NBA Top Games of the Week - Jan. 14 2013: Preview, Standings and Prospects

Matchups galore will headline the NBA this week.

On Tuesday, two ot the lead vote-getters in the NBA All-Star Game will go one on one when Jeremy Lin and the Houston Rockets take on Chris Paul and the LA Clippers. On Wednesday, it's the Irresistable Force meets the Immovable Object as the high-scoring Spurs and Tim Duncan play the stone-wall defense of the Memphis Grizzlies and Zach Randolph.

And on Thursday, it's the Match-up of the Week as Kobe Bryant, the NBA's leading scorer, will take on the reigning NBA MVP LeBron James as the L.A. Lakers host the world champion Miami Heat.

Latinos Post breaks down the top games to watch this week:

Monday

LA Clippers vs. Memphis Grizzlies. 8 p.m. EST

This one will be quite the match-up as the Clippers, led by the "Lob City" duo of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, take on the Zach Randolph, Rudy Gay, Marc Gasol and the Grizzlies, who have the second-best defense in the NBA (second in points allowed with 94.6 points per game).

With the playoff picture beginning to take shape in the West, the Clippers and the Grizzlies are emerging as two of the prime favorites to reach the Western Conference Finals. Could this match-up be a preview of things to come in June?

Tuesday

Houston Rockets vs. LA Clippers, 8 p.m. EST

Jeremy Lin will go one-on-one with Chris Paul as the two of the league's hottest offenses collide for a Wild West shootout in Houston.

Lin and Paul are neck and neck for the starting point guard role in this year's NBA All-Star Game in Houston this February. By the time this game plays, fan polls will have closed, but the match-up between two of the most talked-about point guards in the NBA will take center stage as Lin and superstar James Harden (fourth in NBA Scoring, 26.5 points) take on Paul and Griffin.

Wednesday

Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks, 8 p.m. EST

These two Lone Star State rivals go head-to-head in what is sure to be a high-flying showdown between two of the Top 10 scoring teams in the NBA.

Lin and Harden have been gelling to form one of the deadliest backcourt combos in the league today. While Dallas (15-23) has been struggling as of late, with the returning Dirk Nowitzki back at the helm and shooting guard O.J. Mayo (18.2 points per game) they are always dangerous.

Memphis Grizzlies vs. San Antonio Spurs, 8:30 p.m. EST

The Spurs, one of the best offenses in the NBA (third in team offense, 104.8 points per game) clashes with the one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. Which will prevail--the Spurs' precision passing offense, or the Grizzlies' physical, in-your-face "D"?

Miami Heat vs. Golden State Warriors, 10:30 p.m., EST

The last time these two teams met, on Dec. 12 Stephen Curry, David Lee and the surging Warriors (23-13, second in the Pacific Division) dealt LeBron James and the defending champion Heat a stinging 97-95 loss that seemed to solidify Golden State's legitimacy as a top West team this season.

Now, James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh look to settle the score when they take on the Warriors at the ORACLE Arena in Oakdale, Calif.

Thursday

LA Lakers vs. Miami Heat, 10:30 p.m. EST

Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James. What more needs to be said?

How about throwing in Chris Bosh vs. Dwight Howard? Or maybe seeing Steve Nash go one-on-one with Dwayne Wade? Even through their struggles, the Lakers have one of the highest-scoring offenses in the NBA (fourth, 103.4 points per game) but Miami, the fifth-highest scoring NBA team (102.6 points per game) is looking to right a few of their own struggles as of late after losing five of the last 10 games.

Friday

Chicago Bulls vs. Boston Celtics, 7 p.m., EST

They might still be waiting on Derrick Rose, but Chicago and Joakim Noah certainly haven't lost a step on defense, allowing only 92.3 points by opponents, third best among defenses in the NBA. Meanwhile, Boston, given up for dead a while ago, have been rallying behind a stiff defense (seventh-best, 96.1 points allowed per game) and the resurgent play of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, as well as the scintillating play of star point guard Rajon Rondo.

This game won't be pretty. Expect both these bitter Eastern Conference rivals to get physical and right in each others' faces.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Dallas Mavericks, 9:30 p.m. EST

Both of these teams duked it out in a five-game Western Conference Finals series in 2011 that saw the veteran Mavericks take down the Thunder, 4-1, on their way to the NBA Championship that season.

Times have changed dramatically, and while the Thunder are now poised for a possible return to the Finals, the Mavericks barely resemble the team that beat Miami in six games in the 2011 NBA Finals to win the championship. But with Nowitzki and Mayo still on-board, it means that Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook will have some steep competition when these two lock up in Dallas.

Saturday

Houston Rockets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, 8 p.m. EST

Two of the league's most popular point guards, the explosive Lin and the floppy-haired whirling dervish Rubio, will meet up when Houston visits the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn.