What to Watch, You NBA Sicko: Dec. 1 - Dec. 7
The best viewing experiences the NBA has to offer
These are the best games the NBA has to offer over the week of December 1st through 7th. The early slate will be games between 5:00 PM and 8:30 PM, and the late slate will be any game starting after 9:00 PM. On weekends, the early slot can begin as early as midday. However, the NBA usually schedules at least one West Coast game every night, but we’re about to enter a dark period for NBA after dark. From December 3rd to 9th, there will be no games hosted on the West Coast, which means no 10:00 PM or later tipoffs. Due to this scheduling quirk, there are many nights with no second game to catch. In those instances, I’ve included two early slot games for you to choose from, or selected the earliest game imaginable to squeeze in two games before bedtime.
Monday - December 1
Early Slot: Atlanta Hawks at Detroit Pistons (7:00 PM)
After winning 13 consecutive games, the Pistons dropped two straight before righting the ship in a 138-135 victory over the Heat. They’re still atop the Eastern Conference, but their reliance on winning games that enter the clutch (11-3) was always going to catch up to them. Fortunately, for our viewing pleasure, the Hawks are another team who love a close game. The Hawks are tied for fifth in clutch games with 12, making this a game with a high likelihood of late-game drama.
Late Slot: Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers (10:00 PM) Peacock
The Suns’ surprisingly solid start was derailed a tad when they faced the three Western Conference behemoths over a four-game span. There’s no shame in losing to the Rockets, Nuggets, and Thunder, but losing by a combined 44 points will take a chunk out of your net rating. The Lakers keep racking up wins, despite far less sterling underlying metrics. They’re 15-4, but own a +4.3 net rating, which suggests a 12-7 record. At the end of the day, these are two solid teams who should offer their fair share of star power. Plus, Dillon Brooks versus LeBron James and/or Luka Doncic is always a fun little WWE detour.
Tuesday - December 2
Early Slot: New York Knicks at Boston Celtics (8:00 PM) NBC/Peacock
The Knicks are 13-6 with a net rating of +7.5. While they don’t have the best record in the East, they do have the best net rating, which indicates they’re currently the class of the conference. The Celtics, unsurprisingly, are not at the same level as they have been in the recent past, but they’re still 11-9 with a net rating of +4.2. When historic rivals face off, there’s always a little something extra. Throw in the fact that they’re actually good teams and a recent playoff clash, and you have must-watch television.
Late Slot: Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors (11:00 PM) NBC/Peacock
The best start in NBA history belongs to the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors. Their 24-0 start set the stage for their record-setting 73-win season, but these Thunder aren’t far behind. At 20-1, they’re four wins away from equalling the Warriors’ 25-game start, and I’d have to imagine that will be the lede going into this game. Do the Warriors stand a chance? Not really, but when their geriatric stars throw recovery to the wind and push for a single game, they can beat anybody. This game should have a playoff atmosphere, and the intensity on both ends will be box office.
Wednesday - December 3
Note: All Games tip off between 7:00 and 8:30
Early Slot: San Antonio Spurs at Orlando Magic (7:00 PM)
Will Victor Wembanyama be back? Will Paolo Banchero? I don’t have the answers, but it shouldn’t matter. The Magic and Spurs have identical net ratings of +5.2, and both have been fine without their former first overall pick. The Magic have gone 6-2 without Banchero with a net rating of +10.7 and have seen improvements on both offense and defense. As I detailed in an article, this is nothing new. Meanwhile, the Spurs have gone 5-2 despite a Wembanyama-sized hole in the center of the court, with a net rating of +3.7. While the Spurs have seen a slight uptick on offense, their defense has taken a serious step back. If Wembanyama and Banchero are back, this is a must-watch game, and if neither is suiting up, this is still a should-watch game.
Early Slot: Detroit Pistons at Milwaukee Bucks (8:00 PM)
With Giannis Antetokounmpo back, the Bucks reenter the fray. However, even with Giannis, the Bucks were showing signs of falling off. The real reason to watch this game is for the spectacle. The Pistons have the best record in the East because of their defense, and this defense loves to wall off the rim. Well, Giannis has heard that before, and sieged even the most formidable of fortresses. I have no idea if the Bucks can keep pace, but I want to see Giannis try.
