All records before Dec. 16 games:

Monday

Orlando Magic (13-12) at Phoenix Suns (13-10)

The Magic is one of those teams that is on the brink of being very good all the time, but the questionable availability of Grant Hill (ankle tendinitis), Mike Miller's incessant ankle problems and a lack of size prevents them from being almost totally dependent on Tracy McGrady every night. But their 5-9 road record can be misleading when you consider they have several double-figure victories away from home. The Suns, meanwhile, have really cranked it up behind point guard Stephon Marbury, Shawn Marion and rookie Amare Stoudemire, winning three in a row on the road and going 9-3 at home. It's a good match of two teams teetering playoff hopefuls.

Tuesday

Indiana Pacers (18-5) at Dallas Mavericks (20-3)

Ah, the rematch. The Pacers put the blemish on the Mavericks' 14-0 start with a 110-98 victory Nov. 28 at Indianapolis, so you can bet it's the Mavericks' turn to return the favor. The Pacers have won three in a row, but they had a sloppy 2-3 West trip earlier in the month. Forward Jermaine O'Neal has had 12 double-doubles this season and second-year point Jamaal Tinsley continues to improve his floor leadership on this exceedingly deep and talented young team that is 7-4 on the road. The Mavs, 11-0 at home, are the best offensive team in the NBA behind Steve Nash, Michael Finley and Dirk Nowitzki, who has missed the last two games with a sprained ankle but is expected to play. Shawn Bradley is coming off his best game of the year with 12 points, 18 rebounds and eight blocks.

Wednesday

Portland Trail Blazers (11-11) at Los Angeles Clippers (10-14)

Here are two teams nobody is quite sure what to make of, ranging from beating the elite teams on the road to getting crushed at home by teams attempting to stay out of the cellar. That said, the Clippers are 5-7 both at home and on the road, led by forward Elton Brand and point guard Andre Miller. Rookie Marko Jaric has picked up the slack in the wake of an amazing assortment of injuries, with center Michael Olowokandi now back from knee problems and Lamar Odom on the verge of playing for the first time in 10 months (ankle and wrist). With the Blazers -- also 5-7 on the road -- the issues tend to be psychological, as long as Scottie Pippen and Derek Anderson are healthy. Leading scorers Rasheed Wallace and Bonzi Wells. Young power forward Zach Randolph is coming on strong.

Thursday

San Antonio Spurs (14-9) at Sacramento Kings (20-6)

This is the time of year the Spurs annually begin to kick it into gear, and their 3-6 road record stands out like a sore thumb. Tim Duncan, the most valuable player in the league last season, is a double-double machine and is in the top five in blocks as well. Center David Robinson also is still close to double-doubles every night, but the key is second-year point guard Tony Parker. The Kings are 12-0 at home and have been stunningly consistent despite injuries that have prevented Mike Bibby from playing at all, and kept Peja Stojakovic, Scot Pollard and Hedo Turkoglu from making a consistent impact. That said, Bobby Jackson has been superb in Bibby's stead, with Chris Webber, Vlade Divac and Doug Christie still at the top of their games.

Friday

Los Angeles Lakers (10-15) at Philadelphia 76ers (15-9)

This is a classic, with Lakers led by the NBA's best big man in Shaquille O'Neal and the Sixers paced by the game's best little man, Allen Iverson, in a rematch from the 2001 NBA Finals. The Lakers are 7-6 since O'Neal returned from his Sept. 11 toe surgery, but they have been dramatically uneven in their play outside of the big man and Kobe Bryant . Derek Fisher is coming off his best game with 19 points, six rebounds and five assists in their Sunday victory over Orlando. The Sixers were leading the Atlantic Division at 15-4 and have since lost five in a row. Iverson had been in a woeful shooting slump until breaking out with 32 Sunday, but they need the always-injured Aaron McKie healthy, and Keith Van Horn and Derrick Coleman to be consistent offensive threats.

Saturday

Detroit Pistons (16-7) at New Jersey Nets (16-8)

This is a rematch of Sunday's 10-point victory by the Pistons, who have won eight of the last nine meetings between the two teams. The Pistons have been the most consistent defensive team in the league this season, have won four in a row and are 6-4 on the road, featuring Richard Hamilton as their leading scorer and Ben Wallace, the league's best defender. But the team depends on a strong bench led by Corliss Williamson, Jon Barry and Chucky Atkins. Jason Kidd is the key for the defending Eastern Conference champion Nets who are 12-1 at home. Richard Jefferson is becoming a star in his second season and Kenyon Martin must play better if they are to repeat, considering center Dikembe Mutombo out until spring with a wrist injury.

Sunday

Miami Heat (6-17) at New York Knicks (7-14)

Regardless of their records, it's always great fun when these two teams meet, particularly after Friday's 97-92 Knicks victory in Miami virtually ended on a bad call by the officials that had Heat coach Pat Riley steaming. Eddie Jones has finally started scoring big for the Heat, averaging 31.3 points the last three games for this woeful offensive team that is just 2-9 on the road. The Knicks have been gradually improving, but not that much behind the scoring of Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell. New York's issue continues to be the lack of post play beyond Kurt Thomas on their imbalanced roster. They aren't comparable to the teams that met in the playoffs seemingly every year until last season, but it's still fun, and the disdain for each other remains palpable.