Watch two games of the NBA 2021-22 regular season each week LIVE on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand.
Trae and the Hawks looking for a jump start
After the Atlanta Hawks came up just short of a trip to the NBA Finals last year after falling to eventual champions the Milwaukee Bucks, expectations were high as the season resumed, but so far the results have been far from what was promised.
Nate McMillan’s men are in the midst of a five-game losing streak and sit 12th in the Eastern Conference standings at 4-8, their most recent game another road defeat to the 8-3 Utah Jazz.
While it’s not how they would’ve liked to start, it’s not all bad for the Hawks.
Their run of opponents to start the year has been far from easy, going up against the likes of the Phoenix Suns, Brooklyn Nets and West-leading Golden State Warriors among others.
And star point guard Trae Young hasn’t slowed down, averaging 24 points per game along with 9 assists alongside other dynamic pieces like John Collins and Kevin Huerter.
That aside though, the fact remains that the Hawks need to stop the slide and get back on track if they want to break into the playoff picture anytime soon. But on the road in the mile-high city against the Denver Nuggets, it’ll come down to team chemistry and bench scoring if they want to pull out the W.
The Joker returns to the hardwood
One of the biggest moments of the week in the NBA was the ugly incident that occurred in Tuesday’s (AEDT) game between the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat.
With the win secured late in the fourth quarter, reigning MVP Nikola Jokic grabbed a rebound and started down court. A frustrated Markieff Morris stepped up and delivered a hard foul to the Serbian’s ribs, promptly receiving a taste of his own medicine shortly after as Jokic shoved Morris to the ground in retaliation, sparking a melee on the court and souring the atmosphere.
Jokic was hit with a one-game suspension following the incident, the team taking care of business in his absence in a 101-98 win over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday.
There’s no doubt the Joker is going to return against the Hawks on Saturday with a point to prove – expect a dominant display similar to his 25 point, 15 rebound and 10 assist triple-double against the Heat, which would’ve been the talking point had he not lost his temper.
Saturday, November 13
Atlanta Hawks v Denver Nuggets
1:00pm - 3:30pm (AEDT)
LIVE on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand
Holding out for a Herro
The second game of the weekend sees the aforementioned Miami Heat taking on the ever-dangerous Utah Jazz and their roster of deadeye shooters, including Aussie Joe Ingles.
The Heat are in a tough spot, having blown a nine-point fourth quarter lead to the LA Lakers yesterday where a litany of mistakes down the stretch saw them outlasted 120-117 in overtime.
Along with the game, the team also lost leader and star player Jimmy Butler to an ankle injury – meaning the scoring load now rests on the shoulders of flashy sixth man Tyler Herro for the foreseeable future.
Herro showed glimpses of his immense potential in the NBA 'Bubble' two seasons back, and after a slow start to this year is looking like his old self again, as he poured in 27 points on 50% shooting from the field along with five three-pointers against the Lakers.
The next game is never far away in the NBA though, and it’ll take another big effort from the 21-year-old along with centre Bam Adebayo to beat a complete team like the Jazz in what could be a telling sign of what the next few games will bring for the Jimmy Buckets-less Heat.
Jazz looking for statement win against potential Finals opponent
The Jazz welcome the Heat to town in the midst of another great start to an NBA regular season after soaring to a 52-20 finish last year, their best in the last two decades as they consistently blew teams out of the water with their three-point shooting.
But interestingly, it’s the three-point shooting that’s taken a massive downturn through the first 11 games of the season for the Jazz, as they sit 26th in the league from beyond the arc despite their offense being ranked second.
It’s not a pressing issue given the team’s 8-3 record, and there were signs of life in their recent 110-98 victory over Atlanta, with coach Quin Snyder remarking, “Our focus will continue to be ways to get incrementally better.
"We'll continue to try to prepare for the shots that we're going to get for something that's been a big part of what we do.”
If there was ever a time to flip the script, a commanding victory over the Heat would be a great opportunity to do so, with some marking this game as a potential NBA Finals matchup later in the year.
Expect the cast of Donovan Mitchell, Bojan Bogdanovic, Joe Ingles and Jordan Clarkson to put on a show from deep and put the league back on notice.
Sunday, November 14
Miami Heat v Utah Jazz
09:00am - 11:30am (AEDT)
LIVE on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand
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