5 NBA games to watch this week
Tuesday: Houston Rockets at Atlanta Hawks, 7:30 p.m. ET (NBATV)
During their current five-game winning streak, the Rockets have taken down a pair of the Eastern Conference's top teams - including the Cavaliers on Sunday in a chippy contest between MVP favorites James Harden and LeBron James - as well as a West powerhouse. Their next task is a road date with the East-best Hawks.
Atlanta has a commanding 10-game lead in the East and will take a four-game winning streak into a contest that features two of the league's top-five defenses.
Thursday: Oklahoma City Thunder at Chicago Bulls, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)
There will be no Derrick Rose and likely no Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook, putting a dent in the star power on the United Center court. But this matchup is a big one for both teams.
The Bulls' once-commanding lead in the Central Division has evaporated thanks to an inevitable Cavaliers run, and they're at risk of falling out of a top-four seed, as the gap has closed in recent weeks.
Oklahoma City, meanwhile, can't stay healthy. Durant has played just 27 of the team's 60 games due to foot and ankle injuries, while Westbrook had one of the most dominant runs in NBA history busted up due to a facial fracture.
The Thunder enter the week just half a game up on the streaking, Anthony Davis-less New Orleans Pelicans, and two ahead of the Phoenix Suns for the final playoff spot in the West.
Thursday: Dallas Mavericks at Portland Trail Blazers, 10:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
A first-round playoff matchup between the Mavericks and Trail Blazers is one of the many realistic scenarios in play in the Western Conference.
The two teams have won a game apiece in their head-to-head, with a pair of contests to play, the first being Thursday's nationally televised broadcast. All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge promises to be a challenge for the Mavericks, as he's averaged 23.6 points and 11.6 rebounds since tearing a ligament in his thumb, and put up 25 and 14 versus Dallas less than a month ago.
Friday: Cleveland Cavaliers at Atlanta Hawks, 7:30 p.m. ET
It's not an easy week for the Cavaliers. After a Tuesday meeting with the Boston Celtics, the Cavaliers get the Toronto Raptors, then the Hawks, and then close out the four-game week versus the Suns on the second night of a back-to-back.
The Cavaliers are a safe bet to lock up homecourt in the East, and could leapfrog the struggling Raptors for second in the East by the time the season is done. While catching up to the Hawks isn't realistic, this is starting to look like the most likely Eastern Conference Finals matchup.
Sunday: Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Los Angeles enters the week winners of six of its last eight, largely powered by an insane run from center DeAndre Jordan, who's averaging 17.3 points and 20.5 rebounds over his last eight contests.
The Clippers will end their week, which includes a date versus Portland, against the NBA-best Warriors, who have lost just twice at home this season.
Golden State downed the Clippers at home in November, but lost by 14 points the last time the two teams met.