Cleveland’s franchise-record 16th straight win headlined a loaded 10-game NBA Saturday that also saw the Boston Celtics clinch a playoff ticket and the Denver Nuggets ascend to the West second spot.
CAVALIERS ROLL TO 16TH STRAIGHT W; CELTICS SEAL PLAYOFF SEAT
- Cleveland Cavaliers (56-10) def. Memphis Grizzlies (42-25), 133-124: The red-hot Cavaliers set a franchise record of 16 straight wins, after overcoming Ja Morant’s season-high 44 and snapping the Grizzlies’ four-game winning run.
[ALSO READ: Cavaliers negate Ja Morant’s 44, beat Grizzlies to set franchise-record 16th straight win]
- Boston Celtics (48-19) def. Miami Heat (29-37), 103-91: Defending champions Celtics became the third team to punch a playoff ticket after sending the fading Heat reeling to a sixth straight loss.
- JT 🤝 Jrue: Jayson Tatum unleashed 28 points while Jrue Holiday finished with a season-high 25 points, as Boston is bound to an 11th straight playoff appearance, the longest active postseason streak of any team to this date.
- LA Clippers (37-30) def. Atlanta Hawks (32-35), 121-98: James Harden and Kawhi Leonard scored 25 points apiece, bannering a 23-point Clippers’ rout of the Hawks for a fourth dub in the last five games.
- Welcome Back, Bogi: It also marked the first time Bogdan Bogdanovic returned to Atlanta since being traded last February. The Serbian gunner spent five seasons with the squad, including a stint in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021.
Bogdan Bogdanovic is back in Atlanta for the first time and feeling the love 🙌
— NBA (@NBA) March 15, 2025
- Charlotte Hornets (17-49) def. San Antonio Spurs (27-38), 145-134: The Hornets shot the lights out in San Antonio, setting a franchise-record 25 threes against the Spurs.
- Buzz City Made it Rain: LaMelo Ball put up 27 points, 15 assists, and seven threes while Nick Smith Jr. and Josh Green had six treys apiece, as Charlotte drained 18 threes in the first half alone.
- Indiana Pacers (37-28) def. Philadelphia 76ers (22-44), 112-100: A balanced attack saw five Pacers score in double figures for a second straight victory, with Pascal Siakam’s 27 points leading the charge against the Sixers.
NUGGETS BACK TO WEST NO. 2; ROCKETS, TWOLVES KEEP HUMMING
- Denver Nuggets (43-24) def. LA Lakers (40-25), 131-126: The Nuggets leaned on Jamal Murray and Russell Westbrook’s clutch plays on both ends to hand the Lakers a fourth straight loss while regaining sole possession of the West no. 2.
[ALSO READ: Jamal Murray hits game-winning triple as Nuggets survive short-handed Lakers in thriller]
- Minnesota Timberwolves (39-29) def. Orlando Magic (31-37), 118-111: Anthony Edwards and the surging Timberwolves rode a blistering 40-24 fourth quarter to rally past the Magic, racking up a seventh straight victory in the process.
- Houston Rockets (42-25) def. Dallas Mavericks (32-35), 133-96: Tari Eason went off with a career-high 30 points and the Rockets made it five straight victories after demolishing the injury-hit Mavericks--who lost Dante Exum indefinitely due to a broken bone in his left hand.
- Toronto Raptors (24-43) def. Utah Jazz (15-52), 126-118: Scottie Barnes registered a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double, anchoring the Raptors to their third straight win and sixth in the last seven games overall.
- Phoenix Suns (31-36) def. Sacramento Kings (33-33), 122-106: Kevin Durant netted 22 points, Devin Booker put up a solid 22-point, 13-assist double-double and the Suns added more woes to the slumping Kings, who lost four in a row.
