20 Best Events in Sports This Week

February 12, 2018 by Grant Suneson

Though the time in between the Super Bowl and opening day in baseball seems like a lull in the sports world, there’s actually plenty to entertain sports fans. The first full week of the 2018 Winter Olympics and several other marquee events should thrill sports fans the world over.

It is getting close to crunch time In the NBA and NHL, and games are starting to have real playoff implications. All of the shocking moves at the NBA trade deadline should make for an interesting end of the season. The Cleveland Cavaliers shipped out half a dozen players in a bid to turn their season around and compete for another championship. The way the new Cleveland players are able to mesh with their teammates could make or break the Cavs’ season.

In addition to meaningful games, the NBA will showcase its brightest stars during the 2018 All-Star Game. During last year’s game, the two teams combined for 374 points and there’s no reason to expect a more defensive game this season.

Click here to see the 20 best events in sports this week.

A number of matchups between the most exciting and well-rounded teams in the NHL are also on deck this week. Teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Winnipeg Jets are playing great hockey and have a shot at being the first Canadian team to hoist the Stanley Cup in more than 20 years.

The Olympics also got underway, and we can expect a number of high-flying aerial competitions on both skis and snowboards, heart-warming stories of perseverance, and decades-old grudges between hockey powerhouses — and that’s just in the first full week of competition.

In order to determine the best games of the week, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed scheduled games and events among the most-watched sports leagues, including the Olympics, NCAA men’s basketball, the NBA, and the NHL for the week of February 12-18. Games were selected based on several factors, including the quality of the teams playing, the presence of well-known and high-quality players in the game, how likely an event is to draw many viewers, and the history of the teams. Teams might have long-standing rivalries, or more recent animosity. The week is from Monday to Sunday.

1. Tampa Bay Lightning at Toronto Maple Leafs
> Sport: NHL hockey
> Date: Monday, February 12
> Time (ET): 7:00 p.m.
> Where to watch: TVA Sports
> Why it’s exciting: High-scoring shootout

Few teams in the NHL score more goals than the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs. The Lightning lead the NHL with 198 goals in 55 games, and the Leafs aren’t far behind with 188 goals. Riding their high-flying offenses, both teams have some of the best records in the NHL, so this matchup should be an exciting one to watch.

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2. Utah Jazz at San Antonio Spurs
> Sport: NBA basketball
> Date: Monday, February 12
> Time (ET): 9:00 p.m.
> Where to watch: Local TV
> Why it’s exciting: New-look Jazz

Fans may be scratching their heads when they see who is suiting up for the Utah Jazz against the San Antonio Spurs. Utah was involved in a flurry of trading deadline moves, shipping Rodney Hood to the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of a three-way trade with the Sacramento Kings. Jae Crowder and Derrick Rose joined Utah, though Rose was released.

3. 1,500m final
> Sport: Men’s Olympic speed skating
> Date: Tuesday, February 13
> Time (ET): 6:00 a.m.
> Where to watch: NBC Sports Digital
> Why it’s exciting: Davis goes for gold

Five-time Olympic speed skater Shani Davis has been one of the most dominant winter olympians for the U.S. team, winning two gold medals and two silvers. In 2009, he set a world record in the 1,500m that stood for eight years, but he’s never been able to bring home a gold in the event. At 35, the 2018 Games may be his last chance.

4. Miami Heat at Toronto Raptors
> Sport: NBA basketball
> Date: Tuesday, February 13
> Time (ET): 7:00 p.m.
> Where to watch: Local TV
> Why it’s exciting: Potential playoff preview

Tuesday’s matchup between the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors may very well be a preview of a first round playoff matchup. The Heat have slipped in the standings following a five-game skid, but they could benefit from the return of their all-time greatest player. Last Thursday, the Cavaliers shipped Dwyane Wade back to the Heat. Whatever impact D.Wade has on the team’s playoff chances, his return to the lineup will still be something worth watching.

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5. Oklahoma Sooners at Texas Tech Red Raiders
> Sport: NCAA men’s basketball
> Date: Tuesday, February 13
> Time (ET): 7:00 p.m.
> Where to watch: ESPN
> Why it’s exciting: Big 12 battle

The Texas Tech Red Raiders have been one of the biggest surprises of the college basketball season. They weren’t expected to do much in the Big 12, yet they currently sit in first place in the conference, ahead of teams like Kansas and West Virginia. Still, the Sooners and Trae Young, the NCAA’s leading scorer, have enough firepower to take down any squad.

