leonard was on the floor the same time as the rest of his starting five, the Clippers looked unbeatable. Now, the Rockets (disregarding a humbling loss to the Denver Nuggets two nights ago) look like some of the most egregious aggressors of the West. James Harden ended last season on a historic streak and is continuing his fiery output, leading the third-best offense in the league to an eight game winning streak.

He’s been averaging over 40.4 points in the team’s last nine contests, but do realize that last Clippers win was a result of the perfect conjoining of a 17-point night from Russell Westbrook, and a 47-point, 7-ast. and 6-reb. night from James Harden. In tonight’s rematch, they’ll have to not only gameplan for Kawhi again, who in their last battle with Houston had an all-around effort of 26 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists, but deal with six-time All-Star and two-way dynamo in the fresh and returning Paul George.

In the Rockets and Clippers most recent game on November 13, Houston put in their best defensive performance to date, holding the former Rockets in Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams, and Montrezl Harrell to a combined 13-44 overall and 1-13 from deep.

And again, that’s without Paul George in the lineup. Doc Rivers’ plan to space the floor will likely include the slashing and sniping George, which should open some room for their guards to run a lot more pick and roll. Rivers should have a little extra motivation to beat his son Austin’s team, for he helped in persuading Tony Brothers to kick him out of the game.

We’re probably going to see that offensive and defensive barrage that both Leonard and George bring together, considering we all saw what the duo could potentially accomplish this season in their overtime win against Boston. Harden is going to have a big night, regardless of who’s on him but his supporting cast of Westbrook, PJ Tucker, Clint Capela and others have to bring their A game if they’re to keep the fire burning on their road trip.

Rockets – Clippers tip off at 10:30 p.m. ET/9:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.

Nov 23, 2019 No Comments

SR – NBA Primetime Preview: San Antonio Spurs Vs. Philadelphia 76ers

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by Marcus Van Diver | Nov 23, 2019 | Featured, NBA

In this ESPN doubleheader to close out week 5, our first game features the 5-10 San Antonio Spurs playing the 9-5 Philadelphia 76ers, live from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Sixers got off to a hot start, winning their first three games of the year. Suspensions and defensive struggles plagued this Philly team that many predicted to be in the NBA Finals at year’s end, and though they’ve let the other Eastern powers in Boston, Toronto, Milwaukee and Miami (with former Sixer Jimmy Butler) get ahead of them in the standings this early in the season, some resurgence from their three all-stars of Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Al Horford, along with their bench and other rotational pieces, is showing itself in their 2-1 week as they are only a mere four-and-a-half games out of first in the East.

Things are starting to heat up for Philly, and while they are outside the top 10 in total offensive efficiency and just in the defensive efficiency top 10, you have to believe these numbers heighten themselves as we enter the quarter-way point in the season.

As for the Spurs, their 5-10 record is not directly indicative of how bad they’ve played so far this year, dropping some questionable losses to the Hawks, Grizzlies and Magic. Playing some elite teams out West and some visiting Eastern powerhouses have done their damage to a team that’s desperate for a win. To get their sixth win tonight though, they’ll have to stop opportunities in the open court and prevent this middle-of-the-pack team from getting easy buckets.

It sounds easy enough, considering that the Philadelphia 76ers are the 17th ranked team in the NBA when it comes to overall pace, and most, if not all of Brett Brown’s offense comes from half-court sets. The Spurs are an uptempo team, just appearing in the top 15 (14th overall) in the pace rankings.

What Gregg Popovich will have to counter, however, is the size of the Sixers, as they deploy three guys that are 6’9 and higher in their starting lineup. Switching onto three progressively elite defenders in Embiid, Simmons and Horford is a scary sight, and you add that with a second unit that’s composed of pieces like James Ennis III and Mike Scott that can get out and run, drilling threes in transition? That’s hard to stop, and the Spurs’ 28th ranked defense in the league may have a long night matching up against Brown’s height-awash roster.

This should be a physical game with bunches of battles down low. It will be compelling to see just where and how guards like DeMar DeRozan and Derrick White generate good shot profiles while dealing with the height and wingspan of this Sixers team. Joel Embiid and LaMarcus Aldridge are more than likely going to go back to back all night until one of the big men lose fuel down the stretch.

But the biggest question of all….

Will Ben Simmons continue his now 100 percent shooting from three-point land?

Sixers – Spurs tips off at 8:00 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on ESPN.

Nov 23, 2019 No Comments

SR-NBA Primetime Preview: New Orleans Pelicans Vs. Phoenix Suns

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by Marcus Van Diver | Nov 22, 2019 | Featured, NBA

Though there is a talent deficit, there is still good reason to tune into this next matchup, the second game of the weekly TNT doubleheader featuring the 5-9 New Orleans Pelicans visiting the surprising 7-6 Phoenix Suns at 10:30 on TNT.

