The Charlotte Hornets looked content to slide out of the postseason race and into the lottery during a stretch of 13 losses in 18 games but came roaring back to life over the last three contests with some impressive victories. The Hornets will try to make it four in a row when they host the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday.

The Boston Celtics continue to insist nothing is wrong with the team despite some lackluster results of late. The Celtics will try to avoid a fifth consecutive setback and stay in the race for homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs when they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.

The Orlando Magic have matched their season-best streak of five straight wins and look to overtake the host Miami Heat on Tuesday. Orlando's hot stretch has enabled it to move within one-half game of the Heat for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Toronto Raptors look to be settling into the No. 2 spot in the Eastern Conference with two-plus weeks left in the regular season but would prefer to be playing better down the stretch. The Raptors will try to shake off a last-second loss and avoid a three-game slide when they host the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is progressing from a recent ankle injury and will look for a third consecutive stellar outing when the Milwaukee Bucks host the Houston Rockets on Tuesday. Antetokounmpo is averaging 26.5 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in two games since returning from a two-game absence.

The battle for positioning in the Western Conference is tight as the final two weeks of the regular season loom, and the Los Angeles Clippers are doing everything they can to ensure they emerge from the pack with the best possible seed. The Clippers will go for their sixth straight win and 12th in 13 games when they visit the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday.

The Atlanta Hawks continue to make strides as their rebuilding season winds down, winning four of their past seven games entering Tuesday night’s visit to the struggling New Orleans Pelicans. Atlanta has won four of its past seven games with back-to-back victories over playoff teams, including Saturday’s 129-127 home triumph over Philadelphia in which rookie Trae Young sank the game-winning basket with 0.1 seconds remaining.

The Sacramento Kings are still alive in the Western Conference playoff race but there is very little margin for error heading into Tuesday's road game against the Dallas Mavericks. Sacramento stands 6 1/2 games behind the eighth-place San Antonio Spurs with nine contests remaining.

The Denver Nuggets are fighting for the top seed in the Western Conference and look to rebound from a porous performance when they host the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday. Denver was badly outplayed while dropping a 124-88 road decision against the Indians Pacers on Sunday to fall a half-game behind the first-place Golden State Warriors.

The Los Angeles Lakers were officially eliminated from playoff contention last week and the Washington Wizards, who visit the Lakers on Tuesday, are about to follow suit. The Wizards have lost four in a row, including a 113-108 setback against Miami at home Saturday night, pushing them 6 1/2 games behind the eighth-place Heat in the Eastern Conference with eight games to play.