Jarrett Allen achieved his 32nd double-double of the season and assisted the Cleveland Cavaliers in securing their first playoff spot since 2018 with a 108-91 win against the Houston Rockets on Sunday. Evan Mobley added 19 points, seven rebounds, and five assists to Allen’s 24 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocks. Jalen Green scored 30 points to lead the Rockets.
Sunday was also a significant day for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who defeated the Golden State Warriors 99-96. With 11.1 seconds left, Kyle Anderson intercepted a Draymond Green pass, which Karl-Anthony Towns converted into the game-winning 3-pointer. The Timberwolves were led by Naz Reid’s team-high 23 points off the bench, while Rudy Gobert contributed 10 points and 18 rebounds.
Gordon Hayward scored eight of his 22 points in the last quarter as the Charlotte Hornets defeated the Dallas Mavericks 110-104. P.J. Washington scored 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, while Hornets rookie big Mark Williams contributed 15 points and 16 rebounds. For the Mavericks, Luka Doncic had 40 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists.
Zach LaVine scored a game-high 32 points as the Chicago Bulls beat the Los Angeles Lakers 118-108, while DeMar DeRozan had a double-double with 17 points and 10 assists. LeBron James led the Lakers with 19 points, followed by Troy Brown Jr. with 18 and Malik Beasley with 18.
The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Atlanta Hawks 123-119 and extended their winning run to six games thanks to a combined 52 points from Ja Morant and Desmond Bane. In his first start after returning from an eight-game ban, Morant scored 27 points and dished out six assists in his first game. Trae Young led the Hawks in scoring with 28 points and 10 assists, while Clint Capela contributed 18 points and 16 rebounds.
Jaylen Brown scored 41 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the Boston Celtics defeated the San Antonio Spurs 137-93 to edge closer to the NBA’s top record. For the Celtics, Malcolm Brogdon contributed 20 points, nine assists, and five rebounds, while Zach Collins led the Spurs with 21 points, seven rebounds, and four assists.
Cole Anthony led eight players in double digits with 21 points as the Orlando Magic defeated the Brooklyn Nets 119-106 with a second-quarter takeover and third-quarter runaway. Franz Wagner scored 19 points and grabbed 10 boards as Orlando outscored the Nets in the paint 58-38. For the Nets, Mikal Bridges scored 44 points.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 118-112 win against the Portland Trail Blazers with 31 and 23 points, respectively. Isaiah Joe delivered 20 points, seven rebounds, and five assists off the bench for Oklahoma City, while Shaedon Sharpe scored a career-high 29 points and Nassir Little added his season-high 28 points for Portland.
—Field Level Media The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles are Our Standards.
The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Houston Rockets on Thursday evening, securing an amazing victory and a spot in the NBA playoffs.
In the Quicken Loans Arena, the Cavaliers produced breathtaking offense on route to a 125-109 triumph, led by LeBron James’s outstanding effort. James led the team in scoring with 32 points, while Kyrie Irving contributed 20 points, including 7 of 12 3-pointers.
The victory, the Cavaliers’ fourth in a row, propelled them to fourth place in the rankings, ensuring their berth in the postseason for the fifth consecutive year.
The Rockets, who entered the game with the fifth-best record in the NBA, fought valiantly but were unable to withstand the Cavaliers’ relentless assault. James had an arrogant demeanor throughout the contest and made his mark from both inside and beyond the arc.
The Cavaliers are now practically likely to make the playoffs and will now focus on catching their division rivals, the Toronto Raptors.
The Cleveland franchise will be keen to conclude the regular season on a strong note in order to generate momentum for their upcoming playoff campaign, since a postseason berth is almost certain.
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