There are four ways an NBA roster can be shaken up.
Drafts can provide a future star. Free agency offers the opportunity to chase after that big free agent. Injuries cripple a lineup’s overall effectiveness on the floor. Finally, a trade can shake up the entire league as one player can turn a team into contenders overnight.
And trades are what we have in spades, ladies and gentlemen!
If you think that the surprising trade the Dallas Mavericks pulled off is surprising, you cannot imagine the kind of emotions hoops fans in Los Angeles are going through. The Clippers have pulled the trigger on the trade gun while the Lakers are making the league guess with what they’re going to do.
Both teams will be playing on Friday to give fans plenty to think about over the weekend.
Los Angeles Clippers @ Indiana Pacers (February 8, 01:00 GMT+8)
The entire basketball world was shaken by another sudden NBA 2019 news story when the Steve Ballmer-owned franchise traded Tobias Harris to the Philadelphia 76ers in a big six-player transaction. It would be weird for Clippers fans to say goodbye to the man who led them for the first half of the season, but that’s the way the league works.
We can assume that Kawhi Leonard is the main motivation for the trade, but the Clippers aren’t losing out much when it comes to losing Harris: Wilson Chandler is a reliable scorer, Mike Muscala is a good replacement for Boban Marjanovic, and Landry Shamet is a great youngster with great potential.
With Lou Williams and Danilo Gallinari still putting up big numbers for the Clippers, I have no doubts that they can still bring the game to the Indiana Pacers.
Minnesota Timberwolves @ Orlando Magic (February 8, 07:00 GMT+8)
The injury bug has hit Minnesota hard. Derrick Rose and Robert Covington are questionable to play due to ankle injuries, but Ryan Saunders needs them both to play against the Orlando Magic as their on-court contributions are too important.
While Minnesota do need all the help they can get, the Magic aren’t the toughest opposition one a franchise can face: the NBA 2019 odds are always big on their end as the front office has no idea how to fit the pieces they have into a winning team. I believe Karl-Anthony Towns will secure an easy double-double against them.
Toronto Raptors @ Atlanta Hawks (February 8, 01:30 GMT+8)
The casual SBOBET fan would think that the Toronto Raptors would win this game easily. With Kawhi Leonard scoring 27 points nightly and Kyle Lowry averaging a near 15-10 night as a capable floor general, there’s no reason for the Raptors to succeed.
However, there’s something good brewing in the Athens of the South. They showed in their fantastic win against the Washington Wizards that the young team is not scared to share the ball to get some points. Moreover, John Collins and Trae Young are doing fantastic work as a young dynamic duo.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Boston Celtics (February 8, 08:00 GMT+8)
I don’t know how to describe the Lakers as anything but a miserable mess.
They lost to the Indiana Pacers by an embarrassing margin and are in no way ready to contend for the NBA title. Moreover, there are reports of the front office willing to discard everything they have built over the past couple of years to acquire Anthony Davis.
However, their quieter moves are also interesting. They bolstered their arsenal by trading for Reggie Bullock. They are also linked to former second overall pick Jabari Parker, but I have doubts if they can pull off the trade before the deadline.
I don’t think they will beat the Celtics as the hosts still look the more complete team. Their off-court drama is far more interesting to watch than what is happening on the hardwood at the Staples Center, though.
Memphis Grizzlies @ Oklahoma City Thunder (February 8, 08:00 GMT+8)
The Grizzlies are also looking to make some moves in the trade market as they are seemingly ready to move on from the Grit-And-Grind era. Rumours of Memphis shipping Mike Conley and Marc Gasol to Toronto are making rounds up and down the grapevine. I wouldn’t be surprised if that happens, to be honest.
Until they pull the trigger, we can expect Memphis’ two cornerstones to keep on grinding against a tough Oklahoma City team. While I don’t see them having enough quality to get past the Thunder, they should be able to put up an admirable fight.
San Antonio Spurs @ Portland Trail Blazers (February 8, 10:30 GMT+8)
The Spurs and the Blazers aren’t the most eye-catching ball clubs in the NBA, but both of them are comfortably situated in the playoff picture thanks to the on-court leadership of their respective stars.
Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum still remain as one of the most dangerous backcourt duos in the entire association with their superb scoring and defence. Meanwhile, DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge are steadily leading the Spurs to another playoff run.
These two should be able to provide us with some very entertaining basketball, and I can’t wait to see how this one ends.
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