The Los Angeles Clippers are mathematically still alive in the race for a Western Conference playoff spot, but they'll need to win and get plenty of help over the final five days of the regular season. The Denver Nuggets, who visit the Clippers on Saturday, are closer to a playoff spot but are locked in a group of six teams fighting for five spots entering play on Friday.

The Milwaukee Bucks are fighting for positioning in the Eastern Conference playoff picture as they visit the New York Knicks on Saturday. Milwaukee stands seventh in the competition, a half-game behind the Miami Heat and a half-game ahead of the Washington Wizards.

The Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls have combined for over 100 losses as they begin a home-and-home series on Saturday in Chicago. Despite the lackluster campaigns, the Bulls won three consecutive games before losing to the Boston Celtics on Friday, while Brooklyn has shown life by splitting its past 10 games.

The Houston Rockets are still playing hard despite already having homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs and the best record in franchise history clinched. The Oklahoma City Thunder, who visit the Rockets on Saturday, are still trying to lock down their own postseason spot and lost four of their last five games.

The Golden State Warriors look to continue their repeated domination of New Orleans on Saturday when they host the Pelicans in a contest vitally important to New Orleans. The Pelicans have lost the last 10 meetings, 20 of the past 21 and a win would help them move closer to one of the Western Conference's eight playoff spots.

The San Antonio Spurs are in the unfamiliar position of still fighting for a playoff spot with less than a week remaining in the regular season. The Spurs will try to draw closer to clinching their 21st straight berth in the Western Conference playoffs when they host the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday.