The NBA has a light slate of games on Super Bowl Sunday. An inter-conference tilt between four teams with championship upside. Here is your NBA preview for Sunday, February 11th, 2024.
NBA Preview: Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat
This has blossomed into one of the best rivalries in the association. These teams have faced off in three of the last four postseasons, but their seasons have gone in opposite directions thus far. Boston (40-12) enters Kaseya Center as the clear-cut best team in the Eastern Conference. They are also on the shortlist of title favorites with the All-Star break on the horizon. Miami (28-24) is fighting to stay above .500 and out of the NBA Play-In Tournament.
Boston handed the Heat a 31-point home loss, their worst of the season when they last played on January 25. Both teams are coming in winners of four of five, and this game is sure to be much closer than the last contest. The Celtics won their last game against Miami in the first quarter as they jumped out to a 13-point lead in the game’s opening stanza, and it was smooth sailing from there for Boston.
Keys To Victory
Miami needs to get off to a much better start and focus on Jayson Tatum, who has scored 30 or more points in three of his last five games.
Prediction: Celtics 115-108
NBA Preview: Sacramento Kings vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Two of the best young teams in the NBA face off in Oklahoma City on Sunday afternoon. Points will be coming fast and furious in this one, as these are two of the top seven scoring teams in the association. The last matchup saw a total of 251 points scored. The Kings have the rest advantage as OKC is in the second half of a back-to-back. OKC was thoroughly outplayed on the road Saturday against the Dallas Mavericks, where the Thunder lost by 31 points.
After their worst loss of the season, the Thunder will surely play much better on Sunday. They look to bounce back at home against a stout opponent. Two of the best young players in the game, OKC’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and SAC’s De’Aaron Fox, put on a show in the December 14 game. Fox and Alexander combined for 84 points in their last matchup. If either of these perennial All-Stars can play close to that level on Sunday, this game will be one to remember.
Keys to victory
As has been the case in these teams’ previous two matchups, Sunday’s game will come down to which team can come up with key stops. OKC has lost the previous two matchups, and even though they are coming off a game on Saturday, they will squeak by the Sacramento Kings.
Prediction: Thunder 122-117
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