They've answered that in a major way. Alperen Şengün and Jalen Green remain a fantastic inside-outside duo. Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks and Steven Adams have provided a solid veteran presence. Amen Thompson has continued to develop into a two-way menace. Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. provide length and floor-spacing.

Thursday features six games on the schedule, with several key seeding matchups and clinching scenarios to monitor throughout the evening.

Several teams have already secured their spots in the playoffs, but the race for the top spots is far from over. The Oklahoma City Thunder have claimed the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, but the battle for the No.