The 2024-25 NBA has become part of our daily routine, where watching this bunch of matches gives every basketball fan a set of relief and relaxation after a long day. In both conferences, the top sets of teams are fighting harder to keep up their momentum, and on the other hand, the bottom teams are trying their best to push their level forward and looking to end this season on a high note. As we head into the crucial upcoming games, let’s recollect what happened this week and how the team’s performance is going, as these results will significantly impact the teams’ standings.
Despite their three consecutive defeats, this week was a testament to the resilience of the Cleveland Cavaliers. They managed to secure a three-win streak against the Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat, and Atlanta Hawks, with each game filled with thrilling moments. This week was a mixed bag of results for the Boston Celtics in three games played so far; they won two against the Chicago Bulls and Dallas Mavericks. However, they lost to the Houston Rockets with a score of 112-114. Even though Jaylen Brown led the team with 28 points, four rebounds, and four assists, they could not achieve victory. This week for the Oklahoma City Thunder is disappointing, one in which they managed to secure only one win out of three and lost the two matches to the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks. So, this game will look at the bounceback from their prior defeat. Let’s see how the team manages and returns to their victorious path. The Houston Rockets head into this match after losing 119-120 to the Memphis Grizzlies, which ended their streak of consecutive victories.
In the first two quarters, the Houston Rockets were highly dominant, but their inconsistent gameplay gave an advantage to the opponent to win the game by a margin of one point. On the other hand, the Washington Wizards suffered their straight 15th defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers with a score of 96-134. While in the Western Conference, the Utah Jazz suffered their eighth straight defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves with a scoreline of 113-138. They were top-notch in the first and the fourth quarters, but in the middle of the game, their inconsistent play ended in defeat. The rest of the team’s performance is not that bad, but some are on two or four winning streaks, and the rest are on one or two losing streaks. Not particularly. Every team in the Eastern and Western conferences should be precise in their gameplay and show their complete performance in the upcoming days to prove who they are.
Charlotte Hornets vs. Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are making a road trip to face off against the Charlotte Hornets in the upcoming NBA action. This season, the home performance of the Charlotte Hornets is disappointing, and it is eager to see how they will manage the Los Angeles Clippers’ performance.
- Date: January 31, 2025
- Venue: Spectrum Center (Charlotte, NC)
- Time: 7:00 p.m. ET | 4:00 p.m. PT | 5:30 a.m. IST (Next Day)
The Los Angeles Clippers had an intense matchup, triumphing over the Spurs but facing a tough loss against the Suns. They’re gearing up to take on the Raptors, Lakers, and Pacers in their next games. Currently, the Clippers are averaging a solid 110.3 points with an impressive 47 percent shooting accuracy while allowing 107.1 points at 45.2 percent. Norman Powell is shining with an average of 24 points and 3.6 rebounds, and James Harden is contributing with 2.17 points and 5.8 rebounds. Kawhi Leonard joins in as a key scorer, and Ivica Zubac is making his mark with 12.8 rebounds. The Clippers also connect 35 percent of their three-point attempts and nail 79.7 percent from the charity stripe.
Conversely, despite facing challenges and losing to the Lakers and Nets, the Charlotte Hornets are showing potential. They’re looking ahead to their games against the Nuggets, Wizards, and Bucks. The Hornets are putting up 107 points with 42.9 percent shooting while conceding 112.1 points at 46.6 percent. LaMelo Ball is dazzling with an average of 28.2 points and 5.3 rebounds, while Miles Bridges contributes significantly with 19 points and 7.5 rebounds. Mark Williams is also among the top scorers, and Tre Mann is bringing in 2.9 rebounds. They’re shooting 34.5 percent from beyond the arc and achieving 77.3 percent from the free-throw line. Given their recent performance and some injury concerns, the Charlotte Hornets are a team to watch in the upcoming game.
Detroit Pistons vs. Dallas Mavericks
The Detroit Pistons will face the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night in a highly anticipated NBA encounter. Both teams are ranked 8th in their Conferences, so this game will be crucial for maintaining their momentum.
