2017 NBA Game Preview : Week 9

Catch all the non-stop NBA action this week as the season heats up!

New Orleans Pelicans @ Houston Rockets – Monday, Dec. 11 at 8 p.m. ET, NBA TV

• Reigning NBA Sixth Man Award winner Eric Gordon spent five injury-plagued seasons with the Pelicans before finding his groove with the Rockets.
• Head coaches Mike D’Antoni (Rockets) and Alvin Gentry (Pelicans) have a very close relationship. Gentry was D’Antoni’s lead assistant with Phoenix from 2004-08.

Los Angeles Lakers @ New York Knicks – Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. ET, ESPN

• The Lakers strongly considered selecting Kristaps Porzingis with the second pick in the 2015 NBA Draft before taking D’Angelo Russell, who was traded in the offseason to Brooklyn.

Philadelphia 76ers @ Minnesota Timberwolves – Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

• This matchup features the last four No. 1 overall draft picks: Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons (2016) and Markelle Fultz (2017) and Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns (2015) and Andrew Wiggins (2014). Fultz’s status is up in the air due to a shoulder injury.

Oklahoma City Thunder @ Indiana Pacers – Wednesday, Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. ET, ESPN

• Paul George returns to Indiana for the first time. The four-time All-Star spent his first seven seasons with the Pacers, leading them to two appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals.
• Indiana’s Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis, who were acquired in the George trade from OKC, have played extremely well for the Pacers this season.

Los Angeles Lakers @ Cleveland Cavaliers – Thursday, Dec. 14 at 8 p.m. ET, TNT

• Luke Walton played eight seasons and won two titles with the Lakers before finishing his 10-year career with the Cavaliers. Walton has fond memories of his two seasons in Cleveland.
• Walton (32) and the Cavaliers’ LeBron James (1), Dwyane Wade (5) and Kyle Korver (51) were all selected in the 2003 NBA Draft.

Dallas Mavericks @ Golden State Warriors – Thursday, Dec. 14 at 8 p.m. ET, TNT

• The Curry brothers could go head-to-head if Dallas’ Seth is back in time from his leg injury. Last season, Seth had a breakout year and actually outshot his older brother from three-point range.

Oklahoma City Thunder @ Philadelphia 76ers – Friday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. ET, ESPN

• Philadelphia is hoping that Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz will have the same impact Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden once had in turning the Thunder into a perennial playoff contender.

San Antonio Spurs @ Houston Rockets – Friday, Dec. 15 at 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

• This is the first meeting between the two Southwest Division rivals since the Spurs defeated the Rockets in the 2017 Western Conference Semifinals in six games.