Sunday (11-27) [note: not every NBA game is on NBA League Pass. For instance, Blazers/Hawks is not available for viewing]
Best: Pacers @ Clippers: Elton Brand is one of the most underrated players in the league, but will earn a little credit against Jermaine O'Neal. How well will Cassell do against the much younger Tinsley? Both teams are young and athletic and should match up pretty well against each other.
Runner-up: Nets @ Lakers: It's uncertain whether the constantly injured Vince Carter will match up against Kobe, but he'll bring out the best in Bryant if he does. This is a show-me game for Kwame Brown. If he can't produce a double-double against a 40-yr old Clifford Robinson then he doesn't have much of a bright side. Monday (11-28)
Best: Hornets @ Warriors: So far Golden State looks more impressive on the road than at home, and that 30-pt blowout against San Antonio could have been a morale buster. The Hornets come off an impressive win at Seattle. So which team dictates the tempo more?
Runner-up: Mavericks @ Raptors: The least we can expect from Toronto is for them to play hard. At home they should put up some intensity; the Raptors are certainly young enough to match up with Dallas. Villanueva and Calderon always get big 4th quarter minutes, which is good since consistency never hurt. But when are Morris Peterson and Jalen Rose going to produce? It's likely they're both gone by the end of the year.
Blowout: Nets @ Nuggets: Just about the worst place NBA teams want to play in on the second day of back-to-backs is Denver. The Nuggets should run them out of the building, regardless if Marcus Camby is out. The pace will get too hectic for New Jersey to handle, and Vince Carter shouldn't be expected to produce much. Tuesday (11-29)
Best: Pacers @ Jazz: Last year, Indiana and Utah were brought down by injuries and suspensions. We all know about Artest's suspension, but Utah lost Kirilenko, Boozer and Okur for a large part of their season. The Jazz are a playoff team under Jerry Sloan, but they absolutely have to stay healthy. Not only do those get injured, but McLeod, Giricek and Harpring are often injured as well. Are they healthy enough to compete against the Pacers, who are in the midst of a long road trip?
Runner-up: Hawks @ Rockets: Without McGrady, the Rockets struggle against everyone. Not only that, but they do pretty awful at home (maybe because of their lackluster attendance). Last year they lost by 18 at home to Charlotte, and they've already lost to the Hornets at home. And they had T-mac on those 2 occasions. Suffice to say, Houston will struggle against the Hawks. A more glamorous game is Mavs/Bucks, which might be just as good.
Blowout: Magic @ Bulls: There is some teams others just struggle against for whatever reason. Houston for one has only won a couple times vs. Orlando since the 95' Finals. The Magic themselves struggle greatly against the Bulls. Chicago should bloat up the score by the 3rd quarter. Wednesday (11-30)
Best: 76ers @ Celtics: The gap in the Atlantic division is slim to say the least. A mere 5-game win streak for the Raptors could leave anyone to lead the division. Maybe if a dominant power doesn't emerge the Celtics/Sixers rivalry could be rekindled. Hopefully this game will be as good as the Sixers/Knicks affair that happened a few days ago.
Runner-up: Blazers @ Wizards: Gilbert Arenas is a scoring machine, and is very under appreciated considering his all-star bid should be automatic. Sebastion Telfair is unlooked upon in Portland, and is the penetrating PG Portland wanted Stoudamire to be. The last noticeable game these 2 played against each other was when Jordan and Pippen first played against each other.
Blowout: Bobcats @ Sonics: Seattle doesn't appear to be the same team that won their division last year. That being said, they still have a very potent offense and can take advantage of a young Charlotte team. The way the SuperSonics are playing right now, this could be a close game. But they have to recover at some point. Losing McMillan can't leave them that big a drop-off. Thursday (12/1)
Best: Spurs @ Mavericks: Thursdays always have the least NBA games, and this Thursday is no different with only 2 contests. However, San Antonio/Dallas is the only game I'd watch anyway. The Spurs already lost in Dallas earlier in the year, but San Antonio has exemplified their team since then and will put a better fight. These are clearly the best 2 teams in the West; all that means nothing if the Mavs can't deliver in the end.
Runner-up: Lakers @ Jazz: For the last 25 years, a Lakers/Jazz game would be just fine for me. These 2 teams aren't the Shaq or Malone era clubs they once were, and it's a shame. Jackson and Sloan are 2 of the best coaches ever, but rebuilding won't look good on their career-winning %. There is no "I" in Kobe or team, but the Lakers haven't realized that. Both offensively and defensively, LA is just standing around waiting for #8 to do something. Friday (12/2)
Best: Pacers @ Blazers: Zach Randolph is a very different player for O'Neal to defend. Randolph is nonchalant, and barreling into him won't work. Also, it's Jermaine's home return. But as always with the Pacers, the bulk of the boo's will be aimed at Ron Artest. Artest and the Trailblazers go well together, but it's been awhile since the 2 have met.
Runner-up: Heat @ Kings: Both teams are very different since they last played in Sacremento. Shaq and Peja are injured, Webber is gone, and Walker and Abdur-Rahim are in. Still, these 2 hampered teams should keep it interesting. Of Mike Bibby and Jason Williams, which will outperform the other? Neither was thrilled about being traded for each other.
Blowout: Knicks @ Pistons: Larry Brown's Detroit return, how will that turn out? First off, do not EVER watch a game because of the coach. The coach doesn't dunk, shoot or foul. A perfect example is this game. Folks, this one won't be pretty. The reception is up in the air, but the end result will be clear: Pistons in a rout. The worst part for Larry Brown will be when he realizes that he can't play rookies in the garbage time, since he's regularly playing them. Saturday (12/3)
Best: Cavaliers @ Clippers: LeBron James back in LA, but against the good LA team. Can Drew Gooden possibly outwork Elton Brand? Maybe not, but Ilgauskas on Kaman is definitely a mismatch. Both teams have eclipsed their season expectations so far, but both need to make the playoffs to get true justification.
Runner-up: 76ers @ Spurs: The Webber/AI duo isn't as good as Duncan/Ginobili, but Iverson is sure to step up. The Sixers have put up some of the best offensive numbers so far this year, and it's not a matter of if those stats will wane, as much as how far? Tony Parker will force a little energy out of Iverson, but Parker himself might not be as effective when he gets tired.
Blowout: Grizzlies @ Rockets: Houston is on the fall with T-Mac out, and the Grizzlies have remained playoff-caliber, which is surprising for you too if your honest. Yao has to learn to play as a Center and stop avoiding charges, and cause them himself. Relying on Yao to outperform himself isn't the key to success for the Rockets. |
