Happy New Year! This is the first full NBA week of 2016 and there are plenty of basketball games for fans to look forward to. NBA fans in Europe and the UK have managed to enjoy some games in the NBA schedule in the past 2 weeks but with everyone settling down to return to work, this may be a more difficult process in the week that lies ahead.
This is a shame because there are plenty of great games lined up in the NBA over the next 7 days, and we’ll get to learn a lot more about the teams that are aiming for the play-offs. The Warriors lost another game but their 31-2 record is still extremely impressive, making them the only team to break through the 30 wins barrier so far. The Spurs will join them soon though, sitting with a 29-6 record and the Thunder are 24-10. The Cavaliers are 22-9, the Clippers are 22-13, the Raptors and the Hawks are 21-14, the Bulls are 20-12 and at the other end, the 76ers are 3-33.
Tuesday 5th January 00:00 GMT Tip-off time / 01:00 CET
- Toronto Raptors @ Cleveland Cavaliers
- Minnesota Timberwolves @ Philadelphia 76ers
Tuesday 5th January 00:30 GMT Tip-off time / 01:30 CET
- Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons
- Boston Celtics @ Brooklyn Nets
- Indiana Pacers @ Miami Heat
Tuesday 5th January 01:00 GMT Tip-off time / 02:00 CET
- Sacramento Kings @ Oklahoma City Thunder
- San Antonio Spurs @ Milwaukee Bucks
Tuesday 5th January 02:00 GMT Tip-off time / 03:00 CET
- Houston Rockets @ Utah Jazz
Tuesday 5th January 03:00 GMT Tip-off time / 04:00 CET
- Memphis Grizzlies @ Portland Trail Blazers
Tuesday 5th January 03:30 GMT Tip-off time / 04:30 CET
- Charlotte Hornets @ Golden State Warriors
The first game sees the Raptors travel to Cleveland in a game between two teams who have performed very well this season. The bookies think the Cavaliers will cruise it so take the Toronto Raptors at +8, at odds of 1.90. The Pacers in Miami could be the closest game of the day and you should be looking to take the Miami Heat at -2.5 at odds of 1.90 in this game.
The Warriors should be able to continue their good run of form at home to the Hornets and no doubt there could be another tough night in store for the fans in Philadelphia as the 76ers welcome the Timberwolves.
Wednesday 6th January 01:00 GMT Tip-off time / 02:00 CET
- Milwaukee Bucks @ Chicago Bulls
- New York Knicks @ Atlanta Hawks
Wednesday 6th January 01:30 GMT Tip-off time / 02:30 CET
- Sacramento Kings @ Dallas Mavericks
Wednesday 6th January 03:30 GMT Tip-off time / 04:30 CET
- Golden State Warriors @ Los Angeles Lakers
The Bucks and the Bulls serve up an enticing tie on Wednesday for the UK and European NBA fans while the Hawks welcoming the Knicks should be worth watching. The Warriors should have enough about them to take care of the Lakers with a bit to spare when the two teams clash in Los Angeles.
Thursday 7th January 00:00 GMT Tip-off time / 01:00 CET
- Indiana Pacers @ Orlando Magic
- New York Knicks @ Miami Heat
- Cleveland Cavaliers @ Washington Wizards
Thursday 7th January 00:30 GMT Tip-off time / 01:30 CET
- Toronto Raptors @ Brooklyn Nets
- Detroit Pistons @ Boston Celtics
Thursday 7th January 01:00 GMT Tip-off time / 02:00 CET
- Dallas Mavericks @ New Orleans Pelicans
- Denver Nuggets @ Minnesota Timberwolves
Thursday 7th January 01:30 GMT Tip-off time / 02:30 CET
- Utah Jazz @ San Antonio Spurs
Thursday 7th January 02:00 GMT Tip-off time / 03:00 CET
- Charlotte Hornets @ Phoenix Suns
Thursday 7th January 02:30 GMT Tip-off time / 03:30 CET
- Memphis Grizzlies @ Oklahoma City Thunder
Thursday 7th January 03:00 GMT Tip-off time / 04:00 CET
- Los Angeles Clippers @ Portland Trail Blazers
The Knicks and the Heat could be well worth staying up for if you are a basketball fan in the UK or Europe while the Pistons game in Boston is another one that could be of benefit. The Cavaliers trip to Washington is however likely to be the game of the day and with a 00:00 tip-off time in the UK, this could be a game that is ideal for UK basketball lovers.
