What to Watch, You NBA Sicko: Mar. 30 - Apr. 5
The best viewing experiences the NBA has to offer...this week
Monday - March 30
Early Slot: Boston Celtics at Atlanta Hawks (7:30 PM)
With eight games left in the season, the Celtics have a two and a half game cushion for the East’s second seed, and are four games back of the Detroit Pistons for first. In all likelihood, they’re locked in as the two seed, but they can’t take their foot off the gas, just yet. Meanwhile, the Hawks are in sixth, but are a half-game out of fifth and seventh. Atlanta has gone 16-3 since the All-Star break to get to this point, but their schedule was about as easy as they come. Still, you can only beat the teams in front of you, and their contest against the Celtics kicks off a brutal seven-game final act to their season. Of their remaining games, they play the Celtics, Knicks, Heat, Magic, and Cavaliers twice, with their only gimme being a road contest against the Nets.
Late Slot: Detroit Pistons at Oklahoma City Thunder (9:30 PM) Peacock/NBCSN
For all the plaudits thrown Cade Cunningham’s way, you’d be surprised to know that the Pistons are 10-3 without him. Now, that has largely come against highly incompetent competition, but the Pistons, even down their talisman, can still beat the opposition into submission. However, the Thunder are a whole different beast. Finally fully healthy, the Thunder are gearing up for a title defense and look as good as ever. While I don’t think the Pistons stand much of a chance, seeing how they look against the Thunder without Cunningham, especially on offense, should give us an idea of how much of a threat they are to make a run to the Finals.
Tuesday - March 31
Early Slot: New York Knicks at Houston Rockets (8:00 PM) NBA/Peacock
Did you know that the Knicks are third on offense (119.7), fifth on defense (113.1), and fifth in net rating (+6.6)? Did you know that the Rockets have a top-ten offense, defense, and net rating? Well, if you didn’t, now you do. The Knicks are seemingly always in the midst of a manufactured crisis, while the Rockets have actually been sputtering. The Rockets are still currently in the race for the Western Conference three seed, but at three games back, they can’t afford any slip-ups. The Knicks, meanwhile, have a game and a half lead over Cleveland for third, and are only two and a half games back of Boston for second.
Late Slot: Cleveland Cavaliers at Los Angeles Lakers (10:30 PM)
The Lakers have ridden one hot month to the Western Conference three seed, but this game against Cleveland kicks off a pretty brutal close to the season. First, they play the Cavaliers on the second night of a back-to-back, then they play the Thunder twice in six days, and finally, they have a game against Phoenix on the second night of a back-to-back. While closing the season 4-4 probably won’t push them to fifth or sixth, it could cost them the three seed. The Cavaliers are in a weird spot. They have no danger of falling farther than fourth in the East, and are only a game and a half back of third, but they probably would prefer to avoid moving up in the standings. For as great as the Pistons have been this season, due to their inexperience, it’s fair to view them as a step below the Celtics and Knicks as playoff opposition. On top of that, the chance that you’d have to play the Hornets in the first round is by far the lowest. I doubt that means the Cavaliers punt this game; it just means every game is not a must-win.
Wednesday - April 1
Early Slot: Atlanta Hawks at Orlando Magic (7:00 PM)
Following a seven-game win streak, the Magic have now lost seven of eight, and it was the Hawks who sent them on this death spiral. Now, six of the Magic’s seven losses have come against playoff-quality opposition, but they’re now in eighth with a half-game lead over Miami and Charlotte in ninth and tenth. This game will have a playoff atmosphere. Both the Hawks and Magic need to win this game, but only one can. Don’t be surprised if someone gets ejected.
Late Slot: San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors (10:00 PM) ESPN
There’s a chance Steph Curry will return for this game, but I highly doubt it. Still, Victor Wembanyama is worth the price of admission. With his sudden MVP buzz, which I find completely boggling, I have to imagine he’ll want to make a statement to a national audience. When your only other option is the Jazz and Nuggets, you watch the game with at least two teams ostensibly trying to win.
