The Cleveland Cavaliers are closing in on the top seed in the Eastern Conference and can take another step forward when they host the Atlanta Hawks on Friday in the opener of a home-and-home set. The Cavaliers rolled past Boston 114-91 on Wednesday for their fourth straight victory and have opened a 1 1/2-game lead over the Celtics with four contests remaining.

The Miami Heat are one of three teams fighting over two spots at the bottom of the Eastern Conference and are staring at the most difficult closing stretch of the group. The Heat will begin a stretch of four games against teams in the top four of the East to close the season when they visit the Toronto Raptors on Friday.

The Memphis Grizzlies will enter the NBA playoffs as the seventh seed in the Western Conference but badly need a shift of momentum as they enter Friday's home game against the lowly New York Knicks. Memphis has dropped three straight contests and seven of its last nine but has a chance to finish the regular season strong by closing it against three non-playoff teams - the Knicks, Detroit and Dallas.

The Detroit Pistons' bad month has them looking at an earlier end to the season than originally anticipated, and the team will use the final games of the regular season to give younger players on the roster a longer look. The Houston Rockets, who host the Pistons on Friday, don't have much left to play for in the regular season either, but at least they're headed to the playoffs.

The San Antonio Spurs locked themselves into the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference when they combined a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers with Golden State's win on Wednesday and will sit most of their starters when they visit the Dallas Mavericks on Friday. All-Star small forward Kawhi Leonard, center Pau Gasol and power forward LaMarcus Aldridge will rest while others will sit out due to nagging injuries.

The Denver Nuggets are battling for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference and can't afford to lose any ground to the Portland Trail Blazers. The Nuggets will try to put pressure on the Trail Blazers when they host the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday.

The Utah Jazz are attempting to hold on to the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference and can better their chances when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. Utah is one-half game ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers for homecourt advantage in the first round but has a tough slate to end the regular season, as it visits Portland and top-seeded Golden State while hosting second-seeded San Antonio.

Russell Westbrook looks to post a record-breaking 42nd triple-double on Friday when the Oklahoma City Thunder visit the lowly Phoenix Suns. Westbrook is tied with legendary Oscar Robertson (1961-62) and fell one rebound shy of breaking the mark during Wednesday's 103-100 road victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.

Many fans of the Los Angeles Lakers are probably lamenting the team's current surge, which could continue Friday night when they host the Sacramento Kings. The Lakers have won two straight for the first time in nearly three months and have a shot at their first three-game run since the beginning of November, which might severely hurt their upcoming draft position.