Five Games To Watch This Week 11/25 - 12/1

Grizzlies' Marc Gasol will be out indefinitely with an MCL
sprain, so this puts them at a disadvantage in this game.

5. Houston Rockets vs. Memphis Grizzlies
Monday November 25, 2013 8pm

After a slow start to the season, the Grizzlies have begun to pick things up just a little. However, Marc Gasol is now out indefinitely so he will not suit up for this one. The Grizzlies could definitely use him against Dwight Howard. Now, they'll have to rely on some of the other bigs like Zach Randolph and Kosta Koufos. Depending on how the Grizzlies weather the storm with Gasol out, these two teams could be battling for supremacy in the Southwest Division and Western Conference.

Rockets' Dwight Howard and Spurs' Tim Duncan will
face off for the first time this season.

4. Houston Rockets vs. San Antonio Spurs
Saturday November 30, 2013 8:30pm

This will be the first time the Rockets face the Spurs this season. While the Rockets and Spurs have had some good battles over the years, the Spurs has been the team with the most success in this Texas rivalry. The acquisition of Dwight Howard makes the Rockets a contender out West, but they haven't locked in defensively like people expected. They're giving up over 105 points a game, which is second worst in the league. Both offenses are pretty potent, so this will be a show.

Warriors' Andre Iguodala hit the game-winner in the first meeting
in Oakland. The Thunder will be looking for revenge.

3. Golden State Warriors vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Friday November 29, 2013 8pm NBATV

When these two played in Oakland roughly two weeks ago, it was a very entertaining one which was won at the buzzer by Andre Iguodala. Iguodala is now suffering from a hamstring injury that has him out indefinitely, so who knows when he'll return. This game will still come down to what Stephen Curry and David Lee can provide. Klay Thompson is also very important, so if he's shooting the ball well, they can upset the Thunder. This also could be a playoff preview.

If you don't want to watch football this Sunday, catch this
entertaining matchup between two title contenders.

2. Indiana Pacers vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Sunday December 1, 2013 3:30pm

The Pacers are rolling, winning 12 of their first 13 games to start the season. The Clippers are sitting at 10-5, so they're off to a good start as well. Some people believe the Clippers have what it takes to reach the NBA Finals. The Pacers, with the best record in the Eastern Conference, also has what it takes to get to the NBA Finals. This could be an NBA Finals preview. Therefore, this should be a good one.

These two teams are the two best in the Western Confernce,
so expect to see them in the Western Conference Finals again.

1. San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Wednesday November 27, 2013 8pm

If it weren't for the injury to Russell Westbrook in the first round of last year's playoffs, these two teams probably would've seen each other for the second consecutive year in the Western Conference Finals. While many people believe the Rockets, Clippers and Warriors can challenge for the Western Conference crown, these two teams are still the best two teams in the conference until further notice. I expect these two teams to be back in the Western Conference Finals in May.

Five Games To Watch This Week 11/18 - 11/24

 

Last time these two teams met, Pacers' Roy Hibbert
was sending Knicks' Carmelo Anthony's dunk back.

5. Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks
Wednesday November 20, 2013 7pm ESPN

This game is only on the list because this is a rematch of the Eastern Conference Semifinals series. Sure, there are other rematches from last year's playoffs, but these two teams are headed in opposite directions. The Pacers just suffered their first defeat, but they have been playing excellent basketball. On the other hand, the Knicks have looked like the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles. They have been unable to win at home, and this should be a game the Knicks wake up for.

Hawks' head coach Mike Budenholzer has the Hawks a
game behind the Heat in the division early in the season.

4. Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat
Tuesday November 19, 2013 7:30pm

No one seems to know who the Hawks have on their team, but they are playing good basketball and they're just a game behind the Heat in the Southeast Division. While Josh Smith has departed, Paul Millsap seems to be the better fit for the front line. Mike Budenholzer has the Hawks spreading the floor and rotating around the perimeter, just like Gregg Popovich does with his Spurs. Don't be surprised if the Hawks pull off an early season upset.

Damian Lillard and the Trailblazers have been an early
season surprise.

3. Portland Trailblazers vs. Golden State Warriors
Saturday November 23, 2013 10:30pm

No one is talking about the Trailblazers, but they have the second best record in the Western Conference behind the Spurs. They're also the team that has handed the Spurs their only loss. LaMarcus Aldridge is averaging just over 22 a game while pulling down nine boards. Currently on a six-game winning streak, the Trailblazers will have to complete their East trip and play the Bulls at home before facing the Warriors. This could be a very entertaining game.

Timberwolves' Kevin Love and Rockets' James Harden
figures to provide scoring punch in this matchup.

2. Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Houston Rockets
Saturday November 23, 2013 8pm

The Timberwolves play the Clippers at home where they'll look for revenge. However, we haven't seen the Timberwolves' offense against the Rockets' offense yet. This should be entertaining, as both teams shoot the ball well from the outside. Ricky Rubio will be playing the pick and roll game with Kevin Love and Nikola Pekovic, while looking to get Kevin Martin opportunities from the outside. The Rockets will look to push the tempo and get Dwight Howard good looks in the paint while feasting from the outside with James Harden, Chandler Parsons and Jeremy Lin. This should be high scoring.



Thunder's Serge Ibaka and Clippers' Matt Barnes were ejected
from this game last week.

