NBA PREVIEWS
BSW
TONIGHT IN THE NBA
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Charlotte (47-27) at New Jersey (38-36) 7:30 pm EST
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The New Jersey Nets continue their fight to hold onto the final
playoff spot in the Eastern Conference when they host the
Charlotte Hornets, who have lost three straight on the road. New
Jersey made a positive statement by beating regional rival New
York despite the absence of the league's second-leading
rebounder, Jayson Williams. Sam Cassell picked up the slack with
30 points in the 97-94 win. Williams is out for the rest of the
regular season with a broken thumb. New Jersey may be without a
true center tonight as Rony Seikaly is questionable with a sore
foot. The Nets are two games behind the seventh-place Knicks
while clinging to a one-half game lead over Washington. Tenth
place Orlando trails New Jersey by 1 1/2 games. The Nets' two
remaining games against the Hornets are their only ones left
against plus-.500 clubs this season. Charlotte holds a
three-game lead over fifth-place Atlanta and is 3 1/2 behind the
Indiana Pacers, who own the third spot in the East. The Hornets
suffered a 101-88 loss at Miami on Saturday. The teams have
split a pair of games this season, with each team winning on the
road.
Philadelphia (29-46) at Orlando (37-38) 7:30 pm EST
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The Philadelphia 76ers can match their longest winning streak of
the season tonight when they visit the Orlando Magic, who are
picking the wrong time to start slumping. Philadelphia has won
three straight and four of its last five games. With a win
tonight, the 76ers will match the four-game winning streak they
compiled from January 13th-19th. Allen Iverson had 36 points,
nine rebounds and eight assists as Philadelphia established
season highs for points in a half and game with a 116-104
victory over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday. Iverson was
brilliant in four games last week, averaging 28.8 points per
contest. If he can lead Philadelphia to another victory
tonight, the 76ers will reach the 30-win plateau for the first
time since they went 35-47 in the 1991-92 season. Meanwhile,
Orlando has dropped three games in a row. Despite 25 points
from Nick Anderson, the Magic suffered a damaging 88-85 loss to
the Washington Wizards on Sunday. The Magic have dropped five of
their last seven games and are in danger of missing the
playoffs. Orlando is 10th in the Eastern Conference, 1 1/2
games behind the New Jersey Nets for the final playoff berth.
Orlando has won all three meetings this season and is 15-3
all-time at home against Philadelphia.
Portland (41-33) at San Antonio (52-23) 8:30 pm EST
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The San Antonio Spurs, who have made a living recently by taking
advantage of injuries to opposing teams' centers, hope to do it
again tonight when they host the Portland Trail Blazers. San
Antonio has won five straight games. During their winning
streak, the Spurs have beaten the Indiana Pacers without Rik
Smits, the Patrick Ewing-less New York Knicks, and the Miami
Heat without an injured Alonzo Mourning. The Spurs have a chance
for another win over a team with an injury in the pivot tonight.
Center Arvydas Sabonis of the Trail Blazers has missed the last
two games with an injured right hip and is questionable for
tonight's game. San Antonio is coming off Saturday's 88-80
overtime victory over Golden State in a game that marked the
return of point guard Avery Johnson from a four-game absence.
With a win tonight, the Spurs will have their longest winning
streak since running off seven in a row from December 10th-26th.
The Trail Blazers are coming off Saturday's 90-83 loss to
Phoenix. They have dropped two of their last three and are just
4-5 in their last nine games. If Sabonis is out again tonight,
more of a burden will fall upon Brian Grant against the 7-foot
frontline of the Spurs, which has compiled a 14-3 record as a
starting unit. Grant has averaged 15.3 rebounds over his last
three games. San Antonio has taken two of the three meetings
this season.
Phoenix (49-25) at Seattle (57-18) 10:00 pm EST
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A pair of surging Pacific Division teams put winning streaks on
the line in Seattle tonight when the Phoenix Suns visit the
SuperSonics. Phoenix is coming off a pair of victories over
playoff-bound teams and has won four straight. Antonio McDyess
averaged 22.5 points and 12.5 rebounds in the last two wins, a
97-86 win in Houston last Tuesday and a 90-83 victory over
Portland on Saturday. In the win over Portland, Rex Chapman
scored 12 points after missing the last four games with a
strained groin. With a win tonight, Phoenix will record its its
12th 50-win season. Vin Baker scored 21 points and had a pair of
huge putbacks in the final 46 seconds as the SuperSonics
survived the Denver Nuggets, 87-83, Sunday. Though Seattle may
not have looked like the best team in the Western Conference on
Sunday, the Sonics have been playing good basketball. Seattle
has won five straight and seven of its last eight games and has
been nearly unbeatable recently at KeyArena, where it has won 12
in a row. Seattle won the first two meetings this season before
Phoenix took a 109-102 victory on March 21st.
