In an eight-game NBA Thursday, The Oklahoma City Thunder became the second team after the Cleveland Cavaliers to seal a postseason slot, while the Memphis Grizzlies and the Denver Nuggets now share the West no. 2 spot.
THUNDER BOOK PLAYOFF BERTH; MIKAL BRIDGES GAME-WINNER RESCUE KNICKS
- OKC Thunder (54-12) def. Boston Celtics (47-19), 118-112: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander registered his 41st 30-point game, pacing another Thunder victory in Boston en route to clinching a playoff berth for the second straight season.
[ALSO READ: West no. 1 Thunder put clamps on champion Celtics, clinch playoff spot]
- New York Knicks (42-23) def. Portland Trail Blazers (28-39), 114-13: Mikal Bridges capped off a 33-point outing with a game-winning triple as time expired, sending the Knicks past the Trail Blazers in a pulsating overtime finish.
- Atlanta Hawks (32-34) def. Charlotte Hornets (16-49), 123-110: Trae Young made all of his 21 free throws on way to a stellar 35-point, 12-assist double-double, taking charge in a fourth straight Hawks victory.
- Toronto Raptors (23-43) def. Philadelphia 76ers (22-43), 118-105: Jared Rhoden, Orlando Robinson, A.J. Lawson combined to score 78 markers and bannered a fifth Raptors win in the last six games.
- LA Clippers (36-30) def. Miami Heat (29-36), 119-104: Bogdan Bogdanovic went off with a season-high 30 points, spearheading a resounding Clippers bounce back while handing the Heat a fifth-straight loss.
GRIZZLIES GRAB A SHARE OF WEST NO. 2; TWOLVES STAY HOT
- Memphis Grizzlies (42-24) def. Utah Jazz (15-51), 122-115: Ja Morant lifted the Grizzlies past the Jazz for a fourth consecutive victory as Memphis is now in joint second spot with the Nuggets in the West.
- Minnesota Timberwolves (38-29) def. Denver Nuggets (42-24), 115-95: Anthony Edwards and the surging Timberwolves claimed a sixth-straight dub after clamping down Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets in the Mile High City.
[ALSO READ: Anthony Edwards,Timberwolves bank on stifling defense to crush Nuggets]
- Houston Rockets (41-25) def. Phoenix Suns (30-36), 111-104: Led by Jalen Green’s 29 points, the Rockets are now picking up steam thanks to a third straight victory at the Suns’ expense.
- San Antonio Spurs (27-37) def. Dallas Mavericks (33-34), 126-116: De’Aaron Fox fell one rebound shy of a triple-double, submitting 32 points, 11 assists, and nine boards that ended the Spurs’ three-game losing skid.
