The NBA‘s games throughout Dec. 10 provided interesting results as the Dec. 11 matchups look to impress fans throughout the night.
The NBA Cup quarterfinals took place, with the Orlando Magic, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, and San Antonio Spurs advancing to the semifinals. While that round won’t commence until Dec. 13, the league has four contests to keep fans busy on Thursday night. Here are those matchups, featuring two Eastern Conference teams and six Western Conference squads.
Boston Celtics (15-9) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (10-15): 8 p.m. ET
The only matchup from the Eastern Conference features the Boston Celtics traveling to face the Milwaukee Bucks on the road.
Boston has been surging in the conference standings, rising to the third spot with an active five-game win streak. Jaylen Brown has been playing at an All-NBA level this season, averaging 29.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game.
Milwaukee has been going through a brutal stretch of games. They have lost eight of their last 10 contests, falling to the 10th spot in the conference standings. On top of that, they won’t have star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo available due to a calf strain injury. Ryan Rollins stands out as the team’s next best scorer, producing 17.5 points and six assists per contest.
Los Angeles Clippers (6-18) vs. Houston Rockets (15-6): 8 p.m. ET
The first Western Conference matchup of Thursday’s slate features the Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets.
Injuries and poor play on both sides of the ball see the Clippers with the second-worst record in the Western Conference standings. They have lost eight of their last 10 games, despite having both superstars, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, on the court together. Harden has been healthy to start the season, averaging 26.8 points and 8.3 assists per game.
On the other side, the Rockets have been solid to begin the year as one of the top teams in the West. Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun have shone as a dynamic duo with Houston boasting one of the best defenses in the league. Durant is putting up 25.3 points and 4.8 rebounds, while Sengun is providing 23.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 7.1 assists.
Portland Trail Blazers (9-15) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (3-22): 8 p.m. ET
The next matchup on the schedule features the Portland Trail Blazers traveling to play against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Portland has positioned itself in the playoff mix, currently holding one of the spots for the play-in tournament. They have taken a step back in terms of form, losing seven of their last 10 matchups. Deni Avdija leads the way with a stat line of 25.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per contest.
New Orleans’ fortunes have been brutal, with one of the worst records in the entire league. They are 1-9 in their last 10 games, going through an active seven-game losing streak while Zion Williamson has been out since late-November. Trey Murphy III, Jeremiah Fears, and Derik Queen showcase themselves as players to watch out for in this matchup.
Denver Nuggets (17-6) vs. Sacramento Kings (6-18): 10 p.m. ET
Capping off Thursday night presents a showdown between the Denver Nuggets and Sacramento Kings.
The Nuggets have shone as the best scoring offense in the NBA, seeing Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray keep the team firmly in serious playoff contention. They have won seven of their last 10 matchups, including winning their last three games. Jokic commands the offense with 29.2 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 11 assists per game. Murray follows suit with 25 points, 6.8 assists, and 4.5 rebounds.
On the other side, the Kings have struggled as they are near the bottom of the Western Conference standings. They have lost seven of their last 10 contests, going through inconsistency as one of the worst offensive and defensive teams in the league. Zach LaVine leads the offense with 20.6 points and 3.1 rebounds, while Russell Westbrook contributes with 13.9 points, 7.3 assists, and seven rebounds per game.