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BSW
TONIGHT IN THE NBA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Charlotte (47-27) at New Jersey (38-36) 7:30 pm EDT
----------------------------------------------------------------
The New Jersey Nets continue their fight to hold onto the final
playoff spot in the Eastern Conference when they host the
Charlotte Hornets, who have lost three straight on the road. New
Jersey made a positive statement by beating regional rival New
York despite the absence of the league's second-leading
rebounder, Jayson Williams. Sam Cassell picked up the slack with
30 points in the 97-94 win. Williams is out for the rest of the
regular season with a broken thumb. New Jersey may be without a
true center tonight as Rony Seikaly is questionable with a sore
foot. The Nets are two games behind the seventh-place Knicks
while clinging to a one-half game lead over Washington. Tenth
place Orlando trails New Jersey by 1 1/2 games. The Nets' two
remaining games against the Hornets are their only ones left
against plus-.500 clubs this season. Charlotte holds a
three-game lead over fifth-place Atlanta and is 3 1/2 behind the
Indiana Pacers, who own the third spot in the East. The Hornets
suffered a 101-88 loss at Miami on Saturday. The teams have
split a pair of games this season, with each team winning on the
road.
Philadelphia (29-46) at Orlando (37-38) 7:30 pm EDT
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The Philadelphia 76ers can match their longest winning streak of
the season tonight when they visit the Orlando Magic, who are
slumping at the wrong time of the season. Philadelphia has won
three straight and four of its last five games. With a win
tonight, the 76ers will match the four-game winning streak they
compiled from January 13th-19th. Allen Iverson had 36 points,
nine rebounds and eight assists as Philadelphia established
season highs for points in a half and game with a 116-104
victory over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday. Iverson was
brilliant in four games last week, averaging 28.8 points per
contest. If he can lead Philadelphia to another victory
tonight, the 76ers will reach the 30-win plateau for the first
time since they went 35-47 in the 1991-92 season. Meanwhile,
Orlando has dropped three games in a row. Despite 25 points
from Nick Anderson, the Magic suffered a damaging 88-85 loss to
the Washington Wizards on Sunday. The Magic have dropped five of
their last seven games and are in danger of missing the
playoffs. Orlando is 10th in the Eastern Conference, 1 1/2
games behind the New Jersey Nets for the final playoff berth.
Orlando has won all three meetings this season and is 15-3
all-time at home against Philadelphia.
Portland (41-33) at San Antonio (52-23) 8:30 pm EDT
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The San Antonio Spurs, who have capitalized on the absence of
opposing centers due to injury, hope to do it again tonight when
they host the Portland Trail Blazers. San Antonio has won five
straight games. During their winning streak, the Spurs have
beaten the Indiana Pacers without Rik Smits, the Patrick
Ewing-less New York Knicks, and the Miami Heat without an
injured Alonzo Mourning. The Spurs have a chance for another win
over a team with an injury in the pivot tonight. Center Arvydas
Sabonis of the Trail Blazers has missed the last two games with
an injured right hip and is questionable for tonight's game. San
Antonio is coming off Saturday's 88-80 overtime victory over
Golden State in a game that marked the return of point guard
Avery Johnson from a four-game absence. With a win tonight, the
Spurs will have their longest winning streak since running off
seven in a row from December 10th-26th. The Trail Blazers are
coming off Saturday's 90-83 loss to Phoenix. They have dropped
two of their last three and are just 4-5 in their last nine
games. If Sabonis is out again tonight, more of a burden will
fall upon Brian Grant against the 7-foot frontline of the Spurs,
which has compiled a 14-3 record as a starting unit. Grant has
averaged 15.3 rebounds over his last three games. San Antonio
has taken two of the three meetings this season.
Phoenix (49-25) at Seattle (57-18) 10:00 pm EDT
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A pair of surging Pacific Division teams put winning streaks on
the line in Seattle tonight when the Phoenix Suns visit the
SuperSonics. Phoenix is coming off a pair of victories over
playoff-bound teams and has won four straight. Antonio McDyess
averaged 22.5 points and 12.5 rebounds in the last two wins, a
97-86 victory in Houston last Tuesday and a 90-83 victory over
Portland on Saturday. In the win over Portland, Rex Chapman
scored 12 points after missing the last four games with a
strained groin. With a win tonight, Phoenix will record its
12th 50-win season. Vin Baker scored 21 points and had a pair of
huge putbacks in the final 46 seconds as the SuperSonics
survived the Denver Nuggets, 87-83, on Sunday. Seattle has won