NBA: Top Games of the Week - Week 20
LeBron James proclaimed that playoff LeBron had been activated last week, but they suffered a loss against the New Orleans Pelicans that was bad enough to cancel out their impressive performance against the Rockets on Thursday night.
A week removed from the All-Star break and players will be rested from their three days off and ready to take control of their postseason destiny in and show they are ready to make a run deep into the playoffs when they roll around.
Boston Celtics @ Toronto Raptors – Tuesday 26th February 2019
The Raptors dropped the game to the Celtics when the last two teams met. Each game between those who are scrapping for playoff positioning is more important than the last as time winds down on the season. The Raptors gave up a lead late, and will need to fight against that sort of slip-up if they are to reel in the Milwaukee Bucks who currently top the Eastern Conference.
The Celtics have Kyrie Irving back following the All-Star break, and their superstar Point Guard will have to show that is able to be the man when it comes down to clutch time. This game will have hold more importance for both teams, as the Celtics lost their game against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night, whilst the Raptors lost against the playoff chasing Orlando Magic on Sunday.
Milwaukee Bucks @ Los Angeles Lakers – Friday 1st March 2019
The Bucks were helped to a two game lead over the Raptors by Orlando on Sunday. They have also picked up back to back wins since returning to regular season play following the All-Star break. This could be a trap game for the Bucks as they take on an inconsistent Lakers team, that suffered a difficult loss against the Pelicans. But Giannis is a leading MVP candidate and this game also presents another chance for him to consolidate his place amongst the league’s best.
This is a chance for the Lakers to make another statement win, they are currently sitting under .500 and are in real danger of missing out on the postseason. But a game against the Bucks is a tough ask for anyone, especially a team that has been streaky all season.
Golden State Warriors @ Philadelphia 76ers – Saturday 2nd March 2019
The Warriors struggled in their first contest back, suffering a scoring drought during the opening minutes of their game against the Rockets. Taking on the 76ers on Saturday, they have a chance to showcase their strength against the 76ers “big four.” Demarcus Cousins will look to continue his reintegration into increased court time following the Achilles injury that kept him out of over half of this season.
The “big four” will face a major test when they take on the Warriors on Saturday. In what will be a difficult game for both sides, the 76ers will be looking to showcase their ability to beat top ball clubs as many teams shift their focus to the playoffs and the atmosphere around the arena matches that.
Prices for these and all upcoming NBA games can be found here.
By Sonny Cohen