Minnesota at Phoenix 9:30 ET

Suns (+) over Timberwolves- Third-seeded Minnesota leads a playoff series 3-0 for the first time in franchise history. A team with a 3-0 lead has never lost its series in NBA history. The sixth-seeded Suns are on the other side of the coin after a 126-109 home loss in Game 3 leaves them facing a monumental deficit. The Suns were viewed as an NBA title contender behind the star trio of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. Yet, Phoenix is on the brink of not winning a single playoff game this season. The Timberwolves owned a 50-28 rebounding advantage while dominating the interior. Closing out a series is never easy, especially trying to finish if off on an opponent's home floor. The Suns now look for a turnaround performance that at least gets them to Minneapolis for Game 5. Take PHOENIX!

Milwaukee at Indiana 7:00 ET

Pacers (-) over Bucks- The Pacers are bidding to win a playoff series for the first time since reaching the 2014 conference finals. The Indiana Pacers will look to push the injury-riddled Milwaukee Bucks to the brink of elimination on Sunday. Damian Lillard's availability could be in jeopardy after he sustained an apparent left leg injury late in the first quarter. The eight-time All-Star returned to the game before aggravating an Achilles injury. The injuries are wreaking havoc with Milwaukee. Take INDIANA!

LA Clippers at Dallas 3:30 ET

Clippers (+) over Mavericks- The Game 3 matchup marked the third straight in which the Mavericks held the Clippers to fewer than Los Angeles' regular-season average of 115.6 points per game and less than Dallas' 115.6 regular-season allowance. It was also Dallas' second straight win in the series when they kept Los Angeles to fewer than 100 points. As Los Angeles looks to avoid falling into a 3-1 hole before heading home for Game 5 on Wednesday, the Clippers face uncertainty with Kawhi Leonard.  He said status for Game 4 is unclear. Los Angeles - a 38.1 percent shooting team from long distance during the regular season - is 18 of 59 (25.4 percent) from 3-point territory over the last two losses. The catch their shooting eye Sunday. Take LA CLIPPERS!

Denver at L.A. Lakers 8:30 ET

Lakers (+) over Nuggets- The Nuggets continued their domination of the Lakers, winning their 11th consecutive game against their Western Conference rivals. Making that even more impressive is that a win Saturday would give Denver consecutive playoff sweeps over Los Angeles. History says the Lakers can make their offseason plans now. No team has ever overcome an 0-3 deficit in a best-of seven NBA playoff series in 151 attempts. Lakers are 28-13 ATS at home while Denver is 18-23-1 ATS on the road. There comes a point where the adjustment by oddsmakers can go just so far. Take L.A. LAKERS!

Boston at Miami 6:00 ET

Heat (+) over Celtics-  Sunday, host Boston prevailed 114-94. The Celtics made 22 3-pointers, shooting 44.9 percent from deep. Miami made just 12 3-pointers, shooting 32.4 percent. In Game 2 on Wednesday, the Heat made 23 3-pointers, setting a franchise postseason record. The Heat shot 53.5 percent from deep. Boston made just 12 3-pointers, shooting 37.5 percent. Jimmy Butler, who is out for several weeks due to a knee injury he suffered in the play-in round, is the Heat's spiritual leader and they are also missing Terry Rozier. Miami returns home with confidence as they know that they knocked off the Celtics, 4-3, in last year's Eastern Conference Finals. Heat burn Celtics! Take MIAMI!

Oklahoma City at New Orleans 3:30 ET

Pelicans (+) over Thunder- The top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder had to battle to the buzzer to win their Western Conference first-round series opener against New Orleans. The Thunder had a much easier time in Game 2, routing the Pelicans 124-92 Wednesday night. The eighth-seeded Pelicans will look to break through at home Saturday afternoon in Game 3. Oklahoma City's defense was excellent in both games as New Orleans scored fewer than 100 points in consecutive games for just the second time this season. In Game 2, the Pelicans shot 45.2 percent from the floor (including 7 of 26 from 3-point range) and the Thunder scored 22 points off 18 New Orleans turnovers. New Orleans, which had the best road record in the NBA at 28-14, lost six straight home games before defeating Sacramento (NBA ‘Do or Die’ GOY winner) in a play-in elimination game. Oklahoma City, which won eight more games than the Pelicans during the regular season, was 24-17 away from home. The Thunder were 2-0 at New Orleans in the regular season, prevailing 107-83 and 119-112. Turn about...take NEW ORLEANS!

L.A. Clippers at Dallas 8:00 ET

Clippers (+) over Mavericks- The Mavericks got much more production from their supporting cast, especially from distance, when they evened the series 1-1 with a 96-93 road win on Tuesday. While the Mavericks improved from 30.3 percent to 42.4 percent on 3-pointers from Game 1 to Game 2, the Clippers went from 50.0 percent to 26.7 percent. From strictly a scoring standpoint, Los Angeles dominated 54-30 from the arc in its win before Dallas enjoyed a 42-24 advantage in its three-point victory. One big difference for the Clippers was the return of Kawhi Leonard, who had missed nine consecutive games including the series opener with a sore right knee. The teams split two games in Dallas in the regular season. Leonard had 30 points in the most recent Dallas meeting, a 120-111 Clippers win in December. It’s the Clips turn...take LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS!

Milwaukee at Indiana 5:30 ET

Bucks (+) over Pacers- Milwaukee's Damian Lillard will look to continue his trend of strong starts on Friday. He scored all 35 of his points in the first half in the series opener before scoring 26 of his 34 points over the first two quarters on Tuesday. Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo has missed his team's last five games dating back to the regular season due to a left calf injury. Bucks coach Doc Rivers was optimistic about how Antetokounmpo looked in practice on Thursday, but the club listed him as doubtful. Indiana (Megabucks winner) exploited the interior on Tuesday with Antetokounmpo reduced to the role of a spectator. Bucks suck it up here. Take MILWAUKEE!   1

New York at Philadelphia 7:30 ET

Knicks (+) over 76ers- have you seen what I’ve seen? I don’t believe that the New York Knicks should be an underdog to anybody, anywhere, (maybe OKC) or anytime. Tibs has them playing the best of all and with the way Boston looked (vulnerable) and that can only help the Knicks mindset. It seems obvious to me that Embiid is not 100% although he is still the best Philadelphia has and they felt with him that they could be unbeatable...not! There is a karma teams acquire when together and in sync. Like Connecticut in the NCAA’s! Right now I will have to see them break down before I will be looking for it. The Sixers are a little bit too distracted by the attention being paid to referee's calls. Take NEW YORK!

New Orleans at Oklahoma City 9:30 ET

Thunder (-) over Pelicans- In Oklahoma City’s playoff opener against New Orleans a 94-92 victory Sunday, head coach Mark Daigneault played 11 players. Nine of them played in the first quarter and final quarters. The Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made the late shots and Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren came up big offensively as well. Without Zion Williamson, New Orleans needs more production from forward Brandon Ingram, who had 12 points Sunday while going 5-of-17 from the floor and hasn’t return to form yet. Williamson has missed the last two games with a hamstring strain and will be out again Wednesday. Take OKLAHOMA CITY!

Indiana at Milwaukee 8:30 ET

Pacers (+) over Bucks- Former two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (strained left calf) missed Sunday's 109-94 victory in Game 1 and could be out of the lineup again on Tuesday. The Pacers only led in the opening few minutes against Milwaukee. After trailing by nine at the end of the first quarter, they were outscored 39-21 in the second. The Bucks led 69-42 at halftime and cruised the rest of the way. The Pacers averaged an NBA-best 123.3 points per game during the regular season and failed to reach 100 just once. But one game into the playoffs, that season low of 99 points is standing out now.Take INDIANA!

Phoenix at Minnesota 7:30 ET

Suns (+) over Timberwolves- Minnesota is coming off a dominant 120-95 win in the series opener Saturday. Phoenix trailed by four points in the third quarter before the Timberwolves went on a 21-5 run to grab a 20-point advantage and never looked back. The Suns swept the T’wolves during the regular season. Phoenix was humbled in Game 1 as it struggled to unlock its offense. A rebound for the Suns! Take Phoenix!

Los Angeles Lakers at Denver 10:00 ET

Lakers (+) over Nuggets- Denver has beaten Los Angeles nine straight times, dating back to the final regular-season game between them in 2022-23. Los Angeles coach Darvin Ham said after the loss there were adjustments he didn't use Saturday night that he will try in the rest of the series. The Nuggets can expect a bounce-back game from the Lakers, and a more aggressive James. After scoring 19 points in the first half on Saturday, he had just eight in the second half and didn't attempt a shot in the fourth quarter until the final 1:20. Take LOS ANGELES LAKERS!

