NBA Games Today: LA Lakers looking to dominate Portland Trail Blazers again, OKC Thunder seek redemption against Houston Rockets
The NBA games today will feature exciting Game 3 matches from the first round of the playoffs. We will catch Damian Lillard in action for the Portland Trail Blazers against the LA Lakers as he battles with an injured left hand. In what promises to be one of the best NBA games today, the OKC Thunder will hope to beat the Houston Rockets who will be without Russell Westbrook.
We will also have the Milwaukee Bucks taking on the Orlando Magic with all eyes on Giannis Antetokounmpo. Another key battle in NBA games today is Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat taking on T.J. Warren and the Indiana Pacers.
Let us have a look at all the NBA games today.
NBA Games Today - All you need to know
Milwaukee Bucks vs Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic go up against the title favorites, the Milwaukee Bucks, in the first round of the NBA games today. The Magic were outclassed by the Bucks in Game 2 with Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way.
Nikola Vucevic was fighting it out for the Magic alone as the rest of the team struggled to get the ball into the basket. Vucevic will have to keep his excellent form going as the Magic hope to take back the lead in Game 3.
While Giannis has been racking up the numbers, Khris Middleton has struggled in these two games. He will need to find his rhythm if the Bucks hope to make it to the NBA Finals this year. Pat Connaughton shot 5-8 from beyond the arc to give them a 15 point boost coming off the bench. The Bucks will also hope to reduce their turnovers as they head into this game.
Indiana Pacers vs Miami Heat
The Indiana Pacers go up against the Miami Heat in what we hope will be one of the most exciting NBA games today. The Indiana Pacers are down 2-0 in the series and will need to step up to the Heat before it is too late. T.J. Warren and Victor Oladipo will have to find a way past the Heat defense or else they stand no chance in this game.
Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic have been phenomenal on the offense end and Tyler Herro has stepped up with his three-point shooting. While Bam Adebayo has not yet put up any jaw-dropping numbers so far, he has been a threat on both ends of the floor. The Heat will look to make this a short series as they prepare for a deep playoff run.
Also Read: Indiana Pacers vs Miami Heat Prediction & Match Preview - August 22nd, 2020 | Game 3
Houston Rockets vs OKC Thunder
In one of the marquee NBA games today, the OKC Thunder go up against the Houston Rockets. This will be a test for Chris Paul and his young team as they hope to catch up to the Rockets who have taken a 2-0 lead in this series. The Thunder have struggled against the Rockets' unexpectedly tenacious defense and need to find ways to score and keep up with James Harden's scoring.
The Houston Rockets have performed above expectations despite not having Russell Westbrook. James Harden has been an excellent facilitator for the team while also showing up on the defensive end of the floor.
Eric Gordon, Jeff Green, and other role players have been taking advantage of all the open shots that they get and will hope to do so in the NBA games today.
LA Lakers vs Portland Trail Blazers
In the most significant matchup in the NBA games today, the LA Lakers take on the Portland Trail Blazers. Damian Lillard's injured left hand will be in focus as the Blazers try to take the lead in this series once again. CJ McCollum and Carmelo Anthony will hope to shrug off their Game 2 slump as they head into this game.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis will be key to the LA Lakers' scoring. Davis was dominant in Game 2 and his match-up against Jusuf Nurkic will be key to the Lakers' chances in this game. The Lakers bench will hope to perform as well as they did in Game 2 and maintain a healthy three-point percentage.
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