Another week with the NCAA Tournament means we have an almost comically strong non-national lineup this week, featuring three huge Memphis games on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. 

Monday

Timberwolves @ Jazz: If Ricky Rubio can get on the court, this should be pretty fun and feature two of the best young teams not in the playoff conversation this season. I am intrigued to see how Utah elects to defend Andrew Wiggins.

Tuesday

Raptors @ Pistons: While the Pistons are likely out of the playoffs, they can still have a major effect on the race as they did on Sunday. Toronto has plenty to play for and the Kyle Lowry / Reggie Jackson duel could be worth watching.

Wednesday

Pacers @ Wizards: Both teams strongly need this win but for different reasons: Washington still has to battle to get home court in at least the first round while the Pacers are close to making it in themselves. Plus, this could feature the return of Paul George.

Heat @ Celtics: These could very well be the seventh and eighth seeds in the East and Miami still has an outside chance of catching Milwaukee for the sixth seed. Boston has two of the best backcourt defenders in the entire league in Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart. Both will be tested by Goran Dragic and Dwyane Wade.

Cavs @ Grizzlies (Co-Game of the Week): While all three Memphis games will be interesting, this one could be the most fun game. These teams have very disparate strengths and the Grizzlies have the personnel to punish the dribble penetration Cleveland uses to catalyze their offense. It will also give us a better idea of how the Grizzlies will choose to defend elite small forwards.

Rockets @ Pelicans: San Antonio’s surge has raised the stakes for Houston since holding on to the three seed means a weaker first round opponent and avoiding the Warriors for another series. New Orleans would love to face the Warriors since that would mean they made the post season. Anthony Davis and James Harden can also help their MVP cases substantially with a high-profile win. 

Friday

Heat @ Hawks: Beyond serving as a potential first round preview, we hopefully will get to see how a healthier Atlanta team fares against a capable opponent. Hassan Whiteside has been a revelation this year but will have his hands full with Al Horford and the Hawks’ unusual frontcourt.

Warriors @ Grizzlies (Co-Game of the Week): If the Warriors play their core guys, this one needs no sales pitch. Unfortunately, the combination of injuries means we may have to wait until May to see these teams face each other at full strength.

Mavericks @ Spurs: While the narrative has been that the Spurs are gunning for the higher seeds, they are actually tied with Dallas in the wins column as of this writing. The Mavs have a massive chance to improve their standing, particularly since the Spurs have another huge game two days later.

Trail Blazers @ Suns: Phoenix has continued to hang on in the West but will need to close strong in order to make the postseason a reality. Damian Lillard vs. Eric Bledsoe makes this game worth watching even without the elevated stakes and Markieff Morris can establish himself on the radar with a quality showing against LaMarcus Aldridge. 

Saturday

Thunder @ Jazz: Given his current play, Russell Westbrook always deserves at least one appearance on the list and facing a shockingly fun Utah team makes that even more clear. Australian teenager Dante Exum has taken some strides the last few weeks and has the opportunity to put the league on notice here.

Sunday

Clippers @ Celtics: Doc Rivers coaching the Garden will always be fun and there will be plenty on the line for both teams.

Grizzlies @ Spurs (Co-Game of the Week): A huge game between franchises with plenty of history. I am particularly interested to see how Gregg Popovich uses Kawhi Leonard’s defensive ability when facing a team without a true go-to scorer on the perimeter.