NBA Games of the Week

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Mar 4, 2009

NBA Games of the Week

Nuggets at Pistons | Tuesday, March 3, 7:30 p.m. ET

Chauncey Billups returns to Detroit at a time when the team he quarterbacked for six-plus seasons is languishing around .500 and battling for a low seed in the playoffs. Billups, meanwhile, has enjoyed an All-Star season while helping Denver contend for the No. 2 seed in the West.

Heat at Suns | Wednesday, March 4, 7:30 p.m.

Shaquille O'Neal is back in Miami for the first time since being traded to Phoenix last year. Shaq warmed up for his return last week by scoring 45 points against Toronto, his first 40-point game in four seasons.

Rockets at Jazz | Wednesday, March 4, 9 p.m.

Utah entered the week riding an eight-game winning streak and trailing fourth-seeded Houston by only one game in the West. Jazz point guard Deron Williams has collected at least 10 assists in nine consecutive games, including a season-high 20 in a victory against Golden State.

Cavaliers at Celtics | Friday, March 6, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

The winner takes a 2-1 season-series lead and moves closer to securing the head-to-head tiebreaker, which could come into play considering the teams entered the week all even atop the East. In their last meeting, on Jan. 9, the Cavs pounded the Celtics 98-83 behind LeBron James' 38 points.

Bucks at Bulls | Friday, March 6, 8:30 p.m.

This is a key game in the race for the eighth playoff spot in the East. Milwaukee has hung tough without Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut, getting consistent production from Charlie Villanueva, who averaged 21.6 points in February.

Timberwolves at Blazers | Saturday, March 7, 10 p.m.

This matchup always serves as a reminder of a draft-night trade three years ago in which Minnesota traded Brandon Roy to Portland for Randy Foye. Roy is now a two-time All-Star while Foye is beginning to find his niche as the Wolves' starting shooting guard. The two should match up plenty in this game.

Magic at Celtics | Sunday, March 8, 1 p.m.

Orlando is 0-2 against the defending champions this season, in large part because of Dwight Howard's struggles. The All-Star center scored 14 points (on 5-of-12 shooting) in a loss at Boston and had 11 points (on 4-of-10 shooting) in a loss at Orlando.