Martin Luther King Day is a wonderful kickoff for an excellent League Pass week. The Indiana Pacers make the list four times but the headlining game is clearly Raptors at Timberwolves on Saturday.

Monday

Raptors at 76ers, 1 p.m.: A fun early game on Martin Luther King Day that could be a first round preview if the Sixers can make their way into the playoffs. Joel Embiid can be a force on the interior and presumably Robert Covington will draw the assignment on DeMar DeRozan. 

Bucks at Wizards, 2 p.m.: Another strong early afternoon contest featuring Eastern Conference teams. Giannis still has a place in the MVP conversation but the Bucks will need strong road performances to fortify their position in the conference hierarchy.

Pacers at Jazz, 9 p.m.: Donovan Mitchell will probably start this game guarding Victor Oladipo, making it a fascinating test for both players. Also keep an eye on Indiana’s big man rotation, as former Utah center Al Jefferson may get some playing time. 

Tuesday

Timberwolves at Magic, 7 p.m.: A road test for the Wolves, who have impressed in the last few weeks. Hopefully Frank Vogel tries out Aaron Gordon defending Karl-Anthony Towns, as the center’s ability to shoot would be problematic for their other big men. 

Mavericks at Nuggets, 9:30 p.m.: Dennis Smith Jr. vs. Jamal Murray should produce offensive fireworks and Denver needs to reclaim their identity after a rough stretch. 

Wednesday

Pistons at Raptors, 7:30 p.m.: The Pistons have to keep up the pace with a stronger than expected bottom of the East playoff picture, as the Raptors face their own pressure at the top. Hopefully we see Avery Bradley battle DeRozan every possession since that would be a good challenge for each of them.

Heat at Bucks, 8 p.m.: This may not be the most watchable game if both defenses are engaged but it could be an intriguing coaching and rotation matchup as each team has an unusual combination of players. Plus, Bledsoe vs. Dragic for the second time in four days.

Warriors at Bulls, 8 p.m.: Zach LaVine returned from a torn ACL on Saturday and will presumably spend most of this game guarded by Klay Thompson. On top of that, Kris Dunn gets another shot to prove his mettle against Steph Curry.

Thursday

Magic at Cavs, 7 p.m.: It has fallen down the memory hole but the Magic already beat the Cavs in Cleveland in the first week of this season. Bismack Biyombo will need to deter drivers for Orlando’s defense to survive the onslaught. 

Pacers at Trail Blazers, 10 p.m.: Beyond Nate McMillan coaching against one of his former teams and Domantas Sabonis facing the franchise his father played for, keep an eye on which team controls the pace and generates better looks. It could be a fun one.

Friday

Spurs at Raptors, 7 p.m.: It would be great to see both of these teams close to full strength but it will be worth watching no matter what. LaMarcus Aldridge and Serge Ibaka both often finish games at center but should be matched up at power forward for long stretches.

Heat at Nets, 7:30 p.m.: Two of the best executing teams in the league square off and Brooklyn can challenge Hassan Whiteside either through floor spacing centers or high pick-and-rolls.

Pacers at Lakers, 10:30 p.m.: Indiana will be on a road back-to-back which may actually make this more balanced. LA natives Darren Collison and Lonzo Ball will massively affect their respective offenses but Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram may be the decisive figures here. 

Saturday

Bucks at 76ers, 7:30 p.m.: Just an interesting pairing with two longer teams that rely on ballhandling forwards. Sadly, we probably will not see much of Giannis and Ben Simmons guarding each other.

Raptors at Timberwolves, 9 p.m. (Game of the Week): An awesome matchup, especially if these teams can keep up their recent momentum. Butler vs. DeRozan will be a battle (on one end, at least) and the Raptors will need another strong defensive performance from OG Anunoby.

Clippers at Jazz, 9 p.m.: If the Jazz want to stay in the playoff mix, they will need to win games like this. The Clippers will test Quin Snyder’s resolve to stay four-out but Utah’s personnel demands it right now. 

Sunday

Knicks at Lakers, 3:30 p.m.: A nice matinee, especially if the Lakers can hit shots from the perimeter. Presumably, we will get Lonzo Ball and Frank Ntilikina on the court together, another matchup of talented rookie point guards.

Nets at Pistons, 4 p.m.: Brooklyn will challenge the Pistons and try to make them subsist on mid-range shots, so pay attention to the looks Detroit gets throughout the game. Also, Jarrett Allen has impressed so far this season and will face an intriguing group of Detroit centers. 

Pacers at Spurs, 7 p.m.: Indiana’s remarkable fourth appearance on the list because they play fun games with Oladipo out there and the Spurs present a different kind of matchup for them and any other team. We will have to see who Pop puts on the likely All-Star and it may be Kawhi Leonard.