Preview Roundups
March 27, 2015
Detroit at Orlando 7:00 PM ET
The Detroit Pistons look to keep their slim playoff hopes alive as they go for a fifth victory in six games when they visit the Orlando Magic on Friday. Reggie Jackson, who was acquired from Oklahoma City at the trade deadline, has taken the lead in Detroit’s latest surge while averaging 20.2 points over his last five contests – including 28 in the 108-104 win over Toronto on Tuesday. The Pistons hope to take advantage of the Magic, who have dropped eight of their last nine games.
L.A. Clippers at Philadelphia 7:00 PM ET
The Los Angeles Clippers look to continue to take advantage of a soft portion of their schedule when they visit Philadelphia on Friday. Doc Rivers' crew has won five in a row after a 111-80 rout at New York on Wednesday, the Clippers' fourth win in the streak against a team that is outside of the playoff standings. DeAndre Jordan went 7-of-7 from the floor en route to 14 points and 10 rebounds against the Knicks, getting some valuable rest along with his fellow starters down the stretch.
Charlotte at Washington 7:00 PM ET
With their backs against the wall, the Charlotte Hornets visit the equally-struggling Washington Wizards on Friday. The Hornets, who are in a four-way fight for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, have lost seven of nine and face a tough road ahead with two games left against both Atlanta and Toronto and another game against Houston. "That's fine, if we are going to play our way in we're going to have to earn it, “Hornets coach Steve Clifford told reporters.
Miami at Atlanta 7:30 PM ET
Miami hopes to have a pair of key figures back in the lineup as it continues its playoff push at Atlanta on Friday. Playing without Dwyane Wade (knee) and Hassan Whiteside (hand), the Heat managed to post a 93-86 win at Boston on Wednesday, strengthening their hold on seventh place in the Eastern Conference. Head coach Erik Spoelstra said Wade wanted to play against the Celtics and could be ready to go Friday, while Whiteside may need time for a gash that required 10 stitches to heal.
Cleveland at Brooklyn 7:30 PM ET
The Brooklyn Nets have won five of their last seven games to jump back into contention for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference but are about to run into a wall. The Nets will try to solve the surging Cleveland Cavaliers when they open up a three-game homestand on Friday. The Cavaliers have won four straight games and just got done handing the Memphis Grizzlies their worst home loss of the season on Wednesday.
Boston at New York 7:30 PM ET
The Boston Celtics are in a four-team battle for the final spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs and face a foe they can’t overlook on Friday in the host New York Knicks. Boston is battling the Indiana Pacers, Charlotte Hornets and Brooklyn Nets for that final spot and has defeated the Knicks twice in three meetings this season. New York has lost five straight games and 12 of 14 and owns the worst record in the NBA.
L.A. Lakers at Toronto 7:30 PM ET
The Toronto Raptors look to clinch the Atlantic Division title when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. The Raptors missed an opportunity to claim their second division title in as many years when they dropped a 116-103 decision to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. Toronto secured a berth in the postseason after the Charlotte Hornets and Boston Celtics both lost Wednesday and hopes to pull within a game of the Bulls in the race for the third seed in the East by snapping a two-game skid.
Minnesota at Houston 8:00 PM ET
With a key cog back in the lineup, the surging Houston Rockets can clinch a playoff spot Friday and continue their push for the No. 2 spot in the West when the Minnesota Timberwolves pull into town. The Rockets received great news on Wednesday when Dwight Howard returned after 26 games (knee) and had four points and seven rebounds in 16 minutes in a 95-93 win over New Orleans. The win was the fifth in six games for Houston, which moved within 1 1/2 games of Memphis.
Golden State at Memphis 8:00 PM ET
The Golden State Warriors are breaking franchise records and running away with the Western Conference. The Warriors will try to set the franchise record for road wins in a season when they visit the second-place Memphis Grizzlies on Friday. Golden State is under no real threat from the Grizzlies, who sit 8 1/2 games back in the West, and clinched the Pacific Division title on Tuesday by starting the four-game road trip off with a 122-108 win at Portland.
Sacramento at New Orleans 8:00 PM ET
The Sacramento Kings look to continue playing the spoiler and win their fifth straight game to match a season high when they visit the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday. The Kings have knocked off playoff-bound Washington along with postseason hopefuls Charlotte and Phoenix during their recent surge. New Orleans has dropped four straight games, including a rough 95-93 decision against Houston on Wednesday, to fall 3 1/2 games behind eighth-place Oklahoma City in the Western Conference.
Dallas at San Antonio 8:30 PM ET
The San Antonio Spurs look to continue their recent home dominance of the Dallas Mavericks when the teams square off in a crucial Southwest Division clash on Friday. The Spurs have downed the Mavericks eight straight times at the AT&T Center and hope to pull 1 1/2 games ahead of Dallas in the race for the sixth seed in the Western Conference. San Antonio has won nine of its last 10 home games, including seven by double digits, and is coming off a 130-91 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Utah at Denver 9:00 PM ET
The Utah Jazz are playing out the string but are also developing an identity for the future by turning into a defensive force. The Jazz will try to enforce their style on Friday when they visit the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets are losers of four of their last five and let a lead slip away on Wednesday while being outscored 27-9 in the fourth quarter of a 99-85 home loss to the lowly Philadelphia 76ers.
Portland at Phoenix 10:00 PM ET
The Phoenix Suns are running out of time to land a Western Conference playoff spot and look to gain some ground when they host the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday. Phoenix is three games behind eighth-place Oklahoma City in the West with 10 games left and certainly did themselves no favors by losing to lowly Sacramento on Wednesday. Portland is in fourth place in the West and ended a five-game losing streak by beating the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.