A couple of teams with ties to LeBron James — his first team in Cleveland and his current team in Los Angeles — face each other and can lock up playoff spots with a win in that showdown. Plus, a few games will have huge seeding implications. Here’s what to look for.
Playoff Scenarios
• The Los Angeles Lakers will clinch both a playoff spot and the Pacific Division crown with a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, or a Phoenix Suns loss on the road in Orlando.
• Cleveland clinches a playoff spot in the East with a win over Los Angeles.
• Denver officially will clinch a playoff spot if Phoenix loses in Orlando.
• Detroit will officially win the Central Division title with a win over Toronto, but that will be no easy ask on the second night of a back-to-back.
• The Clippers appear headed to the play-in — which is still pretty impressive considering their horrid 6-21 start to the season — but LA will officially be locked into the play-in if it loses to Portland and Houston beats New York.
Games to Watch
New York Knicks at Houston Rockets (8 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)
Both of these teams are headed to the playoffs, but both need this win for seeding. New York sits as the No. 3 seed in the East, two games back of Boston for the second but just one game up on Cleveland to hold on to that third spot. Houston is currently the No. 6 seed in the West but is just half a game behind Minnesota (and tied in the loss column) for the No. 5 spot (and two games back of Denver for fourth). Houston has been a pedestrian 5-5 in its last 10, but the Knicks come in on a two-game losing streak.
Cleveland Cavaliers at Los Angeles Lakers (10:30 p.m. ET, League Pass)
Another game between playoff teams — both with aspirations of a deep playoff run — fighting for seeding. Cleveland sits as the No. 4 seed in the East, just one game back of No. 3 seed New York, and is trying to chase them down. The Lakers are the No. 3 seed in the West, but Denver is just 1.5 games back (and on a hot streak, having won six in a row).
Portland Trail Blazers at LA Clippers (11 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)
The Trail Blazers sit as the No. 9 seed in the West, 1.5 games back of the No. 8 seed Clippers — if Portland is going to climb into the top eight it needs this win.
There is a huge difference between being the No. 7/8 seed in the play-in and the 9/10 seeds. The 7/8 teams just need to win one of two games, at least one at home, to advance to the playoffs. However, 9/10 teams must win two games without a loss, at least one on the road. Both the Trail Blazers and Clippers are trying to avoid that harder path.