Miami Heat vs. Dallas Mavericks and 10 Must-Watch NBA Opening Week Games

Christmas is coming right on time this year as the 2011-12 NBA regular season kicks off Sunday with a fantastic opening slate of games.

Beginning with a Miami Heat versus Dallas Mavericks NBA Finals rematch on Christmas Day, the first week of the season is packed with must-see action.

Here are 10 games to get you started:

Dec. 25: Miami Heat vs. Dallas Mavericks, 2:30 PM ET

Kicking off the season is a rematch of last year’s NBA Finals as the reloaded, but only slightly improved Miami Heat pay a visit to the defending champion Dallas Mavericks.

For Miami, it’s still all about the big three of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, who collectively made up for 72 percent of the team’s scoring in 2010-11. Starters Mario Chalmers and Joel Anthony return to fill out the rest of the lineup but keep an eye on backup forward Udonis Haslem and rookie point guard Norris Cole who shined in the team’s first preseason game Sunday.

Dallas, who dropped both preseason games to the Oklahoma City Thunder, return with a revamped lineup after offseason additions of forward Lamar Odom and guard Vince Carter while losing guard Jose Juan Barea and All-Defensive second-team center Tyson Chandler. Regardless, the Mavericks’ success this season will again lie on the back of perennial All-Star Dirk Nowitzki, last year’s Finals MVP.

Dec. 25: Chicago Bulls vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 5:00 PM ET

Following the Heat/Mavericks game is a matchup between two of the NBA’s best franchises as the Chicago Bulls open on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Despite winning a league-high 62 games in 2010-11, the Chicago Bulls may have actually gotten even better over the offseason adding former-Piston Richard Hamilton to fill the team’s gaping hole at shooting guard. MVP Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah all return this season as the Bulls look to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1998.

After failing to acquire Chris Paul or Dwight Howard this offseason and losing forward Lamar Odom in the process, the Lakers return a relatively unscathed starting lineup headed by Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. Expectations are as high as ever and the pressure will be on new head coach Mike Brown to lead the team back to the NBA Finals after falling short last season.

Dec. 26: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, 8:00 PM ET

After facing off against the Orlando Magic on Sunday, the Oklahoma City Thunder take on the young and exciting Minnesota Timberwolves.

Last season, the Oklahoma City Thunder exceeded all expectations falling just short of the NBA Finals. After last season’s success, the Thunder have to be considered legitimate contenders in 2011-12. Leading the way is two-time NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant and erratic but explosive point guard Russell Westbrook. Also, don’t sleep on center Kendrick Perkins, who played much of last season injured and looked dominant in both preseason outings.

On the Timberwolves side, Monday marks the much-anticipated regular season debut of 2009 draftee Ricky Rubio. After six straight sub-.500 seasons, the Timberwolves have made a turn with the offseason additions of Rubio, rookie Derrick Williams and free agent Jose Juan Barea. With double-double machine Kevin Love anchoring the frontcourt, the Timberwolves could make a splash this season and fight for the No. 8 seed out west.

Dec. 26: Memphis Grizzlies vs. San Antonio Spurs, 8:30 PM ET

Right around the same time, the Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs kick off their 2011-12 regular seasons down in a rematch of last year’s first round. The No. 8 Grizzlies defeated the Spurs in six games.

This time around, the Grizzlies boast one of the conference’s top starting fives led by an elite frontcourt of forwards Zach Randolph and Rudy Gay and center Marc Gasol. Depth is a concern for Memphis, especially after losing backup big man Darrell Arthur for the season, but the team still has enough grit to be a top competitor this season.

For the Spurs, it’s the same old, typical story of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. It may be boring, but the Spurs have remained a playoff team all 10 seasons that the trio has been intact. Joining the mix this season is Tiago Splitter, a very talented second-year player out of Brazil who should see an expanded role and perhaps even start at center.

Dec. 27: Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat, 8:00 PM ET

On Tuesday, the Boston Celtics, who kick off Christmas Day against the New York Knicks, head down to South Beach to take on the Miami Heat in their home opener.

The Celtics, who took third in the Eastern Conference last season, return their big four starters, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo, a surprise after Rondo was openly shopped this offseason. Regardless, while Rondo continues to develop into an All-Pro guard, the original Big Three continues to age and battle injuries, a bad sign considering the Celtics lost quality backup Jeff Green earlier this week and Glen "Big Baby" Davis to free agency.

