Quality NBA teams -- Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers -- are set for a massive encounter at Oracle Arena on Thursday. It is a big match which will test the skills and also the character of both the teams, who are contenders for the NBA title.
The Cavaliers have been a strong team this season, winning 13 and losing only three matches. Such kind of positive performances has been possible with their stars LeBron James and Kyrie Irving delivering the goods for the team.
However, they come into this clash with a loss under their belt. The Milwaukee Bucks defeated Cavaliers in their last match 118-101, and the home side will hope to get back to their winning ways when they face Clippers.
The Bucks have showed even if James and Irving have a decent game, the Cavs can be defeated. The Cavaliers will not want to think too much about their loss, but move forward as their record in their last five matches reads four wins and one loss.
James and Irving will once again be central for the Cavaliers in the offensive end, but this time around, they will also want other players to contribute against Clippers, who will have to find ways to stop the duo from shining. If the Clippers manage to do that, it might help them win their first win in four matches.
The Clippers have been poor, losing their last three matches. But make no mistake; this Clippers squad have some exceptional players, who can win games on their own. With stars such as Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, JJ Reddick the Clippers can beat any team in the NBA. After their three straight losses, these big names will be more than determined to defeat the Cavaliers.
Griffin has been solid on both sides of the floor, and more importantly in the offensive board averaging 21.1 ppg this season. With Paul and JJ Reddick having contributed well, one can expect a high-scoring game, but the Clippers need to be tight on their defence to stop the Cavaliers from winning.
With both the teams possessing some huge players, there are some important mini battles, including James vs Griffin and Irving vs Paul, making the contest interesting.
Where to Watch Live
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Los Angeles Clippers is set to begin at 9 pm ET (2 am GMT, 6:30 am IST next day). Live Streaming and TV guide for the NBA opener is below.
India: TV: Sony Six and Sony Six HD. Live Streaming: Sonyliv.
USA: TV: TNT. Live Streaming: TNT Overtime.
UK: TV: BT Sport. Live Streaming: Watch BT Sport.
Australia: TV: ESPN.
Canada: TV: TSN2. Live Streaming: TSN TV.
International: NBA Online.