- Date: January 31, 2025
- Venue: Little Caesars Arena (Detroit, MI)
- Time: 7:00 p.m. ET | 4:00 p.m. PT | 5:30 a.m. IST (Next Day)
The Detroit Pistons’ previous NBA season was a complete disappointment. They concluded the season at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with 14 wins and 68 losses. But this time, the story is different. With their phenomenal performance, they are using every single opportunity and have positioned themselves 8th this time with a record of 23 wins and 24 losses. However, they head into this game with three straight defeats against the Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Indiana Pacers. Over to their offense, the Detroit Pistons are averaging 111.8 points per game, which places them at 16th in the league.
Following their poor start to the season, the Detroit Pistons now hang around the top 10 with nearly 50 interior points per game. The Dallas Mavericks are 8th in the Western Conference and record 26 wins and 22 losses. In their previous match, they won their second straight match against the New Orleans Pelicans by a margin of one point. In the game, they made 52 field goals, 54.2%, and 96 field goals attempted. Offensively, the Dallas Mavericks are averaging 115.2 points per game, which placed them 10th in the league, and on defense, they are allowing 111.8 points per game, placing them 14th in the league. Considering their recent form, the Dallas Mavericks will win this game.
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Denver Nuggets
This Friday, the Philadelphia 76ers will lock horns with the Denver Nuggets in the 2024-25 NBA encounter. This match will be crucial as Philadelphia is trying to enter the play-in round, and the Denver Nuggets are looking to move up the West standing.
- Date: January 31, 2025
- Venue: Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia, PA)
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET | 4:30 p.m. PT | 6:00 a.m. IST (Next Day)
The Denver Nuggets have a record of 28 wins and 19 losses this season, placing them fourth in the Western Conference. They are 9.5 games behind the Thunder, who are in first place. The Nuggets do not have a two-game lead over the Timberwolves, so that they could end up in the play-in games. They had a four-game winning streak but have now lost three games in a row, all while playing away from home. Their most recent loss was to the Knicks, with a score of 122-112 on Wednesday, January 29, 2025. Nikola Jokic is leading the team in all primary stats, averaging 29.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.1 assists per game. Vlatko Cancer Holmess II will miss the upcoming match.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers have a record of 19 wins and 27 losses this season, placing them 11th in the Eastern Conference. They are one game behind the Bulls for the last play-in-game position. After losing seven straight games, the 76ers have won four in a row, with a notable victory over the Cavaliers. In their previous match, they beat the Kings 117-104 at home on Wednesday, January 29, 2025. Tyrese Maxey is the team’s leading scorer with 27.1 points and 6.0 assists per game, and Andre Drummond is the top rebounder with 7.6 rebounds per game. Due to injuries, they will miss some key players, including KJ Martin, Caleb Martin, Andre Drummond, Paul George, Joel Embiid, and Jared McCain. In this matchup, the Denver Nuggets are healthy, while the 76ers are missing several star players, giving the Nuggets an advantage to win.
Toronto Raptors vs. Chicago Bulls
The Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls are all set for their upcoming 2024-25 NBA clash. The Raptors are looking to win their sixth straight game, while the Chicago Bulls are looking to bounce back from their previous defeat.
- Date: January 31, 2025
- Venue: Scotiabank Arena (Toronto, ON)
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET | 4:30 p.m. PT | 6:00 a.m. IST (Next Day)
The Toronto Raptors won 106-82 against the Washington Wizards. This is the first time they have won five games since March 24 to April 1, 2022. They have won seven out of their last eight games. Scottie Barnes led the team with 24 points, while the Raptors scored 32 points from 27 turnovers made by the Wizards. The Raptors only turned the ball over 14 times, which led to 12 points for the Wizards. With 15 wins and 32 losses, the Raptors are currently in 12th place. They are doing better on offense, scoring an average of 111.2 points per game, ranking 19th in the league.
However, they are struggling on defense, allowing 116.4 points per game, the 25th in the NBA. The Chicago Bulls are in 10th place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 20-28, while the 76ers are just behind them. The Bulls lost 122-100 to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. Offensively, they are strong, averaging 116.4 points per game, ranking 8th in the league. They have also been good at shooting three-pointers, making 37.1%, which ranks 10th in the NBA. However, their defense is weak, ranking 29th for allowing 120 points per game and 20th for letting opponents shoot 47.1% from the field. With home-court advantage, the Toronto Raptors are likely to win this game.
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Boston Celtics
The defending champion Boston Celtics will take the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night. The Boston Celtics are standing second in the Eastern Conference and aiming for the top place, and the New Orleans Pelicans are in the bottom second position in the Western Conference.
