Cleveland Cavaliers at Washington Wizards (ESPN)
The Cavs head to Washington in ESPN’s standalone game on the Saturday card (all times AEST).
After splitting their opening four games 2-2 and coming out with a competitive brand of basketball, Cleveland have since dropped their last three to Indiana, Dallas and Boston.
The Cavs are in a strange spot with their best two players this season, Kevin Love (averaging 18.9 points, 14.4 rebounds per game) and Tristian Thompson (16.9 points, 11.6 rebounds), also being two of their oldest. You have to think at some stage that they will get winded back and potentially traded, but for now they are focal points of this rebuilding team.
The Wizards are also 2-5 on the season to sit in the lower seeds of the Eastern Conference and playing at one of the quickest paces in the league. They average 115.3 points per game, tied for sixth in the league, and their 25.7 assists are ranked fifth. It isn’t helping them at the other end of the floor though, where their 112.5 defensive rating ranks equal 23rd.
Emerging centre Thomas Bryant (13.6 points, 9.9 rebounds) and rookie Rui Hachimura (12.6 points, six rebounds) have been the young bright lights for this Wizards team.
Tip: Points total over 228.0 @ $1.89.
Philadelphia 76ers at Denver Nuggets
Philly make the journey to the Mile High City to face the Nuggets at the Pepsi Centre.
The Sixers started the season 5-0 but have since dropped their last two to the Suns and Jazz amidst a four-game West road trip.
Adding to their current slump is a shoulder injury to Ben Simmons (13.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.9 assists, three steals), who went down in the Utah loss and is expected to miss the next three games. While Simmons is yet to hit his stride this season, his playmaking and defensive prowess cannot be replaced.
Joel Embiid will get all the touches he can handle, who impressed in his return from a two-game suspension against the Jazz with 27 points, 16 rebounds and two blocks.
The Nuggets are always at tough assignment at home, where they are currently undefeated this season and coming off wins against Orlando (road) and Miami (home).
Mike Malone’s team are playing a much slower tempo this season in what looks like a bid to make them better prepared for the playoffs. Nikola Jokic has been below his best and yet the Nuggets sit third in the West at 5-2.
Jamal Murray continues to improve every season and is averaging 21.5 points on 53 per cent shooting in his last wo outings.
Tip: Denver to win @ $1.40.
Miami Heat at LA Lakers
The Heat and Lakers round out the NBA’s Saturday schedule at Staples Centre.
Miami have been one of the surprise packages in the early parts of this season, boasting a 5-2 record to sit third in the East despite Jimmy Butler missing the first week of the season for personal reasons.
The play of rookies Kendrick Nunn (18.3 points) and Tyler Herro (13.7 points) has been a revelation for Erik Spoelstra’s side, while Bam Adebayo (12.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists) continues to get better. The Heat will be coming off a back-to-back trip from Phoenix.
After dropping their season opener to the Clippers, the Lakers have gone on to win five in a row to hold the best record in the league at 6-1.
The LeBron James-Anthony Davis duo has been truly dominant and the role players are doing their bit on a nicely balanced Lakers side. Kyle Kuzma will have his minutes slowly ramped up after missing the first few games with a foot injury and prove to be a strong scoring asset off the bench.
Frank Vogel’s team is thriving on the defensive end where they sit first in the league with a 97.9 defensive rating.
Tip: Lakers – 8.0 @ $1.87.
