There's nothing like beginning your weekend on a cold winter Sunday with a hot tea or coffee and some great dose of basketball action.
Saturday, Dec. 11th is just that with numerous NBA superstars set to suit up across the nine games on the schedule.
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Here's a preview with all you need to know about Saturday's games with the schedule, biggest storylines and how to watch them.
NBA schedule on Saturday, Dec. 11
Kings (11-14) at Hornets (14-13) - 5:30 am
Mavericks (12-12) at Pacers (11-16) - 5:30 am
Nets (17-8) at Hawks (13-12) - 6:00 am
Knicks (12-13) at Raptors (11-14) - 6:00 am
Bucks (16-10) at Rockets (8-16) - 6:30 am
Cavaliers (14-12) at Timberwolves (11-14) - 6:30 am
Pistons (4-20) at Pelicans (7-20) - 6:30 am
Lakers (13-13) at Thunder (8-16) - 6:30 am
Celtics (13-13) at Suns (20-4) - 8:30 am
(All times as Indian Standard Time)
Games, Storylines to watch
Nets at Hawks - NBA League Pass
Heading into Saturday, the Nets are the top seed in the East but their record against competitive/contending teams has been dismal, to say the least. A lot of that has got to do with the load on Kevin Durant and James Harden, both of whom rank among the league leader in minutes averaged, given the team's injuries woes and Kyrie Irving's absence.
Barring their recent loss in Houston, where Kevin Durant didn't suit up, all of their remaining seven losses have come against teams in the top tier of the league standings at that moment - Warriors, Suns, Bulls (twice), Bucks, Hornets, Heat.
This game in Atlanta is a chance for the Nets to register a statement win because although the Hawks are seeded eighth at 13-12, they are one of the hottest teams over the past month having won nine of their past 12 games.
Third-year guard Trae Young has been a huge reason for the Hawks revival. During this stretch, he's averaged 28.3 points (third-best in the league) and 9.7 assists (tied-second) while knocking down 3.4 3-pointers per game at an efficiency of 42.7 percent.
Bucks at Rockets - NBA League Pass
Arriving in Houston off a loss in Miami, the defending champions will be looking to get back on track. After a slow 6-8 start through the first 14 games of the season, the Bucks have been among the hottest teams in the league having won 10 of their last 12.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been quietly putting together a stellar MVP-worthy season with averages of 27.0 points, 11.6 rebounds and 5.7 assists. While those numbers don't necessarily stand out, especially with respect to the Greek Freak's previous campaigns, it's his impact and value to the team that's noteworthy.
The Bucks have a net rating of +12.3 when he's on the floor but when he's on the bench, the net rating slumps to -11.3. Having said that, they will have their task cut out given that their opponents are on a historic winning streak.
The Rockets have won 7 straight games immediately following a 15-game losing streak.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 9, 2021
They are the 1st team in NBA history to have a 15-game losing streak and 7-game win streak in the same season, let alone one right after the other. h/t @EliasSports pic.twitter.com/VdXWw1SDHh
Lakers at Thunder - NBA League Pass
This will be the third matchup this season between these two teams and the Lakers will be desperate to get on the board. It wasn't just the losses in the two previous games but also the nature of those losses.
In both of the previous games, the Lakers led by at least 19 but failed to wrap things up. On Oct. 28 in Oklahoma City, they led by as many as 26 but lost 123-115 and on Nov. 5 in Los Angeles, they led by as many as 19 but lost once again 107-104.
After defeating their arch-rivals the Celtics in a statement win on Wednesday, the Lakers seemed like they were turning the corner but a couple of days later, they go down to the Grizzlies, who were missing their star point guard Ja Morant. That's not great momentum going into this must-win contest.
On the flip side, the Thunder are coming off consecutive wins to rebound from their record 73-point loss against the Grizzlies last week. Purely, on talent, the Lakers should be able to handle their business but they should have been able to do it the previous two times and they didn't. So, how will this game pan out?
Celtics at Suns - Vh1, Voot Select, Jio TV
Both teams come into this marquee matchup without one of their two All-Stars. Tied for the best record in the league at 20-4, the Suns will suit up without Devin Booker while the Celtics would play without Jaylen Brown.
Ranked second in defensive rating and fifth in offensive rating, the Suns are one of only two teams along with the Warriors to rank in the Top 5 in the league in both categories. On the other hand, the Celtics will be looking to wrap up their road trip on a positive note as this is the final contest of their five-game Western Conference road trip.
This is the first of two games between these two franchises with the second game later this month early on New Year's Eve.
How to watch live NBA games
Prior to Dec. 2, 2021, the only means to watch live NBA games on demand was by getting your NBA League Pass subscription now at the link below.
NBA League Pass: Sign up to unlock live out-of-market games (7-day free trial)
However, just over a month into the 2021-22 NBA season, it was announced that live games will return to television sets and streaming platforms in India.
Following the NBA's new multiyear partnership with Viacom18, live NBA games return to the television screens in India.
The NBA and Viacom18 announce a multiyear broadcast and streaming partnership in India. 🏀 x 📺
— NBAIndia (@NBAIndia) December 3, 2021
You can now watch NBA games live on @MTVIndia, @Vh1India, @justvoot, and @OfficialJioTV#NBA75 #NBAonMTV #NBAonVoot #NBAonVh1 #NBAonJioTV pic.twitter.com/c3WCjsWukW
Live NBA games can now be watched on television on channels - Vh1 and MTV - while it can be streamed on digital platforms like VOOT and Jio TV. Stay tuned for the release of the broadcast schedule of NBA games on MTV or Vh1.
Live NBA games can also be watched on-demand on your favorite device - mobile, tablet or desktop - with NBA League Pass. There are two choices while picking up a subscription - annual and eight-game. You can do so by clicking on the link below:
NBA League Pass: Sign up to unlock live out-of-market games (7-day free trial)
The annual package presents to you every game for every team live and on-demand for a yearly subscription fee of 1500/- rupees. On the other hand, the eight-game package allows the fan to choose any eight games to watch each month for 799/- rupees.
Since the NBA's five-year broadcast deal with Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) expired, after the conclusion of the 2020 NBA Finals, and with no suitable offer on the horizon, NBA League Pass has become the one-stop-shop for NBA fans in India since the beginning of the 2020-21 season.
MORE: TV schedule for live 2021-22 games in India
NBA games made a brief return to the television when Star Sports bagged the rights, however, this deal was only for the 2021 NBA playoffs and the 2021 NBA Finals.
Nevertheless, NBA games should be back on television sets soon. Until then, stay tuned to this page for the latest updates on any and all broadcast-related information regarding live NBA games in India.
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