3 big NBA games on 12 February- Spurs-Bulls, Clippers-76ers, Pacers-Nets

Three big games scheduled to be played tomorrow. None of these will be shown on TV in India though. Here’s a preview of these contests-

Clippers vs 76ers

The Clippers are now 36-17 and the Sixers are 22-27. The LA Clippers got their starters back in their game vs Miami Heat and got trounced handily by them. In the next game, they thrashed the NY Knicks 102-88. Tomorrow versus the Sixers they will look to make it 2 in a row and end their longest road trip of the season (8 games) with a win.

Look out for Chris Paul. He has averaged 24.55 points in the last two games the Clippers have played at Philadelphia. The Sixers have a handy formula to get the best of the Clippers though, get hot from downtown. The last four games the Clippers have lost, their opponent has shot 54.2%. And the last four games the Clippers have won, their opponent has shot 27.3% from three point range. It’s easier said than done though, you live by the three ball then you also die by it. The Sixers are a young and athletic team which can use its physicality to get easy baskets in transition and inside if they can get past Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.

Spurs vs Bulls

Neither of these teams were expected to be this good this season. The San Antonio Spurs are the best team in the NBA with a record of 40-12 inspite of injures to Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili. Tony Parker has shown his worth as he’s stepped up with multiple 20 points and 10 assists games in their absence to keep the ship afloat. “I don’t care about getting my due and stuff like that,” Parker said. “I definitely prefer to have Timmy and Manu because that’s how you win championships. You need a whole team and I prefer winning championships than having my due.” Parker has certainly been getting his. In the last game versus the Nets today, he scored 29 points and had 11 assists in a 111-86 win and has had 31 points and 8 assists in the previous two games of the Spurs as well.

The Bulls stand at 30-20 and being without Derrick Rose, that’s a pretty good record for them. They have won four of the last five games which they played versus the Spurs and will be looking to make it five for six tomorrow. It will be a daunting task as the Bulls are allowing 109.3 points in their last three games with a percentage of 52.9%. Both teams feature tenacious defense and are helmed by two of the best coaches in the NBA in Tom Thibodeau and Gregg Popovich. The chess match between these two masterminds will be a treat to watch.

Nets vs Pacers

We are likely to see these two teams play each other come playoff time. The Pacers are poised to go very deep in the postseason if only they can swing for a scorer before the trade deadline. They are now 31-20, good enough for the best record in the Central Division. The Nets are 29-22 and are coming off a loss to the Spurs, 111-86 and will be looking for redemption for that loss. Their fans were booing them in that game. “I mean, (we) deserve it,” Deron Williams said. “These people pay money to come see us play and play better than that. You can’t ever be mad at that.”

What you can be is mad at the way you played and look to come out strong in the next game. The Nets have won the last two games they have played against the Pacers this season. But the Pacers have won 8 of the last 9 games which they played at home versus the Nets. They just had their 15 game home win streak snapped versus the Raptors and will look to start a fresh one. Brooklyn can make it to the Eastern Conference Finals this season if the backcourt of Williams and Johnson can manage to be consistent and Brook Lopez starts to average more than 10 rebounds per game. It will be difficult to get anything going against the tight defense of Indiana but those three are good enough to move the ball and have at least two of them end the game with a strong showing.