Weekend NBA Guide: Unlikely Heroes and Villains

FanHouse's NBA Guide gives you a daily look at all the games that matter ... and some that don't.

A full weekend of pro basketball doubles as ABC's entry back into Sunday afternoon double-headers. Sunday's slate is great, but Saturday night has a few intriguing match-ups as well.

SATURDAY HEADLINER
New York at Philadelphia, 7PM ET

Whaa? The ever-awful Knicks at the disappointing Sixers? No joke, though: this is a big one. New York is riding a three-game winning streak, which includes the game that sent Phoenix into a panic. Philadelphia has bounced back from the bad start well -- Tony DiLeo, whoever he is, has done a good job addressing the ills of the roster.

... and Elton Brand is back tonight. Dude's missed 16 games after that frightful fall, and DiLeo now has to figure out how to reinsert him in a line-up that found itself without him. Brand's a great player on both ends. This should work. This should work.

SATURDAY UNDERCARD
Cleveland at Utah, 9PM ET

The Cavaliers need to do some better work early, because beating the Warriors isn't really an acceptable outcome. Most other teams would have beat Cleveland Friday. Utah's great at home though (17-4), and a win over The King might be the right dose of swag necessary for Deron Williams and crew to leave the Mavericks behind in the race for eight in the West.

Orlando at Miami, 7:30PM ET
New Jersey at Memphis, 8PM ET
Sacramento at Milwaukee, 8:30PM PT
Washington at Portland, 10PM ET

SUNDAY HEADLINER
San Antonio at L.A. Lakers, 3:30PM ET, ABC

No one should need to tell you Spurs-Lakers is a Watch or Die game 'til the day they bury Tim Duncan and/or Kobe Bryant and/or Derek Fisher.

SUNDAY UNDERCARD
Dallas at Boston, 1PM ET, ABC

The Mavericks shouldn't have a chance in Boston, but through Dirk Nowitzki all things are possible. Dirk vs Kevin Garnett should be an amazing battle of offensive craftiness and defensive ... um, craftiness.

Phoenix at Atlanta, 6PM ET
Sacramento at Toronto, 6PM ET
Houston at Detroit, 6:30PM ET, ESPN
Charlotte at Indiana, 7PM ET
Chicago at Minnesota, 7PM ET
Utah at Denver, 8PM ET
L.A. Clippers at Golden State, 9PM ET