The 5 NBA Games You Need To Watch This Week

The NBA gave its fans a great week of basketball in the opening week of the 2013-14 season. There were several surprises, a couple of star comebacks, and a few early rivalry games. It sure is great to have the NBA back in full swing. There are 51 games in the schedule this week (Monday-Sunday). What are the top five must-see games of week two? Let’s find out.

*** *** ***

Chicago Bulls vs. Indiana Pacers
Wednesday, November 6, 2013, 7:00PM ET
Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
ESPN

Chicago and Indiana are widely considered to be the two teams in the East that can prevent the Miami Heat from earning their fourth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals, and therefore, failing to three-peat. Derrick Rose had an up-and-down comeback last week, including hitting a game-winner against the New York Knicks, and reminded every basketball fan that the NBA is better with Rose on the court. Despite Rose, the Bulls struggled, losing to the back-to-back champion Miami Heat on opening night and the red-hot Philadelphia 76ers during the first week of the season. The Bulls’ offense must be in full swing if they want to overcome the defensive powerhouse of the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.

The Pacers went 3-0 during the league’s opening week. Their defense has been superb to say the least, only giving up 83.7 points per game on 37.9 percent shooting (best in NBA) to opponents. However, the Pacers’ offense only posted 93.7 points per game (tied with Chicago for 20th in the NBA) on 44.0 percent shooting. The Pacers’ offense runs through superstar on the rise, Paul George, who is averaging 25.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists (all team-highs). This Eastern Conference showdown most likely won’t be pretty offensively, but two of the best defensive teams in the NBA will be showcased for a dirty battle in Indy.

Key Positional Matchup: Luol Deng vs. Paul George

Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Monday, November 4, 2013, 10:30 PM EST
STAPLES Center, Los Angeles, CA
NBA LP

Tonight’s matchup could be a preview of a possible Western Conference Finals series as Dwight Howard makes his first return to Staples Center after bolting from Los Angeles and signing with James Harden and the Houston Rockets in free agency this summer. Howard is facing a “no excuses” season, as he must produce for the young team in the Lone Star State. So far, he has been making his presence known in the best way he knows how: defense. The Rockets have only given up 93.7 points per game on 38.7 percent shooting, compared to 102.5 points last season. Howard is averaging 15.0 points, 17.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks while the team’s best player, James Harden, is averaging 26.0 points and 4.3 assists per game. A win for the Rockets tonight would be their best start since the 1996-97 season.

On the other side, the Clippers seemed to have shed the rust and dusted their shoulders off from the surprising loss to the Lakers (basically the Lakers’ bench) on opening night. They have won their last two games (Golden State and Sacramento) and their offense seems to be running in full gear. Chris Paul, who has recorded three double-doubles in all three games of the season, unsurprisingly leads the Clippers’ offense. Paul currently leads the league in combined points and assists per game with 27.7 and 12.0. However, Doc Rivers‘ defense has been slow to kick in with his new squad, as they are surrendering 110.7 points per game. Therefore, expect for this Western Conference duel to be an offensive shootout.

Key Positional Matchup: Dwight Howard vs. DeAndre Jordan

Golden State Warriors vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Monday, November 4, 2013, 7:00 PM ET
Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
NBA LP

How ’bout those Sixers? For a team that was widely considered the worst team in the league this season and would be lucky to win 15 games, Philadelphia has started the season a perfect (3-0) in a trio of exhilarating games. On top of that, the Sixers haven’t beat poor teams, as they have topped the Miami Heat, Washington Wizards and Chicago Bulls (all playoff-caliber teams). Yes, it is early in the season. Yes, there is plenty of time left for tanking. But right now, the Sixers are the most entertaining team to watch in the NBA.

That is why Monday’s matchup between the Warriors and the Sixers is must-see basketball TV. Led by the “Splash Brothers” (Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson), the loaded Warriors come into the City of Brotherly Love looking to snap a 5-game losing streak on the Sixers home court. To do so, the Warriors would have to find a way to extinguish the fire that is Michael Carter-Williams. The 11th pick of the 2013 Draft took the NBA by storm in its opening week, averaging 20.7 points, 9.0 assists and 4.3 steals per game. However, Philly’s surprising started is not all credited to MCW, as Spencer Hawes has been killing it, averaging 19.3 points and 11.3 rebounds on 64.9 percent shooting (all career-highs). Evan Turner has also been adding 23.0 points per contest.

Keep reading to hear about the game of the week…

Meanwhile, Philly will have their hands full trying to cool down the best shooting backcourt in the NBA. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson have started the season with lightening speed and are shooting lights-out. Curry is averaging 23.3 points and 9.0 dimes on 56.5 percent shooting from the field, while Thompson is averaging 25.0 points and 3.7 boards on 65.1 percent shooting from the field. Combined, the “Splash Brothers” are shooting 25 for 44 (56.8 percent) from the three-point line. Will the Sixers be unbeaten and have their best start in 13 years after meeting the talented Warriors on Monday night? The basketball world will be watching.

Key Positional Matchup: Stephen Curry vs. Michael Carter-Williams

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets
Thursday, November 7, 2013, 9:30 PM ET
Toyota Center, Houston, TX
TNT

While this matchup won’t be as competitive as the games to come in this series between the Rockets and the Lakers later in the season, the hype is still there. The biggest storyline in the NBA in the offseason was easily Dwight Howard choosing the smaller market team (Rockets) and leaving around $30 million on the table with the Lakers. Playing against your old team for the first time is always a prime ticket game. When it involves the most beloved/hated franchise in the NBA, the interest skyrockets (no pun intended).

Therefore, even though this game is not as even-leveled as the rest on this list, as the Rockets are arguably contenders while the Lakers are an up-and-down team and will have to fight for a playoff spot this season, this is a must-watch game. This game is all about bragging rights and justification for both sides. However, if the Lakers and Clippers battle for bragging rights in L.A. on opening night was any indication of how a game that is about morale more than anything will go, this game certainly has the potential to turn out to be very exciting and entertaining to watch, despite not having Kobe Bryant on the court.

Key Positional Match: Pau Gasol vs. Dwight Howard

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Miami Heat
Thursday, November 7, 2013, 7:00 PM ET
American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL
TNT

Could this be a Finals preview? On paper, absolutely. It’s probably too premature to make those types of predictions, but that doesn’t disqualify this game as the top must-see game of the week in the NBA. This matchup is boiling over with superstars, high expectations, and hype. LeBron James and company hit a slight speed bump after convincingly beating the Bulls on the night they received their championship rings. While “Lob City” is kicking it into high gear early in the season, the Heat didn’t appear game-ready in their two losses against the Sixers and the Nets. However, the Heat gained a bit of momentum in a double-digit win against the Wizards on Sunday night.

This game features two transition juggernaut teams, who possess some of the best athletic players the league has to offer. If you want to entertain a basketball crowd, then give them offense. This matchup will not only provide offense, but also the most entertaining offense in the NBA. Last season, the Clippers lead the league in successful alley-oop dunks with 148. The Heat posted 60 successful alley-oop dunks, which was second-best in the East. Since both teams are extremely capable on offense, the game will most likely come down to critical defensive stops. Regardless, if you plan to watch only one game this week, then this is the game to circle on your calendar.

Key Positional Matchup: Jared Dudley and Matt Barnes vs. LeBron James

What do you think?

Follow Elizabeth on Twitter at @gobibs.

Follow Dime on Twitter at @DimeMag.

Become a fan of Dime Magazine on Facebook HERE.

×