A showdown from the pointy end of the Eastern Conference with leaders Cleveland (60-15) hosting third-placed New York (48-27).
Cleveland have regrouped from a four-game mid-March losing streak to win four of their last five. After going down 133-122 in Detroit, they put away LA Clippers 127-122 at home three days ago. Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley all put up 22-plus points.
New York have won five of their last six, including victories in Milwaukee (116-107), and at home to Portland (110-93) and, yesterday, Philadelphia (105-91) over the past week.
OG Anunoby scored 31 points against Milwaukee and top-scored alongside Mikal Bridges with 28 against Portland, and had the honour himself with 27 against Philadelphia.
Cleveland have won both clashes so far this season, winning 110-104 in New York during the first week of the season, and 142-105 at home in February with Mitchell scoring 27 points.
New York are getting a 10.5-point start, but the absence of Jalen Brunson and question marks over Karl-Anthony Towns makes this a daunting assignment. Cleveland are 20-16-1 against the line as a home favourite.
Another big all-East encounter as Miami aim to continue their hot streak on a tough road trip to Boston, who are back from a long and successful road trip.
Second-placed Boston (56-19) have won nine straight – eight of those away from TD Garden. A 117-103 victory in Memphis, with Al Horford (31 pts) top-scoring, was their sixth in a row by a double-digit margin.
Miami (34-41) are a tenuous ninth but have won five in a row, including two on the road in the last few days against Philadelphia (118-95) and Washington (120-94).
Tyler Herro has been lighting it up with 27-plus points in each of those five wins, while Bam Adebayo (28 pts, 12 reb) dominated against Washington.
Boston have won their last six against Miami, including all three encounters this season by at least 12 points. Last month’s 103-91 win at TD Garden saw Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday combined for 53 points.
Boston are 15-21 ATS as a home favourite. They have been dominant of late, but Miami’s momentum holds plenty of appeal to cover a 10.5-point start. With two top-10 defensive sides coming together, consider the under.
Denver are still struggling to put together a decent winning streak, but they’re warm favourites to get another crucial win here with all-but-out-of-contention San Antonio coming to town. Both teams are on a back-to-back.
Clinging to third in the West, Denver (47-29) are still yet to win three in a row since the All-Star break, following up wins over Milwaukee (127-117) and Utah (129-93) with a double-overtime loss to Minnesota (140-139).
A monster Nikola Jokic performance – 61 points, 11 rebounds 10 assists – was to no avail.
San Antonio (31-44) have lost five in a row, including a 116-105 home defeat to Orlando yesterday. On top of Victor Wembanyama’s season-ending injury, they were without back-up big men Jeremy Sochan and Charles Bassey from that game.
Denver have won 10 of their last 15 against San Antonio, but the season ledger is split one win apiece. San Antonio won 113-110 in Denver in early-January, but Denver won 122-111 in OT in Texas the next day.
Denver are a handy 10-5 against the start on no rest, while San Antonio are 5-9. It’s a big line, but San Antonio have been giving up some big scores on this current losing run.
Los Angeles Clippers (43-32) get a gift-wrapped opportunity to continue their push for a top-six spot in the Western Conference courtesy of a home game against second-last New Orleans (21-54).
Eighth-placed LA Clippers are just half a game off sixth and have won 11 of their last 14 games, bouncing back from a 127-122 loss at Cleveland with a 96-87 win in Orlando the next day. Norman Powell scored 34 points in Cleveland, and top-scored alongside Kawhi Leonard in Orlando with 21.
New Orleans are coming off wins over Philadelphia (112-99) and Charlotte (98-94) either side of a loss to Golden State (111-95). CJ McCollum has been ruled out for the rest of the season – just a week after scoring 40 in Detroit – in a major setback for their offence.
New Orleans have won 12 of their last 15 against LA Clippers. It’s all square after two clashes in New Orleans this season, LAC winning 116-113 in December and New Orleans getting up 127-120 last month.
A healthy LA Clippers should be far too strong at home, where they are a league-best 17-6 against the line as a favourite.