Matchups

The Orlando Magic cleared future cap space with two bold moves during the All-Star break and will put their next mix on display when the Dallas Mavericks visit on Friday. The Magic, who stand 3 1/2 games out of a playoff spot with 30 contests left, traded fourth-leading scorer Tobias Harris to Detroit and brought in guard Brandon Jennings along with forward Ersan Ilyasova.

The Detroit Pistons believe they have a team that can make the playoffs and do a little damage this spring and are adjusting the roster accordingly. New small forward Tobias Harris could be in uniform when the Pistons return from the All-Star break on Friday and visit the Washington Wizards.

The New York Knicks have been disappointing enough that even star forward Carmelo Anthony had his name floated around in trade discussions in advance of Thursday’s deadline. Anthony remained in a Knicks uniform and will try to give the Knicks a kick start toward the stretch run when they return from the All-Star break to visit the crosstown rival Brooklyn Nets on Friday.

Six victories in their final nine games before the All-Star break vaulted the Miami Heat into fifth place in the Eastern Conference, but they will be without leading scorer Chris Bosh for Friday’s contest at the Atlanta Hawks – and potentially much longer. One season after missing 30 games with blood clots in his lung, Bosh reportedly is back on blood thinners due to a clot in his left leg, which caused the forward to pull out of Sunday’s All-Star game with what was described as a calf injury.

The Toronto Raptors have lost seven straight games against Chicago and seek to halt the skid when they visit the Bulls on Friday. Toronto, which has the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, hasn't defeated Chicago since recording an 85-79 road victory Dec. 31, 2013.

Due to one significant injury and two big trades, the Memphis Grizzlies' roster has been altered dramatically in the past 10 days. That new-look squad emerges from the All-Star break and begins a favorable stretch of the schedule when it hosts Minnesota on Friday.

The New Orleans Pelicans have a hill to climb to get back into the Western Conference playoff picture. They look to take the first step when they emerge from the All-Star break and host lowly Philadelphia on Friday.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA and look to keep the wins coming when they resume play after the All-Star break with Friday's home contest against the Indiana Pacers. Oklahoma City is one of three teams to reach 40 wins and has won 16 of its past 19 games.

The Charlotte Hornets surged into the All-Star break with three straight wins to jump into the top eight in the Eastern Conference but got some bad news this week. Small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will miss Friday’s visit to the Milwaukee Bucks and the rest of the season due to a torn labrum in his surgically repaired right shoulder.

The Houston Rockets have been underachievers through the first two-thirds of the NBA season and aim to begin a turnaround when they visit the Phoenix Suns on Friday. Houston has looked nothing like the squad that reached the Western Conference finals last season, but All-Star guard James Harden is one of several players saying the season can be saved with a strong finishing kick.

The Golden State Warriors are largely staying away from the trade rumor circuit this week with no obvious holes to fill on the roster. The Warriors are off to the best 52-game start in NBA history and will begin their chase of the 72-win Chicago Bulls from 1995-96 in earnest when they return from the All-Star break to visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday.

The next 10 games will likely decide whether or not the Sacramento Kings remain in or fall out of the Western Conference playoff race. Sacramento begins the crucial stretch with consecutive games against Denver - beginning with Friday's home contest - and follows up with home games against the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Boston Celtics were quiet at the trade deadline Thursday, and with the way the team has come together over the past month, that might be a good thing. "It's time to go now," forward Jae Crowder told reporters as the team prepared to visit Utah on Friday night. "It's time to roll. We're all locked in, we're all a close-knit group, as you guys know."

The San Antonio Spurs attempt to complete a four-game season sweep of Los Angeles when they visit the Lakers on Friday. The Spurs won the first three meetings by an average of 13 points but had to hold off the Lakers to post a 106-102 home victory Feb. 6.