Enormous Consequences: Jazz, Celtics Looks To Improve NBA Playoff Positioning

The race for the NBA playoffs is heating up as each day passes with Wednesday night's action having another opportunity to shake everything up. The race in the Eastern Conference isn't terribly exciting, unfortunately, but the Western Conference is closer than the eyebrows on Kentucky Wildcats center Anthony Davis.

Just two games separate the teams sitting anywhere from fourth to ninth place in the West, meaning one loss could knock a team from sixth place to altogether out of the playoffs for the time being. That's the scenario the Utah Jazz are facing when they play the Boston Celtics, clinging to the No. 7 spot in the East, when the two teams face off at 8 p.m. on NBA League Pass.

The New York Knicks will face the Orlando Magic with their playoff hopes once again on the line as the Eastern Conference's eight seed. The Knicks defeated their closest adversary earlier this week with a win over the Milwaukee Bucks, but Wednesday night's game against the Orlando Magic (8 p.m. ET, ESPN) is important, too -- especially considering the Knicks will be without Amare Stoudemire, among others, for at least the Magic matchup.

Sticking with the teams just barely holding on to a spot in the playoff race, the Denver Nuggets are in Canada to face the Toronto Raptors in a game scheduled for 7 p.m. on League Pass. Denver currently holds a half-game lead over the Houston Rockets for the West's final playoff spot while the Raptors were eliminated long ago, giving them a chance to play spoiler now.

The Minnesota Timberwolves looked like they might be able to compete for a playoff spot this season, but that took a turn for the worse when Ricky Rubio went down with a torn ACL. Rick Adelman's team still has a chance to get back into it, but a loss to the Charlotte Bobcats (7 p.m., League Pass) would probably cement the deal to keep Kevin Love and Co. out of the playoffs for yet another season.

The Los Angeles Clippers game with the Phoenix Suns could have some enormous consequences, too. Blake Griffin and friends are currently sitting in fourth place in the West, but they're only two games ahead of the Rockets -- a team currently out of the playoffs -- and 3.5 ahead of the Suns. Knowing that, the Suns have work to do if they're going ot make the playoffs ... but a Wednesday night win (10:30 p.m., League Pass) would definitely be a step in the right direction.