The Charlotte Hornets put up a good fight on Tuesday but still ended up falling for the 13th time in the last 18 games and dropped further back of the Miami Heat for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Hornets will try to bounce back and avoid a third consecutive setback when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday.

The Denver Nuggets have clinched a postseason berth after being spectators for five consecutive seasons. The Nuggets have won four straight games and still have another goal ahead of them as they visit the Washington Wizards on Thursday.

The Utah Jazz are in the midst of a strong stretch as they look to post their sixth straight triumph when they visit the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday. The Jazz began their four-game road trip by hammering New York 137-116 on Wednesday for their second straight 21-point victory.

The Detroit Pistons are trying to secure the No. 6 spot in the Eastern Conference but suffered a big letdown with a loss to the lowly Cleveland Cavaliers in the opener of a five-game road trip on Monday. The Pistons will try to avoid a similar fate against another team well out of contention when they visit the Western Conference-worst Phoenix Suns on Thursday.

The Sacramento Kings aim to bounce back from a humiliating collapse when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. Sacramento led by 25 points entering the fourth quarter on Tuesday before being outscored 45-18 over the final 12 minutes and losing 123-121 to visiting Brooklyn.

The Golden State Warriors and the Indiana Pacers are both trying to hang onto a spot in their respective conferences as the playoffs loom. The Warriors will try to hold onto the No. 1 spot in the West on Thursday when they host the Pacers, who are fighting for homecourt advantage in the first round in the East.