CJ McCollum scored 25 of his game-high 29 factors within the first half and Dyson Daniels collected 13 factors, 10 rebounds and 12 assists because the Atlanta Hawks clinched a playoff spot with a 124-102 rout of the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday evening.
Jalen Johnson had 18 factors and 9 rebounds and Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 18 for the Hawks (46-35), who will end both fifth or sixth within the Jap Convention. Southeast Division champion Atlanta missed the playoffs within the final two seasons.
Daniels posted his second profession triple-double and McCollum drained 6-of-8 3-point makes an attempt. The Hawks constructed a 92-59 lead within the third quarter, when Alexander-Walker and Johnson every had 11 factors to ship the knockout blow.
James Harden scored 20 factors and dished out 5 assists, and Tyrese Proctor had 15 factors within the ultimate quarter for the fourth-seeded Cavaliers (51-30). Cleveland can have home-court benefit within the first spherical in opposition to both Atlanta or the Toronto Raptors.
Lakers 101, Suns 73
LeBron James scored 28 factors and dished 12 assists to turn into the fourth participant in NBA historical past to prime 12,000 in a profession, main Los Angeles to a convincing victory over visiting Phoenix.
Luke Kennard added 19 factors within the victory that assured Los Angeles will end no decrease than fourth place within the Western Convention and have homecourt benefit in a first-round playoff collection. The Lakers stay one sport behind the third-place Denver Nuggets with one sport to play, and Los Angeles owns the tiebreaker edge.
Dillon Brooks scored 12 factors and reserve Royce O’Neale added 11 for the Suns, who had been with out star Devin Booker (ankle). Phoenix scored simply 25 second-half factors in a contest that meant nothing after it beforehand locked up the No. 7 spot within the West and a house play-in sport. Grayson Allen exited within the second quarter attributable to a left hamstring damage and did not return.
76ers 105, Pacers 94
Tyrese Maxey scored 32 factors, Andre Drummond posted a double-double off the bench, and Philadelphia assured itself of ending no worse than eighth within the Jap Convention after beating Indiana in Indianapolis.
With Joel Embiid out attributable to appendicitis, Drummond produced 10 factors and 16 rebounds. The 76ers ended a three-game skid and stayed alive within the chase for the East’s sixth and ultimate automated playoff berth.
Jarace Walker’s 17 factors led the Pacers, who’ve misplaced 4 of the previous 5. Micah Potter completed 13 factors and 10 rebounds.
Pistons 118, Hornets 100
Jalen Duren scored 20 factors on 8-for-11 taking pictures from the sphere and Detroit rode a robust stretch early within the fourth quarter to a win over host Charlotte.
Duncan Robinson racked up 19 factors, Cade Cunningham had 14 factors, Ronald Holland II posted 13 factors and Ausar Thompson added 12 factors for the Pistons, who’ve gained 5 of their previous six video games. Detroit had already locked up first place within the Jap Convention. The result means the Hornets will likely be within the East’s play-in match.
The loss eradicated any likelihood that they may advance on to the playoff bracket. LaMelo Ball’s 27 factors, together with six 3-point baskets, led the Hornets, whereas Brandon Miller had 22 factors. Coby White, after lacking the crew’s Tuesday sport evening due to groin soreness, scored 11 factors off the bench.
Bucks 125, Nets 108
AJ Inexperienced scored a career-high 35 factors to guide Milwaukee to a victory over visiting Brooklyn in Milwaukee’s ultimate house sport of the season.
Milwaukee snapped a two-game skid as Inexperienced additionally grew to become simply the third Buck ever to make 10 or extra 3-pointers in a sport (11-for-16). Cormac Ryan added 28 whereas Taurean Prince scored 18 with 10 rebounds. Jericho Sims posted a double-double off the bench with 11 factors and 10 rebounds.
Tyson Etienne led Brooklyn with 23 factors. Malachi Smith almost contributed a triple-double with 19 factors, 10 assists and eight rebounds. The Nets solely performed seven gamers and every contributed double figures. Reserve Nolan Traore scored 14 factors in simply over 16 minutes of motion.
Nuggets 127, Thunder 107
Jonas Valanciunas amassed 23 factors and 17 rebounds, each season highs, and Julian Strawther added 22 factors as host Denver beat Oklahoma Metropolis in a matchup of benches.
Denver clinched a minimum of the fourth seed within the Western Convention with its eleventh straight win. The Nuggets can nonetheless seize the No. 3 seed with a win Sunday in San Antonio or a Los Angeles Lakers’ loss. Denver rested its complete beginning 5 and Spencer Jones and Peyton Watson, each of whom have been sidelined with hamstring strains.
Oklahoma Metropolis has secured the highest general seed. The one starter dressed for both crew was Thunder guard Luguentz Dort, who was required to play a minimum of 20 minutes in every of the ultimate two video games to qualify for postseason awards, based on coach Mark Daigneault.
Jazz 147, Grizzlies 101
Rookie Blake Hinson scored a career-high 30 factors and two Utah reserves logged triple-doubles, serving to the Jazz snap a 10-game dropping streak with a demolition of Memphis in Salt Lake Metropolis.
Rookie Bez Mbeng logged 27 factors, 11 assists, 11 rebounds and three steals for his first triple-double. John Konchar registered a triple-double for a second straight sport, ending with 11 factors, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and 5 steals. Kennedy Chandler added 26 factors and 10 assists to assist the Jazz get within the win column for under the second time in 16 video games.
Dariq Whitehead led Memphis with a career-best 21 factors. Rookie Toby Okani had a career-high 20 factors and Adama Bal added 18 for the Grizzlies, who used simply six gamers whereas dropping their seventh straight sport.
