The final week of the 2014-15 NBA regular season continued on Sunday, April 12. The postseason picture continued to take shape with a berth being secured and a number of teams moving up and down the standings.
This is how it all transpired.
1. Tim Duncan had 22 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a pair of steals to help the San Antonio Spurs pull away for a 107-91 victory over the Phoenix Suns. Gerald Green scored 23 points in 26 minutes and Eric Bledsoe had 20 points and 10 assists for the Suns, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Spurs’ balanced attack, which included 18 points and nine rebounds from Kawhi Leonard.
San Antonio has won 11 consecutive games.
2. Ersan Ilyasova scored 21 points and O.J. Mayo put up 17 points in 20 minutes to help the Milwaukee Bucks blow out the Brooklyn Nets 96-73. Giannis Antetokounmpo added 12 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, one block and a steal as Milwaukee continued its tremendous turnaround.
One season removed from losing 67 games, Milwaukee clinched a playoff berth with win No. 40.
3. Under the current postseason format, the Bucks are the first team in NBA history to make the playoffs the year after having the worst record in the league.
4. John Wall put up 24 points and nine assists to lead the Washington Wizards past the Atlanta Hawks 108-99. Atlanta rested all five of its starters, but this win was big for the Wizards, nonetheless.
Washington’s 46 wins are its most since 1978-79.
5. Russell Westbrook erupted for a career-high 54 points, but the Oklahoma City Thunder lost 116-104 to the Indiana Pacers. C.J. Miles recorded 31 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacers, but OKC was doomed by its 11-of-28 shooting at the free throw line.
OKC falls to 2-7 when Westbrook scores at least 40 points.
6. James Harden put up 30 points and seven assists to lead the Houston Rockets past the New Orleans Pelicans 121-114. Anthony Davis led the Pelicans with 27 points and Jrue Holiday had 17 points in 15 minutes, while Dwight Howard put up 19 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks for the Rockets.
Houston improves to 30-5 when Harden scores at least 30 points.
7. Isaiah Thomas scored 17 points in 22 minutes as the Boston Celtics destroyed the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers 117-78. Cleveland rested Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, Kevin Love and J.R. Smith, and the Celtics didn’t let the short-handed Cavaliers make any form of a statement.
Boston has won four in a row and six of its past seven.
8. Tyson Chandler posted 20 points, nine rebounds and two blocks on 9-of-10 shooting as the Dallas Mavericks erupted for a 120-106 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. Rajon Rondo added 11 points, 11 assists, eight rebounds and a steal for Dallas, while Jordan Clarkson scored 26 points and Tarik Black pulled down 19 rebounds for Los Angeles.
Dallas has won three straight games.
9. Jodie Meeks scored 24 efficient points off the bench to help the Detroit Pistons demolish the Charlotte Hornets 116-77. Andre Drummond put up 15 points, 19 rebounds, four assists and two blocks for Detroit, while rookie Noah Vonleh recorded his first career double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds in 29 minutes for Charlotte.
The Hornets have dropped six consecutive road games.
10. Kenneth Faried scored 30 points on 12-of-14 shooting to lead the Denver Nuggets to a high-octane 122-111 victory over the Sacramento Kings. Omri Casspi put up 22 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, and Ben McLemore had 20 points, seven assists, five rebounds and four steals for the Kings, but Sacramento’s defense fell apart.
Faried’s 30 points set a new season-high.
Bonus Fact: Westbrook recorded his 16th technical foul of the season, meaning he’ll be suspended for the next game.