James Harden had 12 of his game-high 39 factors in time beyond regulation Sunday afternoon, delivering the Los Angeles Clippers a 124-119 win over the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco that sends the Clippers into the playoffs whereas relegating the Warriors to the play-in bracket.
Kawhi Leonard contributed 33 factors, seven assists, six rebounds and three steals, and Ivica Zubac logged 22 factors and 17 rebounds, serving to the Clippers safe the fifth seed within the West and an opening-round matchup with the No. 4 Denver Nuggets.
Stephen Curry bombed in 36 factors, 21 approaching 3-pointers, for the Warriors, who dropped to seventh within the West and can face the No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies in a play-in sport Tuesday night time in San Francisco.
Harden gave the Clippers the lead for good within the five-minute time beyond regulation with a 3-pointer 69 seconds into the session. He later added one other 3-pointer, two free throws, a floater within the lane and two extra clinching foul photographs with 3.0 seconds left to safe Los Angeles’ eighth consecutive win.
Hawks 117, Magic 105
Keaton Wallace had a triple-double with 15 factors, 15 assists and 11 rebounds to raise host Atlanta over Orlando. The groups will meet once more Tuesday in Orlando within the play-in match, with the winner claiming the seventh seed and a first-round match-up towards Boston.
It was a day for the reserves to log loads of minutes as each groups rested their main gamers. Wallace is in his fourth 12 months as a professional however spent most of that point within the G League earlier than making his NBA debut in October 2024. Terance Mann led the Hawks with 19 factors. Jacob Toppin had a career-high 17 factors for Atlanta, together with 5 3-pointers.
Anthony Black led the Magic with 20 factors, and Jett Howard had 16 off the bench. Orlando completed the common season 41-41, Atlanta 40-42. The groups break up 4 regular-season conferences.
Celtics 93, Hornets 86
Payton Pritchard tossed in a game-high 34 factors to assist Boston defeat visiting Charlotte.
As anticipated, the playoff-bound Celtics rested most of their high gamers. Boston obtained 15 factors from Sam Hauser and 11 factors and eight rebounds from Luke Kornet.
Charlotte, which trailed by 21 early, tied the sport 86-86 on a Moussa Diabate layup with 2:13 to play, however Boston regained management by scoring the sport’s remaining seven factors. Josh Okogie and Jusuf Nurkic every scored a team-high 14 factors for the Hornets.
Pacers 126, Cavaliers 118 (2OT)
Indiana rallied from 27 down — the largest comeback in workforce historical past — to beat Cleveland in double time beyond regulation in a battle of Jap Convention playoff groups.
Two-way participant RayJ Dennis scored seven straight factors within the second time beyond regulation, and rookie Johnny Furphy added six factors within the second additional interval for the Pacers, who reached 50 wins for the primary time since 2013-14. Quenton Jackson led Indiana with 21 factors, and Tony Bradley collected 14 factors, 14 rebounds and 5 blocked photographs. The No. 4 Pacers tackle No. 5 seed Milwaukee within the opening spherical.
The Cavaliers rested 9 of their high 10 scorers, together with injured Donovan Mitchell (ankle), together with fellow All-Stars Evan Mobley and Darius Garland. No. 1 seed Cleveland will face the No. 8 seed within the East, which gained’t be decided till the conclusion of the play-in match.
Wizards 119, Warmth 118
Bub Carrington made a closely contested floater on the buzzer to guide visiting Washington over short-handed Miami.
Down seven with 4 minutes remaining, the Warmth went on an 11-0 run. They took a 118-114 lead with 8.5 seconds left, however Justin Champagnie lower it to 1 with a fast 3-pointer. Miami’s Josh Christopher then dedicated a pricey turnover within the backcourt to present Washington the ball again with 4.4 seconds left, organising Carrington’s game-winner.
The Warmth will go to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday within the play-in match, and in the event that they win, they advance to play on Friday towards the loser of Tuesday’s matchup between the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic. If the Warmth win each video games, they would be the No. 8 seed and play a first-round sequence towards the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.
