NEW YORK — At a time of the calendar year when college football typically commands sports fans’ attention, the men’s college basketball world won the night at Madison Square Garden with the Champions Classic.

The annual doubleheader clash between four of the sport’s biggest blue bloods — Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and Michigan State — once again served as the unofficial kickoff event of the college basketball season with some of the sport’s top talent under the same roof on a Tuesday night in November.

The first of those games came with a clash between Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans and Mark Pope’s Kentucky Wildcats, one that the 18th-ranked Spartans dominated in thanks to a big night from Jaxon Kohler and their ability to find their 3-point game.

Then, in the nightcap, Cameron Boozer helped No. 4 Duke defeat No. 23 Kansas, which was without star freshman Darryn Peterson.

With their wins, the Spartans improved their Champions Classic overall record to 6-9, while the Blue Devils moved to 9-6 in the event, which was back at ‘The World’s Most Famous Arena’ for the first time since 2019. Meanwhile, with their losses, Kentucky dropped to 6-9 and Kansas dropped to 9-6.

Here are a few takeaways from The Garden:

Cameron Boozer delivers in MSG debut

For many, the annual Champions Classic doubleheader not only serves as the ‘official’ start of the college basketball season, since some of the top programs in the country are all under one roof, but it also provides the first opportunity for fans to watch some of the top players in the country on the same floor.

One of those players is Boozer, the No. 3 recruit in the 2025 recruiting class and son of longtime NBA player Carlos Boozer. In his MSG debut, Boozer finished with a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds.

‘I still don’t think he played incredible. That’s the thing that’s really exciting,’ Duke head coach Jon Scheyer said on Boozer’s debut at The Garden.

‘He made some key plays, like the rebound in the first half, the outlet to Isaiah. I thought he did a great job putting pressure on the defense. … This place is different. Playing MSG, it’s different. I thought he did a really good job handling that.’

Kansas kept Boozer quiet in the first half from a scoring standpoint, as he finished with just seven points on 2-of-6 field goal attempts in the opening 20 minutes. That still didn’t stop him from impacting the game with his play-making abilities. Case in point: his full-court pass near the end of the first half to Isaiah Evans.

Similar to Duke’s opening game against Texas in the Dick Vitale Invitational, Boozer found his stride in the second half. He added 11 points in the second half alone, including a tough finish at the basket that drew a foul after the ball went in.

Kansas coach Bill Self said he thought his team defended Boozer ‘pretty well.’

‘I thought we did some good things. I think these guys would probably agree with me, when we screwed up, it seemed like he made us pay when we screwed up,’ Self said. ‘If you miss a block out he’ll make you pay on the block out. If we screwed up, which we did a few times … He’ll make you pay out of that.’ 

He then pointed to Boozer’s passing ability as something that stood out to him as well. He finished with five assists on the night.

‘He does a lot of things well, but he’s a really good passer,’ Self said. ‘I felt pretty good about how our guys defended (him), even in 1-on-1 type situations. But when we screwed up, he took advantage of it.’

Boozer’s big night at The Garden helped Duke to its ninth consecutive win at ‘The World’s Most Famous Arena,’ and the program’s 10th in its last 11 trips to what is commonly referred to as ‘Cameron North,’ a nickname given out by its fanbase with Duke having played at least one game at Madison Square Garden in 25 of the last 28 seasons.

Jaxon Kohler puts together big night as Michigan State finds 3-point shooting identity

Kohler set the tone on offense for the Spartans with an early 3-pointer in the game’s opening minutes, a ‘confidence’ booster of a shot that served to be an early sign of what would come against Kentucky from the senior 6-foot-9 forward.

‘After last game, I didn’t make one three. In the moment, it pissed me off and motivated me, but the next day, it didn’t affect my confidence because I know that I put the work in and I know how many shots I put up,’ Kohler said after the game in the Spartans locker room. ‘… Confidence is the biggest thing.’

The veteran forward showed a strong presence on the floor throughout his 27 minutes of action, as he was able to impact the game by controlling the entire offensive end with layups, mid-range shots and 3-pointers. He’d finished the night with a season-high 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting, five rebounds and a block.

‘Jaxon’s gonna make plays,’ Michigan State guard Jeremey Fears Jr. said of Kohler. ‘I think he’s been a lot better passing out of the post … He’s hard to guard. He’s gonna fight off the rebounds. He’s gonna run the lane, he’s gonna match a catch and shoot. He’s gonna post up.

‘… I love that he’s on my team for sure.’

