What to Watch, You NBA Sicko: Nov. 3 - Nov. 9
The best viewing experiences the NBA has to offer
If you build your nightly content binge around the NBA, this might just be the post for you. The NBA, generally, offers two viewing windows a night. 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.
Monday - November 3
Early Slot: Utah Jazz @ Boston Celtics (7:30 PM)
Monday offers exactly one game between teams with winning records, and it is in the late slot. Among this gauntlet of lopsided affairs, the Jazz and Celtics have the closest net ratings, which, I guess, makes it the best game to watch? Honestly, this is a dire early slate of games, but the Celtics and Jazz have both been playing highly competent basketball. Sometimes, mediocrity is all that you need.
Late Slot: Los Angeles Lakers @ Portland Trail Blazers (10:00 PM) NBATV
The Lakers and Trail Blazers present a clash of styles. The Lakers are built around the on-ball excellence of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, while the Trail Blazers are built around the idea that you can defend and run your way to victory. The Blazers already have a comprehensive victory over the Lakers, but that was without Doncic. I hear revenge, just like beer, is best served cold.
Tuesday - November 4
Early Slot: Philadelphia 76ers @ Chicago Bulls (8:00 PM)
The Sixers and Bulls have been the surprises of the season. They’re both 5-1, and the winner of this game will take sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference. Do I think either of them is any good? I honestly don’t. But I do think they’re a ton of fun, which is the whole point of watching basketball.
Late Slot: Oklahoma City Thunder @ Los Angeles Clippers (11:00 PM) NBC/Peacock
The NBA has one undefeated team left. They also just so happen to be the defending champs, who won 68 games last season and haven’t been whole yet. Yet, somehow, some way, the Oklahoma City Thunder are flying under the radar. The Clippers have had a haphazard start to the season, but that’s mostly because in their two losses, they’ve been absolutely boat-raced. If the old man Clippers can’t get up when the defending champs come to town, then they’re not as dangerous as we all thought.
Wednesday - November 5
Early Slot: Minnesota Timberwolves @ New York Knicks (7:30 PM) ESPN
As of today, both the Timberwolves and Knicks are .500 with equally mediocre net ratings to match. At some point, every season, even good teams play like they want to participate in the play-in. I’m betting that both teams turn it around soon, and we could be in for a treat. The only news worth monitoring in the run-up to this game is that Anthony Edwards might still be out, but he has at least been cleared for contact. If Edwards is a go, then this is the best game of the early window.
Late Slot: San Antonio Spurs @ Los Angeles Lakers (10:00 PM) ESPN
This one is simple. You get to watch Victor Wembanyama and Luka Doncic. These are two of the brightest stars in the universe, and they both absolutely live for the moment. I guarantee there will be real trash-talking between these two in at least four languages. It’s basically a Bond film.
Thursday - November 6
Only Slot: Los Angeles Clippers @ Phoenix Suns (9:00 PM) NBATV
You are a captive audience. There is but one game. The Suns have shown some signs of life recently, and the Clippers need to rack up wins. Throw in a sprinkle of Chris Paul assholery, and I’m sure this will be at least watchable.
Friday - November 7
Early Slot: Houston Rockets @ San Antonio Spurs (7:30 PM) Prime
The Rockets are doing things on the offensive glass that should not be possible. Their offensive rebound rate of 36.8% has powered them to the league’s best offense. Will it last? Who knows, but Victor Wembanyama has the Spurs tied for first in defensive rebound rate at 81.9%. If Wembanyama is going to conquer the league, he’ll need to prove that even Steven Adams can’t bully him. Simply put, these are two good teams, perhaps great, that should be chomping at the bit to prove who is the best in the Lone Star State.
Late Slot: Golden State Warriors @ Denver Nuggets (10:00 PM) Prime
With no apologies to Sacramento, when the Warriors and Nuggets play, it is appointment viewing. Their first contest was a 131-137 overtime victory for the Warriors, and we shouldn’t expect anything less the second time around. Despite a 3-2 record, the Nuggets have the second-best net rating (+12.1) in the league, while the Warriors have oscillated between world beater and surprisingly vulnerable. I think we’ll get both teams’ fastball, and when that happens, you know you’re in for a treat.
Saturday - November 8
Early Slot: Portland Trail Blazers @ Miami Heat (8:00 PM)
Two worthy games are tipping off at 8:00 PM. The first are the Cavaliers and Bulls, but the one that gets my seal of approval is the Trail Blazers and Heat. Why? Well, I just don’t think the Bulls can keep it up, and I think the Cavaliers will still be a bit too injured. The Blazers are using their defense to play fast, while the Heat are running and gunning on offense. This should be a fast-paced game with two teams trying to do very different things to win.
Late Slot: Indiana Pacers @ Denver Nuggets (9:00 PM)
I don’t like picking the same team on consecutive days, but the only other late slot game features the Suns and Clippers, who had Thursday by default. The Pacers have been gutted by injuries, but at least they get the Nuggets on the second night of a back-to-back. Will that be enough for them to make the game interesting? I hope so, but hope is doing a lot of heavy lifting here.
Sunday - November 9
Early Slot: Houston Rockets @ Milwaukee Bucks (3:30 PM)
The Bucks have been a pleasant surprise, and the Rockets have beaten the brakes off the opposition since dropping their first two games. As a general rule, you should always watch two future inner-circle Hall of Famers while they’ve still got it, and Giannis and Durant certainly still do.
Late Slot: Detroit Pistons @ Philadelphia 76ers (7:30 PM)
The Pistons have had a slow offensive start to the season, but their defense has more than made up for it. Meanwhile, the Sixers have ridden the league’s third-ranked offense to the top of the Eastern Conference. Right now, these are two of the better teams in the Eastern Conference, and while I don’t know if that will continue, they’re still evenly matched.
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