What to Watch, You NBA Sicko: Jan. 5 - Jan 11
The best viewing experiences the NBA has to offer...this week
Monday - January 5
Early Slot: New York Knicks at Detroit Pistons (7:00 PM) Peacock
Detroit leads the East at 26-9, but New York only trails by three games. If the Knicks want to claim the one seed, they pretty much need to win this game. Fortunately, this is the first of three meetings between the two sides, which gives the Knicks three direct strikes to close the gap and three potential Eastern Conference Final previews. Also, since the Pistons and Knicks only face each other three times, claiming two out of three grants a tie-breaker.
Late Slot: Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers (10:00 PM) Peacock
If the NBA season started eight games ago, the Clippers and Warriors would look like contenders at 6-2. Unfortunately, the season started in October, so the Warriors are a pedestrian 19-17, while the Clippers are a dreadful 12-22. Regardless, these two veteran-laden teams have real talent, and it’s all coalescing right now. It might not last, but trying to catch teams when they’re hot is always the right move.
Tuesday - January 6
Early Slot: Miami Heat at Minnesota Timberwolves (8:00 PM) NBC/Peacock
The Timberwolves have a bear of a week. They play Miami, Cleveland twice, and close it out with the Spurs. I originally had all four games on the list, but decided I’d settle for three. The Heat are quietly 20-16, but their underlying numbers suggest they should be 22-14, which is right next to the Timberwolves at 23-13.
Late Slot: Dallas Mavericks at Sacramento Kings (11:00 PM) NBC/Peacock
The Mavericks and Kings contest is the only game in the late slot, which is why they get the nomination. That being said, the Mavericks, when they have Anthony Davis, resemble a real basketball team. Meanwhile, the Kings are a basketball team that will play 82 games in the NBA this season. If you want to catch up on some sleep, this is the game to skip, but if you’re an insomniac, this will probably be just slightly less interesting than whatever is on Adult Swim.
Wednesday - January 7
Early Slot: Toronto Raptors at Charlotte Hornets (7:00 PM)
The Raptors and Hornets are similar in one regard. When they have their guys, they look pretty dang good. The Hornets are 12-23, but 5-5 over their last ten, and have a +4.47 net rating when LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel, and Brandon Miller share the court. The Raptors are 6-4 over their past ten, and own a +4.07 net rating when their preferred starting five of Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and Jakob Poeltl is on the court. This isn’t a game that will be talked about on television, but I’m talking about how it should be on your television, which has to count for something.
Late Slot: Los Angeles Lakers at San Antonio Spurs (9:30 PM) ESPN
I’m very unconvinced by the Lakers’ 22-11 record, but when a game has Luka Doncic, Victor Wembanyama, and LeBron James in it, you have to plop down on the couch and tune in. There’s a real chance this game ends up a laugher. The Lakers’ inability to defend the perimeter is not a good match for the Spurs’ lightning-quick guards, and it’s tough to win a game solely on offense when the other team has Victor Wembanyama blotting out the Sun like a tyrannical deity. But if there’s one man who can render all of that a moot point, it’s Luka Doncic. I wouldn’t bet on it, but why miss the chance to see something special?
Thursday - January 8
Early Slot: Indiana Pacers at Charlotte Hornets (7:00 PM)
What makes this game so special? Well, it starts at 7:00 PM, and the other early games start at 8:00 PM, but the only late game starts at 9:00 PM. So, while you could choose between Heat-Bulls or Cavs-Wolves, you’d only be able to catch one game, and it turns out the Cavs and Wolves play again on Saturday. Sometimes, to optimize your viewing experience, you have to watch the Pacers and Hornets play a game of basketball.
Late Slot: Dallas Mavericks at Utah Jazz (9:00 PM)
Wow, the Mavericks are riding a wave of being the only show in town. Like a miserable small-town restaurant, being the only non-chain option can elevate you to untold levels of popularity. That being said, the Jazz are a ton of fun on offense and pitiful on defense, and the Mavericks are a top-ten defense and a bottom-tier offense. This won’t answer if defense wins championships, but it will answer just how bad one of these teams is.
Friday - January 9
Early Slot: Philadelphia 76ers at Orlando Magic (7:00 PM)
The Sixers currently hold a half-game lead over the Magic for the fifth seed in the East, which makes the playoff implications for this game massive. When choosing between playing the Raptors or one of the Celtics or Knicks in the first round of the playoffs, I know who everyone is picking. The Sixers are on a three-game win streak, and with games against the Jok-less Nuggets and Wizards, they could enter this contest riding high at five. The Magic have been alternating wins and losses for the past two weeks, but have an away back-to-back against the Nets and Wizards. This isn’t the sexiest game, but I have a feeling the desperation levels will make it a hell of a lot of fun.
Late Slot: Houston Rockets at Portland Trail Blazers (10:00 PM)
This game, as the second game of a baseball series, has the potential to be quite fun. In no capacity is this substantiated, but it feels increasingly difficult to sweep an NBA doubleheader. Whoever loses on Wednesday will come out with their hair on fire to try to save face. Hopefully, the Rockets prevail in the first matchup, so the underdog Trail Blazers are the hungrier team. None of this is scientific, but sometimes you’ve got to go with vibes, and my gut tells me this will be a good old-fashioned street fight.
Saturday - January 10
Early Slot: Minnesota Timberwolves at Cleveland Cavaliers (1:00 PM) Prime
My fingers are crossed that the Timberwolves and Cavaliers’ second matchup of the week will be the more inspired affair. The first game is in Minnesota, but it moves to Cleveland for round two, which gives the Cavaliers, the weaker of the two sides right now, the best chance to make this a game. The Cavaliers have started to turn their season around, and are 5-3 over their past eight games, with their three losses coming at the hands of the Knicks, Rockets, and Pistons. They still need to prove that they can beat good teams, and this is a prime opportunity.
Late Slot: San Antonio Spurs at Boston Celtics (8:00 PM)
The Celtics have surged to third in net rating (+7.5), while the Spurs reside in fifth (+5.5). These are two of the best teams and stories of the season, and if you can only catch one game this week, this would be my pick. Victor Wembanyama might be the best player ever at defending the rim, but the Celtics have the second-ranked offense in the league despite taking the second-fewest shots at the rim. Honestly, games like this sell themselves. Just tune in and enjoy.
Sunday - January 11
Early Slot: Brooklyn Nets at Memphis Grizzlies (3:30 PM)
The Nets have been playing respectable basketball over the past month, while the Grizzlies have gone 11-9 over their past 20 games. The Nets had the worst defense ever to start the season, but have been winning with defense for a month now. The Grizzlies have been far better without Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr, despite the pair playing better recently. At this point, I have no idea what to expect from either of these teams, which makes this an intriguing game. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Nets won in a blowout or if the Grizzlies returned the favor.
Late Slot: San Antonio Spurs at Minnesota Timberwolves (7:00 PM)
The Timberwolves gauntlet doesn’t end with this game. They have a matchup with the Bucks in Milwaukee, then head to Texas to face the Rockets and Spurs in a back-to-back. In fact, this game is the second night of a back-to-back for them. I don’t know who the Wolves slighted in the league office, but this January stretch feels unnecessarily cruel. Regardless, this is a matchup between two of the best teams in the West, and the Wolves will be desperate for a win. They might not have enough gas in the tank, but then you’re reminded that the Spurs are also on the second night of a back-to-back. Holy fucking shit, what is wrong with the schedule makers?!?
For any inquiries about work, discussion, and the like, you can email me at nevin.l.brown@gmail.com.