All times are CENTRAL-Visitor-HomeTime(38-16) TORONTO RAPTORS(23-32) CHARLOTTE HORNETS12:00 pm(32-22) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS(40-17) BOSTON CELTICS2:30 pm (ABC)(27-27) DETROIT PISTONS(17-39) ATLANTA HAWKS2:30 pm(23-33) NEW YORK KNICKS(31-25) INDIANA PACERS4:00 pm(17-37) SACRAMENTO KINGS(34-24) MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES6:00 pm(18-38) DALLAS MAVERICKS(41-13) HOUSTON ROCKETS6:00 pm (NBATV)(18-36) MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES(31-25) OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER6:00 pm(27-28) UTAH JAZZ(31-25) PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS8:00 pm
Utah-Portland game could be entertaining. Can see if the Jazz make any headway into the race for the 8th spot.
NBA Referee Assignments February 11, 2018 Referee assignments are posted at approximately 9:00am ET each game day. Game Official 1 Official 2 Official 3 Alternate Toronto @ Charlotte Bill Kennedy (#55) Courtney Kirkland (#61) Derek Richardson (#63) Detroit @ Atlanta Bennie Adams (#47) Mitchell Ervin (#27) Michael Smith (#38) Cleveland @ Boston Zach Zarba (#15) Eric Lewis (#42) Scott Wall (#31) New York @ Indiana James Williams (#60) Brett Nansel (#44) Kevin Scott (#28) Dallas @ Houston James Capers (#19) Curtis Blair (#74) Gediminas Petraitis (#50) Sacramento @ Minnesota Tom Washington (#49) Matt Boland (#18) JB DeRosa (#62) Memphis @ Oklahoma City Sean Wright (#4) Brent Barnaky (#36) Jacyn Goble (#68) Utah @ Portland David Guthrie (#16) Mark Ayotte (#56) CJ Washington (#12) Replay Center: Sean Corbin , Ben Taylor , Josh Tiven
Watched Dwight for 5 min on offense...wow, he is abysmal. Sets a pick for Kemba, but rolls before Kemba can exploit that pick, only to set himself down low. Kemba passes him the ball, he goes into left hook over Valanciunas and misses egregiously. With Valanciunas hitting 2 consecutive threes, Dwight looks like he teleported himself from 90s and still wants to play like Shaq...
Toronto has been the best team in the East this year, a few unlucky breaks at the buzzer gave them some extra losses but their net rating is second only behind Houston. Massi has done a number on their player development, DeRozan and Valanchunas have learned to shoot 3s and that has given them a whole new dimension on offense. They beat us pretty bad the last time we played but we didn't have CP3 so I can't conclusively say that they are a bad matchup for us when healthy. I expect them to go down in 7 in the ECF to the Cavs because LeBron James. But if anyone besides LeBron is coming out of the east, It's going to be them, and don't be surprised if they take us or GSW to 6 or 7, or maybe win it all.
They win games on depth more so than Talent. Albeit they are extremely talented at the end of the bench. When the rotations shorten in the playoffs they are going to get exposed as a second round team. The Raptors prove it year after year.
Which is why I have them losing to LeBron in the ECF. Their SRS (BBall Reference stat, combines net rating and strength of schedule) this year is +7.68, last year, it was +3.65. Thats still a massive improvement, larger than anyone else in the NBA. They have too much talent to lose in the 2nd round, you really think Washington or Milwaukee will beat Toronto in a 7 game series?
Kind of hard to predict Cavs/Celts. If the Celts come out slow and fall way behind (which is their habit), Cavs have a good chance. If the Celts start off playing focused, I don't see them having a chance. Celts defense generally improves as the game progresses and wears opponents down. Could be a lot of fun.
LeBron just helped Irving get off the ground They isolated LBJ on Irving twice...first time it was a poor midrange attempt for James, but 2nd one was a pretty easy drive.
The Cavs are going to show the east that their finals dreams have been crushed again by LeBron James, for the 8th time in a row.