Revenge Games

The NBA season tipped off last night. Let it sink in. A season full of intrigue and exciting moments is upon us. Instead of offering a preview, as I did last week, I am going to highlight some of the more interesting games of the regular season. NBA.com has released its list of the top ten “games to circle” on the NBA regular season schedule. Six of the ten games jump out at me with one common theme.

These games are: Lakers vs. Knicks, Rockets vs. Pistons, Cavaliers vs. Timberwolves, Hornets vs. Pacers, Mavericks vs. Rockets and Cavaliers vs. Heat. The common themes, you ask? Familiarity, bad blood and spurn. These revenge-type games are what make the NBA so fun and watchable. The game that comes to my mind immediately when I think of a comparison in the NFL is Brett Favre’s return to Lambeau Field as a member of the Vikings in 2009. There was so much emotion in the stadium because of Favre’s accomplishments as a Packer. But there’s something different about that night and all these NBA games. Favre only played offense, and thus was not on the field the whole game. An NBA player plays both sides of the ball, and thus we get to see more action with the players we want to see on the court.

There are myriad storylines in these games, some more apparent than others. When the Lakers meet the Knicks in Madison Square Garden on February 1, Derek Fisher will coach against the team with which he won five championships, Phil Jackson will look on as his new team faces his former team, the president of which is his fiancé, Jeanie Buss, and Jeremy Lin will return to the place where Linsanity was born. Incredible stuff.

The Rockets vs. Pistons game is perhaps less intriguing, but an interesting storyline is there underneath everything else. Dwight Howard will play against Stan Van Gundy, and who could forget the finals run they shared with Orlando in 2009? Mostly everyone, as they lost to the Lakers in 5.

On Jan. 31, Kevin Love will return to Minnesota wearing the wine and gold of Cleveland. This is the type of game we all know and love. There will be boos and there will be ecstatic cheers every time Andrew Wiggins or Anthony Bennett -- the two number one overall picks sent to Minnesota for Love -- make a play.

The Hornets and Pacers matchup features two teams seemingly headed in opposite directions. A big reason why is Lance Stephenson’s decision to sign with Charlotte in the offseason instead of accepting Indiana’s five-year, $44 million offer. We’ll find out if Stephenson will thrive in Charlotte, but playing against the team that drafted him in 2010 and made him the player he is today will be emotional. Also, who doesn’t want to see a Stephenson-Hibbert meetup at the rim?

Houston and Dallas. A Lone-Star state showdown with heavier implications now that Chandler Parsons has signed with Mark Cuban. Houston was willing to let him walk, and Parsons can now get back at the Rockets by putting up a big game. What better motivation is that?

Finally, I do not even have to explain the Cleveland and Miami game. So I won’t. These games are the most looked-forward-to because they have added implications, such as bragging rights, pride and revenge. This is why sports are so amazing. The story unfolds right before our eyes.