The NBA played host to 13 games featuring 26 playoff-hungry team, and nine of them were decided by double-digit scoring margins. Despite the lopsided nature of the games, there were a number of critical results in the hunt for the postseason.
Here’s everything that you need to know about last night’s action.
1. Marcin Gortat scored 22 points and John Wall tallied 13 and 10 assists to lead the Washington Wizards to a 118-92 win over the Boston Celtics. Bradley Beal added 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting as the Wizards shot a remarkably efficient 62.5 percent from the floor and 52.6 percent from beyond the arc.
With its win, Washington secured its first postseason berth since 2007-08.
2. The San Antonio Spurs continued to destroy the rest of the NBA with a 111-90 victory over the Golden State Warriors. Six separate Spurs scored in double-figures, Stephen Curry was held to 5-of-15 shooting and San Antonio dished out 29 team assists.
The Spurs improved their franchise record and NBA-best winning streak to 19 games.
3. DeMar DeRozan continued to make his case for an All-NBA selection by scoring 29 points in a 107-103 Toronto Raptors victory over the Houston Rockets. James Harden countered with 26 points, but Houston lost its third straight game without Dwight Howard.
As a result of the Rockets’ loss, the Spurs clinched the Southwest Division title.
4. Darren Collison and Blake Griffin both scored 23 points and Chris Paul lit it up from distance as the Los Angeles Clippers escaped with a 112-108 road win over the Phoenix Suns. It was a big comeback win for the Clippers, which trailed by 17 points with 1:27 remaining in the third quarter.
The Clippers clinched the Pacific Division with their win.
5. Kevin Love went off for 24 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists as the Minnesota Timberwolves played spoiler with a 102-88 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Ronny Turiaf returned from a month-and-a-half injury absence, posting 11 points and seven rebounds on 5-of-5 shooting in 22 minutes.
This was Love’s third career triple-double. All three have come in 2013-14.
6. J.R. Smith, Carmelo Anthony and Tim Hardaway Jr. took over to lead the New York Knicks to a 110-81 blowout of the Brooklyn Nets. Smith scored a game-high 24 points, ‘Melo posted 23 and 10 rebounds, and Hardaway Jr. poured in 17 on 7-of-10 shooting.
This performance ties Anthony’s career-high of 22 double-doubles in one season.
7. Only three players scored in double-figures for the defending champions, but that’s all the Miami Heat needed to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks 96-77. LeBron James scored a team-high 17 points as Miami used its defense to earn a comfortable home win.
The bright spot for Milwaukee was Zaza Pachulia, who grabbed a season-high 16 rebounds.
8. Paul George took over and posted 27 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists and two steals as the Indiana Pacers picked up a much-needed 101-94 win over the Detroit Pistons. Both teams had six scorers in double-figures, but it was Indiana that made the necessary fourth quarter stops.
Indiana picked up its 34th victory at Bankers Life Fieldhouse this season to match its highest home win total since 2003-04.
9. Kenneth Faried went off for 34 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks on 14-of-19 shooting as the Denver Nuggets defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 137-107. Aaron Brooks added 24 points for Denver, while Tyreke Evans tallied 27 for the opposition.
Faried’s scoring outburst set a new career-high.
10. D.J. Augustin continued his breakout season with 23 points as the Chicago Bulls took down the Atlanta Hawks 105-92. Joakim Noah added 10 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and two steals, while Paul Millsap had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the struggling Hawks.
Atlanta temporarily drops out of the playoffs by allowing the Knicks to move into the No. 8 seed.
Bonus Facts
- Ray McCallum scored a career-high 27 points, but the Sacramento Kings fell 107-102 to the Los Angeles Lakers. McCallum set his previous career-high of 22 in the Kings’ previous game.
- Al Jefferson posted 25 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Charlotte Bobcats to a 123-93 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
- Tristan Thompson had 20 points and 11 rebounds as the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Orlando Magic 119-98.