Non-76er NBA games to watch this week as Cavs continue undefeated run and Bucks pretend everything is fine

Hate watches and contenders soaring — here’s your weekly viewing schedule

We’re just about three weeks into the NBA season and, though much will change, the real teams are separating themselves from the hopefuls, and the hopefuls are separating themselves from the hopeless. Injuries have ruined too many parties. Two teams remain undefeated. And, because it is the NBA, there’s been drama.

With storylines emerging it’s important to keep track of what matters: Who’s winning and losing? As I’ve done the past two weeks, today, I will highlight the most important games deciding the Eastern Conference’s fate. The last two weeks I’ve kept it strictly East vs. East games, but some days have none scheduled and others have matchups too good to pass up. Each game in the list includes an Eastern team, but I’ve decided to highlight the big matchups for the 76ers rivals emerging as contenders.

I’ve kept it easy with one game a night so re-book your couch time, try a new snack, and lock in.

Nov. 6: Orlando Magic at Indiana Pacers

Without their star Paolo Banchero, the Orlando Magic have lost three straight games by double digits. Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, and company must find a way to pick up wins if they want to live up to preseason hype. Without Paolo, who dropped 50 against the Pacers last week, they’ve had the worst offense in the league by a considerable margin (92.7 offensive rating over the last three games, next team is Charlotte at 104.5). It speaks to the 2022 No. 1 overall pick’s skill but they should not be this bad without him. Free agent veteran signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has started slow but should get plenty of shots up against a fast-paced Indiana team. Will this game be a turning point for him and Franz?

The Indiana Pacers want to be Eastern contenders, too, but they have only won three of their first seven games. Their respective star Tyrese Haliburton struggled to score to start the season but bounced back with a 25-point, 12-assist game in a big win over the Dallas Mavericks. The team has enough assets and promising young players to add another big piece next to Haliburton and Pascal Siakam — which of those players (Bennedict Mathurn, Aaron Nesmith, and Andrew Nembhard) will prove invaluable to the team or valuable to another?

Both teams will be desperate to build up some momentum. As I’ve said, Indiana’s bullet pace against Orlando’s scrappy and stout defense is always fun to watch.

Nov. 7: Utah Jazz at Milwaukee Bucks

There are no East vs. East games this night, so I’ll go with the Utah Jazz, who only won their first game last night, playing the near-destructed Milwaukee Bucks.

It would be a horrendous loss for a Bucks team already clouded by their star Giannis Antetokounmpo in increasingly viable trade rumors amid their one-win start. They’ve come off two close losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers, one with Giannis and one without. So, they should easily beat this Jazz team, right?

Hopefully, Lauri Markannen will return for Utah by then and can show off what made him a prized trade target over the offseason. A team with as many young players as Utah is always interesting to watch, at least for a quarter anyway. And, it’s a chance for Sixers fans to combine a hate-watch of an Eastern rival with the always-good rooting for an underdog.

Nov. 8: Golden State Warriors at Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers are undefeated and look like the East’s best contender after the Boston Celtics. They’ve shown they can clutch up with two eeked-out victories against the Bucks. Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland have taken turns tilting games in their favor. And Evan Mobley’s seized a bigger role in the offense and succeeded, but he’s going up against Draymond Green who’s hoping for another Defensive Player of the Year season

He and the Warriors have the second-best defense in the league (only behind a currently historic Oklahoma City defense) as they’ve stormed to a 6-1 start. Former Sixer Buddy Hield is off to a flyer as the team is averaging 42 three-point attempts to start the season. Steph Curry is back after missing a few games (which the team won) and will relish in a matchup against an unbeaten team in his old foe Cleveland.

Nov. 9: Chicago Bulls at Atlanta Hawks

The Chicago Bulls are flying around the court as their most offensively oriented team in the franchise’s last few decades. Their 106.1 pace leads the league and is a drastic increase from their squad last year (96.6 – third slowest team). They fire away threes like any 2024 team should and rack up the sixth most assists per game. Zach LaVine has looked scary again as he and the team aim to up that trade value.

The Atlanta Hawks want to compete but have lost some ugly games. The talent and fit are there with healthy bodies returning after brief absences. Dyson Daniels is earning discussion in the Most Improved Player race and him against LaVine will be fantastic viewing. Trae Young can go off any night and with the pace the Bulls play at, expect a big scoring total for him, efficiency be damned.

Nov. 10: Boston Celtics at Milwaukee Bucks

What should’ve been a great Eastern rivalry after spectacular playoff battles in the early 2020s has morphed into two franchises manifesting their best and worst possible scenarios. For the Bucks, a win over the reigning champs can turn a season around and a win is always on the cards with Giannis and Damian Lillard. The two stars had 30 points each in a loss to the Celtics earlier this season. Who else will step up and save not just the season, but potentially the franchise?

And the Celtics look better than they did last year. Scary stuff. Jayson Tatum is on a three-point shooting tirade and is making a case to be the franchise’s first MVP since Larry Bird in 1986. Payton Pritchard might be the Sixth Man of the Year as he’s averaging 16 points per game on 43% three-point shooting.

Like it or not, this team, their game-by-game three-point barrage and persistence in keeping non-shooters on the bench may be remembered as one of the association’s most influential ever: To be the best, copy the best. It’s always good to watch such a team.