Friday 8th January 00:00 GMT Tip-off time / 01:00 CET
- Atlanta Hawks @ Philadelphia 76ers
Friday 8th January 01:00 GMT Tip-off time / 02:00 CET
- Boston Celtics @ Chicago Bulls
- Utah Jazz @ Houston Rockets
Friday 8th January 03:30 GMT Tip-off time / 04:30 CET
- Los Angeles Lakers @ Sacramento Kings
The early hours of Friday morning serves up the Celtics trip to Chicago as these two iconic teams clash once again. The Jazz and the Rockets could be a close affair while the Kings will be confident or turning over the Lakers at home.
Saturday 9th January 00:00 GMT Tip-off time / 01:00 CET
- Toronto Raptors @ Washington Wizards
Saturday 9th January 00:30 GMT Tip-off time / 01:30 CET
- Orlando Magic @ Brooklyn Nets
Saturday 9th January 01:00 GMT Tip-off time / 02:00 CET
- Denver Nuggets @ Memphis Grizzlies
- Cleveland Cavaliers @ Minnesota Timberwolves
- Dallas Mavericks @ Milwaukee Bucks
- Indiana Pacers @ New Orleans Pelicans
Saturday 9th January 01:30 GMT Tip-off time / 02:30 CET
- New York Knicks @ San Antonio Spurs
Saturday 9th January 02:30 GMT Tip-off time / 03:30 CET
- Miami Heat @ Phoenix Suns
Saturday 9th January 03:00 GMT Tip-off time / 04:00 CET
- Golden State Warriors @ Portland Trail Blazers
Saturday 9th January 03:30 GMT Tip-off time / 04:30 CET
- Oklahoma City Thunder @ Los Angeles Lakers
Saturday 9th January 20:30 GMT Tip-off time / 21:30 CET
- Charlotte Hornets @ Los Angeles Clippers
Saturday 9th January 22:00 GMT Tip-off time / 23:00 CET
- Chicago Bulls @ Atlanta Hawks
The Raptors trip to Washington looks like being one of the games of the day and the Warriors will find the going tough when they travel to Portland. The Bulls in Atlanta is likely to be of interest and the Mavericks and the Bucks could offer up a close affair.
Sunday 10th January 00:00 GMT Tip-off time / 01:00 CET
- Washington Wizards @ Orlando Magic
Sunday 10th January 00:30 GMT Tip-off time / 01:30 CET
- Brooklyn Nets @ Detroit Pistons
- Toronto Raptors @ Philadelphia 76ers
Sunday 10th January 02:00 GMT Tip-off time / 03:00 CET
- Miami Heat @ Utah Jazz
Sunday 10th January 03:00 GMT Tip-off time / 04:00 CET
- Golden State Warriors @ Sacramento Kings
Sunday 10th January 20:30 GMT Tip-off time / 21:30 CET
- Dallas Mavericks @ Minnesota Timberwolves
- New Orleans Pelicans @ Los Angeles Clippers
Sunday 10th January 23:00 GMT Tip-off time / 00:00 CET (Monday 11th January)
- Cleveland Cavaliers @ Philadelphia 76ers
- Boston Celtics @ Memphis Grizzlies
The Warriors and the Kings is the game that jumps out of the NBA schedule for the early hours of Sunday morning in the UK and Europe although the Wizards in Orlando could be an enticing game. The Heat in Utah is also shaping up to be a game that is worth watching but the Cavaliers should be able to pound the 76ers in Philadelphia. The Mavericks in Minnesota and the Pelicans away to the Clippers should provide European and UK NBA fans with a great end to the week as these games are featured at a reasonable hour this side of the Atlantic.
Monday 11th January 00:00 GMT Tip-off time / 01:00 CET
- Indiana Pacers @ Houston Rockets
Monday 11th January 00:30 GMT Tip-off time / 01:30 CET
- Milwaukee Bucks @ New York Knicks
Monday 11th January 01:00 GMT Tip-off time / 02:00 CET
- Charlotte Hornets @ Denver Nuggets
Monday 11th January 02:00 GMT Tip-off time / 03:00 CET
- Oklahoma City Thunder @ Portland Trail Blazers
Monday 11th January 02:30 GMT Tip-off time / 03:30 CET
- Utah Jazz @ Los Angeles Lakers
The early hours of Monday morning offer up a few exciting ties with the Hornets in Denver looking like an interesting game. The Thunder travel to Portland and the Bucks will be in New York taking on the Knicks, and these could all be close games.
At 3-1 down in the NBA Finals, many people predicted that the Cleveland Cavaliers would lie down, perhaps looking for the pain to be over and done with for another year. After all, they were facing the record breakers, the team that had shown themselves to be the best of the best by a good...