6. Washington Capitals at Winnipeg Jets
> Sport: NHL hockey
> Date: Tuesday, February 13
> Time (ET): 8:00 p.m.
> Where to watch: Local TV
> Why it’s exciting: Perennial greats vs. surprising success

The Winnipeg Jets have been one of the pleasant surprises in the NHL, currently sitting in second in the Central division behind the reigning Western Conference champion Nashville Predators. The Jets will square off against the Washington Capitals, who have been the model of consistency in recent years thanks to the sustained excellence of Alex Ovechkin. The Caps have made the playoffs in nine of the last 10 years but have yet to reach the Stanley Cup Finals with Ovechkin.

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7. Cleveland Cavaliers at Oklahoma City Thunder
> Sport: NBA basketball
> Date: Tuesday, February 13
> Time (ET): 8:00 p.m.
> Where to watch: TNT
> Why it’s exciting: New-look Cavs look for a turnaround

The 2018 NBA trade deadline was one of the wildest in memory, as the Cleveland Cavaliers shipped out a huge chunk of their roster amidst a massive skid. Jae Crowder, Channing Frye, Iman Shumpert, Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose, and Isaiah Thomas were dealt to several teams across the NBA. In return, the Cavs got Larry Nance Jr. and several players who should significantly improve their guard play, like Jordan Clarkson, Rodney Hood, and George Hill. The Cavaliers scored a big win against their eastern conference rivals, the Boston Celtics, and will look to get back to their winning ways. But those new players will have their work cut out for them as they try to stop reigning MVP Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

8. Houston Rockets at Minnesota Timberwolves
> Sport: NBA basketball
> Date: Tuesday, February 13
> Time (ET): 8:00 p.m.
> Where to watch: Local TV
> Why it’s exciting: New competition in the West

Basketball fans know the Golden State Warriors are the team to beat in the Western Conference. But if any team is able to knock them off, it could be the Rockets or the Timberwolves. Houston has been one of the NBA’s hottest teams, while Minnesota’s young squad seems to be clicking. If the Timberwolves continue to mature, Minnesota could be a force in the playoffs for years to come.

9. Men’s halfpipe final
> Sport: Men’s Olympic snowboarding
> Date: Tuesday, February 13
> Time (ET): 8:30 p.m.
> Where to watch: NBC Sports Digital
> Why it’s exciting: Shaun White and U.S. look to sweep

The halfpipe is one of the most extreme events in the Olympic Games, and it could be an extremely exciting competition — particularly for U.S. fans. Americans David Wise and Alex Ferreira are favorites to win the gold, but you can never count out their countryman and two-time halfpipe gold medalist Shaun White. White struggled in 2014, coming in fourth, but 2014 gold medalist Iouri Podladtchikov will miss the 2018 games due to injury, possibly clearing the way for a U.S. clean sweep in the halfpipe.

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10. San Antonio Spurs at Denver Nuggets
> Sport: NBA basketball
> Date: Tuesday, February 13
> Time (ET): 10:30 p.m.
> Where to watch: TNT
> Why it’s exciting: Western Conference playoff preview

The Denver Nuggets are grinding through a tough portion of their schedule leading into the All-Star break, but they’re performing well. Denver has picked up wins against Oklahoma City and Golden State. They also lost to the Boston Celtics by just one point and to the San Antonio Spurs by two. The Nuggets will have a chance to avenge that loss with new point guard Devin Harris, who the Nuggets got in the trade that shipped disappointing young player Emmanuel Mudiay to the New York Knicks.

11. Golden State Warriors at Portland Trail Blazers
> Sport: NBA basketball
> Date: Wednesday, February 14
> Time (ET): 10:30 p.m.
> Where to watch: Local TV
> Why it’s exciting: High-scoring duel

The Golden State Warriors are one of the most electrifying teams to watch in all of sports. Their ball movement and shooting is unlike anything seen in the NBA before. Few teams can keep pace with the Warriors’ scoring, but Portland just might be one that can. All-star Damian Lillard is averaging 25.0 points per game this season, and he should be locked in against Golden State as they bounced the Trail Blazers out of the playoffs last season.

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12. Slalom final
> Sport: Ladies’ Olympic alpine skiing
> Date: Wednesday, February 14
> Time (ET): 11:45 p.m.
> Where to watch: NBC
> Why it’s exciting: Shiffrin could add more gold

During the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Mikaela Shiffrin became the youngest olympian to win a gold medal in slalom at just 18 years old. Now she’s back to defend her title. But even before she sets foot (or ski) on the slalom course, she could add several other medals to her tally. Shiffrin is also competing in the giant slalom event, the Super-G, the downhill, and the alpine combined.

