This is their first meeting of the 2020-21 season; Zion missed the only matchup against Philly in his rookie season. Our scribes chime in on which player took a leap into NBA stardom in the restart. Enhanced; Classic; Injuries; Scores; Standings. The Los Angeles Lakers have their sights set on competing for a title and may have an ideal first-round matchup to get the 2020 NBA Playoffs underway. That'd bump him up into a tier occupied by Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan and Willis Reed. If James wants his damn respect, what better way to get it than winning a head-to-head matchup against a two-time MVP 10 years his junior? Justifiably, KD operated as if he, not James, was the best player on the floor in those meetings. For each projected starter or reserve, the last five players, with similar positions, who played the projected starter or reserve’s current opponent are listed in the same row. Daily Fantasy NBA Adjusted Matchups and Pace for 3/11/21: Check out each team's offensive and defensive ratings, pace, and FanDuel points allowed -- … ... one of the best duos in the NBA … Our scribes chime in on which player stood out most in the restart. The Brooklyn Nets, star-studded and flung together with no regard for balance, depth, defense or system could hardly be more different from the meticulously constructed, tactically clinical and no-frills Utah Jazz. Sure, most teams are aiming for similarly efficient shot profiles, and perhaps there's not quite as much stylistic variance across the league as there used to be. Anthony Davis: 'We came in with a mission' 01:42. As much as a marquee meeting between the Lakers and New York Knicks tilt would titillate, that's too far-fetched for consideration here. Giannis, Mike Budenholzer and the Bucks could change their place in league history. His Golden State Warriors swept James' Cavs in that year, upping KD's Finals record against James to 9-5. On the other side, Giannis could dethrone the king, completely reframing his and his team's history of playoff disappointments. {{selectedTeamMatchup.Properties.VisitorTeam}} @ {{selectedTeamMatchup.Properties.HomeTeam}} {{selectedStatView.Name}} Stats Projected Lineup Confirmed Lineup It'll be like the most extreme version of the Spiderman pointing meme, or that wildly unsettling fight between Natalie Portman and her creepy mirror image at the end of Annihilation. Can he bring glory to the rim-protecting big man by denying three superstar scorers and a Nets offense that might go down as one of the best ever? Our scribes chime in on what aspects of the restart they'd like to see continue. LaVine scores 40 as Bulls blow past Thunder, Butler, Adebayo power Heat to 5th straight win, Game Recap: Trail Blazers 125, Pelicans 124. The Jazz have been in scintillating form of late while the Heat too have found their mojo after a rough start to the 2020-21 season. Throw in first-year Brooklyn coach Steve Nash seeking the championship he couldn't capture as a player and Nets assistant Mike D'Antoni possibly getting over the hump working on his two-time MVP's staff, and you've got an overflow of rooting interests. That way, we won't have LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers showing up in every entry with only the opponent changing. LeBron James and Co. finished off the Miami Heat in Game 6 to clinch their 17th title in franchise history. Our scribes assess the Heat's chances of winning back-to-back East titles. But if Rivers' Philadelphia 76ers knock off the Clips, history won't view it that way. The two teams have faced one another a record 12 times in the NBA Finals, the first coming in 1959 and most recently in 2010. On the other side, we'd get Kawhi Leonard hunting (silently, of course) for his third Finals MVP. Fixture: Miami Heat vs Utah Jazz | NBA … 07:01. LA Lakers vs. Boston Celtics. Those two are the craftiest edge-seeking competitors at the position. This unusual season, defined by uncertainty and parity, could produce any number of possible Finals matchups. Home; NFL. Lastly, a key rule. This is an easy call. Bubble Wrap: Who was the MVP inside the bubble? What better proving ground for one of the league's brightest up-and-comers than the Finals? It's only February, but let's give July some thought. Unless James forces them to by burying KD's Nets. Three conventional superstars on one side and maybe one—depending on your feelings about Donovan Mitchell—on the other. Even after their horrible start, the Raps own a top-10 offense and are barely a point per 100 possessions shy of ranking in the top 10 on the other end. Suddenly, the Milwaukee Bucks' early bow-outs in 2019 and 2020 would look less like failures and more like necessary precursors to a breakthrough. Finally, what level of competitive skulduggery would Patrick Beverly ascend to on this stage? Between star-laden rosters, legacy-seeking GOATs in pursuit of more rings, first-timers trying to break through and all manner of intriguing personal narratives, the options are overwhelming. DraftKings Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks (3/14/21): NBA DFS Lineups Spring Training Lineup Takeaways - Week 2 Lineup Trends 2021 NFL Mock Draft for 7 Rounds - Version 13.0 New York Knicks vs Brooklyn Nets: 3 key matchups - March 15th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21. Navigation Toggle NBA. Phoenix has only recently hit its stride, and imagine what's going to happen when it quits losing the minutes it plays with Chris Paul and Devin Booker on the floor—which is inevitable as the pair of backcourt stars figure one another out with more reps. Our scribes chime in on what moment or game stood out most in the