Matchups

Indiana has a great opportunity to continue its climb up the Eastern Conference ladder when it hosts Orlando on Tuesday in the opener of a four-game homestand. The Pacers have won five in a row and 11 of their last 13 after a 92-86 triumph at New York on Saturday, matching their longest winning streak since a seven-gamer in November 2013. As it looks more and more like the squad that claimed the No. 1 seed in the East last season, Indiana is relishing the task of tracking down a playoff spot.

Anthony Davis is trying to drag the New Orleans Pelicans into the playoffs and maybe earn himself some MVP votes along the way. Davis will try to follow up a career night when the Pelicans continue their road trip by visiting the slumping Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday. The Nets have postseason aspirations as well but have dropped three straight to fall to the back of a cluster of teams battling for the final two spots in the East.

As it makes a push toward locking up the second seed in the Eastern Conference, Cleveland begins a challenging four-game road trip Tuesday at Dallas. The Cavaliers have dropped three of their last four away from home but are coming off an 89-79 home win against Phoenix on Saturday, riding a balanced offensive attack and matching their second-best defensive effort of the season. LeBron James had eight assists and needs one more to pass Mark Price (4,206) and establish a new franchise record.

The Toronto Raptors are heading in the wrong direction at an important time of the season and they’ll attempt to get back on track when they visit the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday. The Raptors have lost three straight games and eight of nine to fall into fourth place in the East after sitting in second for a long stretch. The Spurs have won five in a row and sit in seventh place in the West, owning a comfortable 4 ½-game lead over the eighth-place Oklahoma City Thunder.

The streaking Utah Jazz look to record their 10th victory in 13 games when they host the New York Knicks on Tuesday. The Jazz are back home after a 3-1 road trip, and coach Quin Snyder feels the confidence of his young squad is growing. “I think we’re beginning to have an identity,” Snyder told reporters. “Doesn’t mean we’re a good team yet. Getting better, but I think we’re starting to find out who we are and how we need to play to be a good team.”

The Los Angeles Lakers are not getting blown out during their five-game slide, but execution in the clutch remains a big issue. The Detroit Pistons, who visit the Lakers on Tuesday, will try to take advantage of those issues to end their own lengthy slide. The Pistons are opening up a four-game road trip and are losers of six straight while playing their way out of contention for a postseason spot in the Eastern Conference.