Preview Roundups
April 09, 2014
Detroit at Cleveland 7:00 PM ET
The Detroit Pistons helped the Cleveland Cavaliers keep their slim playoff hopes alive Tuesday, but they can dash them with a win in Cleveland on Wednesday. The Cavaliers are on the brink of elimination, trailing eighth-place Atlanta by 3 1/2 games with four contests remaining. They would have been knocked out if the Hawks had won Tuesday, but the Pistons prevailed 102-95 to snap a streak of 10 straight losses at Atlanta.
Brooklyn at Orlando 7:00 PM ET
The Brooklyn Nets continue to build momentum and confidence for a postseason run as they pay a visit to the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. The Nets have won six of their last seven after finishing an improbable four-game sweep of the Miami Heat with an 88-87 victory Tuesday and are only two games behind Chicago for fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn’s veteran center Kevin Garnett was held out of the Miami game, but is expected to be in the lineup against the Magic.
Philadelphia at Toronto 7:00 PM ET
With the Atlantic Division title firmly in their grasp, the Toronto Raptors will look to put a major distraction behind them as they entertain the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night. The Raptors have won three straight to remain well ahead of Brooklyn for the division lead. But Toronto has had to deal with some off-the-court drama after Lithuanian center Jonas Valanciunas was charged with driving under the influence earlier in the week.
Charlotte at Washington 7:00 PM ET
The battle for the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference playoff chase takes center stage when the surging Charlotte Bobcats visit the Washington Wizards on Wednesday. Charlotte has won four straight - including a 100-94 win over Washington at home March 31 - to pull to within a game of the Wizards with five to play. A fifth straight victory for the Bobcats would not only forge a tie for sixth but also clinch a tiebreaker with Washington by claiming the season series 3-1.
Boston at Atlanta 7:30 PM ET
The Atlanta Hawks failed to create some breathing room against one light opponent and will attempt to keep from suffering consecutive bad losses when they host the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. Atlanta struggled in a 102-95 home loss to the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday to see its lead trimmed to 1 1/2 games over the New York Knicks for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks are just 9-22 since being four games over .500 on Feb. 1.
Miami at Memphis 8:00 PM ET
LeBron James had a chance to move the Miami Heat 1 1/2 games ahead of the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday but had his game-winning dunk attempt blocked in a loss to the Brooklyn Nets. James will take on an interior defense even more imposing when the Heat travel to the Memphis Grizzlies for the second night of a back-to-back on Wednesday. The Grizzlies are a game behind the Phoenix Suns in the race for the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference.
Indiana at Milwaukee 8:00 PM ET
The Indiana Pacers are imploding at an alarming rate - and no one seems to know why. The Pacers will look to bounce back from their worst stretch of the season as they travel to Milwaukee on Wednesday for a date with the league-worst Bucks. Indiana has lost seven of its last nine games to drop out of top spot in the East and is coming off a 107-88 loss to the Atlanta Hawks - a game in which the Pacers scored a franchise-low 23 first-half points.
Chicago at Minnesota 8:00 PM ET
The Chicago Bulls seek a season-high sixth straight win when they visit the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night. The current surge has placed the Bulls two games up on Brooklyn in the race for fourth place in the Eastern Conference and tied with third-place Toronto with five games to play. Chicago should be rather fresh, too, as it has not played since a 96-78 win at Washington on Saturday.
Phoenix at New Orleans 8:00 PM ET
The Phoenix Suns possess the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference as they open a three-game road trip with Wednesday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Suns have a one-game lead over ninth-place Memphis and the visit to New Orleans represents the easy leg of an excursion that includes games at San Antonio and Dallas. The Pelicans have lost five consecutive games and are buried in the basement of the Southwest Division.
Houston at Denver 9:00 PM ET
The Houston Rockets put up 130 points the last time they played the Denver Nuggets, and they needed nearly every one of them. The Rockets will try to pull out a fourth straight victory when they visit the Nuggets on Wednesday. Houston is attempting to lock down the No. 4 spot in the Western Conference and is 2 1/2 games clear of the Portland Trail Blazers after scoring an NBA season-high 145 points in a rout of the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.
Sacramento at Portland 10:00 PM ET
The Portland Trail Blazers are assured of a spot in the playoffs; they’re just not sure yet exactly what that spot will be. The Trail Blazers will try to clarify the situation and stay ahead of the Golden State Warriors in the race for the No. 5 spot when they host the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. Portland is 1 1/2 games up on the Warriors and is trying to secure that spot over the next two games before hosting Golden State on Sunday.
Oklahoma City at L.A. Clippers 10:30 PM ET
The Los Angeles Clippers are trying to catch Oklahoma City for the second spot in the Western Conference playoff race and need a home win over the Thunder on Wednesday to have any chance of accomplishing that. Oklahoma City possesses a 1 1/2-game lead over the Clippers with Los Angeles having just four games remaining, so a Thunder victory will all but assure the pecking order. Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant had his string of consecutive 25-point outings end at 41 on Tuesday against Sacramento.