This week in the NBA--Matchups to watch

Because this post is on Thursday and not Monday most of the great match ups are in the past sadly. Still we have a few to look forward to and break down so here they are.

Friday:
The main match up to watch will the the Spurs Vs. The Hornets;
The Spurs should be the victors in this, however it will be the ultimate test for the Hornets' rookie cast. Can they handle the the spurs defense? It will be fun to see George Hill match up with Marcus Thorton. Let the youth play.
PS this game is on ESPN so watch it.

For entertainment try to catch the Hawks at Oracle Arena to play the Warriors. Look for another great performance from Stephen Curry seeing he is literally on fire. Joe Johnson should have some fun breaking down the Warriors' offense. Look for Josh Smith to have a big night in assists, rebounds, blocks, steals, and points because he is one of the few shot blockers who can keep pace with the running Warriors. Also, Jamal Crawford should play well against his former team.

Saturday:
The best game on sat should be once again the Spurs, but this time playing against Memphis. Although the Spurs the better team, coming off a back to back will make playing the lightning hot Zach Randolf all the harder. Also, Memphis is fighting with a passion for that 8th spot in the west. Look for Mayo and Gay to step it up big. With Duncan on Randolf it will be hard to tell where success will fall on that end.

Sunday:
The Lakers play the Magic on Sunday, a repeat of last year's NBA finals. Dwight is a known monster and with the added depth on Orlando, this game it won't be such a landslide. Look for a lot of production from Brandon Bass, Michael Pietrus, and Matt Barns. On the Lakers end, Pau Gasol should have a field day with Rashard Lewis and as always... expect great things from Kobe.

Also Sunday is Denver vs Portland. Both teams high contenders in the west are looking to make their mark on each other and establish dominance in what could be a future playoff match up. Look for high performance from the stars. Billups and Carmelo will work Andre Miller and Nicolas Batum while Brandon Roy, Camby, and Aldridge should have a field day with Nene, Kenyon Martin, and Afflalo. All in all it should be a great match up, but the edge goes to Denver and their high altitude home court advantage. Look for that to take a toll on the Portland lesser players who cannot quite compete at that level.