This Weekend’s Big Match-Ups
With the sporting season reaching a fever point, there are huge matches happening all the time in the big leagues around the world. Title races are slowly taking shape, huge tournaments are underway, and old legends of their respective sports are fighting to stay on top in an increasingly competitive sporting landscape. There are some massive matchups coming up, so let’s take a look at the top games coming up this weekend.
NBA: Golden State Warriors vs. Utah Jazz (November 25th)
The defending champions Golden State Warriors have had a very mixed start to the season, with a decent home record being undone by a horrible record on the road. Before Sunday’s win against the Houston Rockets, the Warriors were 0-8 on the road this season, with horrible defense and a weak-looking bench unit undoing Steph Curry’s heroics this season. Fellow Splash Brother Klay Thompson has also had a difficult start to the season, with shooting percentages down and his defense lacking some of the intensity and quickness that he was famed for before his two terrible leg injuries in 2020 and 2021.
The Utah Jazz have had an incredible start to the season, considering they traded away All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert in the offseason. They sit top of the Western Conference with a 12-6 record, and their team play has been nothing short of sensational so far this season. Jordan Clarkson has been a shining light this year, and his shooting has been a key factor in the Jazz advancing and developing as quickly as they have. On paper, they should be able to beat the Warriors this time around, but Golden State have slowly started to improve over the last week or two, so this matchup could be closer than initially thought.
NBA schedule on TV and stream.
NFL: Thanksgiving Triple Header (November 24th)
This weekend is a big week for the NFL, with the traditional Thanksgiving triple header taking place this Thursday. First, the Detroit Lions take on the rampant Buffalo Bills, who are on an impressive 7-3 run to start this season and Josh Allen playing the football of his life. Detroit have not had a great season so far, although wins in their last three games have propelled them to a 4-6 record, which is better than their catastrophic start. This should be a win for the Bills, but don’t count out the Lions.
The next matchup is a fiery clash between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants, two of the most popular and well-supported teams in the NFL. Both the Cowboys and the Giants have had great seasons so far, and they are tied on 7-3 in the tough NFC East, only behind the amazing Philadelphia Eagles. Both teams have mixed spectacular defense with a solid offense, so expect a cagey game as they battle for supremacy in their division.
Finally, the Minnesota Vikings take on the New England Patriots as two of the most in-form teams in the league meet. The Vikings lost their most recent game against the Cowboys 40-3, a huge shock considering their great start to the season, and they are looking to bounce back from that setback. The Patriots have won their last three, and Bill Belichick will look to do one better as New England try to get back to their dynastic team success of the 2010s.
NFL schedule on TV and stream.
FIFA World Cup: England vs. USA (November 25th)
The FIFA World Cup is already underway, and the controversy around the competition hasn’t taken away from the excitement of the matches and the spectacle of the opening ceremony. The second round of matches in the tough Group B sees USA take on an England side ranked 5th in the world and rightly considered one of the favorites to win the trophy. Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, and Phil Foden are three of the finest talents in the world at the moment, and the USA defense will do well to be able to keep them from scoring.
USA do have some excellent players in their squad, with Giovani Reyna and Christian Pulisic being key to the team’s chances of success in this game and further on in the tournament. The defense has proven to be stubborn and organized over the years, but the fact that England have such decorated attacking talent could prove to be the sternest test this defense will have had for many years. It’s certainly going to be a feisty clash, and this is undoubtedly the biggest match in Group B for the USA team.
World Cup 2022 Qatar schedule.
NFL: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Rams (November 27th)
The Kansas City Chiefs are flying right now, with them being at the top of the AFC with an 8-2 record. Their last-gasp win over the Los Angeles Chargers was one of the matches of the season, and Patrick Mahomes has proven himself as this season’s comeback kid, coming from behind in multiple games to get crucial victories and leave teams distraught in his wake.
The Los Angeles Rams are the latest team to stand in the Chiefs’ path, but last year’s Super Bowl winners are still finding their feet this season, with last week’s loss against the New Orleans Saints being their fourth loss in a row to leave them rooted at the bottom of the NFC West, with a huge battle ahead of them to even make it into the playoffs. This season has been one to forget so far, and their leaky defense makes this matchup a really tough one for the Rams. Kansas City’s offense has been on fire this season, and it’s hard to see any other result than a dominant Chiefs win.
Game schedule on TV and stream.
Golf: Australian PGA Championship (November 24th-27th)
The golf season is drawing to a close, but one of the last championships of the year is the prestigious Australian PGA Championship, and it takes place this weekend. Last week’s DP World Tour Championship saw some stellar performances from the likes of Rory McIlroy and John Rahm, and this week is golf’s last big tournament before the winter break.
Huge names such as Adam Scott and Cameron Smith are scheduled to play, and in the battle for ranking points, the contest is really hotting up. Defending champion Jed Morgan is seeking to reclaim his throne after an indifferent season, and he will hope that this tournament can kickstart a return to form before the huge majors next year. Whatever happens, it promises to be a hugely exciting tournament this year.
Author: Dan Anderson