Orlando at Cleveland 7:00 ET

Magic (+) over Cavaliers- The Cavaliers star got off to a strong start in the first-round matchup against the Orlando Magic. Cleveland led by as many as 20 and never trailed in the Game 1 victory. The easy win was obtained despite 8-of-30 shooting from 3-point range and 18 turnovers. Orlando seeks to avoid a 2-0 deficit after the effort was there, but the shooting wasn't in Game 1. The Magic shot 32.6 from the field, including 8 of 37 from 3-point range, and also missed 11 free throws (19 of 30). Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley is well aware the shooting must improve if his club wants to return home with the series tied. Take ORLANDO!

 Indiana at Milwaukee 7:00 ET

Bucks (-) over Pacers- Indiana (47-35) won four of the five meetings against Milwaukee (49-33) this season, including in a tournament setting during the in-season tournament in December. The Milwaukee Bucks lost six of their last eight games to limp into the playoffs as the third seed in the Eastern Conference. Giannis Antetokounmpo averaged a robust 42.2 points and 13.0 rebounds in Milwaukee's season series against Indiana. He erupted for a franchise single-game-record 64 points in the Bucks' lone victory over the Pacers. He is a on a wait-and-see approach as to playing Sunday. Take MILWAUKEE!

Los Angeles Lakers at Denver 8:40 ET

Lakers (+) over Nuggets- Last year, Denver broke through against the Lakers in the Western Conference finals on its way to the first NBA championship in franchise history. The Lakers get an early shot at redemption when the teams meet in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. The Nuggets, the No. 2 seed, host Game 1 against seventh-seeded Los Angeles on Saturday night. The Nuggets have won eight straight against the Lakers, including the sweep in the Western Conference finals, and they won the three meetings this year by an average of 10 points. The four games in last year's playoffs were close, with only one, Denver's 119-108 win in Game 3, by a double-digit margin, and the circumstances are different this year. Lebron James, even at 39 years old, is capable of taking over games but knows his team has a small margin for error against the Nuggets. Take LA LAKERS!

Philadelphia at New York 6:00 ET

76ers (+) over Knicks- The Knicks earned the second seed in the Eastern Conference after going 50-32 -- their best seed and top record since the 2012-13 team also was seeded second after finishing 54-28. The 76ers (47-35) clinched the seventh seed Wednesday night by coming back from a 12-point halftime deficit to edge the Miami Heat 105-104 in a play-in game. The Knicks haven't made the NBA Finals since 1999 and haven't advanced beyond the second round since 2000. They had only four players participate in at least 70 games. Three of those players, Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart were teammates on national championship-winning teams at Villanova. New York was 20-3 in games in which OG Anunoby played following his acquisition from the Toronto Raptors Dec. 30, but he missed 27 games due to an elbow injury. Joel  Embiid was limited to 39 games by a chronic left knee injury but averaged 34.7 points, 11.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists per contest. The 76ers went 31-8 with him in the lineup but just 16-27 when he was in street clothes. The Knicks won three of the four games in the season series. Embiid had 30 points and 10 rebounds in his lone appearance against New York. Take PHILADELPHIA!

Phoenix at Minnesota 3:40 ET

Suns (+) over Timberwolves- To say that Phoenix has owned Minnesota is an understatement as they have won nine of the past 10 meetings and have covered nine straight games between the two.  But, Minnesota still managed to put together its best regular season in 20 years. The Timberwolves grabbed the No. 3 seed in the West by going 56-26, their most wins since the 2003-04 campaign (58-24). The Timberwolves haven't fared well in the playoffs as of late, though, getting bounced in the first round in each of the past two seasons. They were knocked out by the Memphis Grizzlies in 2022 before the Denver Nuggets got the best of them last year. Minnesota hasn't made it past the first round since 2004. Phoenix managed to close the regular season on a high note, putting together a three-game winning streak to cap a 10-4 stretch dating back to March 20. That spurt allowed the Suns to lock down the No. 6 seed in the West. The Suns are in the playoffs for the fourth year in a row. They are coming off back-to-back second-round exits following a Finals appearance in 2021. Take PHOENIX!

Sacramento at New Orleans 9:30 ET

Pelicans (+) over Kings- I couldn’t have asked for a better set-up (in my mind anyway) as the Kings fly into New Orleans after eliminating their perennial nemesis. It was more than a just setting the Warriors aside it was the manner in which they dismantled Golden State and were in complete command. New Orleans of course with be without Zion Williamson which is not so unusual but it did come when he appeared to be reaching his potential. The Pelicans were 8-4 ATS without Williamson this season  and there is more. The line jumped from the home team Pelicans at -2 to the visiting Kings to -1.5 and I expect it to go higher from their. But, here is the dirty little secret that the bookies are aware of and now you will be aware of it. New Orleans actually has played and is rated a half-point better in the 12 game played without Williamson. I love that the expectations have shifted but no the players will. Take NEW ORLEANS!

Miami at Philadelphia 7:30 ET

76ers (-) over Heat- The Philadelphia 76ers are a much better team with Joel Embiid in the lineup and he is the Most Valuable Player in the NBA if you count wins and losses. There is a noticeable difference in the way the 76ers play when the reigning NBA MVP is on the floor. Jimmy Butler who was traded from the 76ers to the Heat in the summer of 2019, has guided Miami to two NBA Finals appearances in the last four seasons. The loser of Wednesday's contest will play an elimination game on Friday against either the Chicago Bulls or Atlanta Hawks for the eighth seed -- and the right to play the top-seeded Boston Celtics. Take MIAMI!

Golden State at Sacramento 10:00 ET

Warriors (-) over Kings- The winner of the game between the No. 10 seed Warriors (46-36) and No. 9 Kings (46-36) will advance to play either the No. 8 Los Angeles Lakers or No. 7 New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night. The winner on Friday advances to play the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs the loser-goes-home Western Conference in this play-in contest. The history of losing to the Warriors made last season's postseason ouster feel even harsher for Sacramento. They floundered down the stretch with five setbacks in six games prior to hammering the visiting Portland Trail Blazers 121-82 in Sunday's regular-season finale.The Warriors had a hot finish with 10 wins in 12 games, including Sunday's 123-116 home win over the Utah Jazz. The teams split four regular-season meetings this season, going 1-1 in both Sacramento and San Francisco. The Kings have been favored in the past six home game against the Warriors and yet the 10-seed is favored on the road over the 7-seed. Smells...take GOLDEN STATE!

Houston at L.A. Clippers 8:00 ET

Rockets over Clippers- Okay, this is easy to explain...I think. Houston is 40-41 looking to keep from finishing under .500 for the regular season and currently out of the playoff picture.   The Clippers are 51-30 (21 games better than the Rockets) and are 25-15 SU at home. The visitor despite winning only 17 of 41 road games are favored against a team that they have lost to nine straight times. If this doesn’t qualify as the ‘Don’t Make Sense’ Game ...what does! Take HOUSTON!

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Chicago at New York 1:00 ET

Knicks (-) over Bulls- The Knicks realize that they have a legitimate shot at moving into the No. 2 spot in the east as Milwaukee will be at Orlando and a loss with a NY win give them the seed. this is the third meeting in the past two weeks between theses two and the line was NYK -5 and -1.5. I believe it is a tell...take NEW YORK!

Milwaukee at Orlando 1:00 ET

Magic (-) over Bucks- I’ve been watching and what I have gathered is that the Bucks are just waltzing through the final stages and will have a different attitude in a week. Milwaukee lead by Doc Rivers were all smiles after their recent blowout loss at OKC and they are not all that concerned with seeding. Orlando is off a 4-game win-less road trip and will be ready to clinch the No. 5 seed with a victory. Magic have lost 9-of-10 to the Buck but that doe’t seem to bother the odds-makers...take ORLANDO!

New Orleans at Golden State 10;00 ET

Pelicans (+) over Warriors- The Pelicans (48-32) have a one-game lead over the Phoenix Suns (47-33) in their tussle for the sixth and final guaranteed playoff position in the Western Conference. The Suns hold the tiebreaker over New Orleans, meaning the Pelicans must retain their advantage in the standings over the final two games of the regular season in order to secure the No. 6 playoff spot. The Warriors (45-35) can't catch the Pelicans in the standings and thus cannot avoid a spot in the play-in tournament. Golden State, which has won three straight games and nine of its past 10. The line is too short. Take NEW ORLEANS!

