The 11th week (Dec. 26 to Jan. 1) of the NBA coincides with the last week of the calendar year. Teams will be looking to end the year on a high note, so watch out for increased intensity on the court.
The coming week’s matchups will feature a lot of side stories, too. Here are some of them.
Dec. 26, 27, 29, and 31: The Haliburton Show
At 22 years old, Tyrese Haliburton will be the most thrilling presence on the court next week. He just beat the Miami Heat with a game-winning three-pointer on his way to scoring a career-high 43 points. The Indiana Pacers also won against the Boston Celtics recently as Haliburton notched 33 points. Those two games alone will make you follow the Pacers as they embark on a four-game week.
Dec. 27: Indiana Pacers vs. Atlanta Hawks
Playmaking abilities will be on display in this game. The top two players in terms of assists per game will face each other. On one corner will be Atlanta’s Trae Young; opposite him, it’s Haliburton of the Pacers. The game will also feature a chess match between the coaching staffs. Assistant coach Lloyd Pierce used to coach the Hawks while head coach Nate McMillan was Indiana’s former leader.
Dec. 27: Dallas Mavericks vs. New York Knicks
Even if he won’t admit it, Jalen Brunson is looking forward to his return trip to Texas. The point guard spent the first four years of his career playing for Dallas before moving to the Knicks. He has extra motivation right now since his first meeting against the Mavericks this season ended up in a loss when they played in Madison Square Garden.
Dec. 30: Sacramento Kings vs. Utah Jazz
Prepare for a long-range shootout. The Kings and the Jazz are in the top 10 when it comes to three-point shooting. So, for fans who love the three-ball, this game is for you. The Jazz have trigger-happy players in Malik Beasley and Jordan Clarkson while the Kings have Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk. The rest of the players should be busy watching out for long rebounds.
Jan. 1: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Sacramento Kings
By almost any measure, the Sacramento Kings are having an excellent year, but the squad is clearly not satisfied. You can sense that they have the urgency to make the playoffs. The Memphis Grizzlies will host the Kings during their first game of the new year, but they already know that they will have to work hard for this win.
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