NBA Previews Today

Charlotte being a 5.5-point home favorite here is a testament to how far this franchise has come in a single season. The Hornets at 38-34 are in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race, sitting just 2.5 games behind Toronto for the fifth seed and making a legitimate push to end the franchise's playoff drought that stretches back to 2016. LaMelo Ball has been sensational this season, averaging 19.7 points and 7.1 assists per game while shooting 49.6% from the field, and his impact goes way beyond the box score. Charlotte generates 13.6 more points per 100 possessions when Ball is on the floor, a number that puts him in the company of the league's absolute elite in terms of on-court impact.

Phoenix has navigated a transitional season after shipping their biggest star to Houston and reaching a buyout with Bradley Beal over the summer. The Suns rebuilt around Devin Booker and younger pieces, and while they've been competitive enough to hold the 7th seed in the West, this is a team that's still finding its identity without the star power that defined the last few years. Coming into Charlotte on the road, Phoenix faces a Hornets team that has been one of the league's best stories since the turn of the calendar. Charlotte is 22-11 in their last 33 games with the NBA's most efficient offense during that stretch, and their starting lineup has been the most potent unit in basketball over that span.

The 220.5 total feels relatively low for a game featuring Ball's pace-pushing Hornets, but it reflects Phoenix's more deliberate offensive approach and Charlotte's quietly improved defensive numbers. The Hornets rank sixth in defensive rating over their recent surge, which is a dramatic departure from the porous defenses that defined this franchise for years. Ball's ability to score at all three levels, create for teammates off the bounce, and control the tempo gives Charlotte a clear offensive advantage in this matchup, and the home crowd at Spectrum Center has been electric this season as the fanbase senses something special is building.

Phoenix will compete because Devin Booker is still one of the most dangerous offensive players in the league, and the Suns have the kind of veteran savvy that keeps games from getting out of hand. But the Hornets' combination of offensive efficiency, defensive improvement, and home-court energy should be too much for a Suns team that's been inconsistent on the road all season. Charlotte has earned this spread, and the way Ball has elevated his game in the second half of the season suggests the Hornets are going to be a handful for whichever team draws them in the postseason.

Cleveland at 47-29 rolls into Chase Center as a commanding 10.5-point road favorite, a spread that would have been unthinkable in this building during the Warriors' dynasty years but feels entirely appropriate given the current state of both rosters. Donovan Mitchell has been phenomenal this season, averaging 28.0 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.5 rebounds on 48% shooting through 61 games, and he's coming off a 42-point eruption against Orlando and a 34-point showing in a victory over Utah. The Cavaliers also made a significant trade-deadline addition in James Harden, and the question hanging over Cleveland is whether that move provides the missing piece for a deep playoff run. Mitchell has made the playoffs nine times in his career without getting past the second round, and this season feels like his best chance to break through.

Golden State at 36-39 is enduring the painful end of an era. Stephen Curry has missed 25 games this season dealing with a knee injury, and his absence has exposed the harsh reality that the Warriors' entire competitive existence revolves around the greatest shooter in basketball history. Without Curry, and with Jimmy Butler done for the season with a torn ACL, Kristaps Porzingis sidelined, and several other rotation pieces unavailable, the Warriors are running out a roster that lacks the talent, depth, and star power to compete with legitimate playoff teams. Golden State is 23-16 when Curry plays, which is respectable, but the games without him have been a disaster that's dragged the overall record below .500.

The 10.5-point spread is enormous for a road team, but Cleveland's motivation here is clear. The Cavaliers are locked into the fourth seed in the East and are trying to build momentum heading into the postseason, and Mitchell's history of postseason disappointment has lit a fire under this team to enter the playoffs playing their best basketball. Golden State's defense without Curry's offensive gravity is disjointed and easy to scheme against, and Cleveland's combination of Mitchell's scoring, Harden's playmaking, and a deep supporting cast should generate quality looks on virtually every possession. The Cavaliers are one of those teams that can beat you in multiple ways, and the Warriors simply don't have the bodies to match up.

The 226.5 total is interesting because Chase Center games this season have been unpredictable in terms of pace and scoring. Cleveland prefers to play at a controlled pace and execute in the halfcourt, which could keep the score from getting out of hand offensively. But the Warriors' defensive breakdowns tend to give up easy transition baskets and open threes, which inflates the score regardless of the intended tempo. This should be a game where Cleveland builds a comfortable lead, gives Mitchell and Harden a rest in the fourth quarter, and the only drama is whether Golden State's young players can make enough shots to push the final margin under that 10.5-point number.

