Besides the red-hot Jazz, the Clippers have also become one of the hottest teams in the NBA right now.
As both have been enjoying their winning streaks, these two clubs have moved up into the top three of the Western Conference standings, boosting their NBA 2021 odds in terms of playoff contention.
And tomorrow, they’ll aim to maintain their strong form as they take on two of this season’s up-and-coming teams in the Hawks and the Knicks.
Elsewhere, the Wizards will face off the Rockets for the first time since engaging in a blockbuster trade during the offseason.
Get up to date with the latest as SBOTOP offers you a preview of tomorrow’s three-game slate.
Los Angeles Clippers @ Atlanta Hawks
The Clippers’ depth will be tested since they will not field in a full squad against the Hawks.
Their three starters in Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and Patrick Beverley are all ruled out, which gives their role players more playing minutes.
Star duo Paul George and Kawhi Leonard will miss a week’s worth of action in adherence to the league’s COVID-19 safety protocols – marking it the first time that the Tyronn Lue-coached squad will deal with this common occurrence.
Meanwhile, Patrick Beverley is experiencing a lingering knee issue, so sitting out is merely a precaution on his part.
Head coach Tyronn Lue will need to find someone who can carry the load since Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have been doing most of the heavy lifting for LA.
Kawhi Leonard is averaging 25.9 points per game while Paul George is at 23.9, and both of them have been efficient in their shooting percentages while producing a ton of NBA 2021 highlights.
With both of them sitting out, Nicolas Batum, Marcus Morris Sr., Serge Ibaka, and Luke Kennard will get an uptick in minutes starting tomorrow.
After being rested in their loss against the Bucks, the Hawks might see the return of Trae Young and Clint Capela.
Young is tallying norms of 25.3 points and 8.7 assists per game, while Capela averages 14.2 points and 14.5 rebounds per contest.
If Young and Capela are back tomorrow, Atlanta can give Los Angeles a run for their money.
Washington Wizards @ Houston Rockets
Washington Wizards huddle during their match against the Brooklyn Nets
After being traded for one another during the offseason, Russell Westbrook will return to Houston facing John Wall and co. tomorrow.
The Wizards and Rockets have experienced roller coaster campaigns so far, albeit for different reasons.
Washington continues to grapple with a losing record since they’ve only won three out of 12, and they will look to turn their campaign around before it’s too late.
This will be their second game back since they were held out of action for the last 12 days due to the league’s COVID-19 safety protocols.
In their first game back two days ago, the Scott Brooks-coached squad lost to the Spurs, 121-101.
Bradley Beal led Washington in the losing effort with 31 markers and seven boards, but Russell Westbrook only had nine points.
Weeks after the James Harden trade, the Rockets are in a midst of a two-game winning streak.
After winning a tight one against Detroit, Houston annihilated Dallas by scoring a season-high in points (133).
John Wall returned and dished out eight dimes and we witnessed a vintage DeMarcus Cousins performance as he recorded 28 points, 17 rebounds, and five assists.
Given their current form, the Rockets should be able to grab their fourth win at home this term.
New York Knicks @ Utah Jazz
The Jazz are keen on extending their streak when they host a defensively astute Knicks squad at the Vivint Smart Home Arena.
Interestingly enough, Utah’s last loss was against New York back in January 6. However, they have improved drastically since then.
Buoyed by the consistent play from Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, Utah have been firing on all cylinders as they have been outscoring opponents in double digits in seven of their last eight wins.
In addition, they have emerged as the second-most efficient team from three-point distance, and they are the third-best in allowing the fewest opponent points per game this season.
Meanwhile, the Knicks are no slouch defensively as well since they are the best team in terms of points allowed, defensive field goal percentage, and defensive three-point percentage.
Clearly, the hiring of Tom Thibodeau has been rubbing off New York the right way.
Julius Randle has been performing at an All-Star level this season. But in order to beat the Jazz, he will need more consistency from the likes of RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and Mitchell Robinson.
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The post NBA: Streaking Clippers and Jazz Take on Eastern Conference Upstarts appeared first on SBOTOP.