The 2023-24 NBA regular season is set to resume on Thursday, and we have a jam-packed schedule since 24 teams will make their return to the hardwood after the All-Star weekend.
The Magic, Pistons, Knicks, Nets, Suns, Celtics, Rockets, Clippers, Wizards, Hornets, Lakers, and Spurs are going to visit the Cavaliers, Pacers, Sixers, Raptors, Mavericks, Bulls, Pelicans, Thunder, Nuggets, Jazz, Warriors, and Kings, respectively.
Out of these teams, the Celtics and the Mavericks are the in-form teams since they’ve won their last six on the bounce, while the Wizards, who have the league’s longest losing streak right now (eight straight games), will be eager to get back to winning ways.
Orlando Magic @ Cleveland Cavaliers
Prior to the All-Star break, the Cavaliers have been in scintillating form, losing only one of their previous 11 games to move to the second seed in the Eastern Conference.
With a healthier squad this time, Cleveland are in great shape to stay within the top four for the rest of the regular season. As always, leading the way for them is going to be Donovan Mitchell, who is averaging 28.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.9 steals per contest.
Meanwhile, the Magic have won six of their last eight, although they’re currently the eighth seed. Like the Cavaliers, they have their own franchise player in Paolo Banchero, who is averaging 23.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists this season.
Mitchell and Banchero were in the All-Star game on Sunday, with the former recording nine points and seven rebounds and the latter tallying six points, nine rebounds, and five assists to help the Eastern Conference blow out the Western Conference.
Boston Celtics @ Chicago Bulls
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were also busy during the All-Star weekend, as both of them represented the Celtics in the All-Star Game, and the latter also competed in the dunk contest.
This season, Tatum is averaging 27.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, while Brown is not far behind at 22.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
In stark contrast, the Bulls were not involved in the All-Star festivities at all, although they’ve won three of their last five.
With the NBA 2024 news confirming that Zach LaVine is out for four to six months due to a foot injury, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic will have a lot on their plates for the rest of the campaign.
LA Clippers @ Oklahoma City Thunder
If the third-seeded Clippers will eventually retake the Western Conference, they will have to first go through the second-seeded Thunder, who are one win ahead of them record-wise.
Both teams were well represented in the All-Star Game, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named an All-Star starter for the first time ever, while Kawhi Leonard and Paul George were in the reserves.
Gilgeous-Alexander deserves to recognised as such since he is averaging 31.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 2.2 steals per game this season, while Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are averaging 24.1 and 22.5 points per game, respectively, to lead the Clippers this year.
Washington Wizards @ Denver Nuggets
The SBOTOP NBA 2024 odds like the Nuggets’ chances of putting an end to their three-game losing streak against the Wizards.
Nikola Jokic has been doing the heavy lifting all season long, with gaudy averages of 26.1 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 8.9 assists per game. But with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jamal Murray expected to return, the reigning NBA Finals MVP will get some help that he needs.
As for the Wizards, Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole, who are averaging 21.8 and 15.6 points per game, respectively, will continue to lead the team. However, their x-factor is going to be Deni Avdija, who is coming off a career night against the Pelicans, scoring 43 points last Wednesday.
Los Angeles Lakers @ Golden State Warriors
Perhaps the main event is going to be the rematch between the Lakers and the Warriors, which will see LeBron James and Steph Curry (hopefully) go at it again for the nth time.
LeBron James said after Sunday’s All-Star Game that he is uncertain to play on Thursday since he is undergoing treatment on his left ankle. After logging eight points in the first half of the All-Star Game on Sunday, the 39-year-old didn’t play at all in the second half.
Steph Curry, on the other hand, has led the Warriors to winning six of their last seven games, posting norms of 27.4 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.4 rebounds in this period.
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