The end of the NBA regular season is rapidly approaching. Just three weeks remain for teams to lock in their postseason berths or to face a long off season, and that means the race is on for teams on the playoff bubble to make every win count. 

How to Watch

Watch NBA on NBC on NBC and streaming on Peacock. 

This week on the NBA on NBC‘s Coast 2 Coast Tuesday, we’ll see four of those teams in action, all of them with very solid playoff prospects, all of them hoping to hold the line against stiff competition that could dramatically shift their postseason fortunes. Let’s take a closer look at what’s ahead.

RELATED: All the NBA Games on NBC and Peacock This Week

Who’s playing on the NBA on NBC’s Coast 2 Coast Tuesday on March 24?

This week, the NBA on NBC’s Coast 2 Coast Tuesday action tips off at 8 p.m. ET, when the Orlando Magic head to Cleveland to face the Cavaliers in an Eastern Conference battle. Three hours later, at 11 p.m. ET, we head West to watch the Denver Nuggets visit the Phoenix Suns in a showdown of Western Conference playoff contenders.

Both games will air live on NBC in their respective regions and stream simultaneously on Peacock, regardless of region. Live coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET on Peacock with NBA Showtime, hosted by NBC Sports’ Maria Taylor alongside NBA legends Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, and Tracy McGrady. 

RELATED: The Full 2025-2026 Schedule of NBA Games on NBC and Peacock

 

What to expect from the NBA on NBC’s Coast 2 Coast Tuesday games on March 24Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

Out in Cleveland, the Cavaliers are in a good place. The addition of James Harden to the roster has worked in their favor, and now he, Donovan Mitchell, and the rest of the Cavs are sitting at fourth in the East, guaranteeing them an automatic playoff berth and home court advantage in Round 1 if they stay the course. They’ve got one of the league’s best offenses and the home court advantage, so this looks like a solid setup for a win, but don’t be surprised to see the Magic put up a heckuva fight.

Paolo Banchero and the rest of Orlando’s crew are tough, and just one game separates them from Play-In Tournament territory (where they currently are) and an automatic playoff berth. If they can keep winning, they’ll have an easier time with the postseason, and a victory in Cleveland would set them on the right path. 

NBC Sports’ Noah Eagle, Reggie Miller, and Zora Stephenson will call Magic-Cavaliers.

Denver Nuggets vs. Phoenix Suns

The Nuggets are also sitting pretty comfortably, and with the return of Peyton Watson to the lineup on Sunday, they’re finally fully healthy. While they haven’t secured their playoff spot yet, they do have solid footing in the top six standings that’ll grant them an automatic berth if they keep winning. They’ve also got the best offense in the league at the moment, on the strength of, who else, three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic, who’s averaging triple double stats on the season. If they keep position, they can coast into the postseason with energy to spare. Granted, they’re in for a big-time fight against the Suns in Phoenix.

Phoenix is playing with a host of injuries lately, but they just might get some of their most effective players back in time for tipoff this Tuesday, giving leading scorer Devin Booker a much-needed hand. Right now, the Suns are a few games ahead of everyone else in Play-In contention, but just a few games back from an automatic playoff berth. That means that a final push for wins could elevate them into the top six, and a home win over Denver would be a great start.

NBC Sports’ Terry Gannon, Derek Fisher, and Grant Liffmann will call Nuggets-Suns.