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Milwaukee at Oklahoma City 8:00 ET

Thunder (-) over Bucks- After Milwaukee posted a dominating win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 24. In their next seven games they went 1-6 and put themselves in danger of dropping out of the No. 2 spot in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks (49-31) need one win in their last two or losses by the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers to secure the position. The Thunder own the tiebreaker over the Nuggets but would likely lose out on a tiebreaker with the Timberwolves thanks to conference records. The Bucks won that first meeting of the season, 118-93, in Milwaukee. Antetokounmpo won't be playing Friday after suffering a strained left calf in Tuesday's win over Boston. Take OKLAHOMA CITY!

New Orleans at Sacramento 10:00 ET

Pelicans (+) over Kings- The Pelicans (47-32), winners of two in a row, have moved into sixth place in the West. But each remaining opponent has a chance to catch New Orleans by the end of play Sunday. The Kings' chances of winning the final game of the season series against the Pelicans and then potentially passing them in the standings involve more than just Ingram's status. Sacramento has injury issues. The Kings squandered a chance to stay within one game of the Pelicans in the loss column when they blew a 20-point lead in a 112-105 loss at Oklahoma City. Take NEW ORLEANS!

Dallas at Miami 7:30 ET

Heat over Mavericks- Dallas (49-30) is in fifth place in the Western Conference. The Mavericks appear likely to avoid the play-in round, which is for teams in spots seven through 10 in the standings. Miami (44-35) is eighth in the Eastern Conference, and it looks like the Heat again are destined to compete in the play-in round. The Mavericks, who have won 15 of their past 17 games, started this week with a thrilling 147-136 overtime win at home versus the Houston Rockets on Sunday. Heat guard Tyler Herro, playing just his third game since returning from injury, scored 33 points on Tuesday. He made 13 of 25 shots from the floor. Herro is the difference. Take MIAMI!

New York at Chicago 8:00 ET

Bulls (+) over Knicks- The Knicks (46-32) enter Tuesday's visit to the Chicago Bulls in fourth place in the East but still can finish as high as No. 2 in the conference with four regular-season games remaining. Fighting with the Atlanta Hawks for home-court advantage in the East play-in tournament game between the Nos. 9-10 seeds, the Bulls topped the Knicks 108-100 on Friday. Chicago (37-41) was unable to sustain the momentum at Orlando on Sunday, losing 113-98. The Bulls maintained a one-game edge on Atlanta for ninth place and also hold the tiebreaker. The Bulls have won two of the past three meetings against the Knicks, who will host Chicago in the regular-season finale. Take CHICAGO!

Sacramento at Oklahoma City 8:00 ET

Kings (-) over Thunder- the Kings (45-33) and Thunder (53-25) need to win but also get help to move up the Western Conference standings over the final six days of the regular season. Currently in play-in position as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference, Sacramento will take the court Tuesday one game behind the Phoenix Suns and New Orleans Pelicans, who are tied for sixth. The Suns host the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, while the Pelicans visit the Portland Trail Blazers. The home team has won all three Kings-Thunder meetings this season, with Sacramento prevailing 105-98 and 128-123 at home during the 2023 portion of the schedule, before Oklahoma City ran off with a 127-113 victory in February. Take SACRAMENTO!

Boston at Milwaukee 7:30 ET

Bucks (+) over Celtics- The Bucks (47-31) have lost six of their past seven, and the four straight losses represent their longest skid of the season. Milwaukee is trying to hold off the Orlando Magic and New York Knicks for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee Bucks will attempt to end a four-game losing streak when they host the Boston Celtics. The Celtics have been on cruise control since they secured the NBA's best record and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Boston coach Joe Mazzulla has been resting his top players in the fourth quarter recently, but it hasn't prevented the team from winning. The Celtics will enter on a five-game winning streak. Boston has won two of the three meetings with Milwaukee this season. Both victories came in Boston. The Bucks prevailed 135-102 when the teams played in Milwaukee on Jan. 11. Take MILWAUKEE!

Miami at Indiana 5:00 ET

Heat (+) over Heat- The Heat, who are set to visit the Indiana Pacers on Sunday in Indianapolis, are 43-34 good enough for seventh place in the Eastern Conference. Indiana (44-34) is in sixth place, just a half-game ahead of Miami. Tyler Herro is finally back, and that could make the Miami Heat extra dangerous. Herro ranks second on the Heat in scoring (20.7), trailing only Jimmy Butler (21.0). Aside from the playoff implications, Sunday's contest will be interesting because the Heat have been better on the road (23-16) than at home (20-18). In fact, only the Boston Celtics have more road wins than Miami among Eastern Conference teams. Indiana, meanwhile, has been just about as good at home (24-15) as Miami on the road. Take MIAMI!

Cleveland at LA Clippers 3:30 ET

Cavaliers +) over Clippers- The Los Angeles Clippers (49-28) will aim for a complete effort when they face the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers (46-32) on Sunday. The Clippers have won five of its past six games and holds the fourth spot in the Western Conference standings. Cleveland is in third place in the East and will look to avoid its third straight loss after falling 116-97 to the host Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday. Los Angeles is looking to avenge a 118-108 road loss to the Cavaliers on Jan. 29, when Cleveland star Donovan Mitchell finished with 28 points and 12 assists. The Cavaliers, who are concluding a five-game trip. They will end the season with three home games. Take CLEVELAND!

Cleveland at L.A. Lakers 3:30 ET

Lakers (-) over Cavaliers- Los Angeles (44-33) entered Friday holding on to a spot in the play-in tournament, sitting ninth after a successful 5-1 road trip that ended with Wednesday. Securing a guaranteed playoff spot isn't out of the question, though, as the Lakers are just 1 1/2 games behind the Phoenix Suns, the first team above the play-in line. Cleveland (46-31) finds itself in a much more favorable position at third in the Eastern Conference, it still has to watch its back. The Cavaliers were just a half-game ahead of both the Orlando Magic and New York Knicks but Inconsistency has started to plague Cleveland, which has alternated wins and losses over its past seven games getting blow out in their last four losses. Opponents have scored an average of 111.8 points while shooting 50.4 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from deep over Cleveland's past five games. Take CLEVELAND!

Minnesota at Phoenix 9:00 ET

Suns (-) over Timberwolves- Phoenix has won 10 of its past 15 games and a lot is at stake as it enters its final six games of the regular season. Just one game separates the Nos. 5 through 8 spots in the West entering Thursday, with the ninth-place Los Angeles Lakers just one game further back. The Suns are a half-game behind the fifth-place Dallas Mavericks. Phoenix has the same record as the Pelicans but owns the tiebreaker while the Sacramento Kings are a half-game back in eighth place. Minnesota (53-23) is in its own battle at the top of the West. The Timberwolves are streaking, winning nine of their past 11 games. They are fresh off a 133-85 rout of the visiting Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. Phoenix has won eight of the past nine meetings, including a 133-115 home victory on Nov. 15. Take MINNESOTA!

Sacramento at Boston 7:30 ET

Kings (+) over Celtics- In their first game since clinching the NBA's best record, the Boston Celtics continue a three-game homestand against Western Conference foes when the Sacramento Kings pay a visit on Friday night. The Celtics (60-16) have responded to their second pair of back-to-back losses since October with a three-game win streak. Boston has not entered the postseason as the No. 1 team in the NBA since 2007-08. Its 13-game lead over the second-place Milwaukee Bucks would be the largest season-ending lead in the NBA since 1980. Sacramento remains just one game behind sixth place in the Western Conference, the last spot that avoids the play-in round, after missing a chance to tie New Orleans and Phoenix with a win at New York. Take SACRAMENTO!

Oklahoma City at Indiana 7:00 ET

Pacers (-) over Thunder- Oklahoma City (52-24) has dropped back-to-back games, including Wednesday's 135-100 loss at Boston. The Thunder come into Friday's game in third place in the Western Conference, just behind Minnesota and Denver. But as the Thunder try to make their push for one of the top spots in the Western Conference, they're also working to navigate life without their top two scorers. There's a good chance both will sit out Friday when Oklahoma takes on the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis. The Pacers (43-34) are coming off a 115-111 loss in Brooklyn on Wednesday. With five games remaining, Indiana is trying to climb out of play-in position and into the playoff field. The Pacers were mere percentage points behind Miami for sixth place in the Eastern Conference before the Heat played Thursday night. Take INDIANA!

