Chicago’s Lonzo Ball and Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball lead their respective teams into Week 2 undefeated at 3-0.
Monday, October 25
Chicago at Toronto, 7:30 p.m. ET
The Ball brothers are living up to their father Lavar’s “Undefeated, never lost!” catchphrase as Lonzo and the Bulls and LaMelo and the Hornets sit atop the Eastern Conference standings each at 3-0. Both teams are in action on Monday with the Hornets hosting the Celtics and the Bulls visiting Toronto. The Hornets are already off to their best start in franchise history, while the Bulls are 3-0 for the first time since 2016. We have to go back to the 1996-97 season for the last time the Bulls opened the season 4-0. That team went 12-0 to open the year and finished 69-13.
Tuesday, October 26
Los Angeles at San Antonio, 8:30 p.m. ET
The Lakers picked up their first win of the season on Sunday behind a 28-point performance from Carmelo Anthony as he climbed to ninth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. With so many new faces in L.A. – LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Talen Horton-Tucker (who has yet to play this season) are the only carryovers from last year’s roster – we knew it would take some time for this team to find its way. On Tuesday, they take another step towards building that chemistry on court as they face the Spurs.
Wednesday, October 27
Miami at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m. ET
When the 2021-22 NBA GM Survey was released, the top of the Eastern Conference predictions had three teams: the Brooklyn Nets, the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks and the Miami Heat. Both the Heat and Nets have already faced the Bucks – Brooklyn suffered a 23-point loss, Miami posted a 42-point win (their second-largest margin of victory in franchise history). Now the Nets and Heat meet for the first of four meetings this season in a good early test for both teams.
Thursday, October 28
Memphis at Golden State, 10:00 p.m. ET
This is a rematch of last year’s Play-In game that eliminated the Warriors from the playoffs. The Warriors have not lost since as they are 3-0 to open the season. Meanwhile the Grizzles opened the season 2-0 before dropping a close game to the Lakers in L.A. on Sunday. Memphis enters Week 2 as the second-highest scoring team in the league, averaging 123.3 points – five ahead of Golden State, which is sixth at 118.3. Ja Morant is tied with Paul George for the scoring lead at 35 points per game, while last year’s scoring champ Steph Curry is tied for fourth at 31.0 ppg.
Friday, October 29
Cleveland at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m. ET
LeBron vs. his former teams is always a matchup to circle on the calendar. In 16 career games against the Cleveland Cavaliers – where he spent 11 seasons over two stints with the franchise – LeBron has averaged 29.3 points per game. That is his highest scoring average against any opponent over the course of his career.
Saturday, October 30
Denver at Minnesota, 9:00 p.m. ET
Check out reigning Kia MVP Nikola Jokic – who enters Week 2 averaging 29.5 points, 14.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists, including ridiculous passes like this – as Denver takes on Minnesota on Saturday night. Both the Nuggets and the Wolves have opened the season 2-0 and will look to keep the early-season momentum rolling.
Sunday, October 31
Sacramento at Dallas, 3:30 p.m. ET
For Halloween, catch the early game between the Mavericks and Kings before you head out for trick-or-treating, a haunted house visit or some other wicked fun. The Kings tricked the Mavericks into a season sweep last year as one of only two teams (along with Phoenix) to go 3-0 against Dallas despite Luka Doncic averaging 30.3 points in the head-to-head series.