The Heat, led by the new Big Three of James, Wade and Bosh, face a pair of tough teams to start the season but follow Tuesday’s game with a run of seven sub-.500 teams over their next nine. 

Dec. 28: New York Knicks vs. Golden State Warriors, 10:30 PM ET

After playing home to the Celtics on Christmas Day, the New York Knicks head west for a matchup with the Golden State Warriors, Wednesday evening.

The Knicks, who vocally chased Chris Paul early this offseason, made a splash earlier this week signing amnestied point guard Baron Davis to join an already All-Star lineup of Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and the newly-acquired Tyson Chandler. While the Knicks are likely to struggle with chemistry early in the season, the pieces are in place for them to return to glory as one of the East’s top teams.

For the Warriors, the 2011-12 season offers another glimpse of hope for a breakout but fans will likely see just another season of exciting failure. Leading the charge is one of the league’s most dynamic, high-scoring backcourts in Monta Ellis and marksman Stephen Curry. Brandon Rush and Kwame Brown were brought in to add some depth but the team’s success will ultimately come down to the productivity of big man David Lee.

Dec. 29: Denver Nuggets vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 10:00 PM ET

On Thursday, a pair of underrated perennial contenders square off as the Denver Nuggets head to the Pacific Northwest to battle the Portland Trail Blazers.

For the first time in years, the Denver Nuggets begin the regular season without a notable face on the roster. Dealing a star like Carmelo Anthony would usually hurt a team, but the Nuggets may be even better in 2011-12. Back are team leaders Arron Afflalo and Nene, going along with breakout candidates Ty Lawson and Danilo Gallinari. Most of all, the Nuggets rotation goes 12 deep, which could really help them in the shortened season packed with back-to-back matchups.

Portland, meanwhile, has had a rough preseason losing Brandon Roy to retirement, and learning of injuries to Greg Oden and LaMarcus Aldridge. If Aldridge can return to full strength, the Blazers can do some damage as they showed last season. Newcomers Ray Felton and Jamal Crawford will provide the team with some much needed offensive help and Wesley Matthews could make a leap in his third full season. Don’t sleep on the Blazers in wake of all this preseason’s bad news.

Dec. 30: Washington Wizards vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 8:30 PM ET

Friday afternoon, the new-look Washington Wizards travel west to face off against a very underrated Milwaukee Bucks team.

A must-watch list would not be complete without including John Wall and the Washington Wizards. This season, the Wizards are loaded with exciting talent, led by Wall, JaVale McGee and rookie Jan Vesely. They have the potential to be one of the most exciting teams on the court alongside the Los Angeles Clippers, but the Wizards will also give up 115 points per night, making them unlikely to compete in the East, at least for now.

Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Bucks are a quality team that could make some noise in the top-heavy Eastern Conference. Led by center Andrew Bogut, one of the top big men in the NBA and the ever-exciting Brandon Jennings, the Bucks also run a quality rotation that can run 12 deep. 

Dec. 30: Chicago Bulls vs. Los Angeles Clippers, 10:30 PM ET

In perhaps the game I’m most looking forward to all week, the Chicago Bulls face off against the new-look Los Angeles Clippers, Friday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

As mentioned earlier, the Chicago Bulls look to battle the Miami Heat all season long for control in the Eastern Conference and will give the Los Angeles Clippers a real test early in the season.

As it's been well publicized, the Los Angeles Clippers made the splash of the offseason dealing for All-Star point guard Chris Paul earlier this month. Adding guard Chauncey Billups and returning center DeAndre Jordan to a lineup already headlined by star forward Blake Griffin, the Clippers are oozing with firepower. They will surely be one of the most exciting teams to follow this season and this one is some must-watch action.

Dec. 31: Utah Jazz vs. San Antonio Spurs, 8:30 PM ET

After taking on the Philadelphia 76ers Friday night, the Utah Jazz play their (already!) second back-to-back, heading south to take on the San Antonio Spurs.

With four players under 21 years old entering the 2011-12 regular season, it’s no question that the Jazz are in rebuilding mode. The talent level of some of them though means it could be an exciting season for the fans in Salt Lake. While veterans Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap are likely to hold down the starting center and power forward positions, exciting second-year big man Derrick Favors could battle for more playing time after dropping 25 points and 12 rebounds in Monday’s preseason opener. Likewise, rookies Enes Kanter and Alec Burks could contribute this season as well.

The Spurs have a tough opening week, taking on the Grizzlies Monday followed by back to backs with the Clippers and Houston Rockets.