February 28, 2022 9:06 PM
The East-leading Miami Heat face Chicago, Milwaukee, Brooklyn and Philadelphia in a span of six days in Week 20.
Chicago at Miami, 7:30 p.m. ET
What better way to start the week than with a matchup between the top two teams in the Eastern Conference with No. 1 Miami hosting No. 2 Chicago with the teams separated by just one game in the standings. The Heat lead the season series 2-0 and can clinch the head-to-head tiebreaker with a win on Monday.
San Antonio at Memphis, 8:00 p.m. ET
Meanwhile in the West, it’s a matchup of two first-time All-Star guards in Memphis’ Ja Morant and San Antonio’s Dejounte Murray. Morant ranks seventh in the league in scoring and first in “he did what?!” plays as a highlight waiting to happen. Murray ranks second in the league with a dozen triple-doubles this season.
Golden State at Minnesota, 8:00 p.m. ET
This is the fourth and final meeting of the regular season between the Warriors and Wolves with the home team winning each of the first three games. There is also a potential playoff matchup looming as this would be the current No. 2 vs. No. 7 matchup – assuming Minnesota survives the Play-In Tournament to secure its playoff berth.
Miami at Milwaukee, 8:00 p.m. ET
Week 20 will be a gauntlet for the Miami Heat as they face Chicago, Milwaukee, Brooklyn and Philadelphia in a span of six days. On Wednesday, they will be in Milwaukee to take on the defending champs. The Heat hold a 2-1 lead in the season series, so similar to their Monday game with the Bulls, the Heat can clinch the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Bucks with a win.
Sacramento at New Orleans, 8:00 p.m. ET
Both teams made trades at the deadline that not only looked ahead to the future, but with a focus on making the Play-In Tournament in the Western Conference. The Pelicans – with CJ McCollum – enter Week 20 having won two straight on the road against Phoenix and Los Angeles. Meanwhile the Kings – with Domantas Sabonis – have dropped four straight. However, the Kings are 2-0 against the Pelicans this season, and any hope they have of climbing into the Play-In picture means games like this are a must-win.
Golden State at Dallas, 8:30 p.m. ET
This is a rematch of Sunday’s game that saw Luka Doncic and the Mavs rally from 19 points down in the fourth quarter to defeat the Warriors 107-101 on the road. Dallas hosts the fourth and final regular-season meeting between the teams, looking to win the season series for the third straight season.
Cleveland at Philadelphia, 7:00 p.m. ET
Friday features two Eastern Conference matchups to watch. The first comes near the top of the standings as No. 3 Philadelphia hosts No. 4 Cleveland. The Sixers have looked formidable in their first two games with James Harden in the lineup. Will the Cavs have an answer?
Atlanta at Washington, 7:00 p.m. ET
The second matchup to watch surrounds the East Play-In Tournament as No. 11 Washington hosts No. 10 Atlanta. The teams split their first two meetings, so this game is crucial in case tiebreakers are needed at the end of the season to determine, which team gets into the Play-In and which team’s season is over.
Philadelphia at Miami, 8:00 p.m. ET
After hosting Cleveland on Friday, the Sixers head to Miami on Saturday to take on the East-leading Heat. Philly and Miami are separated by just two games in the loss column entering Week 20 and enter this matchup with their season series split at 1-1.
New Orleans at Denver, 8:00 p.m. ET
The Nuggets enter Week 20 riding the longest active win streak in the league with six consecutive victories. The Nuggets lead the season series with the Pelicans 2-1 and the reigning MVP Nikola Jokic has been dominant in those three games, averaging 31 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists and shooting 67.3% from the field and 50% from 3-point range.