Talking points ahead of this weekend’s live NBA action on Sky Sports | NBA News

Take a deep dive into the talking points from each of Saturday and Sunday’s games.

Saturday’s NBA action

Los Angeles Lakers vs Atlanta Hawks

Where to watch: Sky Sports Mix (00:30)

The Lakers have taken losing Anthony Davis very hard; Tuesday’s surging 19-point win against the Orlando Magic provided temporary reprieve before they capitulated the very next day in a harrowing 112-98 defeat to the Miami Heat.

The franchise are now 2-4 without Davis, who continues to remain sidelined as a result of a right foot injury, though is constantly being monitored and re-evaluated. In his absence, Lebron James has been a one-man machine as he powers his way towards Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s points record.

The big man is averaging 27.8 points this season, as he did on Wednesday night, but in a more defensive capacity, also giving up quite a few turnovers. He can’t do it all.

Fortunately, the Atlanta Hawks could be the perfect tonic. As of writing, they are on a three-game losing streak and have only topped 130 points twice this season. Sharing the spoils has been a struggle of late as John Collins and Dejounte Murray find their feet, both return from ankle injuries.

Our predictions expect the Lakers to snatch a narrow victory, with perhaps a small cameo for Davis?

Los Angeles Clippers vs Indiana Pacers

Where to watch: Sky Sports Mix (20:00), Sky Sports Main Event HD (20:30)

The Clippers have won seven of their last nine games. More importantly, they are finally operating with a fit and healthy Kawhi Leonard, playing in the kind of form he was playing in before last year’s season-ending ACL injury.

Indeed, Leonard logged a season-high 35 minutes in a victorious return to Toronto and is slowly returning to full strength. Even at around 50 per cent he is still averaging 21.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists in his last five games, which could spell trouble for the Indiana Pacers.

Of course they boast their own talisman in Tyrese Haliburton, who is currently playing in All-Star form. The Eastern Conference Player of the Week has been in scintillating form, guiding his team to a pair of wins over the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics, averaging 38 points. As one of the league’s most dangerous two-pointers, if the Clippers can’t keep him outside of the paint, he’ll be scoring freely.

Limit him to three-pointers, a notable point of weakness for Haliburton, and there might yet be hope for a narrow Clipper win.

Sunday’s NBA action

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Chicago Bulls

Where to watch: Sky Sports Main Event HD (00:00), Sky Sports Mix (00:00)

The Bulls are facing off against the Cleveland Cavaliers and it could not be coming at a worse time. Their recent three-game winning streak provided some false hope on the season’s trajectory arc, and they were snapped back to reality with a home loss against the Houston Rockets thanks to Kevin Porter Jr’s efforts.

Currently sitting at 15-19, the Bulls are 5-8 against teams with a losing record and ironically struggle to put away teams.

The Cleveland Cavaliers currently do not fit into that category. Sure, they did lose recently to the Brooklyn Nets, but so have most other teams. Just take a look at their personnel and it becomes clear that they lead our predictions to win this weekend’s tie.

From Darius Garland, who scored a majestic 46 against the Nets, or Donovan Mitchell’s 36 against the Milwaukee Bucks the week prior. Though they have the best home record in the NBA (16-2), they have mirrored that on the road more often as they build a better support structure of their stars.

Expect the Bulls to be on the wrong side of another defeat as the Cavs look to climb the Eastern Conference standings and put some real pressure on the number three seed Bucks.