Optimal NBA League Pass viewing plan for Thursday's 12-game slate

Get ready for a full slate of NBA hoops this Thursday with all but six teams taking the floor.

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Below we have you covered with tonight's full schedule and where to watch each game, as well as the biggest storylines and some direction as to where to shift your attention once games tip-off.

Thursday, Jan 28. NBA Schedule

All times listed are AEDT.

Biggest Storylines

Streaks on the line!

After Anthony Davis led the way in his hometown of Chicago and LeBron James took over in Cleveland, the Lakers continue their seven-game road trip in Philadelphia, the hometown of their late legend Kobe Bryant. The Lakers bring with them their unbeaten 10-0 road record, can MVP candidate Joel Embiid and the 76ers bring a stop to the streak?

The Jazz are the other team to put a streak on the line on Thursday. Coming into this contest against the Mavericks, the Jazz have won nine straight by an average of 15.7 points. These two teams play each other twice in three days, so Luka Doncic and the Mavericks have two shots at ending the streak. How will they fare against the hottest team in the NBA? 

Watch the Jazz defend their nine-game winning streak on NBA League Pass

Can Wizards or Pelicans gain much-needed momentum?

The Wizards and the Pelicans are two teams that are definitely not lacking for talent but they are certainly lacking momentum. 

New Orleans has lost eight of its last nine and defence has been a huge issue for the team during these games as they rank 29th in defensive rating and allow the fourth-most points per game (117.8). The squad had three days off heading into this game following the postponement of their game with the San Antonio Spurs. This will be the first of a five-game homestand for New Orleans. Can the Pels turn things around?

For the Wizards, defence has also been an issue all season. Their offence seems to be doing fine, with their offensive rating ranked 11th in the league but it's their 28th ranked defence that doesn't help their cause.

Bradley Beal was going through it on the bench. pic.twitter.com/OFLbkdbVMe

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 27, 2021

With both teams struggling on the defensive end, this one could be an offensive exhibition worth watching.

Watch Pelicans-Wizards on NBA League Pass

Big man showdown in Miami

The Denver Nuggets continue their road trip as they head to Miami for a clash with the Heat that will be headlined by the battle between Nikola Jokic and Bam Adebayo, No. 1 and No. 2 in assists per game among centres in the league, respectively.

Jokic, averaging career-highs of 25.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 9.3 assists, and 1.9 steals, has quietly been playing at an MVP level. His play has been getting more recognition as the Nuggets have started racking up the wins. Coming into this one, Denver has won four straight and nine of its last 12 after starting the season 1-4.

On the other hand, Bam Adebayo has been pretty much carrying the Heat this season with Jimmy Butler only having played six games so far. The 23-year-old is averaging career-highs of 20.7 points and 5.4 assists while knocking down a career-high 60.7 percent of his field-goal attempts. He recently registered his career-high of 41 points in Brooklyn. 

It should be an interesting duel to catch, and one that probably forces the game to be decided by the performance of their supporting casts.

Watch Nikola Jokic vs. Bam Adebayo on NBA League Pass

Optimal Viewing Plan

11:00 - 11:30: Begin the gameday by logging into League Pass and catching two games on split-screen - the Pacers at Hornets and the Cavaliers at Pistons.

Try not missing Charlotte games when it goes up against solid competition, or you could miss rookie LaMelo Ball showcasing his talent by dropping flashy dimes against a competitive Indiana squad that's been led by Malcolm Brogdon, who's playing some of his best basketball with career-high averages of 22.7 points and 7.2 assists.

In Detroit, the Pistons might be 4-13 but they are a scrappy bunch as none of their last six losses have come by a double-digit margin. Scrappy and hardworking is how you could define the 2020-21 Cleveland Cavaliers, meaning this will be a gritty, grind-it-out type game.

11:30 - 1:00: The superstars arrive. Tune in for the night's biggest game when the Lakers visit the Sixers and keep switching channels with the Raptors hosting two-time reigning league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.

1:00 - 1:30: Try to catch the tip-off of Mavericks-Jazz on League Pass from 1 p.m. onwards as Dallas attempts to snap Utah's nine-game win streak. Maintain a split-screen with Nuggets-Heat, which tipped at 11:30, as it might be close deep into the fourth quarter. You don't want to miss that. While watching these on League Pass, make sure to keep an eye on 76ers-Lakers on SN and Raptors-Bucks as each game progresses.

1:30 - End of the slate: Check-in on how the games are going in Philly and Tampa. If things are close, tune in to the final moments. Otherwise, the Mavericks and Jazz could be a good game to tune into. As Bucks-Raptors ends, switch your television sets to watch Andrew Wiggins, Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors take on the Minnesota Timberwolves, the franchise that Wiggins won Rookie of the Year with back in 2015.

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