Starting Lineups: Jan. 2
After a light schedule to kick off 2015, the NBA is back in full swing Friday.
A busy 11-game slate features a number of intriguing matchups, including recently-acquired Dallas Mavericks point guard Rajon Rondo's return to Boston to take on the Celtics.
The Cleveland Cavaliers will play their first game sans LeBron James since it was revealed knee and back strains are likely to sideline the superstar for two weeks, while Dwight Howard and the Houston Rockets visit Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans in a contest that will feature two of the game's best bigs.
It won't be an easy task for the Washington Wizards as they travel to Oklahoma City to face the Thunder and Kevin Durant, who is coming off a season-high 44-point performance.
The main of event of the night will be the last one to tip off in a battle of the conference's best teams. Coming off an overtime loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, the Eastern Conference-leading Toronto Raptors (24-8) will visit the NBA-best Golden State Warriors (25-5). Golden State has won nine consecutive home games against the Raptors.
Here are Friday's projected starting lineups:
Brooklyn Nets at Orlando Magic, 7 p.m. ET
| Position | Nets | Magic |
|---|---|---|
| PG | Jarrett Jack | Elfrid Payton |
| SG | Sergey Karasev | Victor Oladipo |
| SF | Joe Johnson | Tobias Harris |
| PF | Kevin Garnett | Kyle O'Quinn |
| C | Mason Plumlee | Nikola Vucevic |
Cleveland Cavaliers at Charlotte Hornets, 7 p.m. ET
| Position | Cavaliers | Hornets |
|---|---|---|
| PG | Kyle Irving | Kemba Walker |
| SG | Mike Miller | Gerlad Henderson |
| SF | Shawn Marion | Michael Kidd-Gilchrist |
| PF | Kevin Love | Cody Zeller |
| C | Tristan Thompson | Bismack Biyombo |
*Cavaliers SF LeBron James (knee, back) will not play
*Hornets SG Lance Stephenson (groin) will not play
*Hornets C Al Jefferson (groin) will not play
Detroit Pistons at New York Knicks, 7:30 p.m. ET
| Position | Pistons | Knicks |
|---|---|---|
| PG | Brandon Jennings | Joe Calderon |
| SG | Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | Pablo Prigioni |
| SF | Kyle Singler | J.R. Smith |
| PF | Greg Monroe | Jason Smith |
| C | Andre Drummond | Cole Aldrich |
*Knicks PF Amar'e Stoudemire (knee) will not play
*Knicks SG Tim Hardaway Jr. (concussion) will not play
*Knicks C Samuel Dalembert (ankle) will not play
*Knicks SF Carmelo Anthony (knee) will not play
Dallas Mavericks at Boston Celtics, 7:30 p.m. ET
| Position | Mavericks | Celtics |
|---|---|---|
| PG | Rajon Rondo | Evan Turner |
| SG | Monta Ellis | Avery Bradley |
| SF | Chandler Parsons | Jeff Green |
| PF | Dirk Nowitzki | Jared Sullinger |
| C | Tyson Chandler | Tyler Zeller |
*Rockets PG Alexey Shved (ankle) will not play
Washington Wizards at Oklahoma City Thunder, 7:30 p.m. ET
| Position | Wizards | Thunder |
|---|---|---|
| PG | John Wall | Russell Westbrook |
| SG | Bradley Beal | Andre Roberson |
| SF | Paul Pierce | Kevin Durant |
| PF | Nene Hilario | Serge Ibaka |
| C | Marcin Gortat | Steven Adams |
Houston Rockets at New Orleans Pelicans, 8 p.m. ET
| Position | Rockets | Pelicans |
|---|---|---|
| PG | Patrick Beverley | Jrue Holiday |
| SG | James Harden | Tyreke Evans |
| SF | Trevor Ariza | Luke Babbitt |
| PF | Josh Smith | Anthony Davis |
| C | Dwight Howard | Omer Asik |
Indiana Pacers at Milwaukee Bucks, 8:30 p.m. ET
| Position | Pacers | Bucks |
|---|---|---|
| PG | Donald Sloan | Brandon Knight |
| SG | Rodney Stuckey | Khris Middleton |
| SF | Solomon Hill | Giannis Antetokounmpo |
| PF | David West | Johnny O'Bryant |
| C | Roy Hibbert | Zaza Pachulia |
*Pacers PG George Hill (groin) will not play
*Pacers PG C.J. Watson (foot) will not play
*Bucks C Larry Sanders (personal) will not play
*Bucks PF Ersan Ilyasova (concussion) will not play
*Bucks PG Jerryd Bayless (knee) will play
Philadelphia 76ers at Phoenix Suns, 9 p.m. ET
| Position | 76ers | Suns |
|---|---|---|
| PG | Michael Carter-Williams | Eric Bledsoe |
| SG | K.J. McDaniels | Goran Dragic |
| SF | Robert Covington | P.J. Tucker |
| PF | Luc Richard Mbah a Moute | Markieff Morris |
| C | Nerlens Noel | Alex Len |
*76ers SG Hollis Thompson (illness) will not play
Atlanta Hawks at Utah Jazz, 9 p.m. ET
| Position | Hawks | Jazz |
|---|---|---|
| PG | Jeff Teague | Trey Burke |
| SG | Kyle Korver | Patrick Christopher |
| SF | DeMarre Carroll | Gordon Hayward |
| PF | Paul Millsap | Derrick Favors |
| C | Al Horford | Enes Kanter |
*Jazz SG Rodney Hood (foot) will not play
Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Lakers, 10:30 p.m. ET
| Position | Grizzlies | Lakers |
|---|---|---|
| PG | Mike Conley | Ronnie Price |
| SG | Courtney Lee | Kobe Bryant |
| SF | Tony Allen | Wesley Johnson |
| PF | Jon Leuer | Ed Davis |
| C | Marc Gasol | Jordan Hill |
*Grizzlies PF Zach Randolph (knee) will not play
Toronto Raptors at Golden State Warriors, 10:30 p.m. ET
| Position | Raptors | Warriors |
|---|---|---|
| PG | Kyle Lowry | Stephen Curry |
| SG | Terrence Ross | Klay Thompson |
| SF | Landry Fields | Harrison Barnes |
| PF | Amir Johnson | Draymond Green |
| C | Jonas Valanciunas | Marreese Speights |
*Raptors SF Landry Fields (concussion) will play
*Warriors C Festus Ezeli (ankle) will not play