Week 5 is on the horizon, and yet again we will see a couple of key matchups in the race for the East Division. While the West Divisions' "Big 3" are all favored in their matchups this week, both the Spurs and Lakers will need to play a good brand of basketball, as they go up against two of the East's best teams. Here is everything you need to know as we prepare for Week 5 in the K1 League!
12:30 pm - Spurs @ Heat
The day kicks off with the reigning champion Spurs and a rematch of last year's semifinal matchup against Trey Anthony's Heat. Although both rosters look a bit different this season, this one is intriguing, because Anthony's team has historically been one of just a few teams that has been able to play the Spurs competitively for 40 minutes. The Spurs come into this one on a four-game winning streak, and have six different players averaging double figures. In the past three games, this Spurs team is averaging more than 82 points per game. Stopping them? Not an option. However, slowing them down, may be a possibility, as Anthony's team has done in the past. The key for the Heat will be, which version of their team shows up on Sunday? Will it be the team that knocked off the Nets in OT and rolled past the Celtics? Or will it be the team that was sloppy in transition against the Warriors and got dominated on the glass against the Bulls? The Heat will be severely undersized, and will need Blake Graham to get back to the player he was in Week 1 when he had 23 points against the Nets. They will also need star Terrell Hendrix to continue his offensive wizardry, as he is averaging 20 points per game to lead the K1 League in scoring. Meanwhile for the Spurs, Dennis Koger has been a spark plug for them since missing their Week 1 loss to the Lakers, as he took home player of the week honors in Week 4 following his triple-double against the Mavericks. The Heat certainly have the talent to play with any team in the league, including the Spurs, but due to their lack of size on the interior, the Spurs open up as 10.5 point favorites in the week's opening matchup.
1:30 pm - Lakers @ Bulls
In one of the most exciting Week 5 matchups, Bobby Crivokapich and Seth Johnson will match up for the first time against their former team in Andre Robertson's Lakers. Although the Lakers' roster has been completely re-worked, several core players still remain, and will relish the chance to compete against their former All-League teammates. The Lakers' eyes will primarily be fixed on Johnson come Sunday, who is leading the K1 League in rebounding, and remains a double-double machine. Following two rather ugly losses, the Bulls bounced back in a big way on Sunday in a 69-57 win against the Heat. Their top three contributors have been Johnson (18.5 ppg and 12.3 rpg), Crivokapich (11.0 ppg and 7.7 rpg) and newcomer Benito Munoz, who is averaging 18.5 points per game. While the Bulls create a number of matchup problems for opponents, they don't necessarily have the depth that a team like the Lakers does. Assuming that the Lakers will have Andre Robertson Jr. and LJ Harris back on the court Sunday, they will look to get back on the right track, as they start the most pivotal part of their season schedule. The Lakers will match up with the Warriors again on 9/26, the Spurs on 10/3, and then the Heat on 10/10. If the Lakers want to win the West Division, they will need to play their best basketball starting Sunday. Look for Tone Brooks (19.5 ppg), Quon Shaw (17.0 ppg), Harris (14.3 ppg), and Robertson Jr. (12.3 ppg) to lead the charge on the offensive end of the court. Although the Lakers are the deeper team, big man Rob Anderson could have his hands full against Seth Johnson, so we expect a battle in this one. The Lakers are 4.5 point favorites in this exciting contest.
2:30 pm - Suns @ Warriors
The Warriors picked up a critical win a week ago, knocking off the undefeated Lakers in the Week 4 game of the week matchup, and will look to ride that momentum into a favorable matchup against the Suns. The Warriors have received offensive contributions from a slew of players, including Martavius Laster (17.0 ppg), Tyree Mosley (15.2 ppg), Sammie Hines (14.2 ppg), and Latrell Tidwell (10.8 ppg). These core four guys have made it difficult for teams to slow them down, as they have as many offensive options as any team in the K1 League. In this one, the Warriors will have their first of four consecutive West division matchups, with the Lakers (9/26), Mavericks (10/3) and Spurs (10/10) still to come. Meanwhile for the Suns, who sit at 0-4 on the year, they are concluding an extremely difficult start to their early season schedule with this high-powered Warriors team. Coach and point guard Michael Lonergan Jr. has had an excellent start to his Fall League campaign, as he is averaging 11.8 ppg, 7.8 rpg, and is leading the entire league in assists with 6.3 assists per game. Other contributors include Devonte Barnes (16.0 ppg) and Ferra Johnson (8.5 ppg and 6.3 rpg), while Dylan Winker has also been solid in the middle for the Suns, averaging 8.5 points of his own. The Warriors are 20.5 point favorites in this West Division matchup.