playoffs. Plus, Paul George would get a chance to put all the smirking "Playoff P" criticism to rest. And if Anthony Davis wants to cement his reputation as one of the best two-way bigs anyone has ever seen, shutting down Antetokounmpo's relentless rim attacks wouldn't hurt. Basically, the more Jazz versus Nuggets games the better. I've got it at 10-to-1 he tries to pants Embiid at some point. former protege Irving in a Finals series, plus Harden trying to validate his career with a championship—possibly by embracing a facilitating role that cuts counter to the bucket-getting bend that defined his best seasons with the not-quite-good-enough Houston Rockets. Bubble Wrap: Will Miami's path to The Finals in 2021 be easier or harder? Suddenly, the Milwaukee Bucks' early bow-outs in 2019 and 2020 would look less like failures and more like necessary precursors to a breakthrough. Bringing you NBA news and fantasy basketball waiver wire pickups, rankings, sleepers, matchups & DFS picks. Daily Fantasy NBA Adjusted Matchups and Pace for 3/16/21: Check out each team's offensive and defensive ratings, pace, and FanDuel points allowed -- … We'd get LeBron going against former protege Irving in a Finals series, plus Harden trying to validate his career with a championship—possibly by embracing a facilitating role that cuts counter to the bucket-getting bend that defined his best seasons with the not-quite-good-enough Houston Rockets. The Raptors have a championship pedigree worth betting on, and they're 7-3 in February, despite playing all but one of those games on the road. KD, who would be in line for his third Finals MVP and third ring, walked away with those honors in 2017 and then did it again even more decisively in 2018. The other Finals matchups in this rundown would all be incredible. And while NBA point spreads factor in most discussions, more fans are handicapping OVER/UNDER lines and betting basketball props on Durant, LeBron and other top stars. Come on. That's not where the intrigue and excitement stops, of course. Golden State at Washington (7 ET) This is a matchup of the top two scorers in the NBA so far this season – Bradley Beal (32.7 ppg) and Stephen Curry (30.2 ppg). Wednesday, April 21, 2021. To avoid repetition in our rankings, we'll limit each team to a maximum of two appearances. Games; Schedule; Watch. One selling point here would be Mitchell showing he belongs in the same class as Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden. But we need this one. 01:53. The Jazz's entire scheme is built around their dominant two-time Defensive Player of the Year. 2020-2021 fantasy basketball articles, analysis & advice from RotoBaller's NBA writers. Bubble Wrap: Will the Lakers' path to The Finals in 2021 be easier or harder? 15:03. His Golden State Warriors swept James' Cavs in that year, upping KD's Finals record against James to 9-5. There's a lot of season left to be played, and both of these squads have major upside. Give him some damn respect. Get our best basketball bets for today as well as news, scores, odds, consensus, and more! Fantasy Basketball: Schedule analysis plus start and sit recommendations for Week 13 of the 2020-21 NBA season NBA Fantasy expert Mike Barner has identified the best and worst Fantasy basketball matchups for Week 13. Featured; NBA TV; ... December 2020. Team wins streaks All time winning streaks All time losing streaks That’s mouth-watering for the free NBA picks available online. The Los Angeles Clippers' 2020 collapse was a complex situation with plenty of blame to go around. Beyond the play-in round, the 2020 NBA playoffs will follow the typical format with full best-of-seven series all the way through the NBA Finals. The LeBron-KD angle adds an extra charge to the whole thing, as Durant has gotten the best of James in each of their last two Finals meetings. This report may be used to find not as good players who are headed into a great matchup, or great players who are headed into bad matchups. Enhanced; Classic; Ratings; Schedule; Trends. Forget the on-court stuff for a moment. If they guard each other, just imagine the call-baiting flop-off we're in for. If Mitchell wants to validate that 36.3 points-per-game scoring average from last year's playoffs, well, here's his chance. As the late Kobe Bryant would have said, this matchup is a Bikram yoga stretch. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLC’s Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, LeBron James Ultimate Highlight - 2020 Championship, Anthony Davis: 'We came in with a mission', LeBron: 'None of us has ever experienced anything like this', LeBron James: 'Why not still have something to prove? Perhaps most importantly, we get James lined up for what could be his fifth ring, a total that would tie him with Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson and Tim Duncan and put him just one behind Michael Jordan. And who knows, somebody might even notice that Khris Middleton is really, really great. But if the Jazz and Nets square off, the differences will be staggering. The Knicks look like a playoff team, but a Finals appearance? NBA Games & Records. Knowing that, do you really want to bet against Nick Nurse, Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet? Flipping the Doc narrative, a Leonard-led Clips title would shift all the blame for 2020's failure back onto the deposed coach. More than anything, we need to see Paul in the Finals, and what better opponent than Lowry, a kindred point guard spirit in so many ways? Nobody will ever forget his ultra-confident. Bet Now on NBA Matchups. Best Of LeBron James from NBA Restart. 10 Star Matchups That Would Define 2020 NBA Playoffs As Is.