Preview Roundups
March 31, 2017
Indiana at Toronto 7:00 PM ET
The Indiana Pacers aren't playing like a team that wants to make the playoffs, and their latest slide is threatening to plummet the team out of the top eight in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers will try once again to turn things around when they visit the Toronto Raptors on Friday.
Denver at Charlotte 7:00 PM ET
The Denver Nuggets played their way out of the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference with four losses in the last six games but still have time to make up ground on the Portland Trail Blazers. The Charlotte Hornets, who host the Nuggets on Friday, are running much shorter on time in the East.
Philadelphia at Cleveland 7:30 PM ET
The Cleveland Cavaliers have an abysmal 6-10 record in March but look to begin a turnaround when they host the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday. Cleveland matched its season high of three straight losses with Thursday's 99-93 setback against Chicago to fall one-half game behind first-place Boston in the battle for the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
Orlando at Boston 7:30 PM ET
The Boston Celtics will wrap up their longest homestand of the season while looking to keep pace in the race for the top spot in the Eastern Conference when they host the Orlando Magic on Friday. The Celtics won the first four of their six-game stay at TD Garden to seize first place in the East from the Cleveland Cavaliers, but a 103-100 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday made it a virtual tie entering Thursday's action.
Detroit at Milwaukee 8:00 PM ET
The Milwaukee Bucks can inch closer to clinching a playoff berth and deliver another blow to the chances of the visiting Detroit Pistons when the teams meet Friday. While the Bucks have won 17 of their last 23 to move up into a tie for fifth place in the Eastern Conference, the Pistons were in a 1-8 spiral before eking out a one-point home win over last-place Brooklyn on Thursday.
Dallas at Memphis 8:00 PM ET
All it took was a return home and some superior play from point guard Mike Conley to snap the Memphis Grizzlies out of a rut. The Grizzlies hope to use a similar formula on Friday, when they host the fading Dallas Mavericks.
Sacramento at New Orleans 8:00 PM ET
DeMarcus Cousins plays against his former franchise for the first time when the New Orleans Pelicans host the Sacramento Kings on Friday. The All-Star center played six-plus seasons with the Kings until being traded to the Pelicans during the All-Star break for a package that included shooting guard Buddy Hield.
New York at Miami 8:00 PM ET
The Miami Heat continue their quest to seal an Eastern Conference playoff spot when they host the struggling New York Knicks on Friday night in the back end of a home-and-home set. The Heat, who entered Thursday tied for seventh in the East with Indiana and 1 ½ games ahead of ninth-place Chicago, rolled to a 105-88 victory in New York on Wednesday after beating Detroit at the buzzer one night earlier.
San Antonio at Oklahoma City 8:00 PM ET
Russell Westbrook is coming off a superb performance that bolstered his MVP hopes and he looks for another strong outing when the Oklahoma City Thunder host the San Antonio Spurs on Friday. Westbrook posted his second 50-point triple-double of the season as he racked up 57 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists while the Thunder rallied to a 114-106 overtime win over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.
Washington at Utah 9:00 PM ET
The Utah Jazz struggled through a stretch of four losses in five games and dealt with some internal angst led by center Rudy Gobert but seem to have turned a corner with two straight wins. The Jazz will try to make it three in a row and move one step closer to locking up homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs when they host the Washington Wizards on Friday.
Houston at Golden State 10:30 PM ET
The Golden State Warriors are the NBA's hottest team with nine consecutive victories and are on the verge of getting All-Star forward Kevin Durant back from a knee injury. Golden State has thrived without the sharpshooter and has opened up a 3 1/2-game lead over second-place San Antonio in the Western Conference with just seven games remaining as it enters Friday's home contest against the Houston Rockets.