NBA Games Today: Mavs vs Bucks in marquee clash, Pacers face depleted Lakers, Devin Booker takes on the Heat | August 8th
The NBA bubble has produced some extraordinary results and has truly created a level playing field. The NBA games today are as unpredictable as they can get and are guaranteed to entertain.
Yesterday’s NBA match-ups generated some surprising results, with the Memphis Grizzlies crushing the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Boston Celtics dominating the Toronto Raptors on the defensive end of the floor to snap their winning streak.
Yesterday’s NBA games also provided some clarity regarding playoff seeding. The Brooklyn Nets' victory over the Sacramento Kings and the Washington Wizards' loss to the New Orleans Pelicans have guaranteed that the Eastern Conference will not witness a play-in tournament.
The most noteworthy team performance from yesterday’s games was from the Philadelphia 76ers. The Philadelphia 76ers were written off as soon as their star player Ben Simmons suffered a potential season ending injury against the Washington Wizards.
The critics could not have been more wrong as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Orlando Magic thanks to an all-round team effort, with four players putting up over 20 points.
The NBA games today are instrumental for deciding playoff seeding and we hope to witness more nail biting finishes.
NBA Games Today - All you need to know
Portland Trail Blazers vs LA Clippers
This match-up is a must-win game for the Portland Trail Blazers to guarantee them a spot in the playoffs. The Portland Trail Blazers are currently the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference and are only a game behind the Memphis Grizzlies. The Portland Trail Blazers could also use this win to pull away from the San Antonio Spurs, who are only two games behind.
The LA Clippers could use a win against the Portland Trail Blazers in order to solidify their spot as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. The LA Clippers will benefit from the depth issues that the Portland Trail Blazers are facing, as Hassan Whiteside and Jaylen Adams are doubtful to play this match-up.
Denver Nuggets vs Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz are looking to get out of the hole that they dug themselves in and improve their NBA bubble record to 3-6 with a win over the Denver Nuggets.
The Utah Jazz are coming off a 119-111 loss against the San Antonio Spurs but were able to keep the game close without many key starters. The Utah Jazz will hope for stars such as Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert to start against the Denver Nuggets as the duo could exponentially increase their chances of winning.
The Denver Nuggets are looking to make a comeback after their 115-125 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers and make a run for the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. The silver lining of their recent loss was the fact that six players scored in double digits. Michael Porter Jr. has emerged as the Denver Nuggets' hero in the NBA bubble and will look to create problems for the Utah Jazz.
Also read: NBA News Update: LeBron James provides an update on Lakers Madden tournament, Premier League star shows love for Toronto Raptors
Indiana Pacers vs LA Lakers
The Indiana Pacers would like to win this match-up against a struggling LA Lakers team. The Indiana Pacers are currently the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference and would look to gain some separation from the Philadelphia 76ers, who are only one game behind.
The Indiana Pacers will have the edge over the LA Lakers, who are likely to be missing LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Alex Caruso. The LA Lakers' poor performance against the Houston Rockets was indicative of the fact that they need LeBron James on the floor to win tough match-ups.
The Indiana Pacers are currently looking like serious playoff contenders in the Eastern Conference, thanks to TJ Warren. All eyes will be on him to continue producing at the level that he has been in the NBA Bubble and lead the Indiana Pacers to a victory over the LA Lakers.
Miami Heat vs Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are the hottest team in the NBA bubble right now and currently hold a 4-0 record. The Miami Heat have now added Kendrick Nunn to a long list of players that are unlikely to make an appearance against the Phoenix Suns. This is a must-win game for the Phoenix Suns as they are desperately trying to keep their playoff hopes alive.
After the Memphis Grizzlies notched their first win in the NBA bubble yesterday, some data analytics firms have given the Phoenix Suns less than a 5% chance of making the playoffs. The Phoenix Suns have beaten the odds so far, thanks to the electric trio of Ricky Rubio, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton.
Dallas Mavericks vs Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are well rested and can play without any pressure as they have locked in the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Dallas Mavericks would like to make a comeback after their recent loss to the LA Clippers. The Mavs could definitely use a win against the Milwaukee Bucks in order to make a run for the No. 6 seed and avoid playing the LA Clippers in the playoffs.
This match-up will be a battle of the duos, with Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo going head to head against Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. Luka Doncic is the player to watch out for in this match-up and he will be looking to continue putting up record-breaking numbers in the NBA bubble.
Also read: NBA Results Roundup (August 7th) - Boston Celtics blow out Toronto Raptors, Memphis Grizzlies finally win a game