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InsideHoops.com / NBA News

Tonight on TNT: San Antonio at Dallas (8 p.m. EST), followed by Sacramento at L.A. Lakers (10:30 p.m. EST). Only 5 1/2 games separate the top five teams in West: Sacramento, Minnesota, San Antonio, Lakers and Dallas. The most intriguing playoff scenarios exist in the Midwest Division, where six of seven teams have a better than .500 record (Utah is 29-30). The last time each team in a division won at least 40 games was the Atlantic Division in 1982-83.

Friday on ESPN: Toronto at Boston (7 p.m. EST), followed by Phoenix at Seattle (9:30 p.m. EST). Both the Raptors and Celtics have lost seven straight. Over his last seven games, the Suns' Amare Stoudemire is averaging 25.4 points and 8.6 rebounds.

Saturday on NBA TV: Philadelphia at Indiana (8 p.m. EST). The Pacers are 5-0 this season without Ron Artest.

Sunday on ESPN: Minnesota at Philadelphia (7:30 p.m. EST). The Timberwolves (42-16) won a franchise-record 51 games in 2002-03, and need only 10 wins over their last 24 games to exceed that mark.

March 7 on ABC: Dallas at Houston (1 p.m. EST), followed by New Jersey at L.A. Lakers (3:30 p.m. EST).

VARIOUS NOTES

The Mavericks have produced a highly respectable 8-3 record this season against the top four teams in the Western Conference. That includes a 2-0 mark against tonight's opponent, San Antonio; 2-0 against Sacramento; 2-1 against Minnesota; and 2-2 against the Lakers. Last season, the Mavs finished a combined 6-10 against Minnesota, the Lakers, Sacramento and San Antonio. Ten of the last 15 meetings between Dallas and San Antonio have been decided by three points or less.

In the first meeting this season between the Kings and Lakers, L.A. was without Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Karl Malone. This time around, Sacramento is without Brad Miller, while Chris Webber has yet to play a game this season. In five starts in place of the injured Miller, rookie Darius Songaila is averaging 14.2 points and 8.8 rebounds. Miller could return to the lineup Sunday. Webber is slated to return next week.

This Day in NBA History: In 2002, by playing five minutes in the Kings' 107-81 triumph over Utah, Sacramento's Chucky Brown set a league record by taking the floor with his 12th NBA team.

ABOUT WEDNESDAY NIGHT

Paul Pierce fouled out in the fourth quarter and the Celtics wasted a 40-point first quarter in their seventh straight loss, a 106-104 setback to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Lawrence Frank's perfect coaching record came to an end as the Timberwolves pulled out a 81-68 victory over the Nets.

Rahseed Wallace scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half as the Pistons extended their winning streak over the Bulls to eight games with a 107-88 victory.

Kareem Rush sank a wide-open 3-pointer with three seconds remaining to lift the Lakers to their fifth straight victory 112-111 over the Nuggets.

Andrei Kirilenko had two huge baskets in the final 88 seconds of overtime as the Utah Jazz completed a home-and-home sweep of the Seattle SuperSonics with a 93-92 victory.

Transactions

Atlanta waived Dion Glover.