What to Watch, You NBA Sicko: Dec. 15 - Dec. 21

The best viewing experiences the NBA has to offer

Monday - December 15

Early Slot: Detroit Pistons at Boston Celtics (7:00 PM) Peacock

This is, without a doubt, the best Eastern Conference matchup of the week. While the Pistons are 20-5 and the Celtics are 15-10, the pair are separated by 0.1 in net rating. Yes, through the magic of small sample close performance variance, the Pistons have won five more games than the Celtics, despite playing at essentially the same level. When you throw in strength of schedule, the Celtics actually appear to be the better team. Anyways, this should be a fun game, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if it comes to the wire.

Late Slot: Houston Rockets at Denver Nuggets (9:30 PM) Peacock

This is, without a doubt, the best matchup of the week, and we get it twice. The Nuggets and Rockets are the clear second and third best teams in the league. In any normal year, they’d be the two best. They are also the two best offenses in the league. Their first contest was decided by three points, and I don’t see any reason why this one shouldn’t come down to the wire as well.

Tuesday - December 16

NBA Cup Final: San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks (8:30 PM) Prime

The NBA Cup Final has the night all to itself. The Spurs’ stunning victory over the Thunder in the semifinal was one of the games of the year, and the Knicks have quietly built an incredibly impressive resume. With Victor Wembanyama back in the fold, this rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals will have a playoff atmosphere.

Wednesday - December 17

Only Slot: Memphis Grizzlies at Minnesota Timberwolves (8:00 PM) NBATV

There are only two games on Wednesday, and they both tipoff at 8:00 PM. If Grizzlies and Wolves duking it out in the wild doesn’t do it for you, the Cavaliers and Bulls are a solid alternative. I chose the Grizzlies and Wolves because the Bulls and Cavaliers have been far too depressing as of late.

Thursday - December 18

Early Slot: Atlanta Hawks at Charlotte Hornets (7:00 PM)

Considering there are 12 games on Thursday, it is impressive how few of them are actually interesting, and it’s especially bad in the early slate. Just look at the net rating spreads of the games between 7:00 and 8:00 PM.

Once you factor in Giannis Antetokounmpo’s injury, the Hornets and Hawks game is by far the best contest of the early slate. Is it actually a good game? Who knows? Maybe Trae Young and LaMelo Ball will be back.

Late Slot: Orlando Magic at Denver Nuggets (9:00 PM)

The NBA really should have figured out a way to get this game started at 8:00. Instead, it tips off at the same time as Warriors-Suns, which is the other reasonably good game. Regardless, the Magic and Nuggets are two of the best teams in the league, and they are both down two key contributors. Usually, you’d side with the Nuggets at home, but they’re somehow 6-4 at home this season, compared to 12-2 on the road.

Friday - December 19

Early Slot: Miami Heat at Boston Celtics (7:00 PM)

While Thursday is a relative dud of a night, Friday more than makes up for it. Miami and Boston is definitely the best game of the early slate, but Sixers-Knicks and Spurs-Hawks should also be thoroughly enjoyable games. The Heat continue to play at a breakneck pace, while the Celtics play at the league’s slowest. The 9.1 possessions per game gap between the two is the NBA’s version of fire and ice, which just so happens to be geographically fitting.

Late Slot: Oklahoma City at Minnesota Timberwolves (9:30 PM) Prime

The Thunder might have lost a game, but they’re still on pace to be the greatest regular season team of all time. However, there’s still a ton of season left, and to claim that mantle, they’ll need to rip off ten-game win streaks with the regularity with which the Wizards win a game. The Timberwolves rightly believe they’re one of the best teams in the Western Conference, and a win over the Thunder would prove their bona fides.

Saturday - December 20

Early Slot: Houston Rockets at Denver Nuggets (5:00 PM) NBATV

Unfortunately, the NBA’s attempt to make travel more manageable has not aided competitive balance. The Rockets and Nuggets have to play each other twice in five days and three times in a month. Considering Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon will functionally miss the entirety of three of these games, it won’t be until March 11th when we potentially could see both sides at full strength. That being said, whoever loses on Monday will be hell-bent on winning tonight to regain lost ground in the standings.

Late Slot: Phoenix Suns at Golden State Warriors (8:30 PM)

The Warriors and Suns are two solidly mediocre teams. Neither looks to have any real playoff upside, but both should be fighting all season to secure the one seed (seventh) in the play-in. While games like this don’t garner as much attention, they might be the most important games of their season. Whoever has the best record against their peers at the bottom of the Western Conference playoff field has the best chance to finish seventh, which gives you the best chance of making the playoffs and, crucially, avoiding the embarrassment of playing the Thunder in round one.

Sunday - December 21

Early Slot: Chicago Bulls at Atlanta Hawks (3:30 PM)

Look, someone has to watch the Bulls, and this is the best time to do it. Everyone else will be watching football, and you can secretly catch up on the melancholy and infinite sadness that is the Chicago Bulls. It’s like a Smashing Pumpkins album, just not good. So, I guess it’s not like a Smashing Pumpkins album, but still, if the 90s are back, Smashing Pumpkins deserves more respect.

Late Slot: Toronto Raptors at Brooklyn Nets (6:00 PM)

While the Heat-Knicks game at 6:00 PM deserves to be here, I think it’s only right to suggest watching the less appealing teams every once in a while, just so you can fully appreciate the good teams. Since Sunday is the day for football and fantasy playoffs, I can only assume that if you’re going to watch a 6:00 PM NBA game, you are a true-blue NBA sicko. So, to prove your sicko credentials, I task thee with watching Raptors at Nets.

For any inquiries about work, discussion, and the like, you can email me at nevin.l.brown@gmail.com.