This week’s best action takes place early, with the Stars going for a crucial win streak tonight ahead of a big hoops doubleheader tomorrow. Here’s what I’m watching:
Monday, 1/24: Stars at Flyers—6:00 p.m., Bally Sports Southwest
The Stars showed some flashes of life last week, stringing together back-to-back road wins for the first time all season (don’t say our David Castillo didn’t warn you about their iffy play away from the American Airlines Center). Can they make it a hat trick? They certainly should against a Philadelphia team sitting dead last in the Metropolitan division.
Tuesday, 1/25: TCU vs. Texas—8:00 p.m., ESPNU
Don’t look now, but the Horned Frogs are quietly climbing up the Big 12 standings. Saturday’s road win at then No. 15 Iowa State has TCU in fourth place, one spot ahead of tomorrow night’s opponent. The Longhorns were in last week’s poll and received the third-most votes among teams outside this week’s. Taking them down right after the Cyclones could put Jamie Dixon’s squad on the verge of breaking into the polls themselves.
Tuesday, 1/25: Mavericks at Warriors—9:00 p.m., TNT
This is the final leg of a crucial three-game set measuring how Dallas stacks up against the top half of the Western Conference. They flunked the first test, blowing a fourth-quarter lead Thursday against a first-place Suns team that I’m beginning to think might never again lose to the Mavs. Dallas rebounded last night by beating third-place Memphis for the third time this season. Tomorrow, they get another run at second-place Golden State, whom the Mavs throttled three weeks ago in Dirk Nowitzki’s jersey retirement game.
Taking two out of three against the three best teams in the West would be a serious statement of intent from a Dallas team that has won 11 of their last 13, especially now that the Mavs are just three games back from the three seed. And if they can hold Steph Curry to another 5-of-24 shooting night along the way? Even more impressive.
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