Kings 124, Warriors 118
Devin Carter set profession highs with six 3-pointers, 29 factors and 9 rebounds as Sacramento beat visiting Golden State.
Carter shot 11-for-18 from the ground and 6-for-11 from 3-point vary for Sacramento, which avenged a 110-105 loss to the Warriors on Tuesday in San Francisco. Maxime Raynaud scored 23 factors, Nique Clifford and Daeqwon Plowden scored 20 apiece, and Malik Monk added 11.
Brandin Podziemski led Golden State with a career-high 30 factors and De’Anthony Melton added 17. The Warriors misplaced for the sixth time of their previous seven video games, and they’ll compete within the play-in match because the No. 10 seed within the West.
Warmth 140, Wizards 117
Simone Fontecchio and Pelle Larsson scored 24 factors every as Miami snapped a two-game dropping streak, crushing host Washington.
Bam Adebayo added 20 factors, 11 rebounds and eight assists for the Warmth, who’re locked right into a spot within the Jap Convention play-in match. Adebayo scored a franchise-record 83 factors in opposition to Washington on March 10. Miami accomplished a 4-0 season sweep of Washington. The Warmth, nonetheless, have simply 4 wins over the previous 14 video games. Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 23 factors for the Warmth, and Kasparas Jakucionis had 16.
Bub Carrington led Washington with 30 factors, matching his season excessive. Bilal Coulibaly added 25 factors and 5 assists and Will Riley scored 16 factors for the Wizards, who’ve the NBA’s worst file as they fell for the twenty fifth time in 26 video games.
Knicks 112, Raptors 95
Jalen Brunson scored 14 of his game-high 29 factors within the third quarter as New York clinched the No. 3 seed within the Jap Convention with a victory over visiting Toronto.
Karl-Anthony Cities added 22 factors and 10 rebounds whereas Mikal Bridges logged 13 factors for New York, which has gained seven straight house video games and 5 video games in a row general. The Knicks have a 30-9 house mark this season.
Sandro Mamukelashvili produced 17 factors and eight rebounds to guide Toronto, which fell right into a tie with the Orlando Magic for the sixth and ultimate automated playoff spot within the East. The Raptors maintain the tiebreaker edge. Brandon Ingram had 16 factors and 6 assists for the Raptors. Ja’Kobe Walter went 4 of seven from past the arc en route to fifteen factors.
Path Blazers 116, Clippers 97
Deni Avdija scored 15 of his game-high 35 factors within the fourth quarter and helped gas a vital run as Portland powered previous visiting Los Angeles.
The groups are actually tied with 41-40 information and one sport to go, however the Path Blazers personal the tiebreaker, which would go away them eighth within the Western Convention. Donovan Clingan added 18 factors and 13 rebounds for Portland.
Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 24 factors and eight rebounds. Brook Lopez knocked down 5 3-pointers on the best way to 21 factors.
Magic 127, Bulls 103
Franz Wagner scored 25 factors and Jamal Cain added 20 as visiting Orlando stretched its profitable streak to 5 video games with a victory in opposition to Chicago.
Orlando remained alive for the sixth seed within the Jap Convention — which might permit the Magic to keep away from the play-in match — with one sport remaining within the common season. Goga Bitadze posted a double-double of 15 factors and 11 rebounds off the bench for the Magic. Paolo Banchero scored 14 factors to go together with 9 rebounds and 7 assists.
Chicago suffered its eighth loss in 10 video games regardless of 23 factors from Tre Jones. The Bulls have misplaced 50 video games for the primary time since 2018-19. Matas Buzelis had 14 factors and eight rebounds for the Bulls earlier than leaving within the third quarter with a sprained proper ankle.
Spurs 139, Mavericks 120
Victor Wembanyama confirmed that he’s playoff prepared after an damage by amassing 40 factors and 13 rebounds as host San Antonio pummeled Dallas.
Wembanyama, again after lacking a sport and a half with a left rib contusion, reached the 65-game requirement for league postseason awards. De’Aaron Fox added 18 factors and 10 assists for the Spurs, who’ve gained 14 of their previous 15 video games.
Cooper Flagg put up 33 factors and Max Christie had 16 for the Mavericks, who’ve misplaced three in a row.
Celtics 144, Pelicans 118
Boston tied an NBA file by making 29 3-point discipline objectives and secured the No. 2 seed for the Jap Convention playoffs by beating visiting New Orleans.
Boston took 59 3-point pictures however did not put up a shot on its ultimate possession. The file for made 3-pointers in a sport can also be shared by the 2020 Milwaukee Bucks, the 2024 Celtics and the 2026 Memphis Grizzlies.
The Celtics obtained 24 factors from Sam Hauser, who was 8 of 12 from 3-point territory. Jaylen Brown scored 23 and Payton Pritchard completed with 21 factors and 10 assists. Jeremiah Fears led New Orleans with 36.
Timberwolves 136, Rockets 132
Donte DiVincenzo scored 11 of his 18 factors to spark a fourth-quarter rally, and Terrence Shannon Jr. chipped in 23 factors off the bench as short-handed Minnesota snapped host Houston’s eight-game profitable streak.
Anthony Edwards scored 22 factors in his return after lacking 10 of the earlier 12 video games. The Timberwolves, taking part in with out starters Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert and sixth man Naz Reid, shot 57.3% from the ground, together with 15 of 30 from behind the arc.
Amen Thompson scored a career-high 41 factors to tempo the Rockets and added 9 rebounds and 7 assists. Kevin Durant posted 33 factors, seven rebounds and 7 assists whereas Alperen Sengun totaled 22 factors and eight assists.
–Area Degree Media
