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Saturday, March 28
NBA roundup: Hawks win, clinch No. 1 seed in East
ATLANTA -- Forward DeMarre Carroll scored 19 of his 24 points in the first half to lead the Atlanta Hawks to a 99-86 victory over the Miami Heat on Friday.
The victory, along with Cleveland's loss to Brooklyn, enabled Atlanta to clinch first place in the Eastern Conference. It is only the second time the Hawks have clinched the No. 1 seed, the other coming in 1993-94.
Carroll scored 10 points in the first quarter to get Atlanta's runaway win started. It was the fifth time Carroll has topped 20 points this year. His season high is 26 against Minnesota on Feb. 9.
The Hawks (55-17) also got 21 points, nine rebounds and four assists from forward Paul Millsap, 15 points from center Al Horford, and 12 points and 11 assists from guard Dennis Schroder.
It was the second straight win for Atlanta, which improved to 31-5 at home.
Miami (33-39) was led by center Luol Deng with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Miami is 16-21 on the road this season, and the win gave Atlanta a four-game sweep against Miami this season.
Nets 106, Cavaliers 98
NEW YORK -- Forward Joe Johnson paced a balanced scoring attack with 20 points and nine assists and center Brook Lopez added 20 points, leading Brooklyn to a crucial victory.
The victory, the fourth in five games for the Nets, enabled Brooklyn (31-40) to keep pace with Boston and Indiana for eighth place in the tightly contested NBA Eastern Conference standings.
The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Cavaliers (47-27), who are trying to nail down the No. 2 spot in the conference standings. It also snapped an eight-game winning streak that the Cavs owned over the Nets with LeBron James in the lineup.
The Cavs got a game-high 26 points from guard Kyrie Irving and a very quiet 24 points from James.
Raptors 94, Lakers 83
TORONTO -- For the third time in franchise history and the second time in as many seasons, the Raptors are Atlantic Division champions.
The Raptors, led by center Jonas Valanciunas' 19 points, have now won seven of their last 11 home games and improved to 25-13 at home this season, including 10-4 against the Western Conference.
Forward James Johnson had 17 points, six rebounds and three assists while guard Lou Williams added 18 points and four assists.
The Lakers (19-52) dropped to 11-17 against the Eastern Conference this season including 2-11 on the road.
Guard Jeremy Lin led the Lakers with 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
Clippers 119, 76ers 98
PHILADELPHIA -- Veteran point guard Chris Paul scored 25 points to help the Clippers clinch a playoff berth for an unprecedented fourth straight season.
Guard J.J. Redick added 19 points for the Clippers (48-25), who have won six straight. Center DeAndre Jordan shrugged off 5-for-17 foul shooting to contribute 17 points and 20 rebounds, and forward Matt Barnes scored 15 points.
Rookie center Nerlens Noel had a career-high 30 points and 14 rebounds for the Sixers (18-55), who lost for the third time in four games.
Pistons 111, Magic 97
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Point guard Reggie Jackson had 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists -- his second triple-double in nine days -- to lead the Detroit to its fifth win in its last six games, keeping its slim playoff hopes alive.
The Magic (22-52) have lost nine of their last 10.
Reserve forward Tayshaun Prince, in his 13th NBA season, had 23 points in just 27 minutes for Detroit.
The Magic were led by center Nikola Vucevic with 20 points and 14 rebounds.
Pelicans 102, Kings 88
NEW ORLEANS -- Guard Tyreke Evans scored 25 points and had 10 assists, and forward Anthony Davis scored 24 points as New Orleans Pelicans snapped a four-game losing streak.
The Pelicans (38-34) trailed 57-52 early in the third quarter but then went on a 36-13 spurt to take control.
The Kings (26-46) were led by center DeMarcus Cousins, who scored a game-high 39 points, including 23 in the first half. The loss broke the Kings' four-game winning streak.
Rockets 120, Timberwolves 110
HOUSTON -- James Harden recorded his league-leading 31st 30-point game and Josh Smith flirted with a triple-double as the Rockets clinched a postseason berth with a victory over Minnesota.
