NBA Team Recap – April 8, 2013

Filed Under: Heat, Sports

Miami Heat (60-16)With two weeks left to go in the season, the Heat are resting key players with the hope of notching a back-to-back title run. (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)

San Antonio Spurs (57-20)The Spurs seem to always enter the postseason with injuries. Point Guard Tony Parker recently returning from a sprained ankle but had to return to the bench in a loss to the Thunder. Luckily, the Spurs are still clinging to one game lead over the Thunder for best record in the conference. (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)

Denver Nuggets (53-24)Losing Danilo Gallinari to an ACL injury will hurt the Nuggets but with so many talented players someone could step up to fill the void in the playoffs. (Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty ImagesCorey Brewer

New York Knicks (50-26)The hottest team in the league right now is riding a 12 game winning streak and showed it was for real after going into OKC and beating the Thunder 125-120. (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)

Oklahoma City Thunder (56-21)The Thunder are playing a little inconsistently down the stretch but earned a big win over the Spurs to keep them just one game back in the best record race for the Western Conference. (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)

Indiana Pacers (48-29)Might have blown a chance to catch the Knicks for the coveted No. 2 seed in the East with a loss to Wizards. (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)

Los Angeles Clippers (51-26)Clinched the franchise’s first Pacific Division title with a win over the Lakers. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Memphis Grizzlies (52-25)It appears that the Grizz will end up as the No. 5 seed playing the Clippers as the No. 4 seed in a rematch of last year’s seven game battle. (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)

Golden State Warriors (44-33)The Warriors escaped with a win over the Suns and lost at home to a surging Jazz team but the city is still excited about one of the original NBA teams (Philadelphia Warriors) chasing a championship. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Brooklyn Nets (44-32)The key to any playoff success hinges on the play and health of Joe Johnson who has not played great but remains a clutch shooter. (Photo credit DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images)

Houston Rockets (43-34)The league’s highest scoring team needs to be to stay competitive. Giving up 132 points in a loss to the Nuggets in its first game without Gallinari is not a good sign. (Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

Chicago Bulls (40-32)Derrick Rose is keeping the option open that he will return. But even the return of Joakim Noah from an eight-game absence due to plantar fasciitis did not prevent a loss to a lottery-bound Pistons team. (Photo by Dan Lippitt/NBAE via Getty Images)

Atlanta Hawks (41-33)The Hawks have lost three consecutive games and right now sit as the No. 6 seed. With the Pacers as the current No. 3 seed, the match-up surely would be the least interesting series in the East. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)

Utah Jazz (41-37)The Jazz ended the week with a half-game lead for the eight seed due to big win on the road against the Warriors as Mo Williams led the way. (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)

Los Angeles Lakers (40-37)The Lakers pulled out a much needed win over the Grizzlies but failed in the road-home game against the Clippers. The loss to the Clips put the Lakers .5 games behind the Jazz for the last playoff spot in the West.(Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)

Dallas Mavericks (38-39)While the playoffs are unlikely the Mavs still made news when Mark Cuban announced his interest in drafting Baylor women's basketball star Brittney Griner. (Photo by Cameron Browne/NBAE via Getty Images)

Boston Celtics (40-37)If you think the recent slump bodes any indication of how the C’s playoffs will go, you have not seen Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett play the last five or six years as both look to return healthier for a run. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

Washington Wizards (29-48)This team is really good. Surely if John Wall did not miss the first third of the season, it would be a playoff team. Led by Wall’s 37 points, the Wiz knocked off the Pacers this past week. (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)

Milwaukee Bucks (37-39)The right opponents came to town this week as the Bucks got home wins over the Bobcats and Raptors resulting in a clinched playoff spot. Facing the Heat this week will be a mini-preview of the first-round opponent. (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)

Portland Trail Blazers (33-44)The Blazers are on an eight game losing streak and have apparently packed it in for the season. (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)

Philadelphia 76ers (31-45)The lost season without Andrew Bynum comes to a end as a loss to the Bobcats didn’t seem to even phase anyone. (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)

Minnesota Timberwolves (29-47)The Timberwolves are another team that is hampered by injuries but the future seems a bit brighter with Kevin Love still on the roster. Beating the Pistons this week for head coach Rick Adelman’s 1,000th win was a bright spot. (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)

New Orleans Hornets (27-50)The team is battling for lottery balls down the stretch and will also look to trade Eric Gordon, who has never been happy since being traded from the Clippers in the Chris Paul deal. (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)

Sacramento Kings (27-50)The Kings are on a four-game losing streak but have played relatively well in all of the losses. Whether the team will stay in Sacramento remains to be seen. (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

Clevland Cavaliers (24-52)Tristan Thompson showed up with 29 points and 17 rebounds in a win over the Celtics. The fate of head coach Byron Scott is up in the air. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

Toronto Raptors (29-48)The Raptors actually had a good week going 2-2 with wins over the Twolves who always play hard and a promising Wizards squad. (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)

Detroit Pistons (26-52)Head coach and New Jersey native Lawrence Frank's name as been thrown around as a possible candidate for the vacant head coaching position at Rutgers after the Mike Rice scandal. (Photo by Allen Einstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Phoenix Suns (23-54)Their nine game losing streak may have solidified last place in the West. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Orlando Magic (19-59)A five game losing streak is making it hard to remember the first game of the season in which the Magic beat the Nuggets at home 102-89. (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)