Denver at L.A. Clippers 10:30 ET

Clippers (+) over Nuggets-  The Clippers is they will play six of their last seven regular-season games at home. The Clippers (47-28) went 3-1 on a just-concluded four-game road trip that crisscrossed the country. The Nuggets (53-23) arrive in Los Angeles after a 110-105 victory at home over the San Antonio Spurs, Denver's sixth win in eight games. The Nuggets play four of their final six regular-season games on the road as they try to lock down the top playoff seed in the West. They are tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves and have a one-game lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder but do not have the tiebreaker versus either team. Take...CLIPPERS

Golden State at Houston 8:00 ET

Rockets (+) over Warriors- Houston is three games back of the final play-in spot in the Western Conference. It looked like the Rockets (38-37) were destined for the postseason when they rattled off 11 straight wins from March 8-29 to pull within one game of Golden State for the final play-in spot. But Houston has since slipped, dropping back-to-back to fall further out of the playoff picture. Golden State is riding a five-game winning streak, most recently edging the Mavericks 104-100 on Tuesday. Thursday marks the finale of the three-game season series between the teams. Golden State won at Houston 106-95 on Oct. 29 before prevailing in San Francisco 121-116 on Nov. 20. This time...ROCKETS

Sacramento at New York 7:30 ET

Kings (+) over Knicks- Sacramento (44-31) is jockeying with the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors in the race for seeding in the play-in round. The Kings also are trying to catch the New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks to avoid being in the play-in. The Knicks (44-31) were in the midst of a 7-1 run when Jalen Brunson scored 42 in their 98-91 win at Sacramento on March 16. They were third in the East after a 145-101 win over the Toronto Raptors last week and are trying to avoid their second four-game losing streak of the season. The Knicks, who have been clear of the play-in round, are two games in front of the seventh-place Heat and trying to fend off the sixth-place Indiana Pacers. Exact records have these two in the playoff mixed in opposite conferences. Take...KINGS

Indiana at Brooklyn 7:30 ET

Nets (+) over Pacers- Brooklyn (29-47) will host the visiting Pacers in the regular-season series finale. Indiana (43-33) won two earlier meetings over the Nets at home by a combined margin of 43 points. After the one-sided result in Indianapolis on Monday, the Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets will quickly put that game behind them and prepare for a rematch on Wednesday night in New York. The Nets are hoping to avoid the season series sweep. The Nets enter with back-to-back losses against the Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana. In both games, they quickly fell into double-digit deficits after slow starts. This time around they just out quick. Take BROOKLYN!

Houston at Minnesota 8:00 ET

Timberwolves (-) over Rockets- Minnesota (51-23) is coming off a 109-101 loss at home against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday night. The defeat dropped the Timberwolves to third place in the Western Conference entering Monday, but they still have time to chase the top spot with eight games to play. Houston (38-36) is in a bit more trouble as it competes for a play-in spot in the Western Conference. The Rockets are two games behind the Golden State Warriors for the final spot in the play-in tournament with eight games remaining. In their most recent game, the Rockets lost 125-107 at home against the Dallas Mavericks. The defeat snapped an 11-game winning streak for Houston. Minnesota won the first game 122-95 on Jan. 5 in Houston. The Timberwolves followed up with a 111-90 win on their home court Feb. 4 and win again here. Take MINNESOTA!

New York at Miami 7:00 ET

Knicks (+) over Heat- Miami (41-33) is in seventh place in the Eastern Conference and in possession of a spot in the play-in tournament with an eye on the sixth-place Indiana Pacers just ahead. The top six in each conference are guaranteed a spot in the first round. Miami will open a challenging four-game stretch against teams with winning records to open the month of April. Miami is 17-24 this season against teams entering with records at or above .500. The Knicks aim to rebound from back-to-back losses at San Antonio and home against Oklahoma City on Sunday. New York lost the games by a total of five points. The Knicks (44-30) got the best of the Heat in a pair of home games this season, 100-98 on Nov. 24 and 125-109 on Jan. 27 in the rematch. They rebound here. Take NEW YORK!

Atlanta at Chicago 8:00 ET

Bulls (-) over Hawks- The Bulls sit in ninth place and the Hawks are 10th in the Eastern Conference. Chicago (36-39) leads Atlanta (34-40) by 1.5 games after its 109-101 win against Minnesota on Sunday. It was only the Bulls' second win in their last six games. Chicago has won both games against Atlanta this season. The Hawks have won four of their last five despite playing with a depleted roster. This will be the second game in two nights for the Bulls. Chicago is 6-6 in the second game of a back-to-back set. Take ATLANTA!

Cleveland at Denver 3:30 ET

Cavaliers (+) over Nuggets- Denver (51-23) has lost two straight, including a pivotal game to Minnesota on Friday night, to fall into third in the West with eight games remaining. The Nuggets also are concerned with the health of center Nikola Jokic, who is dealing with a sore right wrist. Jokic had his right arm wrapped when he was on the bench during the 111-98 loss to the Timberwolves. The Cavaliers (45-29) are third in the Eastern Conference, just a half-game ahead of New York and 1 1/2 games behind Milwaukee for second. Cleveland climbed the standings with a 17-2 stretch to start the calendar year but followed that up by going 10-13. Cleveland lost four of the six games while Donovan Mitchell was out with a broken nose and starts a difficult six-game road trip. Mitchell's return to the Cleveland lineup after a six-game absence led to a win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night. The Cavaliers won the first meeting between the teams, 121-109 in Cleveland on Nov. 19 when Mitchell and Murray missed for separate injuries. This one will be in Denver where the Nuggets were dominant until the past two games. They are 29-8 at home while the Cavaliers have struggled on the road of late. Cleveland has lost four of its past five away from home but still has a winning road record (21-15). Mitchell’s return is the difference. Take CLEVELAND!

Boston at New Orleans 5:00 ET

Pelicans (+) over Celtics- The Boston Celtics have lost consecutive games for just the third time all season. The Celtics (57-16) still have the NBA's best record and had won nine games in a row before losing twice in three nights to the Hawks in Atlanta. They lost a 30-point lead in a 120-118 loss Monday and dropped a 123-122 decision Thursday when Dejounte Murray made a basket in the final second of overtime. Boston already has clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference so the rest of the regular season is essentially preparation for the playoffs. New Orleans (45-28) is 1-1 to start a six-game homestand that began with a 119-112 loss to Oklahoma City. The Celtics won the first meeting with the Pelicans, 118-112, on Jan. 29 in Boston. The Pelicans even the series here. Take NEW ORLEANS!

Phoenix at Oklahoma City 8:00 ET

Suns (-) over Thunder- The Suns (43-30) enter Friday's action a half-game behind Dallas for the No. 6 spot in the Western Conference. Phoenix, which ranks fourth in the league shooting 49.6 percent from the floor, has won four of its past five, including a 104-97 victory at Denver on Wednesday. Kevin Durant had 30 points and 13 rebounds in the win. Over his past three games, Durant is shooting 67.9 percent from the floor. The Thunder (50-22), who are second in the league in field-goal percentage (49.9), might be missing one of their key players versus the Suns. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed just his second game of the season in Wednesday's overtime loss to the Rockets. Oklahoma City is tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for second in the West, a half-game behind the Denver Nuggets for the top spot. They fall short here. Take PHOENIX!

Chicago at Brooklyn 7:00 ET

Nets (+) over Bulls- The Bulls (35-38) head into their second visit to Brooklyn four games behind the eighth-place Philadelphia Sixers and 4 1/2 behind the seventh-place Miami Heat. The Bulls avoided a four-game slide with a 125-99 rout of the Indiana Pacers (Megabucks winner) on Wednesday. The Nets (28-45) earned a pair of wins over Chicago as part of their 13-10 start and hit 25 3s in their 118-109 home win on Nov. 26. Since then they are 15-35, including 7-12 under interim coach Kevin Ollie. The Nets stopped a six-game skid with Monday's 96-88 win over the Toronto Raptors and followed it up by hanging on for a 122-119 overtime win against the Wizards on Wednesday. Take BROOKLYN!

LA Lakers at Indiana 7:10 ET

Pacers (+) over Lakers- The Lakers (41-32) earned a 150-145 victory over the visiting Pacers on Sunday behind 36 points and 16 rebounds from Anthony Davis. Four Lakers starters scored at least 25 points, with LeBron James contributing 26 points and 10 assists. The Pacers (41-33) had eight players score in double figures, led by Pascal Siakam, who had 36 points with 12 rebounds. The Lakers enter Friday's game on a season-best five-game winning streak, following up the victory over the Pacers with wins at Milwaukee and Memphis to open a six-game road trip. The Pacers are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference and in possession of the last automatic playoff berth, with the seventh-place Miami Heat one game back. Indiana is coming off a 125-99 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday and bounce back here. Take INDIANA!

