A rundown of games and events to watch for locally and nationally from the world of sports:

Today

NFL football, New Orleans at Seattle, 5:25 p.m. (ESPN): The two teams with the best records in the NFC collide at CenturyLink Field when the Seahawks (10-1) entertain the Saints (9-2). The game matches one of the league’s most respected veteran quarterbacks in New Orleans’ Drew Brees and one of the top young QBs in Seattle’s second-year standout Russell Wilson.

Today

NBA basketball, Indiana at Portland, 7 p.m. (Comcast Sports Net): The Trail Blazers open a four-game homestand against a Pacers team that owns the NBA’s best record (16-1) and currently tops the Eastern Conference standings. Portland, which hosts Western Conference foe Oklahoma City on Wednesday night, was 13-2 in November and is looking to stay hot in December.

Wednesday

High school boys basketball, Grants Pass at Bend, 6 p.m.: It’s opening night for the prep winter sports season, and the Lava Bears of Bend High will entertain the Cavemen of Grants Pass to tip things off locally. Also on Wednesday evening, the Bend girls are at Grants Pass, the Crook County girls host Burns, and the Crook County boys are on the road to face Burns.

Thursday

Pro rodeo, National Finals Rodeo opening round, 7 p.m. (Great American Country): The first of 10 nights of riding and roping action kicks off at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, where among the contestants vying for world titles will be Central Oregon cowboys Bobby Mote, Steven Peebles and Austin Foss in the bareback and Brandon Beers and Charly Crawford in the team roping.

Saturday

College football, Pac-12 Conference Championship Game, 4:45 p.m. PST (ESPN): South winner Arizona State will host the third annual Pac-12 title contest, facing Stanford from the North at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz. The winner will represent the conference in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.