Hoops on TV Week: Jan 22-28

Here's our look at highlights from the next 7 days of basketball on TV. We come at it from the perspective of an NBA fan for the most part - college/high-school listings will focus on top prospects, as well as the biggest games. All times Eastern.

Don't forget that there's a League Pass free preview running through Sunday.

THURSDAY, JAN. 22
1 p.m.: NBA - Raptors at Lakers (2006), NBA TV
Kobe goes for 81, in a nice NBA TV programming stunt featuring a day of 60+-point games.

7 p.m.: NBA - Inside the NBA Special, TNT
All-Star starters are revealed. Will it be Yi?

8 p.m.: NBA - Celtics at Magic, TNT
Two of the NBA's Big 4 - a no-brainer.

8 p.m.: NBA - Bulls at Cavs (1990), NBA TV
A career-high 69 points for MJ.

10 p.m.: NBA - Knicks at Jazz (1977), NBA TV
68 for Pistol Pete in New Orleans.

FRIDAY, JAN. 23
12 a.m.: NBA - Bucks at Jazz (1990), NBA TV
61 points for the Mailman.

9 a.m.: SportsCentury: Larry Bird, ESPN Classic

3 p.m.: NCAA - Duke at Maryland (2001), ESPN Classic
Duke comes back from down 10 with less than a minute to go. Or just watch the last minute here:


9:30 p.m.: H.S. - Fairfax (L.A.) vs. San Diego, ESPN2
Nice matchup between the enigmatic Renardo Sidney (uncommitted), rated as one of the top prospects in the class of 2009 (who we scouted last year) and Jeremy Tyler (Louisville), one of the best in the class of 2010.

10:30 p.m.: NBA - Cavaliers at Warriors, NBA League Pass
The late-night League Pass run-and-gun of the week.

SATURDAY, JAN. 24
1 p.m.: Euroleague - Tau Ceramica at DKV Joventut, NBA TV
Joventut will not be advancing to the next round of the Euroleague, so this is your last chance to get a look at Ricky Rubio, in this matchup of top Spanish clubs. Spurs draftee Tiago Splitter stars for Tau - S.A. sure could use him.

7 p.m.: NBA - Knicks at Sixers, NBA League Pass
With the Sixers having upped the tempo, this has the makings of an entertaining matchup.

SUNDAY, JAN. 25
1 p.m.: NBA - Mavericks at Celtics, ABC
3:30 p.m.: NBA - Spurs at Lakers, ABC
Welcome back, ABC - where you been?

6 p.m.: NBA - Suns at Hawks, NBA League Pass
8 p.m.: NBA - Jazz at Nuggets, NBA League Pass
It's the first Sunday in months with no football - why not make it an NBA quadruple-header?

MONDAY, JAN. 26
9 a.m.: SportsCentury: Bill Russell, ESPN Classic

7:30 p.m.: NBA - Hawks at Heat, NBA League Pass
D-Wade, Joe Johnson, J-Smoove, Be-Easy - lots of intriguing players to watch in this matchup of the SE Division's top 2.

TUESDAY, JAN. 27
1 p.m.: NBA - 1970 All-Star Game, NBA TV
4 p.m.: NBA - 1972 All-Star Game, NBA TV
Aw yeah - time to crank up the old All-Star Games. The '72 game went down to the buzzer.

7 p.m.: NBA - Pacers at Magic, NBA League Pass
Indiana is averaging 109.6 ppg in January, and they do own wins over Boston and L.A., so there's some entertainment potential against Superman and the Mad Bombers.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 28
12 p.m.: NBA - 1973 All-Star Game, NBA TV
2 p.m.: NBA - 1975 All-Star Game, NBA TV
Keep 'em comin'.

5 p.m.: NBA - Lakers at Warriors (2000), ESPN Classic
I vaguely remember watching this one - Kobe and Antawn Jamison *both* went for 51 in the same game. Good one.

7 p.m.: NCAA - Duke at Wake Forest, ESPN
Currently the top two ranked teams in college basketball, though Wake should slip a little after its loss to Va Tech. Prospects include Teague, Aminu and Singler.

8 p.m.: NBA - Nuggets at Hornets, NBA League Pass
Western Conference contenders, and two of the finest, headiest PG's in all the land.