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 WarriorsToronto Raptors v Los Angeles ClippersThis 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.

NBA: Games to watch in Week 11

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