With less than a month before the regular season ends, every game matters. Just like for the LA Clippers, whose ongoing surge closed the gap in a heated West no. 6 race. Wednesday also saw victories from the Golden State Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
CELTICS CLAIM 50TH WIN, PEAKING CLIPPERS STAY HOT
- Boston Celtics (50-19) def. Brooklyn Nets (23-46), 104-96: Kristaps Porzingis submitted a strong 25-point, 13-rebound double-double to carry the Celtics to win no. 50 of the season and their third straight dub, despite Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s absence.
[ALSO READ: Celtics buck absence of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown to stifle Nets for 50th win this season]
- LA Clippers (40-29) def. Cleveland Cavaliers, (56-11), 132-119: Kawhi Leonard and Ivica Zubac led from the front to banner a fourth straight Clippers win, handing the NBA-best Cavaliers their first back-to-back loss in two months.
- Clips Lurking Behind: Leonard tied a season-high 33 points while Zubac put up a monster 28-20 game on his 28th birthday, as LA is now just half a game behind the West no. 7 Timberwolves (40-30) and one full game trailing the sixth seed Warriors (40-29).
- Golden State Warriors (40-29) def. Milwaukee Bucks, (38-30), 104-93: Jimmy Butler took command for the Stephen Curry-less Warriors, dropping a stellar 24-8-10 statline for a resounding bounce-back dub at the Bucks’ expense.
[ALSO READ: Without Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler flashes vintage game for Warriors vs Bucks]
- Atlanta Hawks (33-36) def. Charlotte Hornets (17-51), 134-102: Behind the trio of Trae Young, Dyson Daniels, and Zacch Risacher, the Hawks completed a regular season series sweep of the Hornets via a 32-point romp on the road.
- Triple Trouble: Young unleashed 31 points, while Daniels and Risacher each added 22 and 21 markers respectively, as Atlanta soared back into the win column in a commanding fashion.
