Phoenix Suns host Denver Nuggets in crucial Western Conference clash
The Phoenix Suns host the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday in a crucial Western Conference matchup that could heavily impact the final NBA playoff standings.
With the regular season reaching its climax, only four games are scheduled across the league, but two carry immense postseason weight.
The Arizona-based franchise desperately needs a victory to keep their fading hopes of escaping the play-in tournament alive.
Currently sitting in seventh place, the hosts have fallen significantly behind a breakaway pack in the West.
Race for Western Conference positioning
Denver arrive in Phoenix tied for fourth place alongside the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Colorado outfit sit half a game ahead of the Houston Rockets, enjoying a comfortable cushion over their Tuesday opponents.
Statistical projections give the Suns less than a 3% chance of climbing into an automatic playoff spot.
However, a victory against the high-flying Nuggets is an absolute necessity to maintain those slim odds.
Magic aim to upset Cavaliers in the East
Elsewhere, the Orlando Magic travel to Ohio to face a Cleveland Cavaliers side riding a three-game winning streak.
The visitors have slipped into the play-in picture and currently sit eighth in the heavily congested Eastern Conference.
They trail the sixth-place Atlanta Hawks by one and a half games in the race for guaranteed postseason basketball.
Meanwhile, the Cavaliers are still urgently chasing the New York Knicks for the coveted third seed.
Draft lottery implications
At the other end of the spectrum, the Sacramento Kings visit the Charlotte Hornets with an eye on the upcoming draft lottery.
Doug Christie’s struggling squad currently hold the fourth-worst record in the entire league.
Historically poor form from the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards has seen those rival franchises slide below Sacramento in the overall standings.
As it stands, the Californian side possess just a 12.5% chance of securing the number one overall pick in June.