Alongside Damien Lillard—who was named Western Conference Player of the Week—James Harden took home Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors for week 9 of the NBA season. He’s deserving of the recognition after averaging 31.8 points, 10.8 assists, and 9 rebounds over his last four games, all Nets victories.
The wins came as part of a 5-0 West Coast road trip for Brooklyn, in which they defeated top contenders in Golden State, Phoenix, and both LA squads. With Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving missing time, Harden is emerging as the alpha of the group, and he seems to adjust his game based on the personnel and his team’s needs. Few superstars have taken more criticism than Harden in recent years, sometimes with good reason. But having finally landed his dream situation in Brooklyn, it looks like The Beard is still growing.
You can catch Harden in action this Saturday night against the Mavericks on ESPN 3. Check out the rest of the national TV schedule below, along with highlights from the past week, postponements and more. To get Sling Orange + Blue with Sports Extras and NBA TV, use the link at the bottom of this page.
NBA Basketball
National TV games Feb. 22-28
| Time (ET) | Matchup | Channel |
| Monday, February 22 | ||
| 10:00 PM | Wizards at Lakers | NBA TV > |
Tuesday, February 23
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| 7:30 PM | Celtics at Mavericks | TNT > |
| 10:00 PM | Trail Blazers at Nuggets | TNT > |
Wednesday, February 24
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| 7:30 PM | Warriors at Pacers | ESPN > |
| 10:00 PM | Lakers at Jazz | ESPN > |
Thursday, February 25
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| 7:00 PM | Mavericks at 76ers | TNT > |
| 9:30 PM | Pelicans at Bucks | TNT > |
Friday, February 26
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| 7:30 PM | Pacers at Celtics | ESPN > |
| 10:00 PM | Trail Blazers at Lakers |
ESPN > |
Saturday, February 27
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| 8:00 PM | Pelicans at Spurs | NBA TV > |
| 8:30 PM | Mavericks at Nets | ESPN3 > |
Sunday, February 28
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| 3:30 PM | Clippers at Bucks | ESPN3 > |
| 8:00 PM | Warriors at Lakers |
ESPN > |
*All games subject to blackout
Find a full schedule of NBA games HERE >
For more on watching NBA Basketball, including with NBA LEAGUE PASS and NBA TEAM PASS, find information HERE >
Upcoming Game of the Week
Los Angeles Lakers at Utah Jazz
Wednesday, Feb. 24, 10pm ET, ESPN
The Jazz took the L in the second of their back-to-back games against the Clippers last week, but they’re still an NBA-best 24-6 and atop most power rankings. Utah has lost just twice since starting the season 4-4, and their league-leading +9.2 point differential shows how effective they’ve been on both sides of the court. However, they’ve yet to play the Lakers this season and their success has made them a measuring stick for teams who have Championship aspirations. With the Lakers currently on a two game losing streak, expect an angry LeBron James to bring his best to Wednesday’s primetime showdown on ESPN.
Sling TV Primetime Performance of the Week
Bradley Beal went off for 37 points in Washington’s 131-119 win over his former teammate John Wall and the Houston Rockets last Monday on NBA TV. Beal is leading the NBA in scoring, averaging 32.9 points per game, and the Wizards have now won four in a row to claw their way back into the race in the Southeast division.
Dunk of the Week
Although Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards was the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, his career (and the T-Wolves’ season) has gotten off to a slow start. But on Friday night, Edwards shot to the top of the social media trending charts when he unleashed what many are already calling the Dunk of the Year over Raptors forward Yuta Watanabe. The dunk was notable not only for Edwards’ athleticism and aesthetic form, but for the utter posterization of Watanabe, who collapses under Edwards like Trump tower.
Smart Choice Assist of the Week
The double alley-oop is a sight typically reserved for Harlem Globetrotters games, but the Celtics pulled one off last week in their game against the Hawks. The play starts with a nice defensive strip from Robert Williams, who gets the ball to Kemba Walker, who feeds it to Jayson Tatum, who volleyballs it back to a soaring Williams for the dunk. Remember kids, teamwork makes the dream work.
Lol of the Week
LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is a goofy dude. We’ve known this since at least 1995. Still, even by established standards, Ballmer was on one in the closing minutes of his team’s narrow loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday night. Ballmer’s gesticulations—including kicking his feet in what looks like a pantomime of a Peloton ride—feel extra cringy coming from someone worth an estimated $80 billion, but again, we’ve known this about him. If you can afford to buy a pro basketball team, you can afford to indulge your inner goofball. To quote Yvon Chouinard, “It’s ok to be eccentric if you’re rich; otherwise you’re just crazy.”
Postponements
Mon. Feb. 22 - Spurs at Pacers (COVID protocols)
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