- Date: January 31, 2025
- Venue: Smoothie King Center (New Orleans, LA)
- Time: 8:00 p.m. ET | 5:00 p.m. PT | 6:30 a.m. IST (Next Day)
In their last game, the New Orleans Pelicans lost to the Dallas Mavericks for the fourth time in a row, ending with a score of 136-137. Trey Murphy was the top scorer for the Pelicans with 32 points, six rebounds and four assists. Zion Williamson also did well, contributing 29 points, six rebounds, and seven assists. Unfortunately, despite their strong performances, they lost by just one point. Overall, the Pelicans have struggled offensively this season, ranking 24th in shooting percentage at 44.5% and 25th in 3-point shooting. Defensively, they are ranked 26th for points allowed, giving up 118.1 points per game and 24th in rebounds with 42.9 per game.
Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics won against the Chicago Bulls, finishing 122-100. Kristaps Porzingis led the Celtics with 34 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists, while Jaylen Brown added 28 points, six rebounds, and six assists. The Celtics have been strong offensively this season, ranking fifth in the NBA with an average of 117.3 points per game, shooting 45.7% and 13th in 3-point shooting. On defense, they rank sixth in points allowed at 108.3 per game and fifth in opposing shooting percentage at 45.1%. Given their balanced offense and defense, the Celtics will likely have the advantage in the upcoming match.
San Antonio Spurs vs. Milwaukee Bucks
The Western Conference San Antonio Spurs will face the Eastern Conference Milwaukee Bucks in the exhilarating 2024-25 NBA showdown. Let’s see whether the San Antonio Spurs broke the historical dominance of the Milwaukee Bucks.
- Date: January 31, 2025
- Venue: Frost Bank Center (San Antonio, TX)
- Time: 8:00 p.m. ET | 5:00 p.m. PT | 6:30 a.m. IST (Next Day)
In their last three games, the Milwaukee Bucks have lost twice for the first time since early January. They have won 6 out of their previous eight games and are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. In their loss on Tuesday, they scored only 112 points, their lowest in eight games. They rank 12th in the NBA, averaging 114.5 points per game and shooting 48.6% from the field. The team makes an average of 14.2 three-pointers per game with a 38.7% shooting rate from long range, and they also average 16.3 free throws each game. Defensively, they give up 111.4 points per game, the 10th-best in the league. Opponents shoot 44.9% from the field and 35.2% from three-point range against them.
On the other hand, the Spurs are struggling like they did in the past couple of years. They have won only 1 of their last six games and 2 of their previous 10. They come into this game on a two-game losing streak and are 12th in the Western Conference. San Antonio’s offense is ranked 15th in the league, with an average of 112.1 points per game and shooting 45.9% from the field. They shoot 34.7% from three-point range and average 13.8 three-pointers and 16.8 free throws per game. Defensively, they allow 113.8 points per game, ranking 19th in the NBA, and teams shoot 46.2% from the field and 36% from three-point range against them. Because of this, the Milwaukee Bucks are expected to win this game.
Golden State Warriors vs. Phoenix Suns
The Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns, two Western Conference teams, are all set for the upcoming 2024-25 NBA season. This game will be crucial for the Golden State Warriors to get into the Play-in position, and the Phoenix Suns must maintain their current position.
- Date: January 31, 2025
- Venue: Chase Center (San Francisco, CA)
- Time: 10:00 p.m. ET | 7:00 p.m. PT | 8:30 a.m. IST (Next Day)
The Phoenix Suns lost to the Golden State Warriors 109-105 in their last game, which evened the season series between the two teams. The Warriors are feeling good after Wednesday’s 116-109 win against the OKC Thunder. Coach Steve Kerr will be without Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga again, but his team still has a chance to win against another strong team from the Western Conference. Steph Curry, Andrew Wiggins, and Brandin Podziemski are ready to lead the home team.
The Suns lost their last game against the Warriors in December because of their turnovers. They made four out of 14 mistakes in the previous quarter, which helped the Warriors win. The Suns can take the lead in the season series if they can limit their turnovers, especially the unnecessary ones. The Warriors have struggled recently due to injuries to important players. This game will likely close, but the Golden State Warriors are slightly favored to win.
