What to watch the rest of the season
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Just in case you were convinced the NBA had little left to offer between now and the playoffs, we've compiled a list of crucial games to follow as teams jog into the bell lap of the regular season.
For the record, we're encouraging your participation in as many games as possible. A substantial season-ending plummet in attendance and/or television ratings might inspire commissioner David Stern to bump the league's estimated losses from $400 million to $800 million. Don't expect the jersey-number change of LeBron James to finance the entire league.
Anyway, with so many important clashes to come -- in addition to competition from March Madness -- we've whittled down our list and will present it in chronological order.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}March 5: Orlando Magic at New Jersey Nets
Sure, this looms as a showdown between Vince Carter's new team and his old one, and it's fair to imagine the Magic really hoping to punish New Jersey for having agreed to that deal.
But even more interesting to watch will be the turnstiles. The Nets, whose average of just north of 11,000 official witnesses per game is last in the NBA, have a promotion that presents a coupon for a free state income-tax return to everyone (at least 18 years old) showing up to watch Dwight Howard dunk on Yi Jianlian.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}According to rumor, the promotional partner company will offer to figure out the Nets' luxury-tax predicament if they're actually able to use their cap space to sign some players this summer.
March 6: New Jersey Nets at New York Knicks
The Nets, who happen to have just six wins and need four more to avoid checking in as the worst team in league history, will be playing a team they may be able to defeat.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}March 7: Los Angeles Lakers at Orlando Magic
A rematch of last year's Finals is the second showdown this season between these teams. Kobe Bryant was a chilly 4 of 19 from the field when the Lakers won in L.A. about six weeks ago.
March 19: Milwaukee Bucks at Sacramento Kings
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This is the first professional showdown featuring Milwaukee's Brandon Jennings, the season's first "lock" for the Rookie of the Year award, and Sacramento's Tyreke Evans, the guy who's probably going to win it.
Jennings and Evans won't be assigned to guard each other, but their ability to compromise the defense with dribble penetration should make watching this game even more enjoyable than a night at the Maloof brothers' Vegas casino.
By the way, Evans and Golden State's Stephen Curry are through playing against each other this season.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}March 20: Charlotte Bobcats at Miami Heat
According to rumor, this could be the next (and last) game new Bobcats owner Michael Jordan will attend this season. But even more important is the Eastern Conference playoff seeding race that currently lists Miami in eighth place and Charlotte one-half-game back in ninth.
The Dwyane Wade vs. Stephen Jackson tussle could be fun.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}March 24: Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder
As they attempt to climb the Western Conference playoff-seeding ladder, every game is important to the young Thunder. But a very nice individual matchup will be Houston defender Shane Battier against Oklahoma City scoring machine Kevin Durant. An old Pac-10 renewal co-starring Aaron Brooks and Russell Westbrook may be even more entertaining.
March 26: Los Angeles Lakers at Oklahoma City Thunder
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Two days after dealing with the tactical positioning of Battier, Durant must face the muscle of Lakers stopper Ron Artest. Please note that L.A. won the last meeting between these teams, but young Kev went for 30 points -- on 11-of-19 shooting -- against the defending champs. However, since making a commitment to dropping a few pounds, Artest has been his old, nasty self when defending elite wing players. If the referees allow Ron-Ron to beat on Durant as much as he pounded Carmelo Anthony in a recent game, this will be no hayride for the OKC superstar.
March 29: Denver Nuggets at Dallas Mavericks
Unless the Nuggets continue to slide, this should be the continuation of the battle for second seed in the Western Conference. The Nuggets will throw defender Kenyon Martin at Mavs ace Dirk Nowitzki, while Dallas figures to attach Shawn Marion to the air space of Denver star Anthony.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}But this one could be decided in the backcourt, where old war horses Chauncey Billups and Jason Kidd will battle at the point, with Jason Terry and J.R. Smith dropping bombs from off the bench.
April 6: Oklahoma City Thunder at Utah Jazz
OKC is holding down sixth seed in the Western Conference, while Utah is sitting in fourth. These teams should be close enough to those spots in one month to make this one really big.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}April 7: Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder
'Melo vs. Durant. This matchup could be a video game.
April 9: Phoenix Suns at Oklahoma City Thunder
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Nah, don't expect the Suns to unleash some killer defensive employee at Durant, although it wouldn't be a bad idea. By this date, these two teams still could be in the hunt for fourth place -- and home-court advantage in the first round -- in the West.
April 10: New Jersey Nets at Indiana Pacers
It took us a while, but we've found another team the Nets may be able to take down.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}April 11: Orlando Magic at Cleveland Cavaliers
This one probably won't be of importance in the Eastern Conference seeding derby unless the Cavs completely fall apart while Shaquille O'Neal's thumb is healing. But it could remind both teams of their respective low-post situations relative to Shaq's health come playoff time, while we also may get a better idea of how a potential Antawn Jamison-Rashard Lewis matchup would unfold.
Perhaps this will turn out to be LeBron's last regular-season home game as a Cavalier.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}April 14: New Jersey Nets at Miami Heat
If the Nets show up for work with eight or nine victories, this one could be huge.