The Toronto Raptors pushed their season-best winning streak to eight straight with an easy win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday and are showing off the offensive balance the team hopes will help it avoid any prolonged slumps. The Raptors will try to make it nine in a row when they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers in the opener of a two-game trip on Thursday.

The Charlotte Hornets have put an eight-game losing streak behind them and look to win back-to-back games for the first time in 3 1/2 weeks when they visit the Washington Wizards on Thursday. The Hornets recorded a 97-92 home win over the New York Knicks on Tuesday to end a slide that included five double-digit losses.

The Philadelphia 76ers are winners of six of their last seven games and got star center Joel Embiid back in the lineup in a win over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday. The 76ers are not the same team on the road and Embiid will try to give the team a spark as they begin a four-game trip by visiting the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday.

The Boston Celtics became one of just three visiting teams to win in Miami with a 109-101 victory over the Heat on Tuesday and are winners of four of five despite fighting through some injury issues. The Celtics will try to keep rolling no matter who is on the floor when they open a two-game homestand by hosting the NBA-worst Golden State Warriors on Thursday.

Two of the better teams in the Western Conference square off Thursday when the Denver Nuggets host the Utah Jazz. The two squads share the third-best record in the West as they meet for the first of four times over the final 35 games of the season.

The Los Angeles Clippers return to the court for the first time since Sunday when they host the Sacramento Kings on Thursday. The Clippers had their Tuesday game against the Los Angeles Lakers postponed after the tragic death of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and eight others in a helicopter crash Sunday.