Suns fans, rejoice. You finally get a shot on national primetime television to prove to the NBA world that what the self-dubbed “Valley Boyz” have going on Arizona is anything but a fluke.

But, I regret to inform you all, that you’ll have to complete this mission tonight without some of the most substantial guys that got you there. It seemed like the Suns started their season on a new leaf, as three-level scoring maestro Devin Booker continued his excellent ways by averaging 25.6 ppg. He and new Suns guard Ricky Rubio has been an above-average compliment to the guard, but tonight he’s doubtful with a bad back.

He’s not the only one on the injury report, though,

Phoenix started to prove all of their doubters and skeptics alike wrong, starting the season on a 7-4 start. As soon as the injuries started piling up, the Suns reverted to their previous ways of losing and failure. Tonight, Monty Williams will have to piece together some form of offense with a starting five composed of Tyler Johnson, Kelly Oubre, Dario Saric and Frank Kaminsky and Booker. What also doesn’t help, is that Phoenix is statistically the 24th ranked offense in the NBA, and that’s with a healthy Rubio and others.

Also on the report: Aron Baynes. He’s out due to a right hip flexor strain which is already painful enough, so the Suns will have to get some wins without the Austrailian big man that’s currently having a breakout season. Replacing 14.5 ppg. and 44 percent shooting from deep is asking a lot out of William’s big man rotation.

For New Orleans, they too have a bucket load of ailments to their best players. Zion Williamson’s recovery is almost up, which is a really good thing. Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Derrick Favors, Jahlil Okafor all being banged up, are not good things. Their starting five will more than likely consist of Jrue Holiday, JJ Redick, Brandon Ingram, Kenrich Williams and impressive rookie Jaxson Hayes.

The guard tandem of JJ Redick and Jrue Holiday are meshing well, as expected. The two have both dropped 21 ppg. over their last four games, and have greatly given the 11th ranked offense in the NBA a lot of life despite their injuries.

Tonight’s matchup features two exceptional scoring guards that are proficient on both ends of the court, since Devin Booker and Jrue Holiday usually put on some marquee performances when given their touches. Brandon Ingram may feast on mismatches on the wing, and Jaxson Hayes could startle some fans that may be unfamiliar with the rookie center and former Big 12 Freshman of the year.

This is gonna be a fun game to watch, so tune in to TNT at 10:30 p.m. ET/9:30 p.m. CT after the Bucks – Blazers game concludes.

Nov 22, 2019 No Comments

SR – NBA Primetime Preview: Portland Trail Blazers Vs. Milwaukee Bucks

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by Marcus Van Diver | Nov 22, 2019 | Featured, NBA

Tonight’s prime-time NBA action designates itself in Cream City (’cause apparently, that’s the new nickname for Milwaukee, Wisconsin that’s plastered on the Bucks’ new City Edition jerseys announced yesterday) as the 11-3 Milwaukee Bucks start their four-game home stand against the 5-10 Portland Trail Blazers.

The scuffling Trail Blazers are in desperate need of some tallies in the win column to start the 2019 season, because this is the exact worst-case scenario that Terry Stotts’ Blazers could have ran into. A team that was literally in the teeth of the Finals picture with their first visit to the conference finals since 2001 back in May, is currently doing everything they can to weather the typhoon of injuries befallen onto them.

They’ve been lead by the monstrous nightly offensive exhibit by Damian Lillard, though in trying to keep the Blazers in the lane of consideration as contenders, has looked at times like he is hanging on by the most diminutive of threads in this premature year. He’s out tonight and in his place, Terry Stotts is going to start the combination of Gary Trent Jr. and Rodney Hood.

The 14th ranked offense (and 22nd ranked defense) have been assessed in the most tedious ways this season, and that’s a given considering they play in the West. But the result hasn’t been desirable and the tandem of Dame and CJ are off to arguably the slowest start in their time together as teammates. Tonight, their Eastern road trip gets that much more tumultuous, as they’ll have to deal with the NBA’s second-highest scoring team in the Milwaukee Bucks without Lillard’s 30+ point contribution.

Fresh off a tight 135-127 road win against the spunky Atlanta Hawks, league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks fly back home in a back-to-back to face the Blazers, and with the incentive of obtaining an Eastern – and league best – record since the Celtics were defeated in overtime against the streaking Los Angeles Clippers, that No. 1 spot looks like a pot of gold that’s just inches from the feet of a team that’s already a favorite to win the conference at year’s end.

But the Bucks don’t have just McCollum to game-plan over. A new factor is thrown into the equation, and depending on how his second night and first back-to-back goes for Carmelo Anthony, could very well determine the outcome of this matchup.

Anthony looked rusty as anyone could have predicted. I mean, it was his first day on an NBA floor in approximately 376 days, but 10 points and 14 good looks put up around and inside the perimeter is a decent start for the low-risk, high reward experiment that is Melo’s return, and best believe this won’t be the ordinary limit to his productivity, especially when he gets accustomed to Stotts’ system.

