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| Before he sets off on a busy All-Star weekend, Trailblazers' G Damian Lillard will look to beat two of the top teams in the West. |
Tuesday February 11, 2014 9pm
The Suns are in the middle of a tough stretch here, so a win against the defending champions is needed. It was around this time last season when the Heat went on their 27-game winning streak, so they can get hot at any moment and rip off wins rather easily. The Pacers hold a good lead atop the Eastern Conference standings, so the Heat needs this win just as much as the Suns. Of course, one win here won't do much in the big picture, but for the Suns, a win against this team is huge for their confidence considering they're a young basketball team making an unexpected playoff run. Both teams average just over 104 points a game, so offense will be seen here.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Portland Trailblazers
Tuesday February 11, 2014 10:30pm NBATV
This is the final regular season matchup between these Northwest Division teams, and the Trailblazers will love nothing more than to get a victory here. A victory here against the Thunder will mean the Trailblazers will have taken three out of four games against the Thunder. This tiebreaker could be important late in the season, so this game is very important for both teams. This is the week before All-Star weekend, and both teams will be represented with a couple of players, so it's important to stay focused and finish off the first half of the season strong.
Atlanta Hawks vs. Toronto Raptors
Wednesday February 12, 2014 7pm
Both teams are 10 games behind the second place Heat in the Eastern Conference, but they occupy the 3 and 4 seeds. This is only the second meeting between the two teams, with their final two matchups coming in late March. Those will probably be much more important than this matchup here, but they're both playing to stay in the top half of the Eastern Conference so they can get home-court advantage in the first round. They probably won't care where they are exactly as long as they end as a 3 or 4 seed. They know a date with the Pacers or Heat awaits them in the second round, and I wouldn't want to face either team.
Miami Heat vs. Golden State Warriors
Wednesday February 12, 2014 10:30pm NBATV
The Warriors beat the Heat in Miami for two consecutive seasons, so they're looking for the season sweep in Oakland. The Warriors have been an up-and-down team for the most part. A mediocre start to their season was followed by an impressive win streak of 10 games in late December into the New Year. However, the Warriors have gone 6-7 since the win streak ended, so they just can't get any consistent play. A win against the Heat would be clutch for them going into the All-Star break. The Heat's time on the west coast will end with this game, but they'll continue to play on the road after the All-Star break in the Midwest.
Portland Trailblazers vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Wednesday February 12, 2014 10:30pm
These two teams played a great game the day after Christmas, when the Trailblazers were able to prevail in overtime over the Clippers. This is the second of only three meetings between these two teams, and this is the only game the Trailblazers will play in the Staples Center against the Clippers. The Clippers will most likely have Chris Paul for this game, so they're happy to be close to full strength in this one. The Trailblazers continue on their mission to prove to the league they are legit. Their rise to the top of the league resembles the sudden rise to the top of the Western Conference by the New Orleans Hornets back in the 2007-2008 season. Paul was the leader of that team and a legitimate MVP candidate leading them to a 57-25 record and a 2 seed. They spent the majority of that season showing other teams and fans they were legit as well.
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