Kohler’s night punctuated Michigan State’s ability to find its 3-point shooting identity, a part of the Spartans’ game they aren’t known to win games with under Izzo. The Spartans’ identity in 31 seasons with Izzo, of course, has been their ability to win games by dominating the glass.

That isn’t to say Michigan State wasn’t able to gobble up rebounds. The Spartans out-rebounded Kentucky 42-28 on the night, including a 10-6 advantage on the offensive glass.

Even so, it was Michigan State did outside of its normal game that won the night.

The Spartans hit seven 3s in the first half to build a 44-27 halftime lead, with four of them coming before the first media timeout at the 13:15 mark of the half. That sharp shooting continued in the second half with four made triples in the final 20 minutes alone.

To emphasize how uncharacteristic of a night the Spartans had from beyond the arc, they entered the night with a 3-point shooting percentage (21.7%) that ranked 352nd in the country.

‘You know, I told my wife, I told my AD, I told my staff, we had three of the best days of practice. We went at it,’ Izzo said after the game. ‘We had two-a-days one day. I don’t know, that’s probably illegal now, I don’t know. But since there’s no laws and rules — right, since there is none, it doesn’t really matter, but we did.

‘I think when you get players to the point where they realize the work is beneficial for them and us, and that’s what wins like tonight will do. Maintaining that, there are 27, 26 games left, so don’t — as my buddy (former Alabama coach) Nick (Saban) says, don’t throw rat poison at me, but we deserve to feel good for a night because we weren’t great other than our shooting early.’

Kentucky unable to find a rhythm on offense

While Michigan State had an above-average night offensively, Kentucky did not.

‘We’re really disappointed, and we’ve got a lot of work to do,’ Pope said of Kentucky’s overall performance.

It didn’t start all that bad for the Wildcats. They traded early punches with the Spartans and even held a 17-14 lead at the first media timeout. The teams traded the lead seven times in the opening seven minutes.

It was out of the media timeout when things began to go downhill for Kentucky, which is expected to compete in the SEC in Pope’s second season. Down two starters in Jaland Lowe and Jayden Quaintance and continuing to find its identity after adding numerous players from the transfer portal, the Wildcats were unable to keep up with the Spartans’ hot shooting as they underwent multiple cold stretches.

A 27.6% field goal shooting percentage combined with seven 3-pointers given up to Michigan State had Kentucky down 44-27 at halftime.

‘We just played poor. It was poor, poor attention to detail on the defensive end,’ Pope said.

Pope’s squad would show some life early on in the second half, even making it a 10-point game at the 9:37 mark, which forced Izzo to call a timeout. The Wildcats wouldn’t be able to keep that offensive momentum, as they fell back into an offensive slump and Michigan State built its lead back up thanks to the efforts of Kohler and freshman guard Cam Ward.

The Wildcats ended the night hitting just two of their final 10 field goal attempts, one of which was a three from Jasper Johnson with 30 seconds remaining in the game. And if that wasn’t alarming enough, Kentucky finished with just 14 assists on 20 made field goals on the night, which was one more assist than Fears finished with by himself for Michigan State.

‘I’ve got to do a better job. My messaging is not resonating with the guys right now. That’s my responsibility,’ Pope said. ‘We’re not playing like our teams play, and that’s my communication issue, so that’s a place we’ve got to work.

Kansas shows depth with Darryn Peterson out

Kansas found itself a man down entering the night, with Peterson being ruled out due to an ongoing hamstring strain. That still didn’t deter Bill Self’s program from giving the Blue Devils — who are expected to make another run at the ACC title in the Men’s NCAA Tournament — a close game.

A reason the Jayhawks were close to picking up their signature early-season win was their ability to rely on their depth. Kansas is now 0-2 on the season against top-25 ranked opponents, with the other loss coming to No. 19 UNC in Chapel Hill in the first week of the season.

One player who stepped up in Peterson’s absence was Flory Bidunga, who is off to a strong second season after an underwhelming freshman campaign. The Jayhawks’ 6-foot-10 forward finished with 14 points, six rebounds and an assist on the night despite being in foul trouble.

‘He’s gotten a lot better,’ Self said on Bidunga’s development. ‘The thing about Flow (Bidunga) is, to me, is he could play really well and not score because he’s so active. He can change the game with activity. His offensive game has gotten better. And I thought he played big tonight and he played athletic.’

