The NBA continues to bring us excitement every week and some surprises that promise to keep happening for the next two months remaining in the regular season.
In the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics have seen the Milwaukee Bucks get dangerously close to their lead and they can’t stumble anymore.
For their part in the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets continue to calmly lead, partly due to the poor performance of their rivals.
LeBron James and his Lakers are still out of the postseason, while it is curious that the four leading scorers in the NBA, none are American: Joel Embiid (Cameroon), Luka Doncic (Slovenia), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece) and Shai Gilgeous- Alexander (Canada).
NBA Weekly Roundup 16 – Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets
When:
Sunday, February 5 at 7:00 pm ET at the Target Center
Moneyline odds:
Timberwolves -370
Nuggets +295
The Denver Nuggets came to this duel with three consecutive victories, but they were going to be without their top three scorers Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon, as well as another of the starters, KCP, whom the coach decided to rest.
This situation was taken advantage of by the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are fighting to enter the playoffs in the West, and they won calmly by 128-98. D’Angelo Russell achieved a double-double with 18 points and 10 assists, while Anthony Edwards also stood out scoring 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists.
It was an easy win for the Timberwolves, who won all four quarters and now sit in seventh place tied with the sixth-but-fewer-game Dallas Mavericks. Denver, for its part, continues to lead the West and is 4.5 games ahead of the Memphis Grizzlies.
Timberwolves (128) – (98) Nuggets
NBA Weekly Roundup 16 – Memphis Grizzlies vs. Toronto Raptors
When:
Sunday, February 5 at 6:00 pm ET at the FedEx Forum
Moneyline odds:
Grizzlies -118
Raptors +100
The Memphis Grizzlies suffered a painful defeat on Sunday against the Toronto Raptors by 103-106, after the Canadian quintet scored 6 points in the last minute and turned the score around.
The Grizzlies, who had a chance to get closer to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference, already have three straight losses and are 4.5 games behind the leaders. Without Ja Morant or Steven Adams, two of its stars, Taylor Jenkins’ team came close to winning again thanks to Desmond Bane’s 26 points, but it wasn’t enough.
On the Raptors’ side, Chris Boucher had a double-double with 17 points and 10 assists, while Pascal Siakam was the team’s top scorer with 19 points. Now they are half a game behind the Washington Wizards, who occupy the last spot to the play-ins.
Grizzlies (103) – (106) Raptors
NBA Weekly Roundup 16 – New Orleans Pelicans vs. Sacramento Kings
When:
Sunday, February 5 at 7:00 pm ET at the Smoothie King Center
Moneyline odds:
Pelicans +110
Kings -130
The New Orleans Pelicans managed to get out of their lousy losing streak (10 consecutive losses) and this Sunday they added their second victory in a row by defeating the Sacramento Kings 136-104 and managed to enter the play-in group again.
Despite not having Jonas Valanciunas or Brandon Ingram (besides Zion Williamson), Willie Green’s quintet had a great performance. Willy Hernangomez had a big double-double with 22 points and 16 rebounds, while Trey Murphy scored 30 points and CJ McCollum had 24.
For the Kings, Domantas Sabonis was not on his best day, despite achieving his fifth consecutive double-double, and already has 2 straight losses, but remains third in the West.
Pelicans (136) – (104) Kings
NBA Weekly Roundup 16 – Indiana Pacers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
When:
Sunday, February 5 at 5:00 pm ET at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Moneyline odds:
Pacers +142
Cavaliers -177
The Indiana Pacers continue to drop in the table and have already left the play-in positions after losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who remain in fifth place in the East, 103-122.
The Pacers have only 2 wins in the last 14 games and this Sunday they fell again despite Myles Turner’s 27 points and 10 rebounds and Tyrese Haliburton’s 15 points and 11 assists. They are 11th in the East at a half-game behind the Washington Wizards.
On the part of the Cavs, they returned to chain 2 victories in a row after 1 month and are 5 games behind the Boston Celtics, leaders of the East, and they are 3.5 games ahead of the Miami Heat, sixth. Darius Garland was the team’s leading scorer with 24 points, while Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley each had a double-double.
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