Portland at 39-38 is in survival mode with the play-in tournament picture still very much undecided. The Trail Blazers sit in the 9th spot in the Western Conference, and every game from here until the end of the regular season carries massive implications for a franchise that desperately needs postseason basketball. Damian Lillard's return to Portland on a three-year deal last summer was supposed to be the catalyst for a competitive resurgence, and the Blazers have delivered a season that's been fun, dramatic, and frustratingly inconsistent in equal measure. The interim coaching situation with Tiago Splitter replacing Chauncey Billups has added another layer of turbulence to a season that's been defined by its unpredictability.

New Orleans at 25-51 has been one of the most disappointing teams in basketball this season, and the Pelicans' record is a stark reflection of what happens when injuries devastate a roster beyond recognition. What was supposed to be a competitive year in the Western Conference has instead turned into a lost season, and New Orleans is playing out the string with nothing but draft positioning and player development on the agenda. The Pelicans will compete because professional basketball players always do, but the talent gap between these two rosters is significant, and Portland has far more to play for on a Thursday night in the Moda Center.

The 6.5-point spread is substantial but reasonable given the context. Portland needs this game badly, and the Moda Center crowd will bring the energy that comes with a team fighting for its playoff life. The Trail Blazers' offense has been productive all season, and their ability to score in bunches through Lillard and the supporting cast should allow them to control the game against a Pelicans defense that has been one of the league's worst. The 231.5 total is the joint-highest on Thursday's board and reflects the expectation that both teams will push the pace and generate scoring opportunities, though for very different reasons.

This feels like a game Portland should win comfortably, but the Trail Blazers have had a habit of playing down to their competition this season, and a 25-win Pelicans team on the road isn't exactly the opponent that brings out a team's best effort. Portland's defensive inconsistency could keep New Orleans in the game longer than the spread suggests, and the Pelicans' young players have nothing to lose and everything to prove with audition games for next season's roster spots. But ultimately, the stakes matter. Portland's play-in hopes are on the line, and teams fighting for their postseason lives tend to find an extra gear that lottery-bound opponents simply can't match. The Blazers should take care of business at home and keep their playoff dreams alive for at least one more night.

The nightcap features Victor Wembanyama and the 57-18 Spurs, who are in the midst of one of the most historically dominant regular seasons in recent NBA memory. San Antonio sits just three games behind Oklahoma City for the top seed in the West with seven games remaining, and the Spurs' 9-game winning streak heading into the week has them playing their best basketball at exactly the right time. Wembanyama has been everything and more this season, averaging 24.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 3.1 blocks per game while shooting 50.4% from the field and 35.1% from three. The 7-foot-4 alien continues to do things on a basketball court that the sport has never seen from a single player, and his pairing with De'Aaron Fox has given San Antonio a dynamic backcourt partner who averaged 19.4 points and 6.3 assists since arriving from Sacramento.

The Clippers at 39-37 have authored one of the most remarkable turnaround stories of the season. After a historically bad 6-21 start that included a 2-13 November, the franchise's worst month ever, the Clippers caught fire and won 16 of 19 games to climb back into the playoff picture. They became the first team in NBA history to reach .500 after being 15 games below it, a feat that speaks to the resilience of the roster and the coaching staff's ability to find solutions when the season looked lost. Bradley Beal signed with the Clippers after his buyout from Phoenix, and his addition has provided offensive stability and veteran leadership that the team desperately needed during those early-season struggles.

San Antonio being a 4-point road favorite at the Intuit Dome reflects the enormous gap between the Spurs' overall body of work and the Clippers' inconsistent season. The Spurs have the kind of two-way dominance that championship teams are built on, with Wembanyama's defensive presence turning the paint into a no-fly zone and Fox's speed and playmaking providing the offensive engine that keeps defenses on their heels. The Clippers have been competitive since their turnaround, but facing a team as complete as San Antonio is a different challenge than the opponents they've been beating during their surge. Wemby doesn't need to score 30 to dominate, his shot-blocking, rim protection, and ability to switch onto guards make him the most impactful defender in basketball.

The 231.5 total projects a relatively high-scoring affair, which makes sense given both teams' offensive capabilities. San Antonio can score through Wembanyama in the post, Fox in the pick-and-roll, and shooters spotting up around the floor, while the Clippers have enough offensive weapons to keep the game interesting even against the Spurs' elite defense. But the difference in this game will be on the defensive end, where San Antonio's length, discipline, and rim protection should create problems that the Clippers haven't consistently solved against elite competition. The Spurs should extend their winning streak and continue their push for home-court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs, while the Clippers will try to use this as a measuring stick game to prove their turnaround is sustainable against the league's very best.