Champions Classic 2025 scores

Here’s a breakdown of the scores from the 15th edition of the Champions Classic on Nov. 18:

• Game 1:No. 18 Michigan State 83, No. 13 Kentucky 66
• Game 2:No. 4 Duke 78, No. 23 Kansas 66

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The Los Angeles Angels and Baltimore Orioles swung a trade late on Tuesday, Nov. 18, exchanging a pair of former first round picks.

Baltimore is acquiring Taylor Ward from the Angels in exchange for pitcher Grayson Rodriguez, the teams announced.

Ward, 31, appeared in a career-high 157 games this past season and launched a career-high 36 home runs. The outfielder posted a .228/.317/.475 slash line. He was drafted by the Angels in the first round of the 2015 draft and made his debut with the team in 2018.

Rodriguez, 26, was the 11th overall pick in the 2018 draft. He’s been solid when healthy but has struggled with injuries. He has not appeared in an MLB game since July 31, 2024.

Rodriguez posted a 4.11 ERA in 43 starts with the Orioles over two seasons (2023 and 2024). He has 259 strikeouts in 238.2 innings and has gone 20-8.

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AI-assisted summary
• Both teams participated in tributes, including wearing special T-shirts, helmet decals, and observing a moment of silence.
• The Cowboys played an inspired game, defeating the Raiders 33-16 in their first contest since Kneeland’s passing.
• Quarterback Dak Prescott, whose brother also died by suicide, emphasized the importance of supporting one another and remembering that life is bigger than football.

This article discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

LAS VEGAS – Monday night was bigger than football. It was apparent by the atmosphere before kickoff.

The Dallas Cowboys wore custom Marshawn Kneeland T-shirts during pregame warmups. Members of the Las Vegas Raiders had on suicide prevention shirts with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The Cowboys had decals on their helmets to honor Kneeland, and members of the team’s staff wore pins with his No. 94. Allegiant Stadium conducted a moment of silence for Kneeland just prior to kickoff.

It would’ve been understandable if the emotional toll from Kneeland’s death by apparent suicide on Nov. 6 was too much to bear for the Cowboys as they took the field for the first time since his passing. But the Cowboys played inspired in a convincing 33-16 victory in what might’ve been their most complete performance of the season.

“So proud of these guys. I mean, the way that they grieved, cried (and) laughed. But they wanted to honor (Kneeland), and we’re not done honoring him. He’s a part of our family forever,” Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said postgame. “But it’s been tough, man. I mean, these past 11 days been really tough. I’m proud of those guys, because just the way they played (Monday). They played with Marshawn’s to play style.”

Schottenheimer delivered a postgame message to the team about how proud Kneeland would’ve been of the team’s performance. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott threw four touchdown passes. The much-maligned Cowboys defense sacked Raiders quarterback Geno Smith four times, intercepted him once and recorded a safety in the fourth quarter.

“Because of the type of person, teammate and friend he was and is, he definitely will be proud. We were running to the ball. We were playing hard, we were celebrating together as a defensive line,” said Cowboys defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku, who preferred to speak of Kneeland in present tense. “He’s with us. He’s in our team meetings, he’s in our defensive line meetings. He’s practicing there with us, and he’s not going to be forgotten.”

Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa carried Kneeland’s 94 jersey to the visitors’ locker room after the win.

“It means the world to me to be able to honor him and honor his memory,” Odighizuwa said. “Being able to carry his jersey and carry his light and take it with us moving forward. He’s with us every step of the way.”

Kneeland’s jersey hung at a locker besides Cowboys players as they celebrated the win.  

Prescott had “one love” – a phrase Kneeland liked to say – written on his wrist tape during the game. The Cowboys quarterback appropriately sported a hat that read “Love your people” after the game. Prescott’s brother, Jace, died by suicide in 2020.

The Cowboys quarterback delivered a message for the masses at his postgame press conference. He reminded everyone able to listen that everything that transpired in front of a prime-time national audience was bigger than just a game.

‘It’s one of these moments you realize this is just a game, and life is what’s important, and our connections, our relationships. You know, what we say to each other, how we can lift each other up, how we can be a helping hand, how we can be a true neighbor, a true brother, a true sister, and love one another. One love, like Marshawn lived by,” Prescott explained. “Hopefully we’d all continue to look at our neighbors, look at ourselves and ask, how can we be better? How can we help better them? And just a moment like I said, to understand that it’s much bigger than this game, and it’s about life.”

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Fantasy football managers are set to navigate one of their most difficult weeks of the season so far. Not only are there four teams on bye – the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders – but a plethora of prominent fantasy players are dealing with injuries that could knock them out of action.

Notably, running backs Josh Jacobs and Jaylen Warren suffered injuries in Week 11 and didn’t return to action. The same was true of Drake London, who is expected to miss Week 12 at the very least, while quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Michael Penix Jr. may both be sidelined by injuries.

That will leave fantasy managers scouring the waiver wire for potential streamers and fill-ins to help their lineups remain competitive. There are a handful of pickups who can immediately be plugged into lineups, while the recent returns of some other fantasy assets could create some difficult start ’em, sit ’em decisions.

Who can you start and sit in fantasy football for Week 12 of the NFL season? USA TODAY Sports outlines eight players to start and eight to sit.

Fantasy football players to start in Week 12

Quarterbacks

• Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)

Brissett has been the epitome of consistency for fantasy managers since taking over for Kyler Murray in Week 6. He has thrown two touchdowns in all five of his starts and is averaging 314 passing yards per game, never throwing for less than 258 across his outings. The Jaguars are coming off an elite-level performance against Justin Herbert and the Chargers, but Jacksonville has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game (FPPG) to quarterbacks this season.

• Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers (vs. Carolina Panthers)

Purdy finally returned to action against the Cardinals and looked healthy, throwing for 200 yards and three touchdowns in a blowout win over Arizona. Like Brissett, Purdy is hyper-consistent, as he is averaging 262 yards and has multiple touchdowns in each of his three starts this season. Carolina’s defense has been solid of late against quarterbacks – the unit has allowed just three passing touchdowns over its last five weeks – but Purdy still figures to be a strong start on ‘Monday Night Football.’

Running backs

• Woody Marks, Houston Texans (vs. Buffalo Bills)

Marks didn’t quite live up to expectations against the Titans, totaling just 51 yards and failing to score. However, he out-touched Nick Chubb 19-3, signaling he has taken over in full as the lead back in Houston. The Texans have a favorable matchup against a Bills team that has allowed a league-high 14 rushing touchdowns to running backs and was just gashed by Sean Tucker. That should make Marks a rock-solid RB2 for Week 12.

• Emanuel Wilson, Green Bay Packers (vs. Minnesota Vikings)

Josh Jacobs avoided a serious knee injury against the Giants, but he is still expected to be week-to-week because of it. Wilson seems likely to be a workhorse if Jacobs doesn’t play, as third-string running back Chris Brooks has logged just three carries this season. The Vikings rank middle-of-the-pack against running backs, so Wilson figures to be a low-end RB2 based on volume alone.

Wide receivers

• A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles (at Dallas Cowboys)

Brown saw a season-high 11 targets in Week 11 after airing his grievances about the Eagles’ lack of consistent offensive success. If he continues to see that type of volume, Brown should have a chance for a big game against a Cowboys team that has allowed a league-high 16 receiving touchdowns to wideouts this season.

• Darnell Mooney, Atlanta Falcons (at New Orleans Saints)

Mooney has just 16 catches this season, but he’s a nice sleeper option with Kirk Cousins taking over for the injured Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback. Mooney averaged 4.1 catches for 62.4 yards in 14 games with Cousins last season and figures to see a high volume of targets with Drake London expected to miss Week 12 with a knee injury.

Tight end

• Hunter Henry, New England Patriots (at Cincinnati Bengals)

The Bengals did not allow a touchdown to the Steelers’ tight end room in Week 11, but they did let Darnell Washington and Pat Freiermuth combine for 86 yards on five catches. Cincinnati still leads the league in touchdowns surrendered to the position (12) so Henry should be in line for a big game.

Defense/special teams

• Cleveland Browns (at Las Vegas Raiders)

The Browns have generated 14 takeaways during the 2025 NFL season, tied for the seventh-most league-wide, and are averaging 3.2 sacks per game thanks to another standout season from Myles Garrett. Geno Smith has been one of the NFL’s most turnover-prone quarterbacks this season, so Cleveland could have a huge outing in this matchup.

Fantasy football players to sit in Week 12

Quarterbacks

• Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (vs. Philadelphia Eagles)

The Eagles haven’t allowed an opposing quarterback to log multiple passing touchdowns against them since Week 4. Prescott was unable to score while throwing for just 188 yards in his team’s Week 1 game against Philadelphia – a game where the Eagles did not have top defensive tackle Jalen Carter at their disposal after he spit at Prescott. As such, it’s hard to recommend trusting Prescott in this matchup.

• Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts (at Kansas City Chiefs)

Jones has been a viable fantasy starter at times this season, but he faces a tough Week 12 matchup with the Chiefs. Kansas City has allowed just nine passing touchdowns to quarterbacks this season, tied for the fewest in the league. Jones has thrown for two touchdowns compared to four interceptions in his last two starts, so he has a low floor playing against what should be a desperate Chiefs team.

Running backs

• Sean Tucker, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at Los Angeles Rams)

Tucker just starred during a 140-yard, three-touchdown performance against the Bills. He now gets a much tougher matchup in Week 12 against a Rams defense that has allowed just three total touchdowns to running backs this season. Add in the pending return of Bucky Irving and Tucker may not have the volume needed to be anything more than a touchdown-dependent flex play in a tough matchup.

• Devin Singletary, New York Giants (at Detroit Lions)

Singletary is averaging just 57 scrimmage yards per game since Cam Skattebo’s injury, so his fantasy value figures to hinge significantly on his ability to score. He did so twice against the Packers, but he may find trouble repeating that feat against a Lions team that has allowed the second-fewest FPPG to running backs this season.

Wide receivers

• Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills (at Houston Texans)

The Texans are one of just three teams to allow fewer than 100 receptions to wide receivers through Week 11. Shakir has often been a safety valve for Josh Allen, but it’s worth wondering whether the two will be able to connect on offense against a Houston defense that leads the NFL in EPA, per the NFL’s Next Gen Stats.

• Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers (vs. Carolina Panthers)

The good news: Pearsall made his return to action against the Cardinals in Week 11. The bad news: he had just one catch for zero yards. Pearsall may need time to work back into game shape, so feel free to keep him on the bench one more week against a Panthers defense that is weaker against RBs and TEs but has allowed the fifth-fewest FPPG to wide receivers.

Tight end

• Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans (vs. Buffalo Bills)

The Bills have allowed the fewest receptions (25) and receiving yards (270) to tight ends this season, while also allowing just one touchdown. Schultz has averaged 5.8 catches and 60.5 receiving yards per game since Week 5, but he has a much lower ceiling than usual in this matchup.

Defense/special teams

• Los Angeles Rams (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

The Rams are legitimate Super Bowl contenders, but they have surprisingly generated just one sack over their last three games. Continued struggles to generate pressure will lower their fantasy floor, as will a matchup against a Buccaneers team that is averaging 25.2 points per game, tied for 10th-best in the NFL.

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The U.S. men’s national soccer team will play its final friendly of 2025 as it continues to build toward what it hopes will be a successful 2026 World Cup.

The team’s performance of late has been encouraging.

Coach Mauricio Pochettino’s squad has gone unbeaten in four consecutive friendly matches against World Cup-bound teams, including a feisty 2-1 win over Paraguay on Nov. 15. The most promising aspect of the win was the play of Gio Reyna, who made his first USMNT start in 16 months. Reyna scored a goal and assisted on another in the victory.

The USMNT’s next opponent will be the biggest test yet among the team’s recent opponents. Uruguay is a World Cup regular; it has qualified for five of the last six World Cups and is ranked No. 15 in the latest FIFA rankings. The USMNT is rated one spot below Uruguay. It was Uruguay that prevented the U.S. from advancing beyond the group stage at the 2024 Copa America, a disappointment that resulted in the firing of then-coach Gregg Berhalter.

Here’s everything you need to know for the USMNT’s friendly soccer match against Uruguay on Tuesday, Nov. 18:

How to watch USMNT vs. Uruguay: Time, TV, streaming

• Date: Tuesday, Nov. 18
• Time: 7 p.m. ET
• Location: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
• TV channel: TNT (English); Telemundo, Universo (Spanish)
• Streaming: Max, Sling TV (English); Peacock (Spanish)

Stream USMNT vs. Uruguay on Sling TV

USMNT roster for November friendlies

Goalkeepers (4): Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati), Matt Freese (New York City FC), Jonathan Klinsmann (Cesena/Italy), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew)

Defenders (9): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven/Netherlands), Alex Freeman (Orlando City), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse FC/France), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/Germany), John Tolkin (Holstein Kiel/Germany), Auston Trusty (Celtic/Scotland)

Midfielders (6): Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps/Canada), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough/England), Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach/Germany), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Tanner Tessmann (Olympique Lyon/France), Timmy Tillman (LAFC)

Forwards (5): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/England), Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco/France), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/Netherlands), Haji Wright (Coventry City/Englan

