Ranking the 5 best NBA Rivals Week games this season
Kia MVP contenders Joel Embiid (right) and Nikola Jokic will square off in a Rivalry Week matchup on Jan. 27.
Rivalries, no matter how you slice them, can add context, backstories and bragging rights to what otherwise might be some random regular-season games in January.
Some rivalries pit teams vs. teams, others are built on players vs. players. Some are geographic, while many develop from shared and often rancorous history.
The NBA is back with a week of nationally televised games, 11 in all beginning Tuesday with the Knicks facing the Net in Brooklyn (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT) that have a little extra edge to them.
Here is my ranking of the most compelling:
1. Sixers at Nuggets
- Saturday, 5:30 p.m. ET, ABC
It seems a little early for this rematch, given Philadelphia’s 126-121 victory Jan. 16. After all, Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic — the past two Kia MVP winners and top contenders again for the award — both are likely All-Star starters next month in Indianapolis but won’t step on the floor again for real until, potentially, as a longshot, a June clash in the NBA Finals. Embiid got the better of the recent meeting, scoring 41 points with 10 assists to Jokic’s 25 points and 19 boards.
2. Lakers at Clippers
- Tuesday, 10 p.m. ET, TNT
Two roommates who don’t much like each other will battle in the second TNT game Tuesday, adding another chapter to a rivalry dating back to 1984. At least from the Clippers’ side of it — that’s the year they moved up from San Diego. The Lakers have mostly shrugged over the supposed challenge for Los Angeles, crafting a 152-85 advantage in head-to-head play that includes two victories this season.
The total points difference in those two was just eight points and, for what it’s worth, the Clippers have won the last seven in the series at “home” (which means same arena, different court, hidden Lakers banners). The Clippers are ahead in the standings, too, and lead 4-2 in the future Hall of Famer category. The Lakers play another Rivalry game Saturday at Golden State (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC).
3. Thunder at Spurs
- Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Strictly individual at this point with most of their history in the making: It’s OKC’s Chet Holmgren vs. San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama in a battle of the top Kia Rookie of the Year candidates. The nice thing about this is it’s only No. 2 in four meetings, spaced well (Nov. 14, Jan. 24, Feb. 29 and April 10) to help chart the two lanky players’ first-year progress.
There wasn’t much separation in the first game — Holmgren had nine points, seven rebounds and 3-of-10 shooting to Wembanyama’s eight points, 14 rebounds and 4-of-15 shooting. But the direction of their teams was clear. The Thunder won 123-87 to improve to 7-4, then won 22 of their next 31. The Spurs slipped to 3-8, then went 5-26. Wembanyama will see Scoot Henderson, the No. 3 pick last June, Friday in a rivalry game against the Trail Blazers (9:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV).
4. Heat at Knicks
- Saturday, 3 p.m. ET, ABC
It’s a rigorous week for the Knicks, following up Tuesday’s Rivalry game in Brooklyn with defending champion Denver at MSG before getting longtime irritant Miami in this matinee. Both teams are fighting for the same space: a Top 4 berth in the East or at least avoiding a Play-In Tournament predicament. The Knicks won the first clash on Nov. 24, 100-98, but got 38 of those points from guys no longer there (R.J. Barrett, Immanuel Quickley).
It was the fourth time in five meetings with a margin of two points, and New York has won five of the past six, leading the overall series 70-65.
5. Suns at Mavericks
- Wednesday, 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC
It’s Christmas again, only with more present (see what I did here?): Neither Kyrie Irving nor Bradley Beal played in Dallas’ 128-114 victory at Phoenix Dec. 25. All five marquee guys are expected for this one. Luka Doncic carried the Mavs on Christmas with 50 points, 15 assists, four steals and three blocks. Kevin Durant shot 4-of-11 for 16 points.
But Durant, Beal and Devin Booker combined for 91 points in consecutive games over the weekend. The Suns have won 19 of the past 26 regular-season meetings. Doncic has a more individual focus in Friday’s Rivalry game at Atlanta, based on his linked 2018 Draft switcheroo with Hawks guard Trae Young (7 p.m. ET, NBA TV).
Honorable mentions
Celtics at Heat (Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
- The teams that have met in the East finals three times in four years meet for the second time this season (Boston won 119-111 at home on Oct. 27).
Kings at Warriors (Thursday, 10 p.m. ET, TNT)
- These teams are already wrapping their season series, with Golden State up 2-1 and each club desperate for an upturn.
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Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA since 1980. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X.
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