The Oklahoma City Thunder were thriving before the All-Star break with five wins in six games and aim to keep the momentum going with the resumption of play when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. The Thunder are a half-game behind the eighth-place Phoenix Suns while in pursuit of the Western Conference’s final playoff spot. Injuries to Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook led to an early 3-12 hole and Oklahoma City has been climbing out of it ever since.

The San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Clippers both begin the final two months of the regular season a little lower in the standings than they expected to be at this point. The Spurs will try to leapfrog the Clippers for the No. 6 spot in the Western Conference when they visit Los Angeles on Monday. The loaded West has pushed defending-champion San Antonio into seventh at the All-Star break despite wins in 11 of the last 14 games.