Bulls 122, 76ers 102
Kevin Huerter scored 18 factors as visiting Chicago topped Philadelphia within the regular-season finale for each groups.
Talen Horton-Tucker chipped in 17 factors, and Jalen Smith had 12 factors and 10 boards for Chicago. The Bulls got here into the day already locked into the No. 9 seed within the Jap Convention and can host the Miami Warmth within the play-in match on Wednesday. Chicago sat Josh Giddey (wrist) and restricted the minutes of its different key gamers.
Lonnie Walker IV scored 31 factors to tempo Philadelphia, which missed the playoffs for the primary time since 2016-17. The Sixers have been ravaged by accidents to key gamers and have been compelled to present vital taking part in time to gamers equivalent to Jared Butler (19 factors) and Adem Bona (16).
Knicks 113, Nets 105
Landry Shamet got here off the bench to attain 29 factors, and short-handed New York rode a 17-0 third-quarter run to carry off host Brooklyn within the regular-season finale for each groups.
New York, already locked into the Jap Convention’s No. 3 seed for the playoffs, performed with out stars Karl-Anthony Cities and Jalen Brunson, the latter of whom just lately returned from damage. Mikal Bridges prolonged his consecutive video games streak to 556, however solely after showing for the primary six seconds vs. the Nets.
Tyrese Martin and Trendon Watford every scored 20 factors to guide the Nets, and each grabbed seven rebounds.
Nuggets 126, Rockets 111
Michael Porter Jr. scored 19 factors, Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon completed with 18 apiece, and Denver clinched the No. 4 seed within the Western Convention with a win over host Houston.
The Nuggets, who gained their remaining three video games to earn home-court benefit within the first spherical of the playoffs, will face the fifth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers. Jokic, who had seven rebounds and 7 assists, is the third participant to common a triple-double for a whole season. His 29.6 factors, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists ranked within the high three within the NBA in these classes.
The Rockets dropped their remaining three video games after securing the No. 2 seed within the West. Houston will face the winner of the play-in sport on Tuesday between the host Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies. Fred VanVleet and Amen Thompson scored 15 factors, and Alperen Sengun had 14 for the Rockets.
Grizzlies 132, Mavericks 97
Lamar Stevens, Marvin Bagley III, Cam Spencer and Jay Huff mixed for 101 factors to raise host Memphis to a win over Dallas.
Stevens had 31 factors and 6 rebounds, Bagley added 25 factors and 12 boards, Spencer contributed 23 factors and 7 assists, and Huff completed with 22 factors, six rebounds and 6 blocks within the regular-season finale for each groups. Daniel Gafford paced the Mavericks with 20 factors and 7 rebounds. Jaden Hardy scored 17, and Max Christie had 14.
Each groups rested nearly all of their starters and key reserves forward of Tuesday’s play-in match. Memphis will play because the West’s No. 8 seed towards No. 7 Golden State. Dallas, because the tenth seed, will face No. 9 Sacramento.
Bucks 140, Pistons 133 (OT)
Pat Connaughton saved 10 of his career-high 43 factors for time beyond regulation, Kyle Kuzma chipped in with 22 in simply 12 minutes, and Milwaukee outlasted visiting Detroit in a meaningless regular-season finale that took a again seat to Malik Beasley’s pursuit of the NBA’s 3-point crown.
The Pistons’ Beasley, who started the day with 312 3-pointers, one fewer than league chief Anthony Edwards, buried seven of 11 makes an attempt from deep in simply 19 minutes to maneuver forward by six. Nevertheless, Edwards hit seven 3-pointers to take the title 320-319 within the Minnesota Timberwolves’ win over the Utah Jazz.
The Pistons entered the sport locked into sixth playoff place within the East, the place they are going to tackle the third-seeded New York Knicks. They rested common starters Cade Cunningham, Isaiah Stewart and Ausar Thompson. Likewise, the Bucks knew beforehand that they’d end fifth within the East and draw the No. 4 Indiana Pacers within the first spherical. They sat out Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis, in addition to Damian Lillard, who hopes to return from a calf damage in time for the postseason.
