Top Ten NBA must-watch games in the 2021/22 season

It feels like we were just watching Giannis and the Bucks win the NBA championship yesterday, but here we are coming up on another exciting NBA season already. Training camp has already begun and the preseason starts just next week with the Lakers and Nets on October 3rd. The Nets will also kick off the regular season, playing against the NBA reigning champs, the Milwaukee Bucks on October 19th. In fact, that game is the first on our list of top ten best games to watch of the NBA 2021/22 season. There are a lot of games in an NBA season and it's pretty difficult to watch every single one of them, so we’ve narrowed it down to the best games to watch, here. (I’ve stuck with games more towards the beginning of the season, since things could look quite different later in the season.)

1. Nets at Bucks - October 19th, 7:30pm ET

The Nets are one of the early favorites to reach the NBA Finals in 2022 and the Bucks are the reigning 2021 champs. In the 2021 post season, the Nets held the Bucks to seven games, even with several of their best players injured. It was a close call when the Bucks eventually advanced - Kevin Durant’s toes were just slightly too far forward on a late jumper in the final clincher. The Nets came so close to being the champions in 2021 that they’ll probably want to prove that they would have been, had they just had healthy players. The Bucks on the other hand will want to prove them wrong - that they did in fact deserve this title and did not win it based on the unfortunate luck of their opponents.

2. Suns at Lakers - October 22nd, 10:30pm ET

The Suns beat out the Lakers in the first round of the NBA playoffs in 2021. Similarly to the Bucks and Nets, there was some doubt that the results weren’t just a fluke. Lebron James was just coming back from an injury at the time and Anthony Davis was dealing with a groin injury. Without the injuries, maybe the Lakers would have had a chance. The Lakers added Russell Westbrook this offseason, putting them as favorites, along with the Nets, to be contenders for the NBA championship. The Suns will get their chance to prove they can still beat the Lakers even with a healthy team.

3. Hornets at Heat - October 29th, 7:30pm ET

The Miami Heat had an eventful offseason, adding Kyle Lowry and a few others in addition to Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. The Heat will be a tough competitor for the Hornets, who are a young team. But this will be a fun game to watch simply for the entertainment that LaMelo Ball provides.

4. Warriors at Nets - November 16th, 7:30pm ET

Kevin Durant is not only one of the greatest players in the NBA, but his drama with Draymond Green from a few years back continues to draw interest. In an interview this summer, the two players blamed the Warriors coach Steve Kerr and general manager Bob Myers for the argument they had back in the 2018/19 season before Durant ultimately left the Warriors. Let’s see if by November those comments still carry any tension. Either way, it should be a telling matchup if the Warriors can pull off a win.

5. Mavericks at Clippers - November 21st, 3:30pm ET

The Clippers have been the Mavs’ Achilles heel in the last two years, taking them out of the playoffs in the opening round. The fact that they have knocked them out twice now makes them somewhat of rivals and though these aren’t the playoffs, a win would certainly be encouraging for the Mavs. Luka Doncic joined the Mavs three years ago and since then, the Mavs have been at a disadvantage against the Clippers. Luka and the Mavs could do well with a win against LA.

6. Knicks at Nets - November 30th, 7:30pm ET

Last season, the Knicks went from being the worst in the league during a 20-year stint to making their first playoff appearance in as much time. Julius Randle was selected for the All-NBA, and now the team has added Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier. The Nets are no question a talented team - with the most talented trio in the league (Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden). It’s definitely a game leaning in the Nets’ favor but since the Knicks are starting down a positive path and have healthy players, maybe we will see a good game here in this rivalry.

7. Celtics at Lakers - December 7th, 10:00pm ET

The Celtics and Lakers rivalry is always an entertaining one to watch. The Lakers are of course the favorites to make it to the finals, but the Celtics are looking like an interesting team this year. Young players Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are up-and coming players for the Celtics who could help them bounce back from a disappointing year last season. It will be fun to watch them take on this rival as they look to redeem themselves.

8. Nets at Lakers - December 25th, 8:00pm ET

The two favorites to make it to the playoffs and a Christmas night game? This game will be one of the most entertaining of the early season. The Lakers have Lebron James, Anthony Davis, and now Russell Westbrook. The Nets have Durant, Harden, and Irving. The Nets’ trio is younger and possibly more versatile, but the Lakers are more experienced and are insanely talented shooters. The Nets have so much talent on their side with their young trio plus Blake Griffin, Joe Harris, and Patty Mills. This promises to be an entertaining game in which we’ll see how well the veteran Lakers can keep up with the young and promising Nets.

9. Mavericks at Jazz - December 25th, 10:30pm ET

Later on that same Christmas night, we have the Mavs at Jazz. The Utah Jazz have been first in wins among the Western Conference over the last five years. But the Mavs have Doncic, who just led the Slovenian Olympic team to a bronze medal, on their side. He’s currently the favorite to win the NBA MVP. At 22 years old, we have seen Doncic singlehandedly lead his team to wins. Let’s see if he can perform a Christmas miracle against the Jazz.

10. Bulls at Grizzlies, January 17th, 3:30pm ET

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is always an entertaining basketball day. The Grizzlies, who play on MLK Day every year, will host the Bulls in 2022. The Grizzlies added Steven Adams, who excels at the pick-and-roll. The Bulls picked up Lonzo Ball, one of the best transition passers in the league, and DeMar DeRozan, also a skilled passer. The Bulls will have an exciting offense this season and it will be exciting to see them take on Memphis.