It should be interesting to watch how defensively both teams adjust to one another for the first of two games tonight on TNT. How will Eric Bledsoe fare in having to guard and switch on the equally-physical, Ball IQ-savvy and shifty CJ McCollum?

Can Hassan Whiteside uphold the fortress inside, defending Antetokounmpo at the apex whenever the Greek Freak attempts to fly at the rim? And since both of these teams are in the top-10 in terms of pace (Bucks 1st, Blazers 10th), just what kind of breakneck speed do both squads operate at for all four quarters?

Those questions and more get answered tonight at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m CT on TNT.

Nov 22, 2019 No Comments

Primetime Preview: Indianapolis Colts vs. Houston Texans (TNF Week 12)

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by Travis Singleton | Nov 21, 2019 | Featured, NFL

The last time these two teams played each other in October it was a close one score victory for the Colts (30-23). Jacoby Brissett had one of his best games in his career posting 326 yards and 4 touchdowns in the afternoon. Deshaun Watson had one of those games he would like to forget posting 308 yards with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. Coming into this Week 12 showdown on Thursday Night both teams are tied at (6-4) on the season and are looking to separate to make that push for the playoffs. With the AFC South is one of the tightest divisions record-wise as the lead is only by a game. So whoever wins this game tonight in Houston will have control of the first place and could be in the driver seat to win the division.

The Indianapolis Colts are coming off a huge division win against the Jacksonville Jaguars where they dominated from start to finish. Jacoby Brissett led them to a 33-13 victory at home and looked comfortable after coming back from injury. Brissett will be the key to this victory if the Colts win as they’re now without Marlon Mack their leading running back who’s out with a fractured hand. The Colts have been banged up all season from wide receivers to running backs but still, have made the best of the situation. The Colts might be getting their pro bowl receiver (TY Hilton) back for this game and if he’s available that will instantly increase their chance to win on the road in Houston. Hilton has been battling a quad injury all season and will help this Colts offense dramatically with the absence of Mack. The Colts will be going running back by the committee against the Texans who don’t have JJ Watt in this matchup as they did in October. If the Colts can have a little bit of success to add to the offensive side that should open up the play-action game. Jacoby Brissett has been spectacular this season especially playing without expectations. This Colts team has been scrappy and they’ve worked for every win this got this season. One unsung hero for this Colts team has been the offensive line play. They’ve dominated almost every matchup and have given Brissett the time he needs to make plays with his arm and his legs. If the Colts defense can mimic what the Baltimore Ravens did to the Texans on Sunday it could be an easy night. That’s a huge “Could” because it will be rare to see Watson have to back to back games being shutout like that. If Brissett can keep them in this game it should come down to the wire.

The Houston Texans are trying to forget about what happened on Sunday in Baltimore when they lost (41-7). The Texans got beat in every way you can think of Sunday. The Ravens had the edge on the offensive, defensive, and special teams. If the Texans are going to be successful against the Colts it’s going to start with their quarterback Deshaun Watson. Watson will need to stay in the pocket and find his main target, DeAndre Hopkins. They were able to connect in the Ravens game but not for a touchdown. The Colts defense isn’t as deep and dominant in the secondary so they should have no problem getting in the end zone. The Texans are well-balanced on the offensive end as they can run the ball with Carlos Hyde. The switch-up in the backfield between Hyde and Johnson has worked out and kept many teams neutral when trying to commit to the run or pass. Watson has been able to pick teams apart in the RPO and play-action so we should expect the same tonight. With Will Fuller still banged up and Kenny Stills playing hurt look for Watson to get Nuke involved heavily. DeAndre Hopkins has been one of the best if not the best in the NFL. If he can connect with Watson early in this one it can be a long night for the Colts defenders. The Houston Texans defense has been banged up all year and the secondary has been getting shredded weekly. They will need to limit Brissett in the passing game if they want to come out victorious in this one. It’s been tough without JJ Watt and someone on the Texans defensive side will need to pick up from where he left off.

Prediction: The Texans will win this game 27-21 against the Colts. Watson and Hopkins should connect tonight and the offensive will be too much for the Colts to try and stop. Deshaun Watson will have a huge bounce-back game in what should be a Thursday Night shootout in Texas. The Texan’s defense will do just enough to hold on for the victory as they play their way to first place in the AFC South Division.

Nov 21, 2019 No Comments

SR NFL Power Rankings (11/21)

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by Brandon Jefferson | Nov 21, 2019 | Featured, NFL

Each week, SneakerReporter will put out their power rankings of all 32 NFL teams.

With Week 12 kicking off tonight (Indianapolis Colts vs Houston Texans), 8:20 PM EST on Fox and NFL Network) it’s time to unveil where each team sits.

The fun begins below and be sure to check back each Thursday to track how far up or down your favorite team moves from week-to-week.