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 some 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:
Nets @ Lakers:
It’s unclear if the constantly injured Vince Carter will face Kobe, but he 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 away from home than at home, and that 30-point blowout against San Antonio might have destroyed morale. The Hornets are coming off an impressive win in Seattle. So which team dictates the tempo more?

Runner-up:
Mavericks @ Raptors: The least we can expect from Toronto is that they play hard. At home they should put some intensity; the Raptors are certainly young enough to keep up with Dallas. Villanueva and Calderón always get big minutes in the fourth quarter, which is good since consistency never hurts. But when are Morris Peterson and Jalen Rose going to produce? Both are likely to 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 is going to get 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 do they get hurt, but McLeod, Giricek and Harpring often get hurt too. 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 struggle against everyone. Not only that, but they are doing quite poorly at home (perhaps due to poor attendance). Last year they lost 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 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 mere 5 game win streak for the Raptors could leave anyone to lead the division. Perhaps if no dominant power emerges, 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 greatly underappreciated considering his All-Star candidacy should be automatic. Sebastion Telfair isn’t seen in Portland, and he’s the penetrating PG Portland wanted Stoudamire to be. The last notable game these 2 played against each other was when Jordan and Pippen first squared off.

Burst:
Bobcats @ Sonics: Seattle doesn’t look like the same team that won its division last year. That 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 games in the NBA, and this Thursday is no different with just 2 games. However, San Antonio/Dallas is the only game I would watch anyway. The Spurs already lost in Dallas earlier this year, but San Antonio has been an example of their team ever since and will put up a better fight. These are clearly the 2 best teams in the West; all of that means nothing if the Mavs can’t deliver at the end.

Runner-up:
Lakers @ Jazz: For the past 25 years, a Lakers/Jazz game would be fine with me. These 2 teams are not 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 rebuilding won’t look good on their career winning percentage. There is no “me” in Kobe or in the team, but the Lakers haven’t figured that out. Both offensively and defensively, LA is waiting for the #8 to do something.

Friday (12/2)

Better:
Pacers @ Blazers: Zach Randolph is a very different player for O’Neal to defend. Randolph is indifferent, and pouncing 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 missing and Walker and Abdur-Rahim are inside. Still, these 2 hindering teams should keep it interesting. Of Mike Bibby and Jason Williams, which will outperform the other? Neither of them were excited about being traded for each other.

Burst:
Knicks @ Pistons: Detroit’s return of Larry Brown, how will that pan out? First of all, NEVER watch a game because of the coach. The coach does not dunk, shoot or foul. A perfect example is this game. Folks, this is not going to be pretty. 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 he can’t play rookies at the garbage moment, 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 definitely doesn’t agree. Both teams have outshone their season expectations thus far, but both need to make the playoffs to get any real justification.

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

Burst:
Grizzlies @ Rockets: Houston is down with T-Mac out, and the Grizzlies have remained playoff-caliber, which is surprising for you too if you’re being honest. Yao has to learn to play center back and stop avoiding charges and provoking them himself. Relying on Yao to outdo himself isn’t the key to the Rockets’ success.