Milwaukee at New Orleans 8:00 ET

Pelicans (+) over Bucks- The Pelicans and Bucks will both look to bounce back on Thursday night when they meet in New Orleans. Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado called the loss "a great learning experience," and Giannis Antetokounmpo had a similar description of the Bucks' loss to the Lakers. In a scheduling quirk, this is the second time this season that the Pelicans have played the Bucks in between games against the Thunder and the Celtics. The first trio of games didn't go well. New Orleans lost at home to Oklahoma City, 107-83, on Jan. 26, was routed 141-117 by host Milwaukee the next night and lost at Boston, 118-112, two nights after that. The Bucks led New Orleans by as many as 34 points in their final game under interim coach Joe Prunty before Doc Rivers became the full-time replacement for the fired Adrian Griffin. This time the trends reverses. Take NEW ORLEANS!

LA Lakers at Memphis 8:00 ET

Grizzlies (+) over Lakers- Los Angeles was able to win as a Megabucks release Tuesday without LeBron James and tonight they face one of the NBA dregs at Memphis. Coming off the overtime victory at Milwaukee the Lakers are looking to avenge their early January home loss to the Grizzlies. The Griz return home after a 1-3 road trip while LA has won four in-a-row. But, the Lakers are still riding high off of their win over the Bucks last night and they fall short here. Take MEMPHIS!  

Houston at Oklahoma City 8:00 ET

Thunder (-) over Rockets- Houston (36-35) comes into the game on a nine-game winning streak, its longest since a nine-game run from Feb. 23, 2019 to March 13, 2019. The Rockets haven't had a longer streak since winning 11 consecutive games late in the 2017-18 season and yet they are heavy underdogs. The Oklahoma City Thunder are headed for the playoffs, and they are fighting for one of the top spots in the Western Conference. Oklahoma City (50-21) has won 15 of its past 19 games. The Thunder enter Wednesday's action a half-game behind the Denver Nuggets (51-21) for the top spot in the Western Conference. This is the last of four meetings between the teams this season. The Thunder won the past two after the Rockets won the first matchup. Take OKLAHOMA CITY!

Indiana at Chicago 8:00 ET

Bulls (+) over Pacers- Indiana (41-32) stood in sixth place in the East entering Tuesday. The Nos. 7-10 seeds compete in the play-in tournament. The Bulls (34-38) are ninth in the conference, 1 1/2 games clear of the Atlanta Hawks in the No. 10 spot. Both the Bulls and Pacers know they'll need to be aggressive down the stretch to maintain their respective positions in the postseason race. The teams split the first two meetings before the Bulls earned a 132-129 overtime road victory against the Pacers on March 13 behind 46 points from DeMar DeRozan. The fourth quarter featured 12 lead changes. The victory capped a run of four wins in six games for the Bulls, who since have lost four of six. They get back on track here. Take CHICAGO!

LA Lakers at Milwaukee 7:30 ET

Lakers (+) over Bucks- The Bucks (46-25) have won five of their past seven games, including a 118-93 victory at home over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. That visit to Los Angeles is also one of just four losses in the past 15 games for Milwaukee. Home is where the victories are for the Milwaukee Bucks, who will take a six-game winning streak inside their own building into a matchup Tuesday with the visiting Los Angeles Lakers. Los Angeles closed out a four-game homestand with a three-game winning streak after scoring a season-high 150 points in a victory Sunday over the Indiana Pacers. The Lakers (39-32) will be trying to match a season-best four-game winning streak, accomplished in early December. Los Angeles is in ninth place in the Western Conference and currently eligible for a spot in the play-in tournament, while sitting three games out of sixth place and an automatic playoff spot. Take the LAKERS!

Dallas at Utah 9:00 ET

Jazz (+) over Mavericks- The records of these two clubs is a virtual mirror as Utah has 29 wins and that is the same number losses posted by Dallas. The Mavericks have won seven of the past nine meetings while going 5-4 ATS including a 113-97  victory four days ago as a 14-point favorite. In that game the Mavericks has 18 dunks which was an NBA high for the season. The Jazz won the last meeting at home on New Year’s Day and look to play better defense as hosts. Take UTAH!

Oklahoma City at Milwaukee 7:00 ET

Thunder(+) over Bucks- Milwaukee has owned this series winning the past five meetings and 7-of-8 and just rebounded with a win over Brooklyn after losing at Boston. Brooklyn trailed by as many as 20 late in the first half before cutting the deficit to 81-69 at the end of the third quarter. The Nets opened the fourth quarter on a 21-6 run to move ahead 90-87 with 6:41 remaining in the contest. OKC has won four straight and 7 of 8 as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 23 points in his homecoming and the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder overcame a slow start to defeat the short-handed Toronto Raptors 123-103 on Friday. Take OKLAHOMA CITY!

Phoenix at San Antonio 8:00 ET

Suns (-) over Spurs- Prior to this season Phoenix had defeated the Spurs eight straight times and then Victor Wembanbanya made the scene and San Antonio defeated the Suns twice in back-to-back meetings in the season’s early October games. I believe although the ‘Big Fella’ has improved on a great season year scoring 18 in the first 115-114 win and the he scored 38 points two days later in a 132-121 blocking out the Suns. The Spurs went on to lose the next 17 games and 23 of their next 24 after their dual wins over the Phoenix. Once again the Suns get  scorched! Take SAN ANTONIO

New Orleans at Miami 7:30 ET

Pelicans (+) over Heat-  With seven wins in its last eight, New Orleans is in hot pursuit of the Los Angeles Clippers for the 4-spot in the West and home court in the Round 1 but was crushed 121-106 by the Magic on Thursday night. The Heat have won three of four and are just a half-game back of the Indiana Pacers for the sixth spot in the East, which carries a guaranteed playoff berth. Miami is a 3-point favorite over the visiting Pels in the NBA odds. Miami has injury woes with four key rotation players hurting. Tyler Herro (foot), Duncan Robinson (back), and Kevin Love (heel) have all been ruled out today while Bam Adebayo (back) is listed as questionable. This is the second and final meeting between these teams this year, with Miami taking the first 106-95 in February. That’s seven straight wins with six covers for Miami in this head-to-head. It turns here. Take NEW ORLEANS!

New York at Denver 9:00 ET

Nuggets (-) over Knicks- The Knicks will aim to complete a perfect four-game western road trip when they visit the Nuggets on Thursday in a meeting of surging contenders. The last time the New York Knicks played a full game with something resembling their optimal rotation, they handed the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets a 38-point loss. The Knicks have been off since Monday, when they extended their winning streak to four games with a 119-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors. The winning streak has been especially timely for the Knicks (41-27), who are a half-game ahead of the Orlando Magic (41-28) in the race for fourth place in the Eastern Conference. The Nuggets (48-21), with their win on Tuesday, improved to 12-2 in their last 14 games while breaking a tie for second place in the Western Conference with the Timberwolves (47-22). Take DENVER!

Sacramento at Toronto 7:30 ET

Kings (-) over Raptors- I had to do a double take and then had to research the lines between these two in previous meetings. I saw the Kings open minus-9 1/2 for this one and the last five times these two met in Toronto the Raptors were anywhere from a minus 4.5 to -6.5 in the last three and were eight and nine point favorites. The Kings wee -4.5 at home on Jan. 5, the books see a blowout. Take SACRAMENTO!

Miami at Cleveland 7:00 ET

Heat (+) over Cavaliers- Miami comes into Cleveland for the first of two matchups between the teams this week, they play again Sunday in Miami sitting eighth in the East. Back-to-back wins over Detroit last Friday and Sunday snapped a four-game losing streak for the Heat, but they dropped a 98-91 decision Monday in Philadelphia. Despite their recent struggles, the Heat trail Philadelphia by only one game for sixth in the East, a coveted spot to avoid the play-in. Miami is a half-game behind Indiana. Cleveland trailed Milwaukee by a game entering Tuesday, with New York and Orlando looming two and three games back, respectively, of the Cavaliers. Take MIAMI!

Denver at Minnesota 9:00 ET

Nuggets (-) over Timberwolves- The Nuggets are off of buzzer beating a loss at Dallas as Kyrie Irving once again amazes on lookers with a left-handed runner. Minnesota posted a win and cover at Utah coming back from an early 16-point deficit and of course this was done with out Karl-Anthony Townes. Anthony Edwards picked up the slack scoring 32 points with eight assists despite making just 2-of-8 from downtown. This is just the second meeting of the season between these two and Minnesota took the first encounter 111-89 as a 2-point dog back on November.1. The Wolves have covered the last three meetings and their past three games as well but the Nuggets had won five of the previous six meetings. This time around the NBA Champions are a strong road favorite and even the series. Take DENVER!

