Cade Cunningham and the Pistons make a visit to MSG this week in an East showdown.
The stretch run is here. It all starts with an action-packed four days as Week 18 features 36 games that could shape the playoff picture.
Here’s a look at one must-see matchup for all 30 teams.
Eastern Conference
Atlanta Hawks
- Schedule: Thursday at 76ers, Friday vs. Heat, Sunday vs. Nets
- Game To Watch: Thursday at 76ers: The Hawks open their post-All-Star break run in Philly, looking to snap a three-game skid and clinch the season series. In the first two games of the series, Jalen Johnson had 41 points and posted a triple-double in Hawks’ wins.
Boston Celtics
- Schedule: Thursday at Warriors (Prime Video), Sunday at Lakers (NBC/Peacock)
- Game To Watch: Sunday at Lakers (NBC/Peacock): The Celtics look to sweep the season series with their classic rival after never trailing in their first matchup back in December behind Jaylen Brown’s 30 points.
Brooklyn Nets
- Schedule: Thursday at Cavaliers, Friday at Thunder, Sunday at Hawks
- Game To Watch: Thursday at Cavaliers: The Nets have dropped five straight matchups with the Cavs, but three of those five were decided by seven points or less. Can Brooklyn snap Cleveland’s five-game win streak in both teams’ first action since the All-Star break?
Charlotte Hornets
- Schedule: Thursday vs. Rockets, Friday vs. Cavaliers, Sunday at Wizards
- Game To Watch: Thursday vs. Rockets: The Hornets entered All-Star Weekend as one of the hottest teams in the league, winning 10 of their last 11 games before the break. Can they keep their pre-All-Star momentum going as they try to solidify their spot in the East postseason picture?
Chicago Bulls
- Schedule: Thursday vs. Raptors, Saturday vs. Pistons, Sunday vs. Knicks
- Game To Watch: Thursday vs. Raptors: After dropping six straight before All-Star Weekend, the Bulls come out of the break facing three of the top five teams in the East at home this week. The Bulls will try to end their skid on Thursday against Toronto before hosting the No. 1 Pistons and No. 3 Knicks this weekend.
Cleveland Cavaliers
- Schedule: Thursday vs. Nets, Friday at Hornets, Sunday at Thunder (ABC)
- Game To Watch: Friday at Hornets: It’s a clash of the NBA’s two hottest teams entering the All-Star break as both went 9-1 in their last 10 games before the midseason showcase.
Detroit Pistons
- Schedule: Thursday at Knicks (Prime Video), Saturday at Bulls
- Game To Watch: Thursday at Knicks (Prime Video): The stretch run begins on Prime Video with a matchup of No. 1 (Detroit) and No. 3 (New York) in the East. The Pistons go for the season series sweep (3-0) and a sixth straight win over the Knicks.
Indiana Pacers
- Schedule: Thursday at Wizards, Friday at Wizards, Sunday vs. Mavericks
- Game To Watch: Thursday at Wizards: The Pacers won their final two games entering All-Star Weekend and will look to do the same coming out of the break as they open the back half of the season with consecutive games against the Wizards in Washington.
Miami Heat
- Schedule: Friday at Hawks, Saturday vs. Grizzlies
- Game To Watch: Friday at Hawks: The Heat and Hawks enter the stretch run in the East’s SoFi Play-In Tournament field at No. 8 and No. 10, respectively. After splitting their first two meetings, the winner of this game will have the tiebreaker advantage until they meet again in the regular-season finale.
Milwaukee Bucks
- Schedule: Friday at Pelicans, Sunday vs. Raptors
- Game To Watch: Friday at Pelicans: The Bucks won five of their last six games entering the All-Star break and will look to continue that momentum when they visit the Pelicans on Friday. Milwaukee opens the stretch run 1 1/2 games back of the final spot in the Play-In.
New York Knicks
- Schedule: Thursday vs. Pistons (Prime Video), Saturday vs. Rockets (ABC), Sunday at Bulls
- Game To Watch: Thursday vs. Pistons (Prime Video): After dropping their first two meetings with the East-leading Pistons by 30+ points each, this is the Knicks’ final chance to get a statement win over a team that has led the conference for over three months.
Orlando Magic
- Schedule: Thursday at Kings, Saturday at Suns (NBA TV), Sunday at Clippers (NBA TV)
- Game To Watch: Sunday at Clippers (NBA TV): The Magic open the stretch run with a four-game West Coast swing. That stretch includes a stop in L.A. to take on a Clippers squad that looks much different than when these teams first met Nov. 20, when the Magic cruised to a 28-point win (their third-largest of the season).
Philadelphia 76ers
- Schedule: Thursday vs. Hawks, Saturday at Pelicans, Sunday at Timberwolves
- Game To Watch: Sunday at Timberwolves: Two of the most dynamic young guards in the game square off as Tyrese Maxey leads the Sixers into Minnesota to take on All-Star MVP Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves.
Toronto Raptors
- Schedule: Thursday at Bulls, Sunday at Bucks
- Game To Watch: Sunday at Bucks: After being swept by the Bucks last season (0-3), the Raptors can clinch the season series with a win (3-1) on Sunday in Milwaukee. The question entering the game is whether or not the Raptors will have to contend with Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has been sidelined with a calf injury but is eager to return.
Washington Wizards
- Schedule: Thursday vs. Pacers, Friday vs. Pacers, Sunday vs. Hornets
- Game To Watch: Sunday vs. Hornets: Will Trae Young make his Wizards debut before Washington heads to Atlanta for a pair of games against his former team next week? If so, he’ll need to suit up this week against either the Pacers or Hornets.
Western Conference
The Spurs have won six straight, and Victor Wembanyama and company will be formidable down the stretch.
