5 NBA games to watch this week
Monday: Atlanta Hawks at Dallas Mavericks, 8:30 p.m. ET
The Hawks are among the hottest teams in the Association, having won 12 of their last 13, and are coming off of statement wins in Cleveland and Houston without Jeff Teague.
The Mavericks made the biggest splash of the season (post-LeBron return) in acquiring Rajon Rondo last week, now have legitimate championship aspirations, and can treat this game as the first real test for their new-look team (the Spurs were extremely shorthanded on Saturday).
Tuesday: Minnesota Timberwolves at Cleveland Cavaliers, 7:00 p.m. ET (NBA TV)
Provided Kevin Love remains in Cleveland beyond this season, the Cavs made the right decision in trading a potential superstar going into his rookie season for an in-his-prime superstar, especially considering how LeBron James's return drastically altered their immediate goals.
Nevertheless, giving up a young talent like Andrew Wiggins is never easy, and on Tuesday, fans in Cleveland will get their first glimpse of the youngster their team drafted No. 1 overall just six months ago.
Tuesday also marks Kevin Love's first game against the Timberwolves since the trade.
Thursday: Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs, 2:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
The first of three Western Conference rematches this season - on Christmas Day no less - isn't exactly what we thought it would be when the schedule was released.
The Thunder are fighting to climb into the West's top eight after being without Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook for the first quarter of the season, while the Spurs find themselves in seventh thanks to some nagging injuries of their own.
This game could lose virtually all of its luster if Durant, Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard aren't back yet, but it also has the potential to be a Christmas classic.
Thursday: Cleveland Cavaliers at Miami Heat, 5:00 p.m. ET (ABC)
On paper, this shouldn't be much of a matchup, especially with Chris Bosh no certainty and Josh McRoberts out. But it's LeBron James returning to Miami for the first time since taking his talents back north to Ohio, and that's reason enough to watch this year's marquee Christmas game.
You know James wants to put on a performance to remember, and there's no way Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Pat Riley and co. want to be embarrassed.
Thursday: Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers, 10:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Is there any doubt that Clippers-Warriors has become the NBA's best rivalry?
The divisional foes will square off for the 13th time in the last 14 months, including the playoffs, and the second time already this season.
Last Christmas, Blake Griffin and Andrew Bogut sparked a skirmish, and earlier in the season, the Clippers reportedly declined to share chapel service with the Warriors before their first matchup. In the postseason, following a thrilling Game 7 which the Clippers won, an intense exchange reportedly occurred between the teams in the Staples Center hallway, with the police even being summoned to calm the situation.
Sounds like potential Christmas magic to us.
Honorable mention: Houston Rockets at Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, Thunder at Mavericks on Sunday