Harden finished with 33 points, eight assists and a season-high-tying five steals as the Rockets (49-23) closed to within a half-game of the Memphis Grizzlies.
Smith, in the starting lineup for the first time since Jan. 2 and replacing forward Donatas Motiejunas, finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and 11 assists.
Rookie forward Andrew Wiggins scored a team-high 31 points for the Timberwolves, who played with just eight available players.
Rockets center Dwight Howard, playing his second game after missing 26 following right knee surgery, finished with 18 points while hitting his minutes restriction of 20.
Warriors 107, Grizzlies 84
MEMPHIS -- In a game between the Western Conference's top two teams, guard Stephen Curry scored 38 points and guard Klay Thompson added 28 to lead the Warriors, who got their 59th win, tying a franchise record set 39 years ago.
Golden State (59-13) won its eighth straight and avenged a 105-98 loss to the Grizzlies (50-23) in December. Memphis was the only team this season the Warriors had not defeated.
Guard Mike Conley and forward Jeff Green led the Grizzlies with 16 points each. Forward Tony Allen was limited to four points in 19 minutes. He suffered a left hamstring strain in the third quarter and did not return.
The Grizzlies suffered their second straight lopsided home loss. Cleveland beat Memphis 111-89 on Wednesday night.
Wizards 110, Hornets 107 (2 OT)
WASHINGTON -- Guard John Wall scored 32 points, including seven in the second overtime, to help Washington snap a four-game losing streak.
Wall's pull-up jumper with 3.9 seconds remaining in regulation tied the score at 96 and his 3-pointer with 2:22 left in the second overtime put the Wizards (41-32) ahead for good.
Center Al Jefferson had 31 points and guard Mo Williams 26 for the Hornets (30-41). Both missed a 3-pointer after another Wall jumper put the Wizards up three with 9.9 seconds left.
Celtics 96, Knicks 92
NEW YORK -- The Celtics, battling for the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs, won for just the second time in their last six games, defeating the New York at Madison Square Garden.
Boston (32-40) entered the game with a half-game lead over Indiana, Brooklyn and Charlotte for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Celtics were led by guard Isaiah Thomas, who poured in 18 points off the bench. Forward Jae Crowder accumulated 17 points and nine rebounds and forward Brandon Bass had 16 points and 10 rebounds.
New York dropped its fifth straight game and the 21st in its last 25. Center Andrea Bargnani paced the Knicks with 25 points and seven rebounds.
Spurs 94, Mavericks 76
SAN ANTONIO - Forward Boris Diaw scored 19 points to help the Spurs defeat Dallas and split the season series with two victories apiece.
San Antonio established a 21-point lead in the second quarter, Dallas cut it to four by midway through the third quarter, and then the Spurs pulled away again early in the fourth.
Dallas (45-28) committed 18 turnovers and lost guard Monta Ellis, who left in the third quarter with an injury to his right knee and did not return. Ellis finished with 10 points.
Nuggets 107, Jazz 91
DENVER -- Guard Ty Lawson had 18 points and nine assists, and guard Jameer Nelson came off the bench to also score 18 to lead Denver.
The Jazz lost four straight and five of six following a season-best six-game winning streak.
Forward Danilo Gallinari shook off a sore right shoulder to score 13 points along with a season-high three blocks for Denver.
Forward Gordon Hayward returned to the lineup to score 24 for the Jazz, and center Rudy Gobert had 14 points and 14 rebounds.
Trail Blazers 87, Suns 81
PHOENIX -- LaMarcus Aldridge scored 10 of his 27 points in the final 3:25 to help Portland snap a seven-game losing streak at the US Airways Center.
Portland trailed by as many as eight points in the fourth quarter before roaring down the stretch with a 15-2 run, with Aldridge scoring 10 straight points on five mid-range jumpers. It was the Blazers' first win in Phoenix since Dec. 10, 2010.
Center Robin Lopez had 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Blazers (46-25), who won their second straight on the road after a four-game losing streak.
Forwards Markieff and Marcus Morris combined for 34 points and 21 rebounds for the Suns (38-35), who lost their second straight at home and fell 3 1/2 games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot.
