The Houston Rockets look to pull even in the race for the Southwest Division title when they hit the road to face the Washington Wizards on Sunday. The Rockets clinched a playoff spot with a 120-110 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday and moved within a half-game of the Memphis Grizzlies for the division lead. Houston has won eight of its last nine against Eastern Conference opponents and hopes to continue the trend by beating the Wizards for the third time in the last four meetings.

Some solid play amid a favorable stretch of games has Brooklyn knocking on the door for another playoff berth. The Nets have won two straight and six of eight following an impressive 106-98 win on Friday over Cleveland, which is the only team Brooklyn has played during the 6-2 stretch that entered the game with a winning record. That relatively easy span continues with the Lakers, a home game against fellow playoff hopeful Indiana and a then meeting with last-place New York.

The New Orleans Pelicans are hopeful of chasing down the Oklahoma City Thunder for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference and have little margin for error as they host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. New Orleans saw its chances decrease with a four-game losing streak but rebounded with a 102-88 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Friday and now face the slumping Timberwolves. Minnesota lost 120-110 to Houston on Friday and has dropped nine of its last 11 games.

With its final big road trip of the regular season complete, Cleveland sets its sights on a strong finish at home when it hosts Philadelphia on Sunday. The Cavaliers fell 106-98 at Brooklyn on Friday to finish a 2-1 road trip, their last multi-game voyage of the season before they play six of the final eight games at home, where they have won 15 in a row. They enter with a magic number of seven for the Central Division title and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Boston Celtics are locked in a battle for the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference and are hoping to get some help from their former coach. The Celtics will try to put together back-to-back wins when they host coach Doc Rivers and the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. Rivers won a championship in Boston but would not recognize the current Celtics roster as he tries to lead Los Angeles to homecourt advantage in the West.

With the Miami Heat desperately trying to secure a postseason berth, now is not the time for star guard Dwyane Wade's knee to be acting up - again. Wade and the Heat return from a 1-3 road trip Sunday to host the Detroit Pistons. Wade was limited to just 13 points in 21 minutes in a 99-86 loss to Atlanta on Friday after missing the previous game with a swollen left knee, and he's expected to get the knee drained prior to the game with the Pistons.

The Memphis Grizzlies have suffered back-to-back blowout losses and look to end their brief funk when they visit the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday. Memphis lost by 22 points to Cleveland and 23 to Golden State and the second-place Grizzlies have seen their hold on second place in the Western Conference trimmed to a half-game over the Houston Rockets. The Spurs have won their last two games and are in sixth place in the West.

The Indiana Pacers’ postseason hopes are still alive despite losing seven of the last eight and they can gain confidence when they host the playoff-bound Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. The Pacers trail Boston by one game for eighth place in the Eastern Conference and have four straight contests against teams they are battling with for the final two playoff spots after meeting Dallas. The Mavericks dropped three of their last four and leading scorer Monta Ellis is doubtful with a calf injury.

If the Phoenix Suns plan to stay in the race for the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference, then a win on Sunday over the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder is a must. The Suns trail the Thunder by three games for the No. 8 spot with nine games to play. Phoenix could be catching Oklahoma City at a vulnerable time as the Thunder have lost two straight games and will be playing the second night of a back-to-back.