A preview of the upcoming week for Canadian ballers in the Association.
<table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" align="left" width="697"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="64"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><b><span>Date</span></b></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="134"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><b><span>Visitor</span></b></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="131"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><b><span>Home</span></b></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="86"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><b><span>Time (ET)</span></b></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="282"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><b><span>Canadians in Play</span></b></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="64"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Mon. Feb 10</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="134"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>New Orleans Pelicans</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="131"> <p class="MsoNormal"><img src="http://www.basketball.ca/files/maple_leaf.png" width="19" height="20" alt="" style="border: none; color: rgb(38, 38, 38); font-family: Arial; line-height: 18px;"><span><span>Toronto Raptors</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="86"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>7:00 p.m.</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="282"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>N/A</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="64"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Mon. Feb 10</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="134"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>San Antonio Spurs</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="131"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Detroit Pistons</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="86"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>7:30 p.m.</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="282"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span> Cory Joseph (Toronto, ON)</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="64"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Mon. Feb 10</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="134"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Boston Celtics</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="131"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Milwaukee Bucks</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="86"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>8:00 p.m.</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="282"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span> Kelly Olynyk (Kamloops, BC)</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="64"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Tues. Feb 11</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="134"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Dallas Mavericks</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="131"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Charlotte Bobcats</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="86"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>7:00 p.m.</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="282"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span> Samuel Dalembert (Montreal, QC)</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="64"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Tues. Feb 11</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="134"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Sacramento Kings</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="131"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Cleveland Cavaliers</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="86"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>7:00 p.m.</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="282"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span lang="EN-US"> Tristan Thompson (Toronto, ON) Anthony Bennett (Toronto, ON) </span></span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="64"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Tues. Feb 11</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="134"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Utah Jazz</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="131"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>L.A. Lakers</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="86"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>10:30p.m.</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="282"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span lang="EN-US"> Robert Sacre (North Vancouver, BC)</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="64"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Wed. Feb 12</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="134"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Dallas Mavericks</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="131"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Indiana Pacers</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="86"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>7:00 p.m.</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="282"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span lang="EN-US"> Samuel Dalembert (Montreal, QC)</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="64"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Wed. Feb 12</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="134"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Memphis Grizzlies</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="131"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Orlando Magic</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="86"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>7:00 p.m.</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="282"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span> A</span><span lang="EN-US">ndrew </span><span>Nicholson (Mississauga,ON)</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="64"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Wed. Feb 12</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="134"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Atlanta Hawks</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="131"> <p class="MsoNormal"><img src="http://www.basketball.ca/files/maple_leaf.png" width="19" height="20" alt="" style="border: none; color: rgb(38, 38, 38); font-family: Arial; line-height: 18px;"><span><span>Toronto Raptors</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="86"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>7:00 p.m.</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="282"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span> N/A</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="64"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Wed. Feb 12</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="134"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>San Antonio Spurs</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="131"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Boston Celtics</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="86"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>7:30 p.m.</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="282"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span lang="EN-US"> Cory Joseph (Toronto, ON) </span><span lang="EN-US">Kelly Olynyk (Kamloops, BC)</span></span><span lang="EN-US"><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="64"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Wed. Feb 12</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="134"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Cleveland Cavaliers</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="131"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Detroit Pistons</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="86"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>7:30 p.m.</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="282"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span lang="EN-US"> Tristan Thompson (Toronto, ON) Anthony Bennett (Toronto, ON) </span></span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="64"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Thurs. Feb 13</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="134"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>Oklahoma City Thunder</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="131"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>L.A. Lakers</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="86"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>10 :30 p.m.</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="282"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span> </span><span lang="EN-US">Robert Sacre (North Vancouver, BC)</span></span><span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Canadian Die-Hards Top 3 Games
Wednesday, February 12th
Mavs at Pacers
Montreal, QC native Samuel Dalembert is coming off one of his better weeks of the season. After recording a double-double (14pts, 10rebs) against Memphis last Wednesday, the veteran center chipped in 12 pts and 6 boards in a win versus the Jazz on Friday. This week Dalembert will be facing two top-end big men in Roy Hibbert and Andrew Bynum. Rim-protection and establishing a strong interior defense will be on Dalembert’s do-to list if the Mavs hope to beat the gritty Pacers.
Wednesday, February 12th
Grizzlies at Magic
This will be another match-up where Mississauga, ON’s Andrew Nicholson will need to body up his opponent. The Grizzlies currently boast the best defense in the league since the return of Marc Gasol, and with an improving Zach Randolph on the season to boot. The Magic are an undersized team by average, so Nicholson’s big body and defensive presence will be key to slowing down the Grizzlies big men.
Wednesday, February 12th
Spurs at Celtics
Kelly Olynyk of Kamloops, BC continues to show promise in this league. He has the quickness of a guard but the strength of a big, and can stroke it too. The BC native will either face Tim Duncan or Boris Diaw, both being excellent and fundmental defenders. Olynyk will have to bring his A game to have an impact against this seasoned Spurs team. Cory Joseph will also be hitting the floor to face Olynyk and the Celtics. Patty Mills, the other backup PG for the Spurs, has been played very well of late. This might not be all bad for Joseph, as Coach Pop has often gone to a two PG set in the hopes of resting his veterans. Joseph should get the minutes in this one as the Celtics present young and speedy guard play.