Next week marks the start of the NBA training camps, which opens up the beginning of the season, with the regular season soon to come in a few weeks. Teams will be gearing up for another championship run, and what better place to watch basketball than in New York? As students of Fordham University, we have the luxury of having the renowned Madison Square Garden and the brand-new Barclays Center less than an hour away. Despite the less than bright futures of the Knicks and Nets, there are still some games to watch that will not only be worth the money, but also entertaining.
Nov. 13: If you’re looking for something interesting to do on this Friday night, watching LeBron James duke it out with Carmelo Anthony might be your best option. Without Kyrie Irving and possibly Kevin Love, LeBron will, partly out of obligation, have his way with the Knicks. It will truly be a sight to see. Despite the different levels of each team, any game that features two NBA superstars is always entertaining. In addition, there will always be J. R. Smith and Iman Shumpert wreaking havoc in the very city they were playing for this time last year. (MSG, 7:30 p.m. ET)
Nov. 17: Noon games are not easy to come by, and as a college student, they can be your best friend. With this particular game, you can be back on campus by 8 or 9 at the latest, and you can finish all the work you’ve been putting off on Monday. With Anthony Davis, a rising stud in the NBA, in an offense engineered by new coach Alvin Gentry, you can look forward to seeing him beast and feast on the Knicks’ frontline. (MSG, 12 p.m. ET)
Dec. 23: This game will feature Deron Williams’ return to Brooklyn after he was traded to the Mavericks, and it will be interesting to see how Nets fans welcome him back. Though he was a rising star when traded to the Nets, D-Will suffered repeated drops in production as soon as they moved from New Jersey to Brooklyn and couldn’t lead the Nets to significant playoff success. Now playing with Dirk Nowitzki and Chandler Parsons, some pressure is taken off him, but it remains to be seen how he will perform, and there’s no better sample than how he does in his former city. (Barclays, 7:30 p.m. ET)
Jan. 11à:There’s no better team to watch in the second half of the season than the Spurs; due to their constant stream of talented, developed players, as well as their high powered offense, it’s always a treat to watch them play. Look forward to seeing players like LaMarcus Aldridge, Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard featured in the Spurs’ offense in full swing as they whip the ball around, find the best shot and generally make the defense look silly. (Barclays 7:30 p.m. ET)
Jan. 31: Not only are the Warriors the defending champs, but Stephen Curry also has been on a hot streak for the past three years in MSG. He’s scored 54 points, notched a triple double and nailed more than five three-pointers in three trips, so you can look forward to him torching the Garden once more come January. In addition, you can also see the vaunted Warriors offense in action, featuring versatile, talented complements such as Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. (MSG 7:30 p.m. ET)
