20. Sacramento Kings (Up 1)

(24-33) Last week: 3-0

A nice run of late for the Kings, winning six of their last eight games. They're surely a touch too far away from Memphis to be in the running for the eighth seed, which will extend their league worst run of lottery finishes – the Kings last play-off appearance came all the way back in 2006.

Oft injured centre Harry Giles has been on a pleasing roll, averaging close to a double-double over his past four games. The former High School All American will never live up to his once immense potential – his brittle legs have seen to that – but he looks to be carving out a niche as a highly skilled back up big.

19. San Antonio Spurs (Down 1)

(24-33) Last week: 1-3

The Spurs are still, somehow, in with a shot of making the playoffs. To do that though, they'll need to get more out of Dejounte Murray. San Antonio isn't exactly getting bang for its 16 million bucks from the fourth year guards 10.4 points and 4 assists. His defense is very good, although definitely not at the level that most thought he'd be able to reach by now. He still hasn't developed anything like a threatening outside game – yes, he shoots 37.6%, but only attempts 1.5 trey's per game – and for all his skill in finishing at the rim, he settles for too many pull up jumpers.

There is a caveat that Murray missed all of last season with a torn ACL, so he's still finding his way back to his best. That ACL tear was 18 months ago, so the Spurs would want to see some of that old aggression pretty soon. Next season is going to be telling for Murray.

18. Brooklyn Nets (Down 1)

(26-31) Last week: 1-3

With Kyrie Irving being ruled out for the remainder of the season, there is finally some clarity for the rest of the Nets roster. No more changing from star to support act from night to night. That should help the Nets solidify their rotations and roles. However, the past few games have highlighted where Irving is most missed – getting late game buckets. In losses to the Sixers, Magic and Wizards (two of those by under five points, the other in OT) it was glaring how much the team needed someone to take the game by the scruff of the neck. Kyrie has shown that he can be the man in those situations before, despite being the #2 option.

17. Orlando Magic (Up 2)

(24-31) Last week: 2-2

The Magic have found form, winning four of their past five, to push to a mere half game behind the struggling Nets for the seventh seed and with it the right to not get their heads caved in by Milwaukee in the first round.

The catalyst for their sudden surge has been Aaron Gordon, who has finally found his groove. Through his last five games, the Dunk Champion* has averaged 22.6 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1.6 blocks and is knocking down 2.2 three pointers at 68.7%. The shooting isn't sustainable, but those numbers are All NBA level. It's surely no accident that this form has coincided with Gordon playing predominantly at the power forward position. The sooner the Magic brass realise they have shouldn't be forcing a potential star power forward peg into a small forward shaped hole, the better they'll be.

*Pending the results of an appeal.

16. Damian Lillard (Steady)

(26-33) Last week: 1-2

Damian Lillard's Portland Trailblazers have had to make do without Damian Lillard this week. It hasn't gone well. A win over the plummeting Pistons being their only victory in the past five outings. CJ McCollum has been the only thing tethering the Blazers to respectability with Lillard out. He's averaging 29.8 points and 9.3 assists in his last four games, including a 41 point/12 assist masterclass in the win over Detroit.

Portland are still in the playoff picture, just 2.5 games back from Memphis. They also have the fifth best run home in the NBA. But they do not own the tie breaker against either Memphis or New Orleans, so they must finish ahead of those teams outright, to ensure their play-off berth.

15. Memphis Grizzlies (Down 2)

(28-30) Last week: 0-4

Things are getting very tight in Memphis, where the club's four game losing streak has been compounded by injuries to key big man Jaren Jackson Jr and his rookie backup Brandon Clarke. Both will be reevaluated in a fortnight, which sound an awful lot like they'll be out for three to four weeks. Missing those two puts an incredible amount of strain on Ja Morant. Are Dillon Brooks and Jonas Valanciunas able to step up and keep the team in the eighth play-off spot? With the Pelicans charging hard and Portland about to get key troops back in uniform, it seems unlikely.

14. Indiana Pacers (Up 1)

(34-24) Last week: 2-1

Wow! Talk about a roller coaster ride.

The Pacers got waxed by Toronto to the tune of 46 points. The game was over early, with the reigning champs jumping out to a 22 point lead at the first break. They followed that up with a 39 point crushing of the Hornets. Again, this one was done well before the end of the game: Indiana led by 25 at the half.

Wild form fluctuations aside, the worrying thing for Indiana was the absence of Victor Oladipo, out with back spasms. Dipo certainly hasn't been himself since his injury return and any game time he can get will only help him return to form, and help him reintegrate into the team. To that end, the injury is concerning.

13. New Orleans Pelicans (Up 1)

(25-33) Last week: 2-2

Cue the ominous Jaws music.......the Pelicans are coming.

They sit just half a game behind the Damian Lillard-less Portland Lillards and three games back from the suddenly very vulnerable Grizzlies for the West's final play-off spot.

Of all the teams in the race for that spot, the Pellies have the easiest schedule per Tankathon and they have the best net rating. Crucially (touching all the wood) they're also the healthiest. With their full complement on board, and Zion rag-dolling opponents, the injuries to Lillard and Jaren Jackson Jr are thrust into the spotlight.

The Pelicans and Grizzlies match up twice in a four day span in late March – those contests could decide the fate of each team's play-off push.

12. Philadelphia 76ers (Down 2)

(36-23) Last week: 2-2

So, Joel Embiid goes down and the Sixers suddenly look like a wonderfully modern NBA offense, led by a rampaging Ben Simmons. Simmons goes down and the team has their lunch money taken by the Bucks, and get manhandled by the (checks notes) Cavaliers?

Hey, a quick aside: does anyone remember that scene in the movie Captain Phillips where Ben Simmons turns to Joel Embiid and says 'I am the Captain, now.'? Not sure why I brought that up. Just thought it was a great scene.

11. Utah Jazz (Down 4)

(36-22) Last week: 0-4

The NBA's ultimate Jekyll and Hyde squad are on a four game losing streak, to follow up their four game win streak (which was preceded by a five game losing streak, which followed a four game win.....you get the idea). John Hollinger made an interesting observation on Zach Lowe's podcast this week, jokingly saying that the Jazz have an 'only one left hander at a time can play well' rule.

He's not far off the mark. Joe Ingles and Mike Conley have not led a happy co-existence this season. Coach Quin Snyder has chopped and changed his starting line-ups, partly through injury to Conley, but mostly through simple experimentation to find the best combinations. The Jazz benched Ingles for stopper Royce O'Neal in their last game versus Boston. Ingles still stunk off the bench.

The team have looked at their best with a starting five of Mitchell-Ingles-O'Neal-Bogdanovic-Gobert. The eagle eyed amongst you will have notices that this means Mike Conley starts on the bench. It might not be the most popular decision, or the most politically minded move, but if it's good for the team, Coach Snyder simply must do it.