Only four contests appear on the NBA schedule for Tuesday, Mar. 24, but two of them will directly influence the crowded postseason picture in both conferences.
Eastern Conference spotlight: Magic at Cavaliers
The Orlando Magic, now eighth in the East, travel to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse to meet the Cleveland Cavaliers at 8 p.m. ET on NBC/Peacock. Orlando sits 1½ games behind the sixth-place Atlanta Hawks and has slipped into play-in territory. Cleveland, riding a three-game winning streak, is 2½ games back of the New York Knicks for the No. 3 seed.
Western Conference headline: Nuggets at Suns
The late game features the Denver Nuggets at the Phoenix Suns (11 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock). Denver shares fourth place with the Minnesota Timberwolves and holds a half-game edge over Houston. That trio has created separation from seventh-place Phoenix. ESPN’s Basketball Power Index gives the Suns less than a 3 percent chance to climb into the top six, a task that almost certainly requires a victory Tuesday.
Draft lottery focus: Kings at Hornets
At the opposite end of the standings, the lottery-bound Sacramento Kings visit the Charlotte Hornets at 7 p.m. ET. Sacramento is 5-5 in its last 10 games and has dropped to the league’s fourth-worst record, leaving the club with a 12.5 percent shot at the No. 1 pick.
Tuesday’s schedule (all times ET)
- Sacramento Kings at Charlotte Hornets, 7 p.m.
- New Orleans Pelicans at New York Knicks, 7:30 p.m.
- Orlando Magic at Cleveland Cavaliers, 8 p.m. (NBC/Peacock)
- Denver Nuggets at Phoenix Suns, 11 p.m. (NBC/Peacock)
Monday’s results
- Pistons 113, Lakers 110
- Pacers 128, Magic 126
- Thunder 123, 76ers 103
- Spurs 136, Heat 111
- Hawks 146, Grizzlies 107
- Bulls 132, Rockets 124
- Raptors 143, Jazz 127
- Warriors 137, Mavericks 131 (OT)
- Trail Blazers 134, Nets 99
- Clippers 129, Bucks 96
Clinching and elimination notes
No teams can clinch or be eliminated Tuesday. The Cavaliers, Knicks, Nuggets and Suns have already secured at least a play-in berth but have not locked up a top-six seed. The Kings have been eliminated, while the Pelicans will be knocked out with any combination of three additional New Orleans losses or Golden State wins.
Source: ESPN
