The NBA season continues with several games on the schedule for Tuesday night. Here’s a look at a few of the key matchups on tonight’s schedule:  

Mavs Look To Move Higher in the Western Conference

On Tuesday, the surging Dallas Mavericks will travel to San Francisco to face the Golden State Warriors in this critical Western Conference matchup. Dallas is 11-2 in their last thirteen games. They are currently fifth in the conference and four games behind the Memphis Grizzlies in the Southwest Division. In their previous fourteen games, Golden State is 7-7 and has fallen 3.5 games behind the Phoenix Suns in the Pacific Division.  

Dallas has been healthy since Luka Doncic returned after missing time due to an ankle injury and has dominated opponents ever since. Doncic averages 25.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 8.7 assists to lead the Mavericks. Kristaps Porzingis is second on the team, averaging 19.9 points and eight rebounds per matchup.

The Warriors have struggled with injuries this season and are currently missing Draymond Green, who is expected to return in about two more weeks. In addition, Andre Iguodala is out for this game with a hip injury, and Klay Thompson is questionable tonight with soreness in his surgically-repaired left knee. 

The Mavs can grab this one.

Denver Wants Second Straight Win Over Detroit

The Denver Nuggets will face the Detroit Pistons in the second game of the home-and-home series. On Sunday in Denver, the two teams met each other, with the Nuggets getting a 117-111 victory. Nikola Jokic led all scorers with 34 points, along with nine rebounds and eight assists. He leads the team in all major statistical categories, averaging 26.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, 7.6 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game. 

The Pistons have the second-worst record in the NBA at 11-35 and are 4-6 in their last ten games overall. Due to health and safety protocols, they will be without several players for tonight’s game, including SF Jerami Grant and PF Kelly Olynyk. Grant is the team’s leading scorer, averaging 20.1 points per game but has missed twenty-two games this season due to injury. 

The Nuggets shouldn’t have any difficulty tonight.

Davis Returns for Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are 5-5 in their last ten games as they travel to New York to face the Nets. They have now fallen to eighth in the Western Conference with a 23-24 season record and are 14.5 games behind the conference-leading Phoenix Suns. The Clippers are also just 0.5 games behind the Lakers in the division standings. Brooklyn has the same record in their last ten games but is barely holding on to first place in the Atlantic Division as the 76ers have moved to within two games of the lead.  

The Lakers are welcoming the return of PF Anthony Davis to the lineup. He hasn’t played since December 17, and his production of 23.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and two blocks per game will hopefully help them turn things around. 

The Nets will be without the NBA’s leading scorer Kevin Durant for the next 4 to 6 weeks after spraining his MCL against the Hornets in last week’s matchup. Durant was averaging 29.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game before going down with the injury. 

Kyrie Irving will also be out for this home game due to his unvaccinated COVID-19 status, which keeps him from playing in Barclay Center due to New York City’s coronavirus mandate. Irving has only played seven games this season and is averaging 23.4 points, 5.1 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game. 

The Nets have a shot at the win in a close game.