Each of this weekend's seven games comes with plenty at stake for all teams, no matter what part of the table they're currently residing in.
Derby, Essex and Hemel all have home ties as they continue their title aspirations, whilst bottom two Barking and London Elite are also at home as they bid to escape D1M's trap door.
We take a look at all of the weekend's action below, with links to live stats and live streams at the bottom of the page.
There's a big relegation scrap this weekend, as two of the bottom four go head-to-head, with Thames Valley travelling to London Elite.
Time is running out for Elite if they're to avoid an immediate return to D2M, with seven games to go in their regular season schedule.
That stretch starts tomorrow with a visit from a team they'll hope to move closer to once this weekend is over, TVC and City of Birmingham are both just four points ahead of the Londoners as things stand.
Both teams enter this one in understandably poor form, given their current predicaments. Elite have won one of their last five, whilst the Cavs have won two over the same span.
TVC haven't struggled for offence in that stretch however, passing into triple digits in three of those contests despite only coming out on top in one of them.
Thames Valley won by just six when these teams last met in mid-November, suggesting a victory and claiming the head-to-head tiebreaker might not be out of the grasp of London.
All wouldn't be lost with another defeat, given Elite still have a game against five-win CoB to play next month, but time is running out for the former D2 South winners to pick up points.
For Thames Valley, they're still looking upwards and are just four points off Nottingham in the eighth and final playoff spot if they can string together some positive results.
The Hoods do own the tiebreaker between the two, and with Worthing also sniffing around for a playoff spot, simply keeping themselves out of the relegation mix may be enough for the former D1M runners up at this point.
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👑 The Rebound D1M Team of the Week is here 🔒 pic.twitter.com/jgZSImKHDc
— NBL (@NBLengland) February 20, 2024
The weekend begins with another struggling side looking for points as Barking Abbey (2-16) entertain Worthing Thunder (6-11).
Title chasing Essex Rebels (14-2) can't afford any slip ups if they're to keep the heat on leaders Derby. That'll be easier said than done as they face a visit from fourth place Reading Rockets (11-5).
Hemel Storm (12-3) will also want to continue their push up the table and have a date with Team of the Week selection Ronald Blain and Bradford Dragons (8-9) tomorrow.
Like Thames Valley, City of Birmingham Rockets (5-12) would no doubt feel more comfortable if they could put some space between themselves and the teams below. The Rockets take on Nottingham Hoods (7-10), who have won one of their last seven outings.
Leaders Derby Trailblazers (15-2) are at home to local rivals Loughborough Riders (10-7), who are 2-3 in their last five but still hanging on to a top six spot.
Sunday's only contest sees Loughborough doubling up, this time heading home to play host to Newcastle University (11-6).
With just two points separating the sides as we head into the weekend, that should be a great contest between two evenly-matched teams.
5pm - Barking Abbey vs Worthing Thunder - LIVE STATS
6:30pm - London Elite vs Thames Valley Cavaliers - LIVE STATS
6:30pm - Essex Rebels vs Reading Rockets - LIVE STATS
7pm - Hemel Storm vs Bradford Dragons - LIVE STATS
7:30pm - City of Birmingham Rockets vs Nottingham Hoods - LIVE STATS
7:30pm - Derby Trailblazers vs Loughborough Riders - LIVE STATS
3pm - Loughborough Riders vs Newcastle University - LIVE STATS/LIVE STREAM
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Main image credit - Ivan Grotsev
