Dozen Games on NBA Slate

(AP) — It's a busy Monday in the NBA, with a dozen games on the schedule. Three standout: Houston visiting San Antonio, Golden State in Atlanta and the Boston Celtics in L.A. to face the Clippers.

The battle in Texas matches the numbers two and three teams in the Western Conference. San Antonio has already locked up a playoff spot, while Houston is five games behind them in the Southwest Division.

The only other team to have clinched a playoff berth is Golden State. The Warriors are coming off a 112-105 victory over the Knicks yesterday in Madison Square Garden. They face a Hawks team that is one of just seven Eastern Conference teams with .500 or better record.

The late game features another. The Atlantic Division-leading Celtics, like Golden State, will be playing on back-to-back nights when they face the Clippers.

Elsewhere around the league, the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers host Miami, Milwaukee is at Philadelphia, the New York Knicks visit Orlando, and Chicago is at Detroit. In 8 p.m. Eastern starts, Brooklyn travels to Memphis, Indiana is in Charlotte, and Portland ventures east to Minnesota. An hour later, the New Orleans Pelicans tip off against the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City, and Denver hosts Sacramento.