NBA 25/11/-28/11/21: Clippers and Golden State Warriors tangle, Heat and Red Bulls face off

The NBA is taking shape, particularly in the Eastern Conference. After a sensational start to the campaign, Miami Heat have been brought down a notch or two. Anyway, in this preview, we will look ahead to three games this weekend, including the LA Clippers v Golden State Warriors, and the Chicago Red Bulls v Miami Heat. We will also refer to the latest odds.

Steph Curry and Golden State Warriors recover from slow start to overpower Philadelphia 76ers

The Warriors are starting to look like a team that only a few years ago reigned supreme in the NBA. Steve Kerr’s men took their record to 16-2 for the season with a blowout 116-96 win over the 76ers earlier this week. After a pensive start in which they found themselves trailing by 19 points in the second quarter, the Warriors got their act together.

In the third quarter, the Warriors outscored the 76ers 34-23, and Steph Curry was on top form as he weighed in with 25 points, and 10 assists. The Warriors were helped by the fact that the Sixers were without Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris, but it was a job well done, so onward and upwards.

Klay Thompson targeting a return to action for Golden State Warriors

Klay Thompson is continuing his recovery from an Achilles injury, and he has resumed full-court scrimmaging. The sharp shooter is hoping to return to action soon, and he has vowed to come back stronger. He said: “I don’t want to come back and be a shell of myself. I want to come back like the last time I was playing.”

LA Clippers still searching for consistency

While the Clippers are fifth in the Western Conference with a 10-8 record, they are still searching for levels of consistency with their displays. That was underlined by a 112-104 defeat to the Dallas Mavericks earlier this week. Luka Doncic produced a superlative display for the Mavericks, as he sunk a plethora of tough 3-point bombs.

LeBron James back with a bang for the Los Angeles Lakers after serving suspension

There were some concerns about the Lakers’ recent form. However, the Lakers closed a five-game road swing by seeing off the Indiana Pacers 124-116. And James – who recently served his first suspension of a 19-year career – returned with a bang as he scored a season-high of 39 points. Seven of those points came in overtime, and James was keen to make up for lost time.

LeBron James gets fan ejected during win over Indiana Pacers

While James was getting back into the groove against the Pacers, things got a little heated. In his first match back from suspension, James got into a furious altercation with a Pacers fan courtside before security intervened and ejected the troublesome fan, who sarcastically pouted on his way out of the stadium.

Discussing his return to action, James said: “I knew I could kind of give our guys a boost of energy with me not playing last night.” The Lakers will also have to Anthony Davis back in action after he sat out the win over the Pacers with flu-like symptoms.

Meanwhile, the Detroit Pistons will be looking to pick themselves up after a bruising 114-93 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this week. The Pistons have had to absorb some hard lessons, particularly in the fourth quarter. The Bucks held double-digit advantages in overall field goal percentage, and the Pistons have to up their levels against the Lakers on Sunday.

Chicago Bulls raging after worst defeat of the season

The Bulls will be fired up when they take on the Heat on Saturday evening. Earliest this week, they slipped a two-game skid after a 118-113 loss against the Houston Rockets who entered the game on the back of a 15-match losing streak. Although Nikola Vucevic returned after a seven-game absence due to COVID, his performance was rather uneven.

Heat, meanwhile, are second in the Eastern Conference, and although a 113-101 reverse against the Minnesota Timberwolves took their record to 12-7 for the campaign, they will also have a point to prove. The clash with the Bulls has all the ingredients to be a classic, and it is quite tricky trying to pick a winner here!

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