The Boston Celtics returned home with an impressive performance on Thursday and are trying to take advantage of their final homestand of the season and move up the standings in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics will try to improve to 2-0 on the three-game homestand when they host the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.

The Washington Wizards are 11 games below .500 and threatening to fall out of the Eastern Conference postseason race. Washington stands 3 1/2 games behind the eighth-place Miami Heat as it enters Saturday's home game with the Memphis Grizzlies.

The New Orleans Pelicans are sliding in the wrong direction with five straight losses and will try to end the skid on Saturday, when they host the Phoenix Suns. New Orleans is 2-0 against the Suns this season with an average winning margin of 17 points and has captured the last eight meetings between the clubs.

The Dallas Mavericks continue to put up a good fight before falling just short, leading to losses in seven straight and 12 of the last 13 games. The Mavericks will try to get over the hump and back into the win column when they host the lowly Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday.

The Golden State Warriors would like the top seed in the Western Conference heading into the playoffs, but health and rhythm are the two most important things for the two-time defending champions down the stretch. The Oklahoma City Thunder, who host the Warriors on Saturday, are fighting for homecourt advantage in the first round after a recent swoon while trying to find their own rhythm.

Damian Lillard is now the second-leading scorer in franchise history and once again will see the player he passed when his Portland Trail Blazers visit the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday. Lillard scored 24 points in Friday's 122-110 victory at New Orleans to move ahead of former teammate LaMarcus Aldridge, who now is with the Spurs.

The Indiana Pacers have dropped eight straight games in Denver and look to end the slide when they visit the Nuggets on Saturday. Indiana hasn't won in the Mile High City since posting a 112-110 victory on Nov. 27, 2007 and also lost six of the past eight overall matchups.

The Utah Jazz are fighting to stay out of the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference and are pulling out of a slump with wins in back-to-back games. The Jazz will try to make it three straight victories when they host another team fighting at the bottom of playoff bracket in its conference in the Brooklyn Nets.