Dallas at San Antonio 8:00 ET

Spurs (+) over Mavericks- If everything goes according to ‘Hoyle’ the Mavericks should stumble here after their trilling buzzer beating win over Denver. This is the final of four meetings this season between the Lone Star State rivals, with the Mavericks having won the first three by an average of 18.3 points per game. Dallas (39-29) is in a virtual tie with Sacramento and Phoenix for the sixth spot in the Western Conference. The San Antonio Spurs (15-53) are the worst team in the West and clashes with the Mavericks after beating Brooklyn 122-115 on Sunday in overtime in Austin, Texas. Victor Wembanyama was again the catalyst for San Antonio, racking up 33 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists and seven blocked shots. The No. 1 overall pick is maturing day-by-day and the 7’4” 20 year-old is averaging 20.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game in just 30 minutes. The improving Spurs have gone 9-4 ATS i their last 13 games overall and would like to give their cocky intrastate rivals a run for their money. Take SAN ANTONIO!

New Orleans at Brooklyn 7:30 ET

Pelicans (-) over Net- After winning just 15 of their 41 games away from home last season, the Pelicans open a four-game trip with a 21-13 road record. Of the top six teams in the West, only Minnesota's 23-13 mark is better. Since dropping three straight Jan. 26-29, New Orleans is 15-5 in its past 20 contests, with nine of those wins on the road. Zion Williamson, who has shed 20 pounds since December, added 26 and 10 rebounds and has scored at least 20 in five consecutive games and in 10 of his past 13. The Pelicans are starting to click and cruised to a 112-85 win in the first meeting on Jan. 2, holding the Nets to 34 points in the first half. The Nets (26-42) return home after a 1-5 trip that saw them fall 4 1/2 games behind the 10th-place Atlanta Hawks for the East's final play-in spot. Take BROOKLYN!

Cleveland at Indiana 700 ET

Cavaliers (+) over Pacers- Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell is expected to sit out when the visiting Cavaliers (42-25) face the Indiana Pacers (38-30) on Monday. His knee bruise was clearly an issue on Saturday as his playing time was limited. Mitchell's knee bruise was clearly an issue on Saturday. The Cavs are 20-12 SU on the road a better record than the Pacers have at home. Tale CLEVELAND!

Denver at Dallas 3:30 ET

Mavericks (+) over Nuggets- Denver (47-20) has won five straight heading into a road matchup against the Dallas Mavericks (38-29) on Sunday. The Nuggets are 11-1 since the All-Star break and hold the top seed in the Western Conference with 15 games to play. Dallas saw its four-game win streak come to an end with Thursday's 126-119 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Mavericks are in eighth place in the West and hoping to climb out of the play-in tournament bracket. Dallas has dropped its last three meetings against Denver, including a 130-104 road loss on Dec. 18. The Mavs Luka Doncic (sore left hamstring) and Josh Green (right ankle sprain) missed Thursday's game against Oklahoma City, but an MRI came back clean and he could return. The Mavericks are 3-6 in games this season without Doncic. The line tells me he will be ready. Take DALLAS!

Miami at Detroit 3:00 ET

Pistons (+) over Heat- The Miami Heat used their defensive Friday in a much needed win and will seek back-to-back road wins over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday afternoon. The Heat used a 15-0 run in the third quarter to take control of Friday's matchup and snapped a four-game losing streak. The Pistons committed 18 turnovers, which the Heat turned into 33 points. That's the second-most points the Heat have scored off turnovers in a game this season. Pistons winner of two in-a-row knew the giveaways were too much to overcome. Motor Boys will clean -up thier act and get the money. Take DETROIT! 

Phoenix at Milwaukee 1:00 ET

Suns (+) over Bucks- Milwaukee, which is 2-3 since March 6, seeks consecutive wins for the first time since it won its sixth straight game on March 4. Forward Khris Middleton is set to return from a left ankle sprain as the Bucks try to get back on track. Milwaukee heads into Sunday's matinee and rematch of the 2021 NBA Finals ranked in the lower-third for scoring defense at 117.1 points allowed per game. Phoenix (39-28) comes in scoring 116.8 points per game while the Suns' defense allows 114.2 points. Phoenix heads into Milwaukee seventh in the Western Conference and looking to move up one spot to avoid the play-in round for the postseason. Bradley Beal did not downplay the significance that a win over the East's second-place Bucks would carry. Take PHOENIX!

 Minnesota at Utah 9:30 ET

Jazz (+) over Timberwolves- Utah has had a surprisingly better season than more expected as they were hit hard with off season defections. They are 20-13 straight up at home and an even better 22-11 ATS as hosts. Minnesota has won the last three meetings SU with the Jazz getting a half-point cover as a 10.5 under dog in Minny last November. This is fifth straight away contest for the road weary wolves. Take UTAH!

Golden State at LA Lakers 8:30 ET

Warriors (+) over Lakers- The Warriors (34-31) have dropped three of their last four games while sitting in 10th place and holding the conference's final play-in tournament spot. The Lakers have split their last four games and sit one spot and one full game ahead of the Warriors in the conference standings. Golden State enters the game after Stephen Curry missed his third consecutive game with a right ankle sprain. Draymond Green also was out with back soreness. Golden State has won just once in six games without Curry on the court this season, with that victory taking place Monday on the road against the San Antonio Spurs. The Lakers (36-31) enter off a 120-107 loss on the road to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. Though the Lakers went 0-4 against the Kings this season, they are 1-1 against the Warriors. Curry’s back...Take GOLDEN STATE!

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Cleveland at Houston 5:00 ET

Rockets (+) over Cavaliers- Cleveland welcomed five-time All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell back to its lineup on Wednesday in New Orleans (Megabucks winner). For the Cavaliers (42-24) in their 116-95 victory over the Pelicans was yet another stifling defensive performance, one that came with Cleveland still playing without starters Evan Mobley (ankle) and Max Strus (knee), and reserve Dean Wade (personal). The Cavaliers entered Friday third in the NBA with a 110.8 defensive rating. The Rockets (31-35) won for the sixth time in seven games on Thursday for their fourth consecutive victory. Take HOUSTON!

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LA Clippers at New Orleans 7:30 ET

Pelicans (-) over Clippers- The Los Angeles Clippers and the New Orleans Pelicans are both trying to avoid the play-in tournament. The Clippers (42-23) are in fourth place in the tightly bunched Western Conference, three games ahead of the fifth-place Pelicans (39-26) as the two prepare to meet Friday night in New Orleans. The Pelicans can move closer to the Clippers and win the season series with a victory Friday. New Orleans holds a 2-1 lead after the road team won each of the previous meetings. Both teams will have 16 games remaining after Friday night. The Pelicans saw their four-game winning streak end in a 116-95 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. Each remaining game figures to have a sense of urgency for both New Orleans and Los Angeles as they jockey for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Take NEW ORLEANS!

New York at Portland 10:00 ET

Trailblazers (+ )over Knicks- The Knicks are doing a great of hanging on with the guts of the team sidelined and their best player hobbled but still preforming at a high level. Jaylon Brunson is the difference maker as New York now is starting three player that were not with the club at season’s tip-off Tibbs has done a fabulous job as they take pride in their defense. But, defense wanes on the road and the Blazers are off an outright win over Atlanta. Take PORTLAND!

Philadelphia at Milwaukee 8:00 ET

Bucks (-) over 76ers- The Bucks just finished a 1-3 west coast road trip and could wait to depart Northern California after their 129-94 beating by Sacramento. The Bucks head was never in the game as coach Rivers mentioned that the players we're talking about what time their plane leaves to return home. Tonight against a depleted 76ers squad that just can not compete without Embiid. Beware of Greeks...take MILWAUKEE!

Phoenix at Boston 7:30 ET

Suns (+) over Celtics- The Boston Celtics earned a 117-107 road victory against the Phoenix Suns last Saturday, but the Suns will have a much different look for the rematch Thursday in Boston. Guard Devin Booker didn't play in the loss to Boston because of an ankle injury. Boston has been dealing with injury issues as well. Jaylen Brown (sacroiliac strain), Al Horford (toe sprain) and Kristaps Porzingis (hamstring strain) all sat out Tuesday's 123-107 win at Utah. Porzingis has missed the last three games. Boston, an NBA-best 29-3 at home this season, will look to extend its winning streak to four after a 3-2 road trip. The Suns are 17-13 on the road while the Celtics are 18-14 ATS at home. Take PHOENIX!

