At this point in the NBA regular season, with just a couple of weeks of basketball remaining, we know where a lot of teams stand. The teams at the top — the Thunder, the Spurs, the Pistons — are set for the 2026 NBA Playoffs, biding their time until they get to prove themselves on the grandest stage. The teams at the bottom — the Pacers, the Pelicans, the Mavericks — already know their season ends soon, and they’re looking ahead to the draft. 

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Then there are those teams in the middle, the ones that are still jockeying for position as the postseason looms. This week on NBA Coast 2 Coast Tuesday, the NBA on NBC brings you four such teams, all of them trying to ensure the best possible playoff scenario. Let’s take a look at what’s ahead.

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Who’s playing on the NBA on NBC’s Coast 2 Coast Tuesday this week (March 31)?

The last full month of NBA regular season action draws to a close this Tuesday, and NBC and Peacock have got a pair of outstanding games to help you send March off in style. It starts March 31 at 8 p.m. ET, when the New York Knicks head south to face the Houston Rockets, then continues at 11 p.m. ET, when the Portland Trail Blazers visit the Los Angeles Clippers.

Both games will air live on NBC in their respective regions, with both games streaming on Peacock. NBC Sports’ Mike Tirico, Reggie Miller, and Zora Stephenson will be on hand to call Knicks-Rockets, while Noah Eagle, Derek Fisher, and Grant Liffmann are set to call Blazers-Clippers.

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What to expect from the NBA on NBC’s games on Tuesday, March 31New York Knicks vs. Houston Rockets

Both the Knicks and the Rockets look to be playoff bound at this point, with New York battling it out with Boston for second place in the East, and Houston right on the bubble between an automatic berth and a Play-In Tournament appearance in the West. If Houston collapses in the home stretch, they could end up in Play-In territory, so they need to keep winning so they can head straight into a postseason series. Fortunately, the Rockets have Kevin Durant, who just passed Michael Jordan on the all-time career points list, and they’ve got the best group of rebounders in the league. Unfortunately, they’re facing a very tough Knicks team led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. It’ll be a battle between two of the league’s best defenses, and so expect a tough contest.

Portland Trail Blazers vs. Los Angeles Clippers

The late game features two squads in the Blazers and Clippers who both seem bound for Play-In games, thanks in part to some midseason turnarounds, particularly on LA’s part. Kawhi Leonard’s having a great season for the Clippers, and they’re one of the most efficient shooting teams in the NBA right now. But they’re neck and neck with Portland in the standings, and the Blazers will be looking to get their first win over their fellow Western Conference team this week. It’s a bit late in the game for either team to fall completely out of playoff contention, but the right combination of wins could make the postseason path much easier, so the Clippers will be hoping to press their home court advantage while the Blazers will be fighting to avoid a sweep against LA this season.