The Los Angeles Lakers (38-28) will be without LeBron James when they visit the Brooklyn Nets (23-43) on Monday, as James is set to miss at least a week due to a left groin strain. The injury occurred late in Saturday’s 111-101 loss to the Boston Celtics, halting the Lakers’ eight-game winning streak. Meanwhile, Brooklyn enters the matchup in a freefall, dropping seven straight games for the second time this season. James’ absence is a significant blow, but Los Angeles has gone 3-1 this season without him. The Doncic-James pairing has been lethal (8-3 together), but Doncic will now shoulder the load for an offense missing its leader. Doncic has been on fire, averaging 24.7 points per game since joining

The Washington Wizards (13-50), owners of the NBA’s worst record, have a golden opportunity to string together a three-game winning streak when they visit the Toronto Raptors (25-38) for the second time in three nights. Washington edged out a dramatic 118-117 win on Saturday, surviving a last-second buzzer-beater attempt from Toronto rookie Jamal Shead that was overturned after video review. The ball bounced around the rim before dropping in, sending Toronto’s bench into a frenzy—only for the celebration to be cut short when the review determined Shead’s shot didn’t leave his hand in time. “Give them credit,” Wizards coach Brian Keefe said. “It was a really tough shot … two guys all over him. I thought that was the game.”

The Houston Rockets (37-25) are riding momentum after a dominant 146-117 win over the New Orleans Pelicans to open a six-game homestand. Now, they set their sights on the Orlando Magic (32-30), who snapped a five-game losing streak with a 111-109 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday. Houston has been experimenting with a two-center lineup, pairing Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams, and the results have been promising. In the win over New Orleans, the duo combined for 26 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists, four steals, and four blocks, showing their effectiveness on both ends of the floor. Coach Ime Udoka started using this look out of necessity when the Rockets struggled to match Dallas’ size on Feb. 8, and

The Atlanta Hawks (34-29) continue their push for a solid playoff position as they prepare to host the Philadelphia 76ers (28-35) on Monday. The Hawks have been on a roll, winning three of their last four games, including a 120-118 win over Indiana on Saturday. On the other hand, the Sixers have been in a free fall, dropping 12 of their last 14 games. However, they managed to snap a three-game losing streak with a 126-122 victory over Utah on Sunday. Atlanta currently sits in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, holding a half-game lead over Orlando and Miami in the tight play-in race. They trail sixth-seeded Detroit by 5.5 games, meaning they still have a shot to secure a