Cleveland at New Orleans 8:00 ET

Cavaliers (+) over Pelicans- New Orleans' past three opponents were missing at least one key player due to injury. Toronto was missing Scottie Barnes, Philadelphia was without Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey and Atlanta didn't have Trae Young and Jalen Johnson. The Cavaliers, who lost 117-111 to the Phoenix Suns on Monday to complete a three-game homestand, also have had injury issues. The Cavaliers alternated wins and losses in the eight games before the Phoenix matchup, when they took a second consecutive setback. Included in that stretch are victories against two of the best teams in the NBA the Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves and losses to teams with losing records the Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets and Hawks. The Cavs suck it up and get the money here. Take CLEVELAND!

Chicago at Indiana 7:00 ET

Bulls (+) over Pacers- Indiana opened a back-to-back set on Tuesday with a 121-111 road win over one of the Western Conference co-leaders, the Oklahoma City Thunder. Coupled with the Philadelphia 76ers' 106-79 defeat at New York, the Pacers moved to sixth place in the East -- the last guaranteed playoff spot. The Pacers were dealt a significant blow for their late-season push when sparkplug scorer Bennedict Mathurin, averaging 14.5 points per game, sustained a season-ending right shoulder injury last week. He will require surgery. Chicago, pulled within a game of .500 last week after winning four of five games, including the first three of a four-game Western Conference road trip. Chicago comes into the Wednesday contest in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, five games in the loss column behind seventh-place Philadelphia and the eighth-place Miami Heat. The teams split the previous two meetings. The Bulls posted a 112-105 win when they visited Indiana on Oct. 30, and the Pacers responded with a 120-104 victory in Chicago on Dec. 28. The visitor does it again. Take CHICAGO!

Denver at Miami 7:00 ET

Heat (+) over Nuggets- It will be a rematch of last year's NBA Finals on Wednesday. The reigning-champion Denver Nuggets, led by two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, are set to visit the Miami Heat. Denver has won three straight games and nine of 10. Miami is going in the opposite direction with three straight losses, including an embarrassing 110-108 home defeat to the lowly Washington Wizards on Sunday. Miami will lean on leading scorer Jimmy Butler (21.7 points) and top rebounder Bam Adebayo (19.9 points, 10.4 boards). Butler missed practice Tuesday with an illness but is expected to play Wednesday. The Heat have already played the Nuggets once this season, losing in Denver 103-97 on Feb. 29. Michael Porter Jr. led Denver with 30 points in that game. They even the series here. Take MIAMI!

Houston at San Antonio 8:00 ET

Spurs (+) over Rockets- Houston is on a season long road winning streak and are in a postseason position as of now. The Rockets will will be without leading scorer Alperen Sengun, who will be out an extended period of time after sustaining right knee and ankle injuries early in the fourth quarter of a win over the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. The game is the second of a home back-to-back for the Spurs, who lost 112-103 to the Golden State Warriors on Monday. That contest was the opener of a season-high eight-game homestand for San Antonio al though two of those games will be played in Austin, Texas. The Rockets head to San Antonio five games behind Golden State for 10th place and the final spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament. The Spurs, who are last in the conference, are already eliminated from postseason contention and feel no pressure as they continue to improve. Take SAN ANTONIO!

Philadelphia at New York 7:30 ET

76ers (+) over Knicks- These two clubs just met on Sunday a 79-73 76ers victory which was the lowest winning total points scored in the NBA this season. Both of these clubs are hurting with numerous players sidelined with injuries and the toll is greater in New York despite the 76ers being without MVP Joel Embiid. Take PHILADELPHIA!

Dallas at Chicago 8:00 ET

Bulls (+) over Mavericks- Dallas has won consecutive games for the first time since rattling off seven straight victories from Feb. 5-22. Four teammates followed Doncic in double figures, led by Kyrie Irving with 21 points. The Mavericks remain in firm position in the Western Conference playoff picture, moving within one game of the sixth seed and the opportunity to remain out of the conference play-in tournament. Doncic makes that statement even after setting an NBA record with his sixth consecutive 30-point triple-double. His 39-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist effort to key a 142-124 victory at Detroit on Saturday also was the league-best fifth straight time Doncic scored at least 35 points to spark a triple-double. Chicago has won six of the past eight meetings with Dallas overall. When a team has your number they have your number. Take CHICAGO!

Minnesota at LA Lakers 6:30 ET

Timberwolves over Lkaers- The Timberwolves will enter off a 113-104 overtime loss at Cleveland on Friday, their second overtime defeat in their last five games. Minnesota is 2-3 over that five-game stretch after winning seven of eight. It was the Timberwolves' second game without Karl-Anthony Towns, who is expected to miss extended time with a knee injury. Replacement Naz Reid scored a career-high 34 points off the bench. The Wolves are still just a half-game behind the Oklahoma City Thunder for the top spot in the Western Conference heading into Saturday's NBA play. The Lakers fended off the Milwaukee Bucks 123-122 at home Friday without the services of LeBron James, who was experiencing soreness in a nagging left ankle injury. Letdown for LA..Take MINNESOTA!

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Houston at Sacramento 4:00 ET

Rockets (+) over Kings- Sacramento has been unable to replicate their offensive might from last season, sliding to 12th in offensive rating. Defensively, the Kings are ranked 22nd, and their struggles against the Wembanyama-less Spurs were the latest example of a team not quite clicking on all cylinders. The Kings have been unable to recapture the magic from last season when they snapped a lengthy postseason drought by riding the top-ranked offense in the NBA to the third seed in the Western Conference. The Rockets have enjoyed similar moments this season, with their athleticism fueling easy transition baskets. And while Houston has struggled to consistently produce in such a manner, for one night at least everything clicked, and the results were particularly favorable.

Take HOUSTON!

Indiana at Orlando 5:00 ET

Magic over Pacers- Two teams battling for Eastern Conference playoff position meet when the Orlando Magic face the visiting Indiana Pacers on Sunday. Orlando was held to the lowest points total in the NBA this season in the loss to the Knicks, who limited the Magic to 34.2 percent shooting from the field and 23.1 percent from 3-point range. Both teams are looking to bounce back from disappointing losses. Orlando had its five-game winning streak snapped in a 98-74 road defeat to the New York Knicks on Friday, while Indiana fell 113-111 at home Thursday to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Orlando has won its two previous meetings against Indiana this season, including a 117-110 victory in Indianapolis on Dec. 23. Pacers get back... Take INDIANA!

Boston at Phoenix 6:30 ET

Suns (+) over Celtics- Boston's 11-game winning streak came to an end when the Celtics squandered a 22-point fourth-quarter lead in a 105-104 loss at Cleveland on Tuesday. After that, the Celtics suffered a 115-109 loss at Denver on Thursday. The Phoenix Suns will attempt to hand the visiting Boston Celtics their third consecutive loss when the teams meet Saturday night. The Suns are hoping to have guard Devin Booker in the lineup Saturday. Booker has missed three games since he sprained his right ankle during a 118-109 loss to Houston on March 2 but was listed as questionable on Friday's injury report. Saturday's contest will be the first of two meetings between Boston and Phoenix during the regular season. The teams will also play Thursday in Boston. This one goes to the home team. Take PHOENIX!

Milwaukee at LA Lakers 10:00 ET

Lakers (+) over Bucks- The Milwaukee Bucks saw their six-game win streak come crashing down Wednesday in a 125-90 setback to the Golden State Warriors. Playing with a renewed energy undr Doc Rivers of late on the defensive end, the Bucks did not allow an opponent to score more than 107 points in their winning run and held four foes below 100. The Lakers also were thumped Wednesday, taking a 19-point lead in the first quarter against the Sacramento Kings before giving all of it back before halftime and losing 130-120 after trailing by as many as 22. Team defense was off kilter with Anthony Davis in foul trouble. Los Angeles is still much improved with a 10-5 record since the start of February but have lost two of their past three. The victory was over one of the top teams in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder, on Monday. They rise to meet the Bucks tonight. Take LAKERS!

Miami at Dallas 8:30 ET

Mavericks () over Heat- Miami comes into Dallas 9-2 over its last 11 games since Feb. 6, the Mavericks dropped their third straight and fifth in the last six games on Tuesday in a 137-120 loss at home to the Indiana Pacers. The Mavericks' recent woes on the defensive end have resulted in a 1-5 record over a stretch in which Luca Doncic has been on fire offensively. Over the last six games while the Mavericks have struggled to earn wins, Doncic is averaging 37 points per game - pushing his league-leading season average to 34.6 per game. Meanwhile,  Miami scored its fifth win in six games since returning from the All-Star break on Feb. 23 with a 118-110 victory over the Detroit Pistons. Look for a reversal of fortunes tonight. Take DALLAS!

