In the pick of the day’s schedule, the Eastern Conference’s fourth-placed team, Indiana (41-29), hosts Minnesota (41-31), who sit seventh in the West and are hot on the tail of the top six.
The teams’ clash in Minneapolis last week went to overtime, with Indiana snapping a six-game losing streak against Minnesota 132-130. Obi Toppin (34 pts, 10 reb) starred for Indiana, while Anthony Edwards put up 38 points in a beaten team.
That result was one of six wins from Indiana’s last seven games. Since then, they beaten Dallas and accounted for Brooklyn twice – all by margins of six or less – with Pascal Siakam and Bennedict Mathurin putting up solid numbers.
Minnesota started March on an eight-game winning run, before consecutive losses to Minnesota and New Orleans. But they turned the tables on New Orleans in their last outing, with Julius Randle (20 pts) top-scoring in a 134-93 drubbing at home.
Edwards and Mathurin are both listed as questionable on otherwise healthy rosters. Presenting solid value as only a narrow favourite, Indiana has only lost once in 10 home games since the All-Star break.
Denver (45-27) are third in the Western Conference but striving to hold onto that standing amid some shaky form, while Chicago (31-40) are jostling for play-in position in the East but have been in great touch in recent weeks.
Denver are 6-6 in March and have won consecutive games just once since the All-Star break. Nikola Jokic’s four-game absence has netted two wins and two losses, Denver bouncing back from double-digit defeats away to LA Lakers and Portland with a 116-111 win in Houston yesterday.
Jamal Murray (39 pts) and DeAndre Jordan (15 reb) stood tall in the much-needed victory, with Jokic set to miss more time.
Chicago have won seven of their last nine, including big away wins over Sacramento (128-116) and LA Lakers (146-115) in the past four days. Coby White scored 35-plus points in both, while big man Nikola Vucevic has dominated the boards. Josh Giddey had 17 assists against LAL.
Chicago took out their home game against Denver in January 129-121, sharing around the scoring while Nikola Jokic produced a 33-point triple-double in vain for the visitors.
Denver are an excellent 10-4 against the line on no rest, but Chicago – on the last assignment of a six-game road trip – are hard to ignore as an in-form underdog against a team with no Jokic.
Clinging to a play-in spot in the West, Sacramento (35-35) are hoping to avoid their seventh loss in nine games when they host defending NBA champions Boston (52-19).
Sacramento have last two, at home to Chicago (128-116) – despite 34 points from Malik Monk – and Milwaukee (114-108). However, their previous two outings netted wins over high-quality opponents Memphis and Cleveland.
Second-placed Boston are 10-1 in March, including convincing away wins over Utah (121-99) – with Kristaps Porzingis (27 pts, 10 reb) starring – and, yesterday, Portland (129-116), the latter led by Jayson Tatum (30 pts, 9 reb, 9 ast).
Sacramento ended a six-game losing run against Boston when they sprung a 114-97 upset at TD Garden in January, with DeMar DeRozan (24 pts, 9 ast) prominent and Domantas Sabonis pulling down 28 rebounds.
But Boston – 7-4 on no rest – should redress the balance at Golden 1 Center, particularly if Porzingis and Jrue Holiday return after missing the Portland game.
Another side hanging on for their play-in life in the West, Phoenix (34-37) face a visit for a Milwaukee (40-30) outfit caught in the East’s furious top-six logjam.
This is the 2021 NBA Finals combatants’ first encounter this season. Milwaukee have won four of the last five overall, but only two of their last nine in Phoenix.
Phoenix have produced a timely three-game winning run, defeating Toronto (129-89), Chicago (127-121) and East leaders Cleveland (123-112) in the past week. Devin Booker scored 41 points against Chicago and Kevin Durant 42 in the upset of Cleveland.
Milwaukee have emerged from a 2-5 run to win their last two on the road against a depleted LA Lakers (118-89) and Sacramento (114-108), with Giannis Antetokounmpo going off for 32 points and 17 rebounds in the latter.
Phoenix are just 9-15-1 against the line as a home favourite, while Milwaukee are 6-7-1 ATS as an away underdog and will be without Damian Lillard for the third straight game. If Booker and Durant continue their form upswing, the hosts will be hard to hold out.