Dallas Mavericks
- Schedule: Friday at Timberwolves (ESPN), Sunday at Pacers
- Game To Watch: Friday at Timberwolves (ESPN): The Mavs look to avoid their first double-digit losing streak since the 1997-98 season when they visit the Wolves in their first game after All-Star. Dallas has lost four straight head-to-head meetings with Minnesota, including the first two this season.
Denver Nuggets
- Schedule: Thursday at Clippers, Friday at Trail Blazers, Sunday at Warriors (ABC)
- Game To Watch: Sunday at Warriors (ABC): After losing an OT thriller to the Warriors in their season opener, the Nuggets avenged the loss two weeks later behind a combined 49 points on 74% shooting by Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray. After three months, the rubber match is Sunday in the national spotlight on ABC.
Golden State Warriors
- Schedule: Thursday vs. Celtics (Prime Video), Sunday vs. Nuggets (ABC)
- Game To Watch: Thursday vs. Celtics (Prime Video): Following Golden State’s first post-All-Star practice, Steve Kerr said he was hopeful that Stephen Curry would be able to return Thursday against Boston. Meanwhile, Kristaps Porziņģis practiced on Tuesday, and a decision on his availability to face his former team on Thursday will come after Wednesday’s practice.
Houston Rockets
- Schedule: Thursday at Hornets, Saturday at Knicks (ABC)
- Game To Watch: Saturday at Knicks (ABC): Kevin Durant in The Garden. In 11 career games at MSG, Durant has averaged 31.2 points on 51.4% shooting (including 41.9% from three), with 7.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. He’s 9-2 in those 11 games and has not lost at MSG since Dec. 22, 2010.
LA Clippers
- Schedule: Thursday vs. Nuggets, Friday at Lakers (ESPN), Sunday vs. Magic (NBA TV)
- Game To Watch: Friday at Lakers (ESPN): When the Clippers hosted the Lakers on Dec. 20, it was the beginning of one of the biggest in-season turnarounds in recent memory. The Clippers were 6-21 entering that game and have gone 20-7 since. A win on Friday would clinch the season series for the Clippers over their intracity rivals.
Los Angeles Lakers
- Schedule: Friday vs. Clippers (ESPN), Sunday vs. Celtics (NBC/Peacock)
- Game To Watch: Sunday vs. Celtics (NBC/Peacock): Lakers vs. Celtics on NBC. No, this is not a throwback to the 1980s and 1990s, but rather another chapter in the league’s most historic rivalry. The Celtics won the first matchup this season back in December in Boston. Can the Lakers return the favor in L.A?
Memphis Grizzlies
- Schedule: Friday vs. Jazz, Saturday at Heat
- Game To Watch: Friday vs. Jazz: The Grizzlies look to snap a four-game skid when they host the Jazz in their first game following the All-Star break. The teams split their first two meetings with both games decided by single digits. Is another close one on tap for Friday?
Minnesota Timberwolves
- Schedule: Friday vs. Mavericks (ESPN), Sunday vs. 76ers
- Game To Watch: Friday vs. Mavericks (ESPN): Anthony Edwards will take the court for the first time since winning All-Star MVP honors in Los Angeles on Sunday. Can he lead the Wolves to a third straight win overall and a fifth straight over Dallas?
New Orleans Pelicans
- Schedule: Friday vs. Bucks, Saturday vs. 76ers
- Game To Watch: Friday vs. Bucks: When these teams met in Milwaukee on Feb. 4, Trey Murphy III lived up to his name as he splashed a career-best and franchise-record 12 3-pointers. However, the Bucks spoiled his big night with an overtime win. What do they have in store for an encore?
Oklahoma City Thunder
- Schedule: Friday vs. Nets, Sunday vs. Cavaliers (ABC)
- Game To Watch: Sunday vs. Cavaliers (ABC): A season ago, the Thunder and Cavs ran away with their respective conferences, with their two regular-season matchups being must-see TV. This season, OKC got off to a hot start, while Cleveland sputtered early. But now, the Cavs are rolling (9-1 in last 10) and OKC has been up and down (5-5 in last 10). With their lead in the West shrinking, can the Thunder find their momentum coming out of All-Star?
Phoenix Suns
- Schedule: Thursday at Spurs, Saturday vs. Magic (NBA TV), Sunday vs. Trail Blazers
- Game To Watch: Thursday at Spurs: The Suns enter the stretch run in seventh place in the West. Where they want to be is in the top six, which guarantees a playoff berth, which is where their first opponent post All-Star lives. Can the Suns knock off the No. 2 Spurs as they try to break out of the Play-In field?
Portland Trail Blazers
- Schedule: Friday vs. Denver, Sunday at Suns
- Game To Watch: Friday vs. Denver: In their first meeting on Halloween, the Blazers rallied past the Nuggets for a two-point win. Can Portland pull off a similar trick on Friday and treat itself to a 2-0 lead over the Nuggets?
Sacramento Kings
- Schedule: Thursday vs. Magic, Saturday at Spurs
- Game To Watch: Thursday vs. Magic: The Kings have already tied their longest losing streak in franchise history with 14 straight defeats. They will look to avoid holding that record by themselves when they host the Magic on Thursday.
San Antonio Spurs
- Schedule: Thursday vs. Suns, Saturday vs. Kings
- Game To Watch: Thursday vs. Suns: The first of two “home” games in Austin as the Spurs continue their annual Rodeo Road Trip that has them away from the Alamo City for nearly a full calendar month, with 26 days between games at Frost Bank Center.
Utah Jazz
- Schedule: Friday at Grizzlies
- Game To Watch: Friday at Grizzlies: Utah’s lone matchup this week comes against Memphis, but it will not feature a Jaren Jackson Jr. return game as the recently acquired center just underwent knee surgery that will keep him out at least four weeks.
