NBA Game #1: January 6: Brooklyn Nets at Orlando Magic
We get a battle of two potential NBA postseason teams on Monday, January 6. The Brooklyn Nets travel to Orlando, who has bounced back after a rocky start to the season. The Magic, led by their All-Star in Nikola Vucevic, currently sit in the eighth spot in the East with a win-loss record of 16-20 as of January 4.
Meanwhile, the Nets are in the spot ahead at the seventh seed despite being without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. However, the young talent in Spencer Dinwiddie is finally blossoming as he is averaging 22.8 points per game, 6.3 assists per game, and an offensive rating of 110. This has resulted in many All-Star votes for the young Brooklyn guard and has also kept the Nets in the playoff picture for the time being. With all of this in mind, this shapes up to be a very intriguing Eastern Conference matchup.
NBA Game #2: January 8: Miami Heat at Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers have been a nice surprise this season. Despite being without their best player in Victor Oladipo all year long, they have maintained the course. They sit in the sixth spot in the East as of January 4. Meanwhile, the Heat have also been having a breakout season led by Jimmy Butler and their young triumvirate in Kendrick Nunn, Tyler Herro, and Bam Adebayo. Butler has been having another All-Star-caliber season tallying 20.4 points per game, two steals per game, and 6.6 assists per game.
However, the Pacers have their own playmakers despite being short-handed. Malcolm Brogdon is thriving in his first year as a Pacer so far. The former NBA Rookie of the Year has posted totals of 17.7 points per game (a career-high so far), 7.4 assists per game, and a sky-high free-throw percentage of 93.3%. With all of these young and promising players battling, this surprisingly non-nationally televised game is shaping up to be a great one.
Game #3:January 11: Philadelphia 76ers at Dallas Mavericks
This game very well could make or break the struggling 76ers. They have backtracked a bit after a strong start falling all the way down to fifth in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks have been the surprise of the Western Conference this season as they sit in the sixth spot in the West. Luka Doncic is making his case as a legitimate MVP candidate this season with averages of 29.1 points per game, 9.6 rebounds per game, and 8.9 assists per game.
Yes, you read that correctly. The kid is nearly averaging a triple-double. Not to mention, having Kristaps Porzingis as a star side-kick helps matters as well. The 76ers have a plethora of talent in Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Tobias Harris, but the team as of late has seemed disjointed and nowhere near cohesive at all. This game would serve as a big statement game for the 76ers if they wish to keep their status as contenders for this season. With all of this in mind, be on the lookout for these three NBA games if you wish to watch something other than the nationally televised games for this week.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images