The first games after the All-Star break and trade deadline are always unpredictably interesting but particularly so this season with DeMarcus Cousins being dealt by the Kings to New Orleans. Every League Pass Game remaining on the Pelicans’ schedule will be included on here as Cousins is incorporated beside Anthony Davis.

(Danny Leroux is on vacation and will return next week).

Thursday

Rockets at Pelicans, 8 p.m. (Game of the Week): The debut of Boogie with the Pelicans is of course an automatic must watch, but the fact it will be at home and against James Harden and the Rockets gives it an elevated sense of importance. Cousins and Davis have extraordinary potential playing beside each other and talent should eventually win out, but there will undoubtedly be some challenges as they both occupy the same spots on the court.

Nuggets at Kings, 10:30 p.m.: Cousins versus Nikola Jokic would have been worth of inclusion here. Instead, we get to see the full rebuild for Sacramento begin, as well and the Kings' debut of Buddy Hield. With the Kings committed to doing everything possible to keep their top-10 protected pick, every loss matters for the remainder of the season.

Friday

Grizzlies at Pacers, 7:00 p.m.: The future of Paul George remains far more uncertain now than it did before the All-Star break even though Larry Bird decided to keep him through the deadline. Indiana is officially on notice that George will leave for the Lakers if they’re not title contenders by 2018 and they didn’t make a deadline deal using their first round pick as rumored. 

Mavericks at Timberwolves, 8:00 p.m.: The likely debut of Nerlens Noel with the Mavericks will have him charged with defending Karl-Anthony Towns. The body language and minutes of Ricky Rubio after the Wolves went down to the finish line on dealing him to New York will also be worth monitoring.

Saturday

Hornets at Kings, 5:00 p.m.: An afternoon game on the West Coast between two teams with near-identical records going in opposite directions with no other games competing against it.

Pelicans at Mavericks, 8:30 p.m.: The second game featuring Boogie with the Pelicans is also the second game featuring Noel and the Mavericks. Dallas would have had no chance of stopping Cousins and Davis if they were still starting Harrison Barnes and Dirk Nowitzki at the 4 and the 5.

Timberwolves at Rockets, 9:00 p.m.: This will likely be our first look at how Mike D’Antoni will set his rotations adding Lou Williams into the backcourt alongside James Harden, Patrick Beverley and Eric Gordon. There will be some big point total potential here.

Sunday

Spurs at Lakers, 3:30 p.m.: This will be the Lakers’ first home game since the regime change in the front office in which Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss were replaced by Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka. While that fact is immaterial to a lopsided matchup of talent (Spurs beat the Lakers by 40 last month), the vibe at Staples will be noteworthy nonetheless as Los Angeles enters a new era and their young core begins to play for a front office that is not attached to them.

Jazz at Wizards, 6:00 p.m.: These are two teams in the middle of the playoff picture of their respective conferences and a good litmus test game, particularly with their contrast of styles.

Blazers at Raptors, 6:00 p.m.: Damian Lillard was injured for their previous game this season in late December so we now get to see his matchup with Kyle Lowry. This will be Serge Ibaka’s second game with the Raptors after Friday’s nationally televised game against the Celtics, while Jusuf Nurkic is still being worked in with Portland.

Pelicans at Thunder, 7:00 p.m.: Boogie’s third game with the Pelicans in four days and a chance to see the Thunder work in Doug McDermott and Taj Gibson.