Saturday, March 28
NBA roundup: Hawks win, clinch No. 1 seed in East
ATLANTA -- Forward DeMarre Carroll scored 19 of his 24 points in the first half to lead the Atlanta Hawks to a 99-86 victory over the Miami Heat on Friday.
The victory, along with Cleveland's loss to Brooklyn, enabled Atlanta to clinch first place in the Eastern Conference. It is only the second time the Hawks have clinched the No. 1 seed, the other coming in 1993-94.
Carroll scored 10 points in the first quarter to get Atlanta's runaway win started. It was the fifth time Carroll has topped 20 points this year. His season high is 26 against Minnesota on Feb. 9.
The Hawks (55-17) also got 21 points, nine rebounds and four assists from forward Paul Millsap, 15 points from center Al Horford, and 12 points and 11 assists from guard Dennis Schroder.
It was the second straight win for Atlanta, which improved to 31-5 at home.
Miami (33-39) was led by center Luol Deng with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Miami is 16-21 on the road this season, and the win gave Atlanta a four-game sweep against Miami this season.
Nets 106, Cavaliers 98
NEW YORK -- Forward Joe Johnson paced a balanced scoring attack with 20 points and nine assists and center Brook Lopez added 20 points, leading Brooklyn to a crucial victory.
The victory, the fourth in five games for the Nets, enabled Brooklyn (31-40) to keep pace with Boston and Indiana for eighth place in the tightly contested NBA Eastern Conference standings.
The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Cavaliers (47-27), who are trying to nail down the No. 2 spot in the conference standings. It also snapped an eight-game winning streak that the Cavs owned over the Nets with LeBron James in the lineup.
The Cavs got a game-high 26 points from guard Kyrie Irving and a very quiet 24 points from James.
Raptors 94, Lakers 83
TORONTO -- For the third time in franchise history and the second time in as many seasons, the Raptors are Atlantic Division champions.
The Raptors, led by center Jonas Valanciunas' 19 points, have now won seven of their last 11 home games and improved to 25-13 at home this season, including 10-4 against the Western Conference.
Forward James Johnson had 17 points, six rebounds and three assists while guard Lou Williams added 18 points and four assists.
The Lakers (19-52) dropped to 11-17 against the Eastern Conference this season including 2-11 on the road.
Guard Jeremy Lin led the Lakers with 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
Clippers 119, 76ers 98
PHILADELPHIA -- Veteran point guard Chris Paul scored 25 points to help the Clippers clinch a playoff berth for an unprecedented fourth straight season.
Guard J.J. Redick added 19 points for the Clippers (48-25), who have won six straight. Center DeAndre Jordan shrugged off 5-for-17 foul shooting to contribute 17 points and 20 rebounds, and forward Matt Barnes scored 15 points.
Rookie center Nerlens Noel had a career-high 30 points and 14 rebounds for the Sixers (18-55), who lost for the third time in four games.
Pistons 111, Magic 97
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Point guard Reggie Jackson had 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists -- his second triple-double in nine days -- to lead the Detroit to its fifth win in its last six games, keeping its slim playoff hopes alive.
The Magic (22-52) have lost nine of their last 10.
Reserve forward Tayshaun Prince, in his 13th NBA season, had 23 points in just 27 minutes for Detroit.
The Magic were led by center Nikola Vucevic with 20 points and 14 rebounds.
Pelicans 102, Kings 88
NEW ORLEANS -- Guard Tyreke Evans scored 25 points and had 10 assists, and forward Anthony Davis scored 24 points as New Orleans Pelicans snapped a four-game losing streak.
The Pelicans (38-34) trailed 57-52 early in the third quarter but then went on a 36-13 spurt to take control.
The Kings (26-46) were led by center DeMarcus Cousins, who scored a game-high 39 points, including 23 in the first half. The loss broke the Kings' four-game winning streak.
Rockets 120, Timberwolves 110
HOUSTON -- James Harden recorded his league-leading 31st 30-point game and Josh Smith flirted with a triple-double as the Rockets clinched a postseason berth with a victory over Minnesota.