Thursday - December 4
Early Slot: Golden State Warriors at Philadelphia 76ers (7:00 PM) NBATV
The Warriors and Sixers have both been equally mediocre, despite serious star power. Joel Embiid is back after being day-to-day for nine consecutive DNPs, and Tyrese Maxey continues to be ground into dust by Tom Thibodeau Nick Nurse. The Warriors are awful on offense without Steph Curry, lost without Draymond Green on defense, and need Jimmy Butler on the court to ever be elite. Both teams are quite small, which gives this game the chance to be an incredibly fun up-and-down affair.
Early Slot: Los Angeles Lakers at Toronto Raptors (7:30 PM)
Did you know, the Raptors and Lakers are right next to each other in net rating? The Raptors are tenth at +4.6, while the Lakers are 11th at +4.3. Neither has played a particularly daunting schedule, which only adds to the suspicions over their true talent level. Fortunately, we’ll get to see these two teams duke it out to determine who is the fraud and who is for real.
Friday - December 5
Early Slot: Miami Heat at Orlando Magic (7:00 PM)
While I would normally select a Lakers-Celtics contest, the fact that the Lakers will be on the second night of a road back-to-back has me questioning just how interesting that game will end up being. Instead, I’m nominating the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic. The Heat have continued to play at a breakneck pace of 105.5 possessions per game, which has made them one of the most entertaining teams to watch. The Magic and the Heat are also evenly matched. The Heat have a +5.0 net rating, while the Magic come in at +5.2. I expect this to be an up-and-down, high-scoring affair through sheer possession volume.
Late Slot: Dallas Mavericks at Oklahoma City Thunder (9:30 PM) Prime
Look, it’s the latest starting game for like a week. The Thunder should absolutely handle the Mavericks, but it’s worth watching Cooper Flagg experience the best defense in modern NBA history. He’ll probably fail, but sometimes Wonderkins show us why they’re so precocious.
Saturday - December 6
Early Slot: New Orleans Pelicans at Brooklyn Nets (5:00 PM)
To be a true NBA sicko, you must watch this game. The Pelicans are a disaster because they don’t have their first-round pick, and the Nets are a disaster because they do. The reality is that there have always been bad teams, and admonishing tanking won’t solve stratification. Now, the Pelicans do have some pretty good players in Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy, while the Nets have Michael Porter Jr. These are real NBA players with real feelings, and, debatably, real thoughts.
Late Slot: Golden State Warriors at Cleveland Cavaliers (7:30 PM) NBATV
The Cavaliers have been the most disappointing team in the league. This is a team with championship aspirations coming off a 64-win season that is 12-9 with a +3.2 net rating. Injuries have played a part, but Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen have all been mostly healthy. The Warriors have been the most disappointing team in the league to the projection models. Kevin Pelton had them pegged for 56.1 wins and the second seed in the Western Conference. Well, they’re 11-10 with a +0.9 net rating. Both these teams need to start stacking wins if they want to live up to our and the computer’s aspirations.
Sunday - December 7
Early Slot: Orlando Magic at New York Knicks (12:00 PM)
This is simple. The Knicks are first in Eastern Conference net rating, and the Magic are third. The Magic have already beaten the Knicks twice. This game is in New York at 12:00 PM. A Knicks crowd fresh off brunch sounds like the best television environment in the NBA.
Late Slot: Portland Trail Blazers at Memphis Grizzlies (6:00 PM)
The Trail Blazers have been about as good as I expected at 8-12, but they’ve gotten there in a surprising way. Their offense is 19th at 115.1 points per 100 possessions, but their defense is 23rd at 118.0. I thought they had the chance to pair a top-five defense with a bottom-five offense, and instead, they’ve just been run-of-the-mill bad on both ends. The Grizzlies have not been as good as I expected, but they’ve righted the ship as of late, going 5-1 against an admittedly soft schedule, and Josh Edey’s return has been a huge boost. In eight games, Edey has an on-court net rating of +22.8. It should also be noted that this recent surge coincides with Ja Morant missing time. I’m not saying the Grizzlies are better without him; all I’m saying is that they have played better without him.
For any inquiries about work, discussion, and the like, you can email me at nevin.l.brown@gmail.com.