Milwaukee at Golden State 10:00 ET

Bucks (+) over Warriors- Milwaukee has gone 3-1 against Pacific competition so far, including a 129-118 home win over the Warriors in January. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green did not play in that game. While the Warriors have won 11 of their past 14 games, the Bucks have been the hotter of the two teams as of late. They'll take a six-game winning streak onto the Golden State court. The Bucks were without Giannis Antetokounmpo on Monday, as he has been bothered by left Achilles soreness in recent weeks. He was declared out after experiencing some pain during warmups. He will play tonight. Take MILWAUKEE!

Indiana at Dallas 8:00 ET

Paces (+) over Mavericks- Dallas will look to exact some revenge and even the season series with the Pacers, as it fell to Indiana 133-111 on Feb. 25. The Mavericks are also aiming to flip the page on an ugly stretch that has seen them drop four of five games. Their inefficient defense reared its ugly head during the five-game stretch, as the Mavericks have given up 127.4 points per game in the span. Indiana comes in losers of two straight, most recently on the wrong side of a 117-105 defeat to the lowly San Antonio Spurs Sunday. Hoping to emerge from an offensive slump is Pacers All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who is averaging just 9.5 points per game and shooting 26.5 percent from the field over the last four games. In his fourth year in the league, Haliburton is having a breakout season, tallying a career-high 20.8 points per game and a league-leading 11.3 assists per contest. Take INDIANA!  

Philadelphia at Brooklyn 7:30 ET

Nets (+) over 76ers- The 76ers have produced consecutive victories for the second time since losing Embiid and will seek a third straight victory when they face the Brooklyn Nets in New York. The Sixers are 6-8, though since the injury and they are 5-4 since dropping four straight from Feb. 3-9. The Sixers are 12-4 in the past 16 meetings with the Nets, including six straight wins in Brooklyn. The Nets are hoping to see Mikal Bridges resemble the player who scored 38 points on Saturday and take down the hurting 76ers! Take BROOKLYN!  

Atlanta at New York 8:00 ET

Hawks (+) over Knicks- New York Knicks All-Star guard Jalen Brunson has ravaged the Atlanta Hawks on two occasions this season. The undermanned Knicks, however, may be without their floor general on Tuesday when they bid for a season sweep of the Hawks in New York. Brunson is listed as questionable with a left knee contusion. He has served as the Knicks' all-everything this season. He entered Sunday's game averaging career highs in points (27.2) and assists (6.6) while shooting a robust 47.7 percent from the floor and 40.7 percent from 3-point range. The Knicks are playing without OG Anunoby (right elbow surgery), Julius Randle (right shoulder) and Mitchell Robinson (ankle surgery), all of whom are out indefinitely. The Hawks are in the midst of playing without Trae Young for at least four weeks after the star guard underwent surgery to repair a pinkie injury. The Hawks fell to 2-2 without Young after dropping consecutive contests to the Brooklyn Nets to begin their three-game road trip. They win this one...take ATLANTA!

Chicago at Sacramento 10:00 ET

Bulls (+) over Kings- Two teams trying to avoid play-in status in the rapidly approaching NBA playoffs go head-to-head on Monday night when the Chicago Bulls visit the Sacramento Kings. Both teams enter the finale of their two-game regular-season series occupying a play-in spot in their respective conferences following lackluster play as of late, with the Bulls having lost four of six and the Kings dropping six of their past 11. The Kings outscored the Bulls 45-33 from beyond the arc in the earlier meeting, but Sacramento as a team has lost its way offensively as of late. De’Aaron Fox missed a second straight game with a bruised left knee. Take CHICAGO!

LA Clippers at Milwaukee 8:00 ET

Clippers (+) over Bucks- The Bucks have strung together five straight wins heading into Monday's meeting with the visiting Los Angeles Clippers led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is averaging 31.4 points, 11.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game since the All-Star break. Currently, they sit a half-game ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Eastern Conference's No. 2 seed. the Clippers, who look to extend a winning streak of their own they are jockeying for position in the jam-packed Western Conference. entering Monday fourth in the standings. Bucks won both meetings last season but this time around the Clippers get their win. Take LA CLIPPERS!

New York at Cleveland 7:00 ET

Knicks (+) over Cavaliers- The Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks played a home-and-home set on consecutive nights in the first week of the season. The Cavaliers will look to continue their post-New Year's Day surge Sunday night when they host the reeling Knicks in the final game of the regular season between the rivals. The Cavaliers are returning to Ohio for a pivotal two-game homestand after winning without All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell as well as Caris LeVert on Friday night. Being without multiple starters is nothing new for the Knicks, who appeared ready to build off last spring's five-game first-round win over the Cavaliers when they went 14-2 in January. The Knicks and Cavaliers split the home-and-home set Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, when visiting New York earned a 109-91 win on Halloween before Cleveland returned the favor with a 95-89 victory. Take NEW YORK!

Denver at LA Lakers 8:30 ET

Lakers (+) over Nuggets- Denver Nuggets will put a five-game winning streak on the line when they visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday. Lakers star LeBron James and his pursuit of 40,000 career points. He is nine away in a game that game is a rematch of the 2023 NBA Western Finals that Denver won in five games. The Nuggets have won both games against the Lakers this season and have taken three consecutive going back to last campaign. James now will get his shot at what has previously been an unreachable milestone, and the opportunity will come in a nationally televised game. Take LA LAKERS!

Milwaukee at Chicago 10:00 ET

Bulls (+) over Bucks- Milwaukee will look to match its second-longest winning streak of the season when it visits the Chicago Bulls and under Doc Rivers they have won four consecutive games for the first time since the calendar turned to 2024. The Bulls are finishing a three-game homestand after 132-123 double-overtime victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. The Bucks have won two of three meetings with the Bulls this season but Chicago prevailed 120-113 in overtime at home on Nov. 30 and do it again. Take CHICAGO!

Dallas at Boston 7:30 ET

Celtics (-) over Mavericks- Boston extended its winning streak to nine games with a 117-99 victory over Philadelphia on Tuesday. The Celtics did most of their damage on the interior, where they had a 64-42 advantage in points in the paint. Boston also outrebounded Philadelphia 56-28. Friday's game will be the second meeting between Dallas and Boston this season. The Celtics earned a 119-110 road victory on Jan. 22. Luka Doncic and the visiting Dallas Mavericks will attempt to end the Boston Celtics' nine-game winning streak. Luka Doncic, the NBA's leading scorer, celebrated his 25th birthday by collecting 30 points, 16, assists and 11 rebounds during Wednesday's 136-125 victory over the Toronto Raptors. But, Doncic is listed as questionable for Friday's game with a sprained left ankle. Take BOSTON!

Golden State at Toronto 7:30 ET

Raptors (+) over Warriors- Toronto who has been playing their best basketball of the season of late and are coming off a 136-125 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday in the opener of a four-game homestand. The defeat ended Toronto's first three-game winning streak of the season. The rebuilding Raptors have been coming together recently but could not cope with Dallas. Toronto won the first meeting of the season between the teams, 133-118 on Jan. 7 in San Francisco behind 37 points from RJ Barrett. Golden State has also picked up the pace with the return of Traymond Green to action but the Warriors off a win in New York last night should be a half-step slower tonight. Take TORONTO!

Miami at Denver 10:00 ET

Heat (+) over Nuggets- After losing seven in a row late last month, Miami has returned to form in recent weeks. The Heat has won nine of 11 and the past five in a row, including a 106-96 road victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday. When the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets last met eight months ago, Denver clinched the league championship with a 4-1 victory in the NBA Finals. The Nuggets lost three straight heading into the All-Star break, but the team has regained its focus on the top seed in the Western Conference with four straight dominant victories. The Heat are 18-12 SU on the road and can use the points here. Take MIAMI!

Atlanta at Brooklyn 7:30 ET

Nets (+) over Hawks- Unlike the 76ers, Atlanta has been able to win without their superstar in the lineup. The Hawks are 4-3 this season without Trae Young who is out at least four weeks with a torn ligament in his lefty pinky. With Young missing from play the Hawks destroyed Utah 124-97 which was just the third time this season that they held an opponent under 100 points. Brooklyn is 1-3 since Kevin Ollie took over the reins for the Nets but he will have head case Ben Simmons back in the lineup and he can make a difference if he is able to play. Take BROOKLYN!