MIAMI, FL, Sporting Alert – The NBA schedule and TNT Overtime games streaming live online on Thursday night, 22 December.
Five games are on the schedule for tonight, with the highlighted fixtures being Los Angeles Lakers against the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Clippers versus the San Antonio Spurs.
Both contests will broadcast live on TNT and available to stream live on TNT Overtime.
LAKERS v HEAT
In the TNT opening tip-off, the Lakers travel to AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami to face the Heat with both clubs desparate for wins.
Game time is set for 8:00 pm ET.
Los Angeles (11-20) has dropped its last two games and 10 of the last 11 overall entering this encounter.
Miami has also been struggling this season, losing three straight and eight of it last 10 games overall.
On the road this term, the Lakers are a frustrating 5-13 but the Heat are no better at home – holding a 4-11 record this season at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Five Lakers players are scoring in double-figures this season, led by veteran Lou Williams, who is averaging 18.8 points per game.
D’Angelo Russell (15.0pts), Jordan Clarkson (14.8), Nick Young (14.5) and Julius Randle, 12.8 points and 8.6 rebounds, are the other major contributors for Los Angeles.
Goran Dragic is scoring 19.1 points, while Hassan Whiteside is averaging a double-double with 18.1 and 14.8 rebounds per outing for Miami this season.
The Heat are coming off a disappointing 136-130 double-overtime loss on Tuesday night against the Orlando Magic with Whiteside and Tyler Johnson both scoring a career-high 32 points.
“This was the most disappointing loss of the season because we had so many chances to win,” said Whiteside, who added 15 rebounds and five blocks in the defeat.
The Lakers, meanwhile, suffered a 117-113 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night, with Clarkson leading the way with 25 points and Young adding 24 in the defeat.
LA CLIPPERS V SPURS
Game 2 on the TNT and TNT Overtime schedule sees the Los Angeles Clippers playing host to the San Antonio Spurs at STAPLES Center at 10:30 pm ET.
LA enters the game without leading forward Blake Griffin, who is out injured for four to six weeks but the pundits believe coach Doc Rivers has enough depth and quality to cover for his leading scorer.
The club reported that Griffin underwent a successful arthroscopic surgery on Tuesday and will now take in the next month and a half of action from the sidelines.
In Griffin’s absence, coach Rivers will look to captain Chris Paul, J.J. Redick, Jamal Crawford, DeAndre Jordan and Austin Rivers to fill the void.
Redick scored 27 points and made seven 3-pointers, and Chris Paul added 16 points, 15 assists and eight rebounds, for the Clippers (21-8) in a 119-102 win over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, San Antonio (23-5) is coming off a thrilling 102-100 win over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.
Kawhi Leonard leads the Spurs in scoring with 23.9 points, while LaMarcus Aldridge (16.6), Pau Gasol (11.8), Patty Mills (11.3) and Tony Parker (10) are also scoring in double-digits per game this season.
San Antonio, which is giving up 97.9 points per game, the fourth in the league this season – has won five in a row and nine of the last 10 games overall coming into this game.
Los Angeles Clippers have won five of the last six and are scoring 109.9 points per game, which is fifth this term.
Defensively, coach Rivers team is allowing 101.6 points, which is seventh lowest in the NBA this term.
Besides the games televising live on TNT and streaming live on TNT Overtime on Thursday night, Bost Celtics will host the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, while the Golden State Warriors will travel to face the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center.
Elsewhere, the New York Knicks will entertain the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden.
NBA Schedule: TNT and TNT Overtime
Thursday, December 22
Boston at Indiana 7:00 PM
Golden State at Brooklyn 7:30 PM
Orlando at New York 7:30 PM
Los Angeles Lakerts at Miami 8:00 PM TNT, TNT Overtime
San Antonio at LA Clippers 10:30 PM TNT, TNT Overtime