1. Los Angeles Clippers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Thursday November 21, 2013 8pm TNT

Serge Ibaka and Blake Griffin continued their little beef when these two met up last week in Los Angeles, and it got Matt Barnes tossed after he defended his teammate. With Barnes, Griffin and Ibaka on the floor together again for this one, it's a must-see. Ibaka and Griffin will probably get tangled up again. Just don't expect Barnes to jump in this time. He's apparently tired of getting fined for it.

Five Games To Watch This Week 11/11 - 11/17

Luol Deng, Joakim Noah and the Bulls will look for revenge
after losing big in Indiana.

5. Indiana Pacers vs. Chicago Bulls
Saturday November 16, 2013 8pm

These two already played one in Indianapolis, and the Pacers were able to run away with the game in the second half. Tom Thibodeau will look at the game tape and have things figured out by the time the Pacers come into the United Center for this one. Derrick Rose has struggled in the team's first five games, so he'll need to get going soon if the Bulls want to contend for a championship this season.

Kevin Love and the Timberwolves are off to a surprisingly fast
start.

4. Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Monday November 11, 2013 10:30pm

The Timberwolves are starting to put things together now that Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love are healthy at the same time. Rubio had his ACL injury two seasons ago, and Love missed a significant amount of games to injury last season. The addition of Kevin Martin this offseason is an underrated move so far that has worked very well. The Timberwolves were toward the bottom in perimeter shooting last season. So far this year, they're toward the top thanks to Martin's shooting. This is a nice early season test. Remember, the Timberwolves have played well against the Clippers in the past.

Russell Westbrook and the Thunder will look to knock off
a Western Conference contender on the road.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Wednesday November 13, 2013 10:30pm ESPN

With Russell Westbrook back, the Thunder are whole. We now get to see if the Thunder will be able to get back to the top of the Western Conference. Right now, the top two teams are the Spurs and Thunder. It's been that way the past two seasons. The Clippers have all of these expectations so this is a test for them as well. Westbrook against Chris Paul is always a good one as well.

Stephen Curry and the Warriors will try to make a statement
against the Thunder.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Golden State Warriors
Thursday November 14, 2013 10:30pm TNT

The Warriors got Stephen Curry back, but that didn't help things as the Warriors were routed by the Grizzlies. Still, the Warriors are expected to be an improved team from last season. Playing against a healthy Thunder team should make Mark Jackson aware of where his team is and where they need to be going forward. For the Thunder, these are two tough games on back-to-back nights.

Doc Rivers will go up against Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett for
the first time since all three left the Celtics in the offseason.

1. Brooklyn Nets vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Saturday November 16, 2013 10:30pm NBATV

Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce could've been with the Clippers with Doc Rivers. The league didn't allow it, so now Garnett and Pierce are with the Nets. This will be the first time Rivers meets up with Garnett and Pierce. The Nets have their own issues, however, as they're stuck in the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with their crosstown rivals Knicks. The Clippers have been mediocre, but two wins against the Rockets have been impressive.

Five Games To Watch This Week 11/4 - 11/10

Rockets' James Harden and Dwight Howard look to be a very
good match early on.

5. Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Monday November 4, 2013 10:30pm NBATV

These two teams will play again on Saturday in Houston, but this will be the first meeting between the two teams. Both teams are expected to be title contenders in the Western Conference. For the Rockets, this will be their first big test of the season. They have gotten off to a good start so far. What should be noted is Dwight Howard will return to the Staples Center in this one.

The front line of both teams will determine their success in this
game and this season.

4. Indiana Pacers vs. Brooklyn Nets
Saturday November 9, 2013 7:30pm NBATV

These two are expected to be title contenders in the Eastern Conference, so this game will be a must-watch. Both teams have big front lines, so we'll have to see who's front line can play better. Last season, the Nets got the better of the Pacers in their head-to-head matchups in the regular season. It'll be a big win for the Pacers if they can win in Brooklyn.

Bulls' Derrick Rose will get his first taste of divisional basketball
since 2012 when they face the Pacers.

3. Chicago Bulls vs. Indiana Pacers
Wednesday November 6, 2013 7pm ESPN

These teams will probably be fighting for supremacy in the Central division. The home team won all four matchups last season, but there's a little animosity between the two that should not go overlooked. After a Pacers win in the United Center in the lockout-shortened 2012 season, Joakim Noah said he heard a lot of celebrating in that Pacers' locker room, which he took exception to. That may be forgotten from both teams, but look for a great battle between two great defensive teams.

There figures to be a lot of alley-oops in this game between these
two athletic teams.

2. Los Angeles Clippers vs. Miami Heat
Thursday November 7, 2013 7pm TNT

The Clippers have a lot of early tough matchups, and this is simply one of them. One thing that should be noted is that Doc Rivers will be coaching against the Heat. He's done so with the Celtics for years and those Celtics teams did not like the Heat at all. The Heat denied Rivers another opportunity to go back to the NBA Finals when they lost Game 7 in Miami back in the lockout-shortened 2012 season. Rivers will only see them twice a year, but he'll probably be giving his team a nice pep talk.

After a great Western Conference Semifinals series last year, these
two will play against each other for the first time since then.

1. Golden State Warriors vs. San Antonio Spurs
Friday November 8, 2013 8:30pm

Many people may disagree, but this is the must-watch game of the week. These two teams probably had the best Conference Semifinals matchup. It was truly a tale of two series as the Warriors looked very dominant early in the series. The Spurs, however, flipped a switch and dominated late in the series to take it in six. With the acquisition of Andre Iguodala, the matchup between these two just figures to get better. The Spurs have remained the favorites by some, and the Warriors might have something to say about that. Too bad this game is only on local television.