13. USA v. Canada
> Sport: Women’s Olympic ice hockey
> Date: Thursday, February 15
> Time (ET): 10:10 p.m.
> Where to watch: NBC Sports Digital
> Why it’s exciting: Biggest rivalry in women’s hockey

Though it is just a preliminary match, the USA vs. Canada women’s ice hockey match could easily decide who wins the 2018 gold medal. In all 18 women’s hockey world championships, the final game has come down to the U.S. and Canada. The U.S. Women’s National Team has won the last four International Ice Hockey Federation championships, but Canada won the 2014 Olympic gold medal in a thrilling 3-2 game. There’s no love lost between these two squads.

14. Free skating final
> Sport: Olympic pairs figure skating
> Date: Thursday, February 15
> Time (ET): 8:30 p.m.
> Where to watch: TBD
> Why it’s exciting: U.S. couple looks to keep beating odds

Chris and Alexa Knierim aren’t favorites to medal in pairs figure skating, but their inspiring story truly embodies the Olympic spirit. The married couple wasn’t even sure competing in the games would be an option when Alexa fell ill. It took months for doctors to diagnose what was ailing her, but after three surgeries, the couple will compete in PyeongChang.

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15. Aerials final
> Sport: Ladies’ Olympics freestyle skiing
> Date: Friday, February 16
> Time (ET): 6:52 a.m.
> Where to watch: NBC Sports Digital
> Why it’s exciting: High-flying fun

Few sights in sports are as captivating as watching athletes twist and flip in the air after they go over a massive wall of snow and ice. No matter who you’re rooting for, aerial freestyle skiing is exciting to watch. For U.S. fans, Ashley Caldwell has a good chance of pulling off an upset. Though she’s not predicted to medal, Caldwell did win the world championship in this event last year, and in her third Olympics, she knows how to perform on the sport’s biggest stage.

16. USA v. Olympic Athletes From Russia
> Sport: Men’s Olympic ice hockey
> Date: Saturday, February 17
> Time (ET): 7:10 a.m.
> Where to watch: NBCSN
> Why it’s exciting: A game that’s bigger than sports

During the Olympics, it’s impossible to ignore political tensions between these competing nations. Relations between the U.S. and Russia have been strained lately to say the least. That should help make this another exciting clash in the storied rivalry between these two hockey powerhouses. Technically, however, this isn’t a game between the U.S. and Russia. Russia was banned from the games over doping issues, so Russian athletes who are allowed to compete will do so under the banner of Olympic Athletes from Russia.

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17. Villanova Wildcats at Xavier Musketeers
> Sport: NCAA men’s basketball
> Date: Saturday, February 17
> Time (ET): 4:30 p.m.
> Where to watch: Fox
> Why it’s exciting: Top five showdown

The Villanova Wildcats may be the number one team in the country, but they’re not first in the Big East. That distinction belongs to number five Xavier — at least for now. Villanova sits just a half game behind Xavier. Both teams bring high-scoring offenses to this showdown, which could decide who gets a top overall seed when March Madness rolls around.

18. Toronto Maple Leafs at Pittsburgh Penguins
> Sport: NHL
> Date: Saturday, February 17
> Time (ET): 7:00 p.m.
> Where to watch: Local TV
> Why it’s exciting: Old guard vs. new stars

Sidney Crosby was once a teen whose skills were the talk of the NHL. Now, “Sid the Kid” is 30 and an established veteran. The new young star is 20-year-old Auston Matthews, who is looking to make his own mark in the league. Matthews has led the Toronto Maple Leafs to one of the best records in the Eastern Conference, but they’ll face a big test from the defending Stanley Cup champs.

19. Daytona 500
> Sport: NASCAR
> Date: Sunday, February 18
> Time (ET): 2:30 p.m.
> Where to watch: FOX
> Why it’s exciting: NASCAR is back in action

After a several month layoff, drivers will once again start their engines and hit the gas for one of the most cherished events in racing: the Daytona 500. Daytona Day means the long winter hiatus is over, but not all will be the same this season. For the first time in nearly two decades, the now retired Dale Earnhardt Jr. won’t be behind the wheel. Martin Truex Jr. will begin his title defense at the most famous race in NASCAR.

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20. Team LeBron vs Team Stephen
> Sport: NBA basketball
> Date: Sunday, February 18
> Time (ET): 8:00 p.m.
> Where to watch: TNT
> Why it’s exciting: No defense, all drama

If you like scoring, the NBA All-Star game is the event for you. In an exhibition game, the NBA’s biggest stars don’t bother playing much defense, leading to 2017’s wild 192-182 final score. We also get to watch how former teammates handle their grudges as they team up once again. This year’s format features a schoolyard draft for picking teams between LeBron James and Stephen Curry. Team LeBron includes Russell Westbrook and his former Thunder teammate who left Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant. James will also team up with his fellow title winner from Cleveland, Kyrie Irving, who forced a trade to the Boston Celtics after the end of last season.

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