The New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder collide Friday night at Madison Square Garden in a much-anticipated rematch of two potential NBA Finals contenders. Both teams are among the top seeds in their respective conferences and are coming off defining performances earlier this week. The Knicks snapped a three-game skid on Wednesday with a convincing 112-98 victory over the Toronto Raptors. Karl-Anthony Towns, back in the lineup after missing Monday’s loss to the Orlando Magic due to a right knee injury, posted a dominant 27-point, 13-rebound double-double. Towns’ return solidifies a Knicks lineup that has thrived when its primary starters—Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, and Josh Hart—are healthy. The team improved to 22-11 with that quintet on

The Chicago Bulls aim to bounce back from a recent loss to the Washington Wizards as they open a five-game homestand on Friday night. Chicago, looking to solidify its playoff positioning, will face a Wizards team struggling to find consistency amid injuries and setbacks. The Bulls (19-17) are eager to recover after a 129-113 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday. That defeat followed a stretch where Chicago won four of five games, the lone loss coming in a 125-107 setback to the Wizards on Jan. 1. Zach LaVine has been on fire, scoring at least 30 points in each of his last four games. He’s averaging 23.3 points per game this season and led the Bulls with 32 points

Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors face the Indiana Pacers on Friday night in Indianapolis, with the Warriors looking to build on a narrow victory over the Detroit Pistons. Meanwhile, the Pacers, winners of four straight, aim to continue their strong form at home. Curry, fresh off a tough shooting night in Detroit where he went 2-for-14 from beyond the arc, will aim to rediscover his long-range precision against a Pacers team that stifled him in their last matchup. Despite his struggles, Curry contributed with 17 points and 10 rebounds in the Warriors’ 107-104 win over the Pistons, helping snap a two-game skid. Golden State faces mounting challenges, with key players like Andrew Wiggins (personal reasons), Jonathan Kuminga, and

The Brooklyn Nets, battling a spate of injuries, begin a challenging six-game road trip Friday night against the Denver Nuggets, who are also navigating roster absences. Both teams are eager to find consistency amid health issues and maintain their playoff trajectories. Brooklyn (16-19) enters the matchup severely short-handed, with key players sidelined due to various injuries. Cameron Johnson, the team’s second-leading scorer (19.5 points per game), has missed three games with a sprained ankle. While Nets coach Jordi Fernandez remains optimistic about Johnson’s return during the road trip, he won’t suit up against Denver. The Nets are also without their top scorer, Cam Thomas (24.7 ppg), who has played just two games since late November due to a hamstring issue.