5 NBA games to watch this week
Monday: Chicago Bulls at Cleveland Cavaliers, 7:30 p.m. ET
Back at the start of the season, this was supposed to be a battle of Eastern Conference titans. Instead, the Cavaliers are a game over .500. The Bulls have struggled of late, too, allowing more than 100 points in their last four games.
These teams did, however, play a fantastic game in their first meeting on Halloween night, with the Cavs winning 114-108 in overtime.
Wednesday: Toronto Raptors at Memphis Grizzlies, 8:00 p.m. ET
When the Raptors defeated the Grizzlies on Nov. 19, they were in the midst of a 13-2 run to start the season.
The Raptors have struggled mightily of late, while the Grizzlies continue to hold their own in the West. In that November game, Terrence Ross scored 14 fourth-quarter points to seal Toronto's win. Since Dec. 28, his struggles have mirrored the Raptors as a team.
| Since Dec. 28 | PPG | FG% | Raptors W-L |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terrence Ross | 7.6 | 28.9 | 3-7 (through Sunday) |
Thursday: San Antonio Spurs at Chicago Bulls, 8:00 p.m. ET
One of the better coaching matchups you'll see in the NBA is between Gregg Popovich and Tom Thibodeau. The Bulls will be hoping to have center Joakim Noah back from a sprained ankle by then.
How thrilled are the Spurs to have Kawhi Leonard back? They've allowed 9.2 fewer points per 100 possessions with him on the floor than with him off.
Friday: Oklahoma City Thunder at Atlanta Hawks, 7:30 p.m. ET
If the Hawks beat the Pistons on Monday and the Pacers on Wednesday, a victory over the Thunder would set a new franchise-record winning streak with 15.
The Hawks like to spread the ball around, while Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook shoulder the load for the Thunder. That said, the matchup between points guards Westbrook and Jeff Teague should be entertaining.
| Player | PPG | APG | PER |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westbrook | 25.1 | 7.5 | 28.6 |
| Teague | 17.4 | 7.4 | 23.2 |
Friday: Chicago Bulls at Dallas Mavericks, 8:00 p.m. ET
The Bulls have been struggling defensively as of late, but the Mavericks' offense has also seen some regression.
Here are the most improved (& regressed) offenses since Dec. 1. No. 1 is obvious: pic.twitter.com/9PALlFtjJ3
— John Schuhmann (@johnschuhmann) January 16, 2015