The Phoenix Suns and the Brooklyn Nets are two of three teams that are already mathematically eliminated from postseason contention, but at least one of them is still playing hard. The Nets will try to carry the momentum from a last-second win to Thursday when they host the slumping Suns.

The Miami Heat have risen into the top eight in the Eastern Conference, and a .500 record is the next stop. The Heat will try to reach the break-even point when they host another hot team battling for positioning in the East in the Toronto Raptors on Thursday.

The Los Angeles Clippers are aiming to wrestle homecourt advantage away from the Utah Jazz in their probable Western Conference first-round series and can take another step toward achieving that when they visit the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. Los Angeles will be looking for its fourth straight victory as it puts heat on the fourth-place Jazz, a team they host on Saturday.

The San Antonio Spurs are positioned to make one last run at overtaking the Golden State Warriors for the top seed in the Western Conference. San Antonio stands 2 1/2 games out with 12 remaining but seven of its next eight games are at home, beginning with Thursday's tilt against the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Portland Trail Blazers are hoping a favorable schedule will help them chase down the Denver Nuggets for the final Western Conference playoff spot. Portland hosts the New York Knicks on Thursday and plays nine of its final 12 regular-season games at home as it tries to overcome a 1 1/2-game margin behind the Nuggets.