Timberwolves 116, Jazz 105
Anthony Edwards made essentially the most of a second likelihood, scoring 43 factors to assist Minnesota clinch a playoff spot by knocking off Utah in Minneapolis.
The Timberwolves earned the sixth seed within the West playoffs and can face the Los Angeles Lakers within the first spherical. Edwards was allowed to play within the regular-season finale after the NBA rescinded his 18th technical foul — and the accompanying automated one-game suspension — that he’d been assessed Friday towards Brooklyn.
Brice Sensabaugh scored 22 factors because the Jazz completed the season with the NBA’s worst document (17-65) after Washington’s upset win at Miami earlier within the day.
Thunder 115, Pelicans 100
Aaron Wiggins scored 28 factors, Branden Carlson had 26 factors and 10 rebounds, and visiting Oklahoma Metropolis by no means trailed throughout a victory over New Orleans.
Kenrich Williams had 17 factors and 12 rebounds, Isaiah Joe scored 17, and Dillon Jones had 13 factors and 10 rebounds because the NBA-best Thunder completed the winningest common season in franchise historical past on a four-game successful streak. Oklahoma Metropolis dressed simply 9 gamers and didn’t play any of its starters.
Antonio Reeves scored 20 factors, Jamal Cain had 18, Lester Quinones had 17, Keion Brooks Jr. had 15, Jose Alvarado scored 14, and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl added 10 factors and 16 rebounds to guide the Pelicans, who completed their second-worst season in franchise historical past on a seven-game shedding streak. New Orleans dressed simply eight gamers for the third consecutive sport.
Path Blazers 109, Lakers 81
Dalano Banton matched a season excessive with 23 factors to gas host Portland to a convincing victory over Los Angeles within the groups’ regular-season finale.
Whereas the Path Blazers have lengthy since been faraway from playoff rivalry, the third-seeded Lakers have been capable of relaxation stars Luka Doncic, LeBron James (left groin pressure) and Austin Reaves, amongst others, forward of their first-round playoff sequence towards the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves.
Banton joined Toumani Camara by sinking 4 3-pointers for Portland. Matisse Thybulle scored 15 factors, Camara completed with 14, Rayan Rupert had 13, and Donovan Clingan collected 12 factors and 12 rebounds for the Path Blazers. Dalton Knecht recorded 27 factors, Shake Milton had 16, and Jordan Goodwin added 12 off the bench to tempo the Lakers.
Kings 109, Suns 98
Sacramento capitalized on visiting Phoenix, having a depleted roster, and secured home-court benefit for its upcoming Western Convention play-in matchup.
Sacramento was already locked right into a No. 9 vs. No. 10 contest with Dallas within the play-in. However with the Kings pulling out of a two-game hunch and the Mavericks shedding a blowout to Memphis, Sacramento attracts internet hosting duties. The Kings host the Mavericks on Wednesday, with the winner advancing to play the loser of Tuesday’s play-in sport between the host Golden State Warriors and the Memphis Grizzlies.
Jonas Valanciunas got here off the bench to guide the Kings with 22 factors and 10 boards, whereas Domantas Sabonis posted his 62nd double-double of the season with 20 factors and 12 rebounds. Zach LaVine’s 16 factors ended a five-game streak of 25-plus level performances. Enjoying with out Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, the Suns have been led by Grayson Allen’s 20 factors and Tyus Jones’ 17 factors.
Spurs 125, Raptors 118
Keldon Johnson scored 23 factors off the bench, and Stephon Citadel added 20, which included a late basket and free throw, as host San Antonio roared again within the second half to beat Toronto within the season finale for each groups.
Neither the Spurs nor the Raptors certified for the postseason. San Antonio has not been within the playoffs since 2019, whereas the Raptors failed to achieve the postseason for the third straight 12 months.
Harrison Barnes added 18 factors for San Antonio, whereas Chris Paul hit for 15 and Julian Champagnie scored 14. Toronto’s Scottie Barnes led all scorers with 35 factors and added 11 rebounds and eight assists. Jamison Battle added 25 factors, and Jonathon Mogbo racked up 14 rebounds and 10 assists — lacking a triple-double by one level.