Adi Joseph

USA TODAY Sports

The Nets and Knicks square off in the early game for New York bragging rights

Houston and Portland are looking to prove they belong among the league%27s elite

The league-leading Pacers take on the dangerous Warriors in the late game

That Martin Luther King Jr. Day falls on the day after the NFL's conference championships is probably a coincidence, but the NBA is ready to take full advantage of this fortuitous timing.

For years, the NBA has offered a full day's worth of games on the third Monday of January, and today's slate features four intriguing nationally televised games along with six regionally aired matchups. The slate begins at 1 p.m. ET, but the first nationally televised game tips off at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Here, USA TODAY Sports offers a viewing guide for the national games (all times p.m. Eastern):

Brooklyn Nets (16-22) at New York Knicks (15-25), 2:30, ESPN

The records are ugly, but the stakes are high in the lowly Eastern Conference. The Nets are returning from a trip to London, where they beat the Atlanta Hawks, and have won six of their past seven games.

The Knicks also seemed to be turning things around before losing three in a row and facing injuries to big men Amar'e Stoudemire and Kenyon Martin. This game begins a run of six home games against teams with losing records for the Knicks, who can't afford another skid.

New Orleans Pelicans (15-24) at Memphis Grizzlies (20-19), 5, NBATV

These teams are headed in opposite directions. The Pelicans have lost eight in a row, a streak that began before they lost point guard Jrue Holiday to a stress fracture in his right leg. They have all but dropped out of playoff contention in the Western Conference.

The Grizzlies, meanwhile, have surged back into contention with a five-game winning streak. Center Marc Gasol is back, and Memphis looks again like the team that made a run to the West finals last season.

Portland Trail Blazers (31-9) at Houston Rockets (27-15), 8, TNT

Every time it seems the Blazers are going to fall back down to their preseason expectations, they go on another run. After losses to the Philadelphia 76ers and Sacramento Kings, Portland has reeled off five consecutive wins.

The Rockets' expected strong play has come with a recent boost from power forward Terrence Jones, who has averaged 16.9 points and 11.4 rebounds a game in January. Both of these teams look like clear-cut playoff factors, but they still have to prove they belong on the elite level of title contenders.

Indiana Pacers (32-7) at Golden State Warriors (26-16), 10:30, TNT

When defensive stalwart Andre Iguodala plays, the Warriors are 21-9. He has been a main factor in their winning 12 of their past 15 games, and he should be a major factor in guarding Pacers star small forward Paul George. But Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant lit up the Warriors for 54 very efficient points Friday, so the defense remains a work in progress.

The Pacers are the real deal, a finished product with the best record in the NBA and no signs of letting up. These teams boast elite starting lineups and top-heavy benches and should be factors late in this season.