Thursday - April 2
Early Slot: Phoenix Suns at Charlotte Hornets (7:00 PM)
The Suns appear locked into the seventh seed. They’re fourth games back of sixth, and have a two and a half game lead over eighth. While they could always fall, a three-game lead in the loss column is hard to squander in eight games, but their closing kick to the season is brutal. Six of their final eight games are on the road, which includes dates with the Thunder and Lakers. The Hornets are on a two-game losing streak, but still have a shot to get out of the play-in. It’s been said a million times, but they’ve been one of the best teams in the league for months now. Both of these teams play with a ton of energy, and this should be a very fun affair. Don’t be surprised if Devin Booker ends up taking 14 free throws.
Late Slot: Los Angeles Lakers at Oklahoma City Thunder (9:30 PM) Prime
The Thunder are the litmus test, which makes this a fantastic opportunity for the Lakers to show their bona fides. No team in the NBA has a deeper stable of wings and guards to throw at Luka Doncic on offense and hunt him on defense than the Thunder. Regardless of his stats, it’ll take a Herculean effort from him for the Lakers to win. The Thunder only have a two and a half game lead over San Antonio for the one seed, who also hold the head-to-head tie breaker over them. They’re so good, and now have a fully healthy roster for the first time since November, that I doubt they’ll blow it, but that means taking care of business. I have a feeling they’ll come out looking to make a statement.
Friday - April 3
Early Slot: Minnesota Timberwolves at Philadelphia 76ers (7:00 PM)
The Sixers look great again! How’d this happen? Well, Paul George came back from suspension and made it clear he won’t tell you what he took to get suspended, Joel Embiid healed whatever new body part had been ailing him, and Tyrese Maxey is back from a finger injury. It’s crazy what getting your three best players, making a combined $144.8 million, will do for you. The Timberwolves have gone 4-2 without Anthony Edwards, and he appears on track to be back for this game. This might not be a heavyweight fight, but it’s undercard, or something, I don’t really know anything about boxing.
Late Slot: New Orleans Pelicans at Sacramento Kings (10:00 PM) NBATV
This is the only game that starts after 9:00 PM Eastern. It has lottery implications for the Kings, and I guess, the Atlanta Hawks. Look, the Pelicans are a pseudo-competent bad team, and watching Zion Williamson destroy the Kings’ hapless interior defense should be kind of fun.
Saturday - April 4
Early Slot: San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets (3:00 PM) Prime
While this game is crucial in the playoff seeding picture, I want to take a different angle. The speed at which bored media members have lifted Victor Wembanyama over Nikola Jokic in the league hierarchy should be infuriating to Jokic. It took him years as the best player in the league to get the best player in the league mantle, and now people are just handing it to Wembanyama because he has had one excellent season, where he gets to play under 30 minutes a night. Wembanyama is great. He’s the best defensive player in the league, maybe ever, but here’s the thing. Jokic is also great. He’s the best offensive player in the league, maybe ever. I want to see what happens when an unstoppable Serbian runs into an immovable Frenchman, and I assume you do too.
Late Slot: Detroit Pistons at Philadelphia 76ers (7:00 PM) NBATV
More Sixers! You bet. Unfortunately, this is the second night of a back-to-back for them, which means we could see the League of Extraordinary G-Leaguermen, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take. The Sixers need to stack wins, and getting the Pistons without Cade Cunningham has to be viewed as a winnable game. The Pistons, to their credit, do not take games off. I know it’s a long shot, but watching Jalen Duren try to bully Joel Embiid will be a sight to behold.
Sunday - April 5
Early Slot: Washington Wizards at Brooklyn Nets (3:30 PM)
The implications. Look, someone has to win. The Nets are 18-57. The Wizards are 17-57. The Pacers are 17-58. The race for the worst record is tighter than the Eastern Conference play-in picture. I wish this game were on April first.
Late Slot: Charlotte Hornets at Minnesota Timberwolves (7:00 PM)
The Hornets and Timberwolves are an excellent nightcap for this week. Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball were taken first and third in the 2020 NBA Draft, and early on, there was a real debate over who would go first in a redraft. Largely due to health and roster construction, Edwards has zoomed by Ball, but there’s still plenty of career left to go. The Hornets are maybe the most fun team in the league, and the Wolves are box office in their own dysfunctional way.
For any inquiries about work, discussion, and the like, you can email me at nevin.l.brown@gmail.com.