Tipping off: LeBron's spoiled return, rampant tanking continues

The Cavs were powered by a raucous home crowd and got the best of James and his 76ers. Yet, the reception for him was much more subdued than during his prior returns home.

Kristaps Porzingis steps away

There has been much confusion about the health of Kristaps Porzingis over the past few years. The latest update came last week when he announced he would be stepping away from the Golden State Warriors to focus on his recovery. This did not go over extremely well after he signed a $40 million extension over the summer.

It appears the Warriors are happy for the distraction to be over. Now, fans will wait to see if Porzingis can be traded, or if the team is stuck with his contract. Next up is a look at two intriguing storylines for the week ahead.

Several teams are not worried about new anti-tanking rules

The NBA put new rules in place to dissuade teams from finishing at the bottom of the standings in order to increase lottery odds.

The Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz seem to be ignoring that memo as all four teams enter the week with one win apiece. The Los Angeles Clippers, Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets each have two wins apiece.

This race to the bottom is one to keep a close eye on as the year progresses. Some teams are clearly not trying to win, but may have to improve just a bit to get the best possible lottery odds.

A tense Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum showdown

The Boston Celtics will square off against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night. This marks the first meeting between longtime teammates Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum after the former was traded over the summer.

Brown recently said the two don't have anything to talk about, though fans will see if that remains the case in what should be a great game between two of the East's best teams.

This could end up being an Eastern Conference Finals preview and should be an early indicator of the East's best team at this point in the season.