USMNT 2025 schedule and results

• Jan. 20 (friendly) — United States 3, Venezuela 1
• Jan. 22 (friendly) — United States 3, Costa Rica 0
• March 20 (Concacaf Nations League) — Panama 1, United States 0
• March 23 (Concacaf Nations League third-place match) — Canada 2, United States 1
• June 7 (friendly) — Türkiye 2, United States 1
• June 10 (friendly) — Switzerland 4, United States 0
• June 15 (Concacaf Gold Cup) — United States 5, Trinidad and Tobago 0
• June 19 (Concacaf Gold Cup) — United States 1, Saudi Arabia 0
• June 22 (Concacaf Gold Cup) — United States 2, Haiti 1
• June 29 (Concacaf Gold Cup quarterfinal) — United States 2, Costa Rica 2 (U.S. won penalty shootout, 4-3)
• July 2 (Concacaf Gold Cup semifinal) — United States 2, Guatemala 1
• July 6 (Concacaf Gold Cup final) — Mexico 2, United States 1
• Sept. 6 (friendly) — South Korea 2, United States 0
• Sept. 9 (friendly) — United States 2, Japan 0
• Oct. 10 (friendly) — United States 1, Ecuador 1
• Oct. 14 (friendly) — United States 2, Australia 1
• Nov. 15 (friendly) — United States 2, Paraguay 1
• Nov. 18 (friendly) — United States vs. Uruguay, 7 p.m. ET (Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida)

The NBA season is fully in swing. With some teams already having played 15 games, we’re starting to determine exactly who could compete for a title this season.

The early-season surprises are mostly behind us at this point, but that doesn’t mean teams like the Chicago Bulls, losers of five in a row heading into the week, can’t bounce back and remind us why the entire league feared them for the first two weeks.

Meanwhile, other squads are starting to find their groove. After starting the year just 6-6, the Golden State Warriors have won three straight, including two wins over the talented San Antonio Spurs.

Here are the top-five games to watch for the upcoming week of NBA:

Best NBA games to watch Nov. 18-23

1) Detroit Pistons at Atlanta Hawks

• Date: Tuesday, Nov. 18
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
• How to Watch: NBA League Pass, FanDuel Sports Network, Bally Sports Southeast

The Detroit Pistons were expected to be good this year, but very few people expected them to be at the top of the Eastern Conference standings. They’ve posted some impressive wins thus far, but have yet to face a serious Eastern Conference contender like the Atlanta Hawks could be, and to make matters even more difficult, the Pistons will be playing this game as the second of a back-to-back.

2) Houston Rockets at Cleveland Cavaliers

• Date: Wednesday, Nov. 19
• Time: 7 p.m. ET
• How to Watch: ESPN, Fubo, NBA League Pass, FanDuel Sports Network

The Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers both appear to be in that second-tier of team in their respective conferences. Neither can seem to take over first-place in the East or West, but they are both teams that are feared by every competitor they face. Now, they square off against one another on an ESPN clash.

Watch Cavaliers vs. Rockets on Fubo

3) Chicago Bulls at Portland Trail Blazers

• Date: Wednesday, Nov. 19
• Time: 10 p.m. ET
• How to Watch: NBA League Pass, CHSN, BlazerVision

The Chicago Bulls have lost five straight heading into the week and now face a Portland Trail Blazers team that has beaten some of the best teams in the league. The Blazers have also lost to the Los Angeles Clippers and barely squeaked by against the New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz. In other words, Portland seems to play up to the level of their competition, and the Bulls might be able to take advantage.

4) Philadelphia 76ers at Milwaukee Bucks

• Date: Thursday, Nov. 20
• Time: 8 p.m. ET
• How to Watch: NBA League Pass, FanDuel Sports Network, NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Milwaukee Bucks are perennial contenders in the Eastern Conference, and they were expected to take a big leap forward this year with the addition of Myles Turner. However, through 14 games, they sit right next to the Philadelphia 76ers in the standings, who just got Paul George back from injury. A blowout loss to Philadelphia could be indicative that Milwaukee’s window has come and gone.

5) Portland Trail Blazers at Oklahoma City Thunder

• Date: Sunday, Nov. 23
• Time: 7 p.m. ET
• How to Watch: NBA League Pass, FanDuel Sports Network, BlazerVision

The Oklahoma City Thunder have just one loss on their resume thus far. It came to the Portland Trail Blazers back on Nov. 5. This is an opportunity for revenge for the Thunder, or worse, a reminder that the reigning NBA champions, while obviously the favorites, are still capable of losing. The result of this game could be a beacon of hope to the rest of the league or a reminder that you might get in a solid punch against this Thunder squad, but you won’t win the fight.