Sunday (11-27)
[note: not every NBA game is on NBA League Pass. For instance, Blazers/Hawks is not available for viewing]

Better:
Pacers @ Clippers: Elton Brand is one of the most underrated players in the league, but he’ll earn a bit of credit against Jermaine O’Neal. How well will Cassell fare against the much younger Tinsley? Both teams are young and athletic and should match each other quite well.

runner-up:
Networks @ Lakers:
It’s unclear if the constantly injured Vince Carter will take on Kobe, but it will bring out the best in Bryant if he does. This is a demo game for Kwame Brown. If he can’t produce a double-double against a 40-year-old Clifford Robinson, then he doesn’t have a silver lining.

Monday (11-28)

Better:
Hornets @ Warriors: So far, Golden State looks more impressive on the road than at home, and that 30-point blowout against San Antonio might have destroyed morale. The Hornets are coming off an impressive victory in Seattle. So which team dictates the tempo the most?

runner-up:
Mavericks @ Raptors: The least we can expect from Toronto is for them to play hard. At home they should put some intensity; the Raptors certainly are young enough to keep up with Dallas. Villanueva and Calderón always get big minutes in the fourth quarter, which is a good thing since consistency never hurts. But when are Morris Peterson and Jalen Rose going to produce? Both will likely be gone by the end of the year.

Burst:
Nets @ Nuggets: About the worst place NBA teams want to play on the second day in a row is Denver. The Nuggets should get them out of the building, regardless of whether Marcus Camby is out. The pace will become too hectic for New Jersey to handle, and Vince Carter shouldn’t be expected to produce much.

Tuesday (11-29)

Better:
Pacers @ Jazz: Last year, Indiana and Utah suffered injuries and suspensions. We all know about Artest’s suspension, but Utah lost Kirilenko, Boozer and Okur for much of their season. The Jazz are a playoff team under Jerry Sloan, but they absolutely need to stay healthy. Not only are they injured, but McLeod, Giricek and Harpring are often injured as well. Are they healthy enough to compete against the Pacers, who are in the middle of a long road trip?

runner-up:
Hawks @ Rockets: Without McGrady, the Rockets are fighting against everyone. Not only that, but they are doing pretty poorly at home (perhaps due to poor attendance). Last year they lost by 18 at home to Charlotte, and they’ve already lost to the Hornets at home. And they had T-mac on those 2 occasions. Suffice to say, Houston will struggle against the Hawks. A more glamorous game is Mavs/Bucks, which could be just as good.

Burst:
Magic @ Bulls: There are some teams that others fight against for whatever reason. Houston, for example, has only won a couple of times vs. Orlando since the ’95 Finals. The Magic themselves struggle a lot against the Bulls. Chicago should inflate the score for the third quarter.

Wednesday (11-30)

Better:
76ers @ Celtics: The gap in the Atlantic division is small, to say the least. A simple 5 game win streak for the Raptors could leave anyone to lead the division. Perhaps if a dominant power doesn’t emerge, the Celtics/Sixers rivalry could reignite. Let’s hope this game is as good as the Sixers/Knicks thing that happened a few days ago.

runner-up:
Blazers @ Wizards: Gilbert Arenas is a scoring machine, and he’s underappreciated considering his All-Star candidacy should be automatic. Sebastion Telfair is nowhere to be seen in Portland, and he’s the piercing PG Portland wanted Stoudamire to be. The last notable game these 2 played against each other was when Jordan and Pippen first faced each other.

Burst:
Bobcats @ Sonics: Seattle doesn’t seem like the same team that won their division last year. That being said, they still have a very potent offense and can take advantage of a young Charlotte team. The way the SuperSonics are playing right now, this could be a close game. But they have to recover at some point. Losing McMillan can’t leave them with such a big downfall.

Thursday (12/1)

Better:
Spurs @ Mavericks – Thursdays always have the fewest NBA games, and this Thursday is no different with only 2 games. However, San Antonio/Dallas is the only game I would watch anyway. The Spurs already lost in Dallas earlier in the year, but San Antonio has exemplified their team ever since and will put up a better fight. These are clearly the top 2 teams in the West; All of that means nothing if the Mavs can’t deliver at the end.

runner-up:
Lakers @ Jazz: For the last 25 years, a Lakers/Jazz game would be fine by me. These 2 teams aren’t the Shaq or Malone era clubs they once were, and that’s a shame. Jackson and Sloan are 2 of the greatest coaches of all time, but the rebuild won’t look good on their career winning percentage. There is no “me” in Kobe or the team, but the Lakers haven’t realized that. Both offensively and defensively, LA is waiting for the #8 to do something.

Friday (2/12)

Better:
Pacers @ Blazers: Zach Randolph is a very different player for O’Neal to defend. Randolph is indifferent, and jumping on him won’t work. Also, he is Jermaine’s homecoming. But as always with the Pacers, most of the booing will be directed at Ron Artest. Artest and the Trailblazers go well together, but it’s been a while since the 2 have met.

runner-up:
Heat @ Kings: Both teams are very different from the last time they played in Sacremento. Shaq and Peja are injured, Webber is gone, and Walker and Abdur-Rahim are inside. Still, these 2 hobbled teams should keep it interesting. Out of Mike Bibby and Jason Williams, which one will top the other? Neither of them was excited about being traded for each other.

Burst:
Knicks @ Pistons: Larry Brown’s return to Detroit, how will that pan out? First of all, NEVER watch a game because of the manager. The coach does not score, shoot or foul. A perfect example is this game. Folks, this won’t be pretty. The reception is up in the air, but the end result will be clear: Pistons in a rout. The worst part for Larry Brown will be when he realizes that he can’t play rookies at garbage time, since he plays them regularly.

Saturday (3/12)

Better:
Cavaliers @ Clippers: LeBron James back in LA, goal against good LA team. Can Drew Gooden possibly top Elton Brand? Maybe not, but Ilgauskas in Kaman is definitely not a match. Both teams have eclipsed their season expectations thus far, but both need to make the playoffs for any real justification.

runner-up:
76ers @ Spurs: The Webber/AI duo isn’t as good as Duncan/Ginobili, but Iverson will surely step up. The Sixers have put up some of the best offensive numbers so far this year, and it’s not a question of if those stats will drop, but how much? Tony Parker will force Iverson to get some energy out, but Parker himself might not be as effective when he gets tired.

Burst:
Grizzlies @ Rockets: Houston is in the slump with T-Mac out, and the Grizzlies have stayed at playoff caliber, which is surprising to you too if you’re being honest. Yao has to learn to play center back and stop avoiding charges, and instead provoke them himself. Relying on Yao to surpass himself is not the key to the Rockets’ success.