The final month of the regular season has arrived, and the races for the final playoff spots are heating up. The Clippers, Nuggets and Warriors are battling for the final two spots in the West (with the Hornets hanging by a thread), while the Nets, Magic and Pacers (with the Knicks fading fast) are doing the same for the last two berths in the East.
As for teams at the top, the jockeying continues. Keep an eye on the situation for the No. 2 spot in the West, where the Spurs are making a late bid. Thursday's Suns-Spurs showdown at San Antonio could be pivotal in that regard.
This week's high riser: Sixers (No. 22 from No. 28)
This week's big drop: Blazers (No. 30 from No. 22)
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Their quest for 70 wins all but ended in Sunday's loss at Phoenix, but they are still going to finish with the most wins in franchise history and the top seed in the West. Meanwhile, they signed 44-year-old Kevin Willis to shore up their frontcourt depth with Erick Dampier (sprained shoulder) ailing. |
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They could have used Robert Horry (abdominal bruise) in Sunday's loss at Indiana that snapped their six-game win streak. But the Spurs had still won 19 of 22 overall to climb within striking distance of the Suns for that No. 2 seed -- and they get to play six of their final nine at home. |
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Sunday's romp over the Mavs evened the season series against Dallas at 2-all and should provide a huge confidence boost in the event the two rivals meet again in the postseason. It also should help Steve Nash & Co. regain some momentum after having gone just 4-4 in their previous eight games. |
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Jerry Sloan has to love his team's moxie. The Jazz have won a league-high 16 games this season after trailing by at least 10 points. They overcame a nine-point deficit late Sunday to win at Houston and gain an edge over their likely first-round playoff opponent in the all-important battle for home court. |
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If there was a silver lining to Sunday's loss to the Jazz, it was that Yao Ming had 35 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks. In his first 15 games since returning from his broken leg, the 7-5 center is averaging 31 points and 10 rebounds while leading them to a 11-4 record. |
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Rip Hamilton (concussion, flu) returned after missing four games to help lead them past the Heat on Sunday and reaffirm their status as the best team in the East. At week's end the Pistons needed just three victories to lock up their sixth straight 50-win season. |
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They showed some mental toughness in Saturday's OT win at Chicago, a good sign going into the playoffs. But LeBron James' knee tendinitis kept him out of Sunday's loss at Boston that kicked off a stretch of four of five on the road, so they can't count on having the No. 2 seed in the East quite yet. |
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Six victories in seven games had moved them into the No. 8 spot in the West. But with Sam Cassell (back spasms) likely out for the rest of the regular season, Jason Hart (8.9 points, 3.5 assists in 14 games since signing with L.A.) now must carry an even bigger load at the point. |
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They finished March with a 10-4 record as Ben Wallace picked up his play and rookie Tyrus Thomas continued to emerge. But they still lack a finisher with size -- as the Cavs proved in shutting down Ben Gordon at the end of Saturday's contest -- and they need Andres Nocioni (foot) to get back soon. |
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The loss of Jorge Garbajosa (ankle surgery, out for season) is a definite blow, but it hasn't slowed them much so far. Even without Garbo or Andrea Bargnani (appendectomy, two more weeks at least), they had won three straight and five of six overall at week's end. |
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