NBA: Games to watch in Week 11

Week 11 of the NBA season includes the Christmas break, with no games scheduled for Christmas Eve. There are 5 games scheduled for Christmas day. With the New Year right around the corner, 2018 will end with a lot of unknowns.

In the Western Conference, only 5.5 games separate the Denver Nuggets in first place and the Dallas Mavericks in 11th spot. There is a lot of parity in the West this season.

Only the Thunder, with 3 games, the Clippers, with 2 games and the Spurs with 3 games are on multiple game win streaks in the top 8 teams out west. Teams like the Houston Rockets, New Orleans Pelicans and Minnesota Timberwolves all made the playoffs last season. They are struggling this season with only Houston above .500% in winning percentage at 16-15.

Houston in particularly is remarkable since they won 65 games last year. In just 31 games this season, they are only two losses from equaling last season's total losses. The Rockets did lose Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah A Moute to free agency and traded sharp shooter Ryan Anderson to Phoenix for Marquese Chriss amd Brandon Knight . They are not the same team.

In the Eastern Conference, the Raptors are once again the best team by won/loss record. After losing Saturday night to Philadelphia, they are 25-10 and are being chased by the Milwaukee Bucks, who are 1 game back. However, after Boston, who are 5.5 games back in 5th spot, the challengers out East drop off.

A playoff team last season the Washington Wizards are way off the mark this year at 12-20 and recently swung a deal sending Kelly Oubre Jr. to Phoenix for Trevor Ariza. We look now at the five matches to watch in week 11 of the 2018-19 NBA season.

1. December 23rd, 2018: Los Angeles Clippers v Golden State Warriors

This is a match up between the current 3rd and 5th best teams out west. The Warriors have not been outstanding in terms of win/loss record, sitting 3rd overall in the Western Conference, but remain dangerous and are the reigning NBA Champions. All a team has to do is make the playoffs to be a factor.

However, after an early season on court disagreement between teammates Kevin Durant and Draymond Green, the Warriors are in search of the consistency that have many speaking of them as a dynasty. The Warriors did lose last Wednesday to the Jazz 108-103 and beat the Mavericks Saturday December 22nd, 2018 120-116.

As for the Clippers, they did not make the playoffs last year, and their offensive attack is being run by a rookie Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. This is also their first full season without Blake Griffin. The Clippers are 5th in the West and have a win/loss record of 19-13.

The Clippers are led by Tobias Harris averaging 21.5 points per game and Danilo Gallinari at 19.5 per game. They also have 6 players who average 5 or more points per game coming off of their bench. The Clippers have some depth and everyone contributes.

The Clippers could claim some measure of credibility if they can claim a victory against the Warriors. TheY are fresh off a win Saturday December 22nd, 2018 over Western Conference leading Denver Nuggets 132-111.

2. December 25th, 2018: Los Angeles Lakers v Golden State Warriors

New Orleans Pelicans v Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron James, now a Los Angeles Laker, gets to relive the nightmare of three of the last four NBA Finals when he once again squares off against the Warriors. This time it will be a Christmas night regular season match up against the Golden State. The Lakers are 4th overall in the Western Conference right behind the Warriors after not making the playoffs last season.

LeBron has a lot to do with that turn around. James is averaging 27.8 points per game, 7.2 assists and 8 rebounds per game. He is always in the conversation for MVP. What makes this game intriguing is that it features three past and current potential MVPs in James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant.

There is a plethora of star talent in this game. While most of that star power is on the Warriors side, including Klay Thompson, LeBron James will try to lead a young Lakers team over the Warriors.

3. December 25th, 2018: Boston Celtics v Philadelphia 76ers

New Orleans Pelicans v Philadelphia 76ers

This is a battle between two of the four elite teams in the Eastern Conference. For the majority of this season, the Celtics have been mediocre. After a 10-10 start to the season, they used an 8 game win streak to move back into the top 5 in the East’s standings. However, a loss to the Detroit Pistons eight days ago derailed that positive streak.

Also hurting the Celtics is a depletion of depth at the center position. Already without Al Horford due to pain in his left knee, the Celtics lost back up center Aron Baynes to a broken hand in a loss to the Phoenix Suns Wednesday night. With only rookie Robert Williams III and second year player Daniel Theis on the roster at center now, the Celtics must play small ball for the present.

In fact in their very next game, after the loss to Phoenix, Boston started forward 6’7 Semi Ojeleye at center. Already struggling for much of the season trying to reintegrate Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving to the line up, Boston has little inside presence to balance with their perimeter game.

The 76ers have Joel Embiid. Embiid was complaining a few weeks ago about his role and how he was being used after the acquisition of Jimmy Butler. However, in a victory over the depleted Toronto Raptors Saturday night, Embiid scored 27 points and had 11 rebounds. The Raptors were without athletic center Serge Ibaka and seven footer Jonas Valanciunas.

Celtics center Horford has been upgraded to probable for Sunday against Charlotte but players recovering from knee injuries tend to deal with a lot of swelling. Its unclear if he could play Christmas day as well. This could be a disaster of a game for the Celtics.

4. December 27th, 2018: Boston Celtics v Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets will host the Boston Celtics Thursday night. The intrigue is that both of these franchises were the Western and Eastern Conference Finals runner ups from a year ago.

This season both teams have struggled. After winning 65 games last year, the Rockets are 2 losses away from totaling their 17 losses all of last year, after playing just 31 games so far this year.

The Rockets are 10-5 at home and the Celtics are 9-8 on the road. Both of these teams have been hit by the injury bug. The Houston Rockets are without point guard Chris Paul for at least two weeks when he will be re-evaluated after he pulled his hamstring. The Rockets just gave Paul a 4 year $160 million dollar contract in July 2018. A serious injury to him now hurts this team dramatically with all their current struggles.

What this game will offer to fans watching is James Harden and Kyrie Irving. Both players have the ability to do whatever they want on the court. With Boston possibly missing inside threats like Al Horford and Houston without Chris Paul, expect a Harden - Irving show.

5. December 29th, 2018: Cleveland Cavaliers v Atlanta Hawks

This match up is not a thrill for obvious reasons. Neither team is expected to compete for the NBA Championship in 2019. They are more likely in competition for the draft rights to Duke’s Zion Williamson.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are 8-25, making them the worst team in the Eastern Conference and the Hawks are 8-23 the third worst in the East. This is not the Cavaliers team that lost in the NBA Finals in June of 2018 to the Golden State Warriors.

The Cavaliers do offer the fourth highest scoring rookie in the NBA, Collin Sexton, with 15.1 points per game. With George Hill traded to Milwaukee and looking to the future without LeBron James, the Cavaliers have entrusted the point guard spot to rookie Collin Sexton.

The Atlanta Hawks counter with the 5th overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft in Trae Young. Trae Young is third among rookies in scoring at 15.5 points per game but also averages 7.2 assists per game, which is first among rookies. Young also recorded 35 points and 11 assists in a 133-111 victory over the Cavaliers back in October.

Edited by Gabby Duran