What to Watch, You NBA Sicko: Nov. 17 - Nov. 23

The best viewing experiences the NBA has to offer

These are the best games the NBA has to offer over the week of November 17th through 23rd. The early slate will be games between 7:00 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.

Monday - November 17

Early Slot: Milwaukee Bucks @ Cleveland Cavaliers (7:00 PM) Peacock

The Bucks and Cavaliers have been sputtering as of late, but these are still two sides that have real playoff aspirations. Giannis is always a must-watch, and with Darius Garland’s reaggravation of a toe injury, so is Donovan Mitchell. Throw in a heaping helping of regional familiarity, and this is as close to an NBA grudge match as you’ll find.

Late Slot: Chicago Bulls @ Denver Nuggets (9:00 PM)

Fortunately, the only game in the late slot features Nikola Jokic. The Bulls, following a 5-0 start, have come back down to Earth, but with Coby White back from injury, the Bulls have the one thing the Nuggets have never handled all that well– a lightning-quick guard. The Nuggets have been the best team in the NBA outside of the Thunder and keep chugging along despite injuries to two starters. This game could be a blowout, but it should be an up-and-down blowout that gives you three quarters of fun and then an excuse to go to bed at a reasonable time, East Coast edition.

Tuesday - November 18

Early Slot: Detroit Pistons @ Atlanta Hawks (7:30 PM)

The Pistons are atop the Eastern Conference, and the Hawks have leveled up in Trae Young’s absence. Since Young went down with an MCL sprain, the Hawks have gone 7-2 with a net rating of +9.0. I’m not saying this is a clash between two Eastern Conference heavyweights; the data is. It’s still early, but this could be a playoff preview.

Late Slot: Phoenix Suns @ Portland Trail Blazers (11:00 PM) NBC/Peacock

The Phoenix Suns, after a 1-4 start, have turned things around. Over their past nine games, they’ve gone 7-2 with a net rating of +12.8. Now, they’ve beaten up on bad teams, but that’s what mediocre teams should do. The Trail Blazers haven’t been as hot recently, but their schedule has been much more demanding. I think these are two equally matched sides who should produce some altercation-based fireworks thanks to Dillon Brooks and Portland’s full-court pressure.

Wednesday - November 19

Early Slot: Toronto Raptors @ Philadelphia 76ers (7:00 PM)

Thanks to a 1-4 start and the fact that Canada might as well be an extended Yukon territory, it has probably been lost on people that the Raptors are now 8-5 with a +4.8 net rating. They’ve crushed a lot of bad teams, but that’s exactly how the Sixers got off to a 5-1 start. With Paul George’s return looming, this could be the Sixers’ first fully operational game. Regardless, anytime two top-10 offenses square off, it’s worth a watch, and these two sides should be duking it out all season in the Eastern Conference standings.

Late Slot: New York Knicks @ Dallas Mavericks (9:30 PM) ESPN

The Knicks quietly have the fourth-best net rating in the league at +6.9, but Jalen Brunson is dealing with a grade-one ankle sprain. He’ll travel with the team on their road trip, but there’s no guarantee he’ll play. The Mavericks have been a mess, and Anthony Davis isn’t likely to be ready for another few weeks, but Cooper Flagg is showing exactly why he was such a hyped prospect. Over his past seven games, he’s averaging 17.6 points per game on 59.5% shooting on twos. Considering he has to self-generate so much of his offense, this is a wildly promising run for someone who is still 18 years old.

Thursday - November 20

Early Slot: Sacramento Kings @ Memphis Grizzlies (8:00 PM)

Thursday really only has one time slot, so I’m giving the nod to two teams who have been absolute shitshows. The Grizzlies are 4-10, and the Kings are 3-11, and if either wants to save their season, they need to win these types of games. There’s way too much talent on both of these rosters for their seasons to be this off the rails, but poor roster construction and apathy have a way of making talent a moot point. Ja Morant will be out for a few weeks, but he has played so poorly this season that it could be addition by subtraction. This is a game that could be so bad it becomes a truly transcendent work of entertainment.

Friday - November 21

Early Slot: Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls (8:00 PM)

I’ve been banging the Miami Heat drum all season. They play fast as fuck and as a result every one of their games feels like an extended car chase. The Heat have scored 115 points or more in 11 of their 13 games and allowed at least 115 points in nine. The Bulls also like to play fast and loose with it, which should give us absolute madness on a basketball court. If this game doesn’t see two teams score over 120, then I’ve failed as an analyst.

Late Slot: Denver Nuggets @ Houston Rockets (9:30 PM) Prime

Okay, no more cute shit. This is a good old-fashioned heavyweight fight. The Nuggets are second in net rating (+13.6) and the Rockets are third (+11.6). The Rockets are first in offensive rating (125.3) and the Nuggets are second (124.3). The Rockets play offense like cavemen, while the Nuggets have a celestial being pulling the strings. Kevin Durant. Nikola Jokic. Alperen Sengun. Jamal Murray. Amen Thompson. Aaron Gordon. I could go on listing guys, but you get the point. Games like this are why the NBA gets $8 billion a year for their national media rights.

Saturday - November 22

Early Slot: New York Knicks @ Orlando Magic (5:00 PM) NBATV

This is pretty simple. There’s a chance both Jalen Brunson and Paolo Banchero will be back for this game. And any opportunity to witness that many ill-advised mid-range jumpers just cannot be passed up. The Magic have been playing better following a slow start, and the Knicks will certainly like a taste of revenge after falling to the Magic 124-107.

Late Slot: Detroit Pistons @ Milwaukee Bucks (8:00 PM) NBATV

The Pistons keep on racking up wins despite my concerns over its sustainability. Meanwhile, the Bucks have regressed to where we expected them after a strong opening two weeks. The Pistons have largely been powered by elite rim protection, while the Bucks have Giannis Antetokounmpo, the human projectile battering ram, to test their fortitude. I’m very excited to see what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. My guess is that by the end of this game, one of Jalen Duren or Isaiah Steward will have been ejected.

Sunday - November 23

Early Slot: Miami Heat @ Philadelphia 76ers (1:00 PM)

Since every other Sunday game starts between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM, I figured giving the early slot to the Heat and 76ers was prudent. However, this isn’t solely a logistical choice. The Heat, as I’ve mentioned before, are incredibly fun to watch. The Sixers, when they go guard-heavy, are also a delight. This should be a game worth pausing your NFL intake to watch.

Late Slot: San Antonio Spurs @ Phoenix Suns (8:00 PM)

The Suns unleashed the genius, big-brain blueprint to slow down Victor Wembanyama. In a truly inspired gambit, the Suns put a wing on Wembanyama, which is what every team basically does to slow down centers who are capable from the perimeter. I’m not knocking the Suns, I’m just saying they used the oldest trick in the book to great effect. Since that fateful night, the Spurs, who started 5-0, are 4-4, and Wembanyama has been held to 23.3 points per game on an eFG% of 51.6%. This is almost certainly a temporary solution to the unsolvable problem that is Victor Wembanyama, but I’m curious to see just how fast he can figure this one weird trick out.

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