Sunday's NBA Essentials
January 29, 2017
Game of the Night - Golden State at Portland (NBA TV, 9:05 ET)
The first time Damian Lillard felt he was snubbed from the All-Star Game, back in 2015, he posted an Instagram rant under the heading, "Be so good they can't ignore you," thanking everyone who felt he wasn't good enough. He felt disrespected, but ultimately made the Western Conference team as an injury replacement.
After being left off last year's All-Star team, Lillard put out a track called "They Sleep," stewed while the highest-scoring game in league history took place in Toronto, and was waiting for the Warriors in Portland, much like he is tonight, when action resumed after the break.
Lillard scored 51 points, dished out seven assists and nabbed six steals in a vendetta game, a 137-105 takedown of a team that came in 48-4 and went on to win 73. The Trail Blazers have seen Golden State 10 times since that night, winning only Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals. They're 1-9, 0-3 against the Kevin Durant-infused version. Seven of their losses have come by double-digits, including two this season. This will be the final time these teams see each other this season unless they square off in the playoffs, a distinct possibility since they could very well be the 1-8 pairing.
Lillard was left out due to the inclusion of Klay Thompson and the likes of Gordon Hayward and DeAndre Jordan, so he definitely had a reason to feel slighted. Although the Blazers have taken a step backward, he's avergaging career-bests of 26.3 points and 4.8 rebounds and became the third player ever to be left off despite averaging 25-plus points per game.
His vengeance has already begun, as he went off for 33 points in Thursday's 112-109 win over Memphis, scoring 11 straight during a decisive run in the fourth. He didn't hide his displeasure over another dose of disrespect.
"Obviously you feel some kind of way about it because feel deprived of something that you worked hard for and that you earned, that you produced for," Lillard said. "But like I said, we got our own problems to worry about and that's what we need to be focused on."
Portland's major issue has been its porous defense, so more problems pour into the Moda Center in the form of a Warriors team that embarrassed the Clippers on national television on Saturday night, posting a 144-98 rout. Golden State wrapped it up by halftime and rode a Stephen Curry flurry to a 45-point third quarter, so no one put in more than 28-plus minutes of work, allowing them to be fairly fresh for this one. It's record coming in is 40-7 and it has a nine-game streak of double-digit wins surrounding Monday night's 105-102 loss in Miami. That loss came on the second night of a back-to-back, a situation which has tripped the Warriors up only twice in seven opportunities, though they are just 2-5 ATS.
The over is 2-1 in this season's meetings. A six-game under streak in Warriors games came to an end on Saturday night.
Lillard is averaging 25.5 points in two games against Golden State, while C.J. McCollum, also passed over by West coaches despite a scoring average of 23.4, us averaging 20.3 over three meetings. Durant has been unstoppable against Portland, shooting 66 percent from the field while averaging 28 points and 7 rebounds.
Curry has posted a scoring average of 27.3 and made 15 3-pointers over three contests, while Draymond Green is averaging 9 boards and 11 assists. The only one of the four All-Stars who has struggled against the Blazers has been Thompson, who has shot a brutal 2-for-18 from 3-point range. The fact the Warriors have won in spite of Thompson's failures by an average of 129-103.7 doesn't bode well for Portland's chances.
Unless, of course, Lillard has another vendetta game in him. McCollum joining in the vengeance would help too. The Blazers are 0-2 SU/ATS when chasing their fourth straight win, a streak that's eluded them all season going into Sunday night.
Game of the Afternoon - Oklahoma City at Cleveland (ABC, 3:35 ET)
The Thunder and Cavs will see each other twice over the next 12 days, which gives us an opportunity to see how much respect Russell Westbrook has for LeBron James and vice versa. Westbrook is averaging a triple-double, so bringing it nightly has been a given. Still, you can likely count on him packing a little extra for the defending champs, especially sicne Cleveland won both of last season's encounters. Westbrook averaged 23.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 10.5 last season and has never recorded a triple-double against the Cavs.
James is 3-0 against Westbrook's Thunder since returning to Cleveland, missing OKC's win in 2015 due to left knee soreness. He recorded back-to-back triple-doubles in losses to New Orleans and Sacramento before scoring 31 points in Friday's win vs. Brooklyn, his second-highest output of 2017. Over his last five games, James has averaged 26.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 11.2 assists, so we're likely to see the best from him as well.
The Cavs have gone 3-6 over their last nine games, covering only twice. Kyrie Irving has averaged 30.4 points over the team's last five, shooting nearly 45 percent from 3-point range. The over has connected in each of Cleveland's last five games, also prevailing OKC's last two.
Morbid Curiosity Bowl
If you're looking to avoid the NFL's Pro Bowl altogether until Warriors-Blazers, find a way to get two eyes on Philadelphia's visit to Chicago.
When we last saw the Bulls, they were being booed mercilessly by their fans after a 100-88 loss to Miami, their second straight home setback. They've lost four of six, have made no secret of neither the in-fighting within the group nor their lack of respect for head coach Fred Hoiberg.
Currently putting the fun in dysfunctional, Chicago has dropped five of six against the number. Jimmy Butler comes off a 1-for-13 shooting night in the loss to Heat, while Dwyane Wade isn't trying to satisfy younger teammates who wish he'd practice more, because he's 35.
The Bulls aren't going to hold a shootaround on Sunday. Whether it's because they don't want to deal with one another or the media, or both, they're skipping it. The team had a 40-minute airing of grievances earlier this week, then went out and lost to Miami as a 7-point favorite.
Philadelphia has won nine of 13, its most impressive run since 2011. The 76ers have won despite missing Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor on the same night twice, so not having Embiid isn't a dealbreaker in being able to pull out a win here, especially since they're currently the most cohesive group in this matchup. Embiid is resting so that he's available for Monday's duel at home against the DeMarcus Cousins-led Sacramento Kings.
Chicago has won 11 straight games in this series and 16 of 17 overall, but it wouldn't be surprising to see the Sixers snap that run despite being a 6.5-point underdog. If this occurs, the scene at United Center won't be pretty.
Notable Head-to-Head Trends
-- The Hawks are looking to claim the series over the Knicks by a 3-1 count, having won the last two encounters. They've been favored each time, but Sunday's spread will be the largest of the four games. Derrick Rose (ankle) is considered doubtful after leaving Friday's win over Charlotte.
-- Although Anthony Davis has had an incredibly long week dealing with lingering effects from a hip injury suffered during a nasty fall, he finished with 16 points and 22 rebounds in Friday's 119-103 upset of the Spurs. The Wizards have won three of four in this series, and are 10-2 SU/ATS since Jan. 6..
-- Orlando and Toronto may each be missing their starting guards for Sunday's meeting at the Air Canada Centre. Evan Fournier and All-Star DeMar DeRozan have been out all week. The Raptors have won 14 of 15 meetings in this series. The Magic last won in Toronto in March of 2012, losing their last seven trips up north.
-- The Rockets are hoping to close out a five-game road trip as a winner, coming in 2-2 after outlasting Philadelphia on Friday. The Pacers are 17-6 at home, while Houston is 18-10 on the road. Indiana is 3-7 in Houston. Eric Gordon (back) is a game-time decision.
-- San Antonio has beaten Dallas in 21 of the last 25 meetings between the Southwest Division rivals, including seven straight. The Mavs haven't won at the AT&T Center since Nov. 2010, a span of 12 games. This will be Dirk Nowitzki's first game agains the Spurs all season, having misssed the first two while injured. Wes Matthews (hip) will return to the lineup, but point guards Deron Williams (leg) and J.J. Barea (calf) will miss this contest.