3:30 pm - Nets @ Celtics
Last week the Nets and Celtics matched up for the first time this season, as the Nets dominated on the way to a 62-38 win. For the Nets, who have two games on Sunday, they will look to do the same things they did a week ago, while also being efficient and keeping guys fresh for their pivotal matchup against the Bucks at 4:30 pm. Look for Red Binion to be electric again, as he is averaging 24.5 ppg so far in his first two contests since coming back from injury. Big man TJ Wicks was also extremely efficient, scoring 10 points on 4/5 shooting. For the Celtics, who are off to a tough 1-4 start, they simply have to shoot the ball better. In last week's loss to the Bucks, the Celtics dominated the glass, hauling in 24 offensive rebounds. However in their two games last week, they shot a combined 13/63 from three. Mendi Naylor (11.0 ppg) and Donald Ellis (9.0 ppg) have been reliable scorers, as has Walter Hudson (7.0 ppg). But the Celtics will need someone to step up from the outside and hit shots. Based on how last week's game went, it's hard to see the Celtics upsetting the Nets, unless they can dominate on the glass and knock down some shots from the outside. The streaking Nets open up as 12.5 point favorites against the Celtics in a rematch of last week's game.
4:30 pm - Nets @ Bucks
The Week 5 Game of the Week matchup will feature the Nets and the Bucks, perhaps the two favorites for the East Division title. The Bucks come into the game with a 3-1 record, getting back into the win column a week ago with a gritty win against the Celtics. The Nets meanwhile, enter the day with a 2-2 record, as they play both the Celtics and Bucks. Assuming they take care of business against the Celtics in the 3:30 pm game, the Nets will have a chance to win their fourth straight game and jump to the top of the standings in the East Division standings. The Bucks will gladly welcome back reigning player of the year Kale Maupin, who was absent a week ago. He will likely be guarded by a combination of TJ Wicks, Maurice Terrell, and Jerry Wills. The key to this game may lie at the guard position, where flamethrower Red Binion has been dynamite in his first two weeks in the Fall League for the Nets. With Jaquan Boxley and Darian Bosby not expected to be in the lineup on Sunday for the Bucks, the big question for them is, who will be able to contain Binion? Expect a combination of Christian Straw, Caleb Johnson, and Jonathan Hentschel on both Binion and Ronnie Jackson. Despite a little bit better record from the Bucks to start the season, the absence of a couple key pieces on Sunday, coupled with the depth of the Nets, has the Nets as 1.5 point favorites in the Game of the Week matchup.
5:30 pm - Mavericks @ Bucks
The Bucks will be right back out on the court again against the winless Mavericks, but don't let each team's record fool you coming into this one. Although the Mavericks are 0-5, they have played a brutally difficult schedule to start out the season. The combined record of their opponents so far is 22-6. Although the Bucks enter Sunday with a 3-1 record of their own, this matchup appears a bit different than previous ones for the Mavericks. The Mavericks' best asset is their ability to score the ball, and it will be interesting to see what they are capable of doing against a Bucks' defense that is currently ranked #1 in the K1 League, allowing just 54 points per game. Braijon Thomas leads the way for the Mavericks, averaging 18.5 points per game, while Jamari Washington is averaging 16.5 points per game. These two guys, along with big man Antwan Peterson (7.8 ppg and 7.0 rpg) have formed a very formidable core for this Mavericks team. Although there are few easy wins on the schedule in the K1 League, this could be their best chance yet against an undermanned Bucks squad. The Bucks will look to Jordan Logan and Kale Maupin, both of whom are averaging double figures on the year. Again, don't let the records fool you coming into this one, as we expect a tightly contested game. The Bucks are 5.5 point favorites in the final game of the day for Week 5.