Michael Lee of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports: Just six and a half months after fracturing four vertebrae in his neck in a car accident, DerMarr Johnson is hoping to return to practice before the end of the regular season.

Johhnson has been doing non-contact drills for two months but needs verbal and written approval from three doctors.

Right now, all that is still needed is written approval from the third doctor.

Atlanta Hawks general manager Pete Babcock believes that approval could come soon.

"That could be any day, but there is no timetable," Babcock said. "We just need three experts to assure us that we're not going to do anything to hurt him."

However, Johnson has not regained full range of motion in his neck and he will not be allowed to play in of Atlanta's remaining games.

Perry A. Farrell of the Detroit Free Press reports: The Detroit Pistons are going to the playoffs.

Last night, despite being down double digits, The Detroit Pistons came back and forced overtime, where Chauncey Billups nailed the game winning three-pointer with .2 left to lock up the 102-99 victory and a playoff spot.

The Pistons improved the best record in the Eastern conference to 45-25 and are now 6-0 in overtime.

"The goal is always to make the playoffs, so this is an important night for us," coach Rick Carlisle said.

With springtime comes renewal, so the timing is perfect. The Jazz can use a little renewal right now.
   
Just two games removed from a crash landing in Cleveland, this hardly seems like an opportune time to expect the sixth-place Jazz to cement their playoff standing. Yet the signs are there -- improved play from Utah's front line, a short respite in a difficult stretch-drive schedule, and especially a playoff-style victory in Phoenix -- to suspect that Utah, less than a week after looking like a lottery team, has a giant opportunity over the next seven days.
   
Four straight home games, beginning tonight (7 p.m., FSN) against the undermanned and underwhelming L.A. Clippers, bring four straight vulnerable teams to the Delta Center -- just as Phoenix, Houston and the L.A. Lakers, the teams immediately behind the Jazz in the Western Conference standings, embark on difficult road trips to Texas and the East.
   
It may be the most pivotal week of the season; April contains plenty of challenges against the West's elite for 39-29 Utah, but if the Jazz can take care of the Clippers, Celtics, Blazers and Bucks in the next seven days, or at least win three of the four games, they could build enough of a cushion to ensure that a 20th straight playoff appearance is already secured.

Lorenzen Wright joined his Memphis teammates on the floor once again at the Pyramid only 15 days since his daughter died of natural causes.  Wright did so under the urgence of his wife, who believed it was time for him to go back.

"It's been long enough," Wright said, with the letters "R.I.P. SI SI" written on his left shoe.

"She knew I wanted to play the Hawks," Wright added. "She said, 'You need to get out of the house.' [I] was just sitting at home not doing anything."

Wright finished the game with 21 points and 8 rebounds in the Grizzlies' record-breaking 124-92 victory.