From The Sports Desk: Nba Playoff Preview

1 hour ago

Tomorrow, nan first information of nan NBA playoffs begins.

Lots of intriguing matchups. Can nan remodeled Atlanta Hawks trial nan star-studded New York Knicks? In nan Houston Rockets-Los Angeles Lakers series, which all-time awesome will extremity pinch nan precocious hand, Kevin Durant aliases LeBron James? There’s an full Wikipedia page dedicated to nan past 20 years of nan Denver Nuggets-Minnesota Timberwolves’ rivalry.

Time to fastener in. Our NBC Sports unit analyzes nan bid below. Throughout nan NBA playoffs, we’ll person you covered present and, arsenic always, connected nan NBC News website.

Eastern Conference

1. Detroit Pistons vs. No. 8. Orlando Magic aliases Charlotte Hornets: Are group sleeping connected nan Pistons? A respected NBA writer told maine he whitethorn prime against them successful nan first round, particularly if Detroit pulls Charlotte arsenic an opponent. The Pistons were 2nd successful nett standing during nan regular season, finishing down nan Oklahoma City Thunder. Detroit should triumph this bid handily, but watching nan Pistons’ discourtesy (particularly their extracurricular shooting) get a accent trial will beryllium interesting.

2. Boston Celtics vs. No. 7. Philadelphia 76ers: Joe Mazzulla is simply a deserved Coach of nan Year candidate, starring Boston to 56 wins contempt Jayson Tatum missing astir of nan play and an offseason makeover. Any concerns astir Jaylen Brown and Tatum meshing good aft Tatum’s return from a torn Achilles should beryllium near successful nan regular season. The Celtics outscored opponents by 107 successful 318 minutes Brown and Tatum shared nan level together this year. Philly, meanwhile, will beryllium playing astatine a important disadvantage arsenic Joel Embiid sits while recovering from an emergency appendectomy.

3. New York Knicks vs. No. 6. Atlanta Hawks: This whitethorn beryllium nan champion matchup of nan first information successful nan East. Since trading distant Trae Young successful January, Atlanta posted a 27-15 record. New York’s grounds successful that clip play was 29-15. Who closes games for nan Knicks will ever beryllium interesting. The Hawks person 1 of nan champion five-man groups successful nan league, while New York’s quintet of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns posted a so-so 2.3 nett standing successful 541 minutes.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5. Toronto Raptors: Because of injuries and trades, Cleveland could participate nan playoffs lacking cohesiveness, arsenic coach Kenny Atkinson has had to operation and lucifer lineups each play long. The Raptors, who vanished pinch nan fifth-best defense successful nan league, will apt effort to get nan Cavs successful nan mud for a slugfest of a series. There will beryllium a palpable unit connected Cleveland, which has an costly roster that’s disappointed successful nan postseason complete nan past fewer years.

Western Conference

1. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8. Phoenix Suns aliases Golden State Warriors: The NBA hasn’t had a repetition champion since 2017-18, but nan Thunder, pinch nan league’s champion defense and apt nan repetition MVP successful Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, are poised to extremity nan streak. If you’re looking ahead, nan Thunder person nan astir favorable way to nan Finals successful each nan West. Potential showdowns against nan Spurs, Nuggets and Timberwolves wouldn’t return spot until nan 3rd round.

2. San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 7. Portland Trail Blazers: Victor Wembanyama makes his playoff debut. Need we opportunity more? Well, he surely did, erstwhile asked astir his team’s playoff inexperience. “We don’t person acquisition right?” he said. “Screw it. We’re still gonna play 100% and effort to triumph this championship. Screw it.” After Feb. 1, San Antonio went 28-2 erstwhile Wembanyama played. It’s nan only squad to person Oklahoma City’s number this season, winning 4 of nan 5 matchups.

3. Denver Nuggets vs. No. 6. Minnesota Timberwolves: These teams will meet successful nan 3rd postseason successful nan past 4 years successful what is apt nan West’s astir competitory opening-round series. Nikola Jokić averaged a triple-double, and Jamal Murray is coming disconnected his champion regular play ever to thief Denver extremity nan play connected a 12-game triumph streak. Minnesota limped done nan past month, but prima Anthony Edwards and cardinal defender Jaden McDaniels are patient again, and nan Timberwolves cognize really to triumph successful nan playoffs aft consecutive conference-final trips.

4. Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 5. Houston Rockets: Don’t return for granted a bid pitting LeBron James against Kevin Durant. (How galore much will location be?) With Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić some injured, nan Lakers’ late-season revival rests connected nan 41-year-old James turning backmost nan timepiece and reverting backmost to Los Angeles’ No. 1 option. He averaged 25 points, 11 assists and 6.8 rebounds while his co-stars were retired to decorativeness nan season. The Rockets person been unpredictable since halfway Steven Adams was wounded early successful nan season, but will effort to triumph scoring wrong by utilizing nan league’s tallest roster.

Title connected nan Line

Arsenal v Manchester City - Carabao Cup Final

This is it. The title is connected nan statement arsenic Manchester City big Arsenal successful 1 of nan biggest Premier League games successful years.

Fans crossed nan world will extremity and watch pinch adjacent amounts of hope, worry and fear. Only 1 squad has nan momentum pinch a fistful of games to go: Pep Guardiola’s City are purring and person timed their champion shape of nan play for illustration nan serial winners that they are. City person a 78% win-rate crossed their last 10 convention matches since Guardiola arrived successful 2016. And nan Gunners, arsenic usual, are limping toward nan decorativeness line. Can they get it done this time?

Arsenal has a six-point lead atop nan array but that could beryllium trim to zero if they suffer Sunday and City triumph their crippled astatine Burnley connected Wednesday. City will past apt beryllium up connected extremity difference. They are nan clear favorites to triumph this game, but really will they separator Arsenal? The midfield duo of Rodri and Bernardo Silva clasp nan key. Their domiciled is besides truthful important successful feeding nan red-hot beforehand 4 of Jeremy Doku, Rayan Cherki, Antoine Semenyo and Erling Haaland.

As for Arsenal, they look frightened and they whitethorn beryllium moving retired of steam again. Under Mikel Arteta successful nan past six years, they person had a 55% win-rate successful nan past 10 games of nan season. A fewer weeks ago, they looked nailed connected to triumph nan quadruple. But injuries (Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber being retired person been huge), a deficiency of assurance and fluidity and, well, conscionable nan unit of being Arsenal and not winning nan convention title successful 22 years, person seen nerves creep in. They mislaid astatine location to Bournemouth past play and scraped into nan Champions League semifinals against Sporting Lisbon aft an exhausting, nervy 0-0 draw. Their fans are scrambling arsenic they contemplate nan anticipation of their squad becoming nan first successful Premier League history to decorativeness 2nd 4 years successful a row.

No pressure, lads, it’s conscionable 1 game.

What we're reading

Guardians rookie Parker Messick had his no-hit bid surgery up past nighttime successful nan 9th inning.
FIFA and New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill are pointing fingers astatine each different complete nan $100-plus World Cup train tickets.
Ex-NBA subordinate and coach Damon Jones is group to beryllium nan first personification to plead guilty successful a sweeping national gambling and sports betting probe.
USA Today fired a reporter for her comments connected Dianna Russini.
Ex-Alabama shot subordinate is accused of wearing wigs to impersonate NFL stars successful a fraud scheme.
The Dallas Wings unopen down questions astir nan individual narration betwixt its stars Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers.
Dodgers pitcher Will Klein sewage a civilization mitt pinch a Pokeman paper implant.
The NHL’s all-time starring extremity scorer Alex Ovechkin is “pretty sure” he’ll beryllium back adjacent season.
Mike Trout reminded everyone he’s still really bully astatine hitting with his 5 homers at Yankee Stadium this week.

What we're watching

In nan NBA Play-In Tournament, we person 2 win-or-go-home games tonight. All times are Eastern:

7:30 p.m.: No. 8 Orlando Magic vs. No. 9 Charlotte Hornets, connected Amazon Prime
10 p.m.: No. 7 Phoenix Suns vs. No. 10 Golden State Warriors, connected Amazon Prime