Eighth in the East host eighth in the West as Orlando (36-39) and Los Angeles Clippers (42-40) square off at Kia Center.
Orlando have won four of their last five through a softer section of their draw, including a 121-91 defeat of Sacramento in their most recent outing to bounce back from a home loss to Dallas. Paolo Banchero top-scored with 24 points against Sacramento – breaking a streak of five straight 30-plus games.
LA Clippers are still right in the hunt for a top-six finish and have won seven of their last nine. Their only losses during that run were to conference leaders Oklahoma City (103-101) and, yesterday, Cleveland (127-122).
Norman Powell (34 points) top-scored in Cleveland, while James Harden (24 pts, 8 reb, 8 ast) also made a significant contribution. Kawhi Leonard was rested from the game but is set to return in Orlando.
LA Clippers have won 19 of their last 22 against Orlando, including a 104-93 result at home earlier this season with James Harden (24 pts) top-scoring.
LAC are a modest 7-11 against the line as an away favourite and 6-8 ATS on no rest. But a fresh Leonard will be a huge boost for a team that boast the second-most efficient offence in the league over the past four weeks.
Memphis are fifth in the West but have hit the skids over the past fortnight, while Boston come to town searching for their ninth straight win.
Memphis (44-30) have lost five of their last six, with only a win over bottom-placed Utah during that stretch. They have gone down at Oklahoma City (125-104) and at home to LA Lakers (134-127) in recent days. Importantly, Ja Morant (22 pts, 8 reb, 10 ast) returned from a six-game layoff against LAL.
Defending champions Boston (55-19), a clear second in the East, are 13-1 in March after have won all five games on their current road trip – against Utah, Portland, Sacramento, Phoenix and San Antonio – by at least 10 points. Jayson Tatum scored 29 points in a 121-111 win in San Antonio two days ago.
Memphis upset Boston 127-121 at TD Garden in December – just their second win in 18 games against them. Morant starred with 32 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists, while Jaren Jackson Jr put up 27 points.
But it was an all-too-rare win over a top-tier team this season and it will take a major form turnaround to knock over a Boston team that is absolutely humming.
Chicago have turned things around in March to all but clinch a play-in tournament spot, but they face one of the league’s most arduous assignments here courtesy of an away game against league-leading Oklahoma City.
Chicago (33-41) have won nine of their last 12, but they followed up recent wins in Denver and at home against LA Lakers – featuring an insane half-court buzzer-beater from Josh Giddey to win the game – with a 120-119 loss to Dallas at home.
Giddey and Coby White – who has scored 23-plus points in 14 of Chicago’s last 15 games – have been carrying the team.
Oklahoma City (62-12) have lost just one of their last 17 games and are coming off three straight wins by 16-plus margins against Sacramento, Memphis and Indiana with MVP favourite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scoring at least 32 points.
Oklahoma City are on a five-game winning streak against Chicago, including a 114-95 victory on the road earlier this season.
A 14-point start here may be excessive given Chicago’s recent upswing, but Oklahoma City does cover at 24-11-2 as a home favourite.
A crunch Western Conference showdown to close out the day’s schedule with fourth-placed Los Angeles Lakers hosting second-placed Houston.
Stumbling amid an injury to LeBron James, LA Lakers (45-29) have regrouped to win two of their last three – at Indiana and Memphis either side of a buzzer-beater loss in Chicago.
Austin Reaves scored 31 points, while James (25 pts, 8 ast) and Luka Doncic (29 pts, 8 reb, 9 ast) were in good touch in the 134-127 win in Memphis two days ago.
After going on a 5-11 run encompassing February, Houston (49-26) have turned things around spectacularly by winning 12 of their last 13 – and ranking top-five in the NBA at both ends of the floor during that stretch. Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson have been at the forefront.
Houston demolished Phoenix on the road yesterday 148-109.
These teams have only met once so far this season, with Houston grabbing a 119-115 home win in January with Green putting up 33 points.
LA Lakers are a solid 18-10 against the line as a home favourite, but firing Houston – 9-5-1 ATS as an away underdog – are hard to resist with a handy start.