Harden finished with 33 points, eight assists and a season-high-tying five steals as the Rockets (49-23) closed to within a half-game of the Memphis Grizzlies.
Smith, in the starting lineup for the first time since Jan. 2 and replacing forward Donatas Motiejunas, finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and 11 assists.
Rookie forward Andrew Wiggins scored a team-high 31 points for the Timberwolves, who played with just eight available players.
Rockets center Dwight Howard, playing his second game after missing 26 following right knee surgery, finished with 18 points while hitting his minutes restriction of 20.
Warriors 107, Grizzlies 84
MEMPHIS -- In a game between the Western Conference's top two teams, guard Stephen Curry scored 38 points and guard Klay Thompson added 28 to lead the Warriors, who got their 59th win, tying a franchise record set 39 years ago.
Golden State (59-13) won its eighth straight and avenged a 105-98 loss to the Grizzlies (50-23) in December. Memphis was the only team this season the Warriors had not defeated.
Guard Mike Conley and forward Jeff Green led the Grizzlies with 16 points each. Forward Tony Allen was limited to four points in 19 minutes. He suffered a left hamstring strain in the third quarter and did not return.
The Grizzlies suffered their second straight lopsided home loss. Cleveland beat Memphis 111-89 on Wednesday night.
Wizards 110, Hornets 107 (2 OT)
WASHINGTON -- Guard John Wall scored 32 points, including seven in the second overtime, to help Washington snap a four-game losing streak.
Wall's pull-up jumper with 3.9 seconds remaining in regulation tied the score at 96 and his 3-pointer with 2:22 left in the second overtime put the Wizards (41-32) ahead for good.
Center Al Jefferson had 31 points and guard Mo Williams 26 for the Hornets (30-41). Both missed a 3-pointer after another Wall jumper put the Wizards up three with 9.9 seconds left.
Celtics 96, Knicks 92
NEW YORK -- The Celtics, battling for the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs, won for just the second time in their last six games, defeating the New York at Madison Square Garden.
Boston (32-40) entered the game with a half-game lead over Indiana, Brooklyn and Charlotte for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Celtics were led by guard Isaiah Thomas, who poured in 18 points off the bench. Forward Jae Crowder accumulated 17 points and nine rebounds and forward Brandon Bass had 16 points and 10 rebounds.
New York dropped its fifth straight game and the 21st in its last 25. Center Andrea Bargnani paced the Knicks with 25 points and seven rebounds.
Spurs 94, Mavericks 76
SAN ANTONIO - Forward Boris Diaw scored 19 points to help the Spurs defeat Dallas and split the season series with two victories apiece.
San Antonio established a 21-point lead in the second quarter, Dallas cut it to four by midway through the third quarter, and then the Spurs pulled away again early in the fourth.
Dallas (45-28) committed 18 turnovers and lost guard Monta Ellis, who left in the third quarter with an injury to his right knee and did not return. Ellis finished with 10 points.
Nuggets 107, Jazz 91
DENVER -- Guard Ty Lawson had 18 points and nine assists, and guard Jameer Nelson came off the bench to also score 18 to lead Denver.
The Jazz lost four straight and five of six following a season-best six-game winning streak.
Forward Danilo Gallinari shook off a sore right shoulder to score 13 points along with a season-high three blocks for Denver.
Forward Gordon Hayward returned to the lineup to score 24 for the Jazz, and center Rudy Gobert had 14 points and 14 rebounds.
Trail Blazers 87, Suns 81
PHOENIX -- LaMarcus Aldridge scored 10 of his 27 points in the final 3:25 to help Portland snap a seven-game losing streak at the US Airways Center.
Portland trailed by as many as eight points in the fourth quarter before roaring down the stretch with a 15-2 run, with Aldridge scoring 10 straight points on five mid-range jumpers. It was the Blazers' first win in Phoenix since Dec. 10, 2010.
Center Robin Lopez had 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Blazers (46-25), who won their second straight on the road after a four-game losing streak.
Forwards Markieff and Marcus Morris combined for 34 points and 21 rebounds for the Suns (38-35), who lost their second straight at home and fell 3 1/2 games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot.
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