From Nov. 13-Nov. 19, 6 games are set to air on national TV , but there are a number of other marquee games throughout the week that are exclusively available to watch on NBA League Pass.
Sign up for NBA League Pass here
From the must-see team of the week to the biggest games of each night, check below for the week ahead on NBA League Pass.
Team to watch: Philadelphia 76ers
Tuesday, Nov. 13 at Miami, 5:30 a.m. | Thursday, Nov. 16 at Orlando, 5:30 a.m. | Saturday, Nov. 17 vs Utah, 5:30 a.m. | Sunday, Nov. 18 at Charlotte, 5:30 a.m.
👀 #HereTheyCome pic.twitter.com/R8WAVy9dwY
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 13, 2018
After the trade for All-Star Jimmy Butler over the weekend, the 76ers are without a doubt the team to watch as they look to integrate him alongside Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.
Butler could make his debut on Wednesday at Orlando after the trade was finalized on Monday following what's been a rocky two months since he initially asked for his way out of Minnesota.
Averaging 21.3 points per game in 10 games this season, Butler gives the 76ers a legitimate star trio and proven late-game scorer. One of the NBA's best crunch-time players over the last several seasons, Butler is leading the NBA in 4th-quarter scoring so far this season. It's an Achilles heel for the 76ers who ranked dead last in 4th-quarter offensive rating last season and enters the week ranked 27th so far this season.
It could take some time for the Sixers to fully figure out how to work in Butler.
Embiid is a legitimate top-5 MVP contender early on with averages of 27.7 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. He's every bit the offensive force that Karl-Anthony Towns proved to be in Minnesota and given the at-times odd fit between him and Butler, is worth monitoring.
Simmons is one of the game's best playmakers and thrives with the ball in his hands. Though he could prove to be a devastating cutter off the ball much like Dwyane Wade was playing off of LeBron James in Miami, his lack of an outside shot could provide some complications with floor spacing, especially given the departures of Dario Saric and Robert Covington in the trade to bring in Butler.
Regardless, the 76ers now have a star trio that's likely only second to Golden State in terms of sheer talent. That alone makes the 76ers compelling for any NBA fan, especially in a suddenly loaded Eastern Conference with Toronto and Milwaukee off to great starts in addition to Boston who has stumbled, but still has perhaps the NBA's deepest roster.
Best Games of the Week
Coming of Age: Thursday, Nov. 15 – Chicago Bulls vs. Boston Celtics, 6:00 a.m.
The Bulls rookie centre Wendell Carter Jr. has heard many comparisons to Celtics All-Star centre Al Horford early on in his career, and he is said to embrace such comps . This will be the first time in Carter's young career that he gets an opportunity to face off with Horford.
Rookie matchup: Saturday, Nov. 17 – Sacramento Kings vs. Memphis Grizzlies, 6:30 a.m.
No. 2 overall pick Marvin Bagley III and No. 4 overall pick Jaren Jackson Jr. have each had a hand in the early season successes of the Kings and Grizzlies, respectively. The 6-foot-11 rookies will meet for the second time in their careers Friday night; the first time, Bagley and the Kings got the best of the Grizzlies, winning 97-92 .
Dominant bigs battle: Sunday, Nov. 18 – New Orleans Pelicans vs. Denver Nuggets, 5:30 a.m.
They might do it in different ways, but Denver and New Orleans have two of the league's best big men in Nikola Jokic and Anthony Davis. Due to his playmaking ability, Jokic is always a triple-double threat while Davis is next to impossible to prepare for because of his effectiveness on both ends of the floor. The Nuggets bested the Pelicans in their first meeting , but Davis sat out with a sprained elbow.
Elite wings face off: Sunday, Nov. 18 – Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns, 8:30 a.m.
The Thunder and Suns meet twice this week – first on Monday in Oklahoma City and then Saturday night in Phoenix. The skills of Thunder All-Star Paul George and Suns future All-Star Devin Booker will be on full display.