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The Phoenix Suns played their fifth game against the Lakers this season on Friday night, and it wasn’t much of a contest. Sure, the Suns were down 57-48 at the half, but the youth movement received its chance in the second half, and it wasn’t pretty. The team scored a grand total of 25 points in the second half.

You tip your hat to LeBron James. He played 32 minutes and went 10-of-16 from the field, including 2-of-2 from beyond the arc. He finished with 28 points and 12 assists, added six rebounds and four steals, and posted a +27 on the night. In a game the Lakers needed to help secure the fourth seed in the Western Conference, he delivered.

On the other side, the Suns leaned into youth and opportunity, and the returns were not great. Dillon Brooks led the team with 12 points on 5-of-14 shooting. Royce O’Neale added 11. Some of the numbers were rough. Ryan Dunn played 28 minutes and was a -39. Jamaree Bouyea logged 27 minutes, went 1-of-7 from the field, and finished at -33.

The loss does not impact the standings for Phoenix, but Portland’s win over the Clippers moves them into the eighth seed, which would line them up as the Suns’ Play-In opponent on Tuesday if things hold through Sunday. The Suns now sit at 44–37 on the season.

Game Flow

First Half

The Suns opened with a lineup of Collin Gillespie, Grayson Allen, Ryan Dunn, Dillon Brooks, and Mark Williams, with Devin Booker and Jalen Green both out as they get rest before the postseason. It was the man in his 23rd season at 41 years old who set the tone early for the Lakers. LeBron James scored 9 of their first 13 points as Los Angeles jumped out to an early first quarter lead.

Phoenix found some life on the glass. 9 of their first 14 points came off second-chance opportunities, turning four offensive rebounds into valuable buckets.

With 6:15 left in the first, Dillon Brooks picked up his second foul of the quarter on a Luke Kennard three-point attempt. Kennard hit the shot, and the play went under review for a reckless closeout. It was ruled a common foul, but Kennard still knocked down the free throw to complete the four-point play and push the Lakers ahead 21 to 14.

He stayed in the game, and the first players into the rotation were Jamaree Bouyea and Royce O’Neale, who checked in for Collin Gillespie and Grayson Allen. Brooks came out on the next Lakers possession after picking up his third foul, and Rasheer Fleming entered as a result.

3 fouls by Dillon in Q1

— John Voita, III (@DarthVoita) April 11, 2026

The Suns soon found themselves down 15 in the first quarter, managing only 14 points of their own. It turned into a 13-0 run for the Lakers before rookie Rasheer Fleming stepped in and knocked down a three to stop the bleeding.

The offensive glass kept Phoenix afloat. They piled up 14 second-chance points on eight offensive rebounds, though that came with the reality that they were missing plenty of shots to create those opportunities. The Suns went 4-of-14 from beyond the arc in the first, while the Lakers caught fire, shooting 57.1% from the field.

After one, Los Angeles led 35-24.

The Lakers opened the second quarter a bit rusty, and the shots were not falling. The Suns kept chipping away, leaning on offensive rebounds and second-chance points to stay within reach.

With seven minutes left in the second, Phoenix had worked all the way back from a 16-point deficit to take a 36-35 lead after a three from Royce O’Neale. It was his second make from deep, and he sat at 4-of-8 from the field at that point.

Around that midpoint of the quarter, Dillon Brooks returned with three fouls to his name. He wasted little time, knocking down his first jumper after checking back in. And his offense kept rolling. Unfortunately, as the comeback was occurring, Grayson Allen left the bench for the locker room.

Grayson Allen heads to the locker room after an apparent hamstring injury. pic.twitter.com/YaKVCbtO6W

— PHNX Suns (@PHNX_Suns) April 11, 2026

With 4:17 left in the second, Brooks picked up his fourth personal foul. Head coach Jordan Ott kept him on the floor. On the very next possession, the Suns were whistled for another foul, their 10th of the game. It went to Amir Coffey, who then picked up a technical after reacting to what felt like a ticky-tack call.

Old man LeBron helped close the quarter for the Lakers. He had eight in the second on 4-of-6 shooting and finished the half with 22. Luke Kennard added some support with 17 of his own.

For the Suns, Dillon Brooks and Royce O’Neale each had 10 points, and Oso Ighodaro pulled down seven rebounds off the bench. Phoenix controlled the glass, leading the rebounding battle 28-13, and they dominated second-chance points 21-6. The problem was everything else. The Suns turned it over 10 times, while the Lakers had only two. Both teams scored 24 in the second, and at the half, Los Angeles led 57-48.

Second Half

The third quarter opened, and a little over a minute in, Jordan Ott used his first challenge. It was successful, overturning an out-of-bounds call. The Suns turned the ball over on the inbounds as a result. Sigh.

It was still a choppy start for the Suns. Shots were not falling, and the rhythm was not there. They were putting pressure on the Lakers and getting to the free throw line, but those trips only went so far. Before long, they were back down 15 as the Lakers opened on a 10-4 run through the first 6 minutes of the quarter.

Bouyea and Dunn were out there, but the offense felt passive. Too much dribbling into defenders, then looking for outlets. The flow was not sharp, and it showed.

Dunn and Bouyea should be less passive. This is a "fuck it" game. So, fuck it. Shoot the ball

— John Voita, III (@DarthVoita) April 11, 2026

The scoring drought stretched nearly seven minutes into the third quarter, with the Suns unable to hit a field goal. They finally broke through on an Amir Coffey layup with 4:30 left in the period. At that point, it was only their seventh point of the quarter and their second made field goal. They sat at 2-of-8 from the field and 0-of-4 from beyond the arc.

This was the quarter where it started to slip away from the Suns. Young players were on the floor, and the confidence was not there. Rasheer Fleming backed down a defender, had a chance to go up and score with his physicality, but kicked it out instead. It turned into a fast break the other way for the Lakers. That theme kept showing up. The young guys were looking to pass instead of looking to score, and it allowed Los Angeles to stretch the lead.

The third quarter belonged to the Lakers, who outscored the Suns 24-16. Giving up 24 is manageable, but the offense for Phoenix went quiet. They shot 4-of-14 from the field and 1-of-8 from beyond the arc. The turnovers kept piling up as well, eight in the quarter, leading to nine points for the Lakers. Los Angeles also found success in the paint, scoring 18 of their 24 points inside.

After three, the Lakers led 81-64.

There was not much to take away from the Suns in the fourth quarter as the offense completely stalled. No one could generate anything, and the youth movement looked rough on that end. There was little structure, a lot of one and done possessions, and Koby Brea firing from deep without much success.

The numbers tell the story. The Suns scored nine points in the quarter, shooting 4-of-21 from the field and 1-of-12 from beyond the arc.

Up Next

One more for the books, my friends. The Suns play the Thunder in the regular season finale on Sunday. We’ll see you then, Bright Side.

The Lakers took down the Suns 101-73 on Friday night. They clinched home court in the first round of the playoffs thanks to the Rockets losing to the Wolves.

Rui Hachimura started things off for LA with an impressive reverse layup. LeBron James was cooking early for Los Angeles with three 3-pointers and three free throws after he was fouled from behind the arc. He was up to nine points. Mark Williams was leading Phoenix with four points.

At the 7:13 mark, the Lakers were up by three. 

Dillon Brooks got into early foul trouble with three. LeBron continued his aggressive play, pushing his point total to 14, and he had three assists, putting him in the 12,000-career-assists club. Luke Kennard connected with LeBron for an emphatic dunk that rocked the rim. 

A powerful LeBron slam 😤

He's got 14 PTS after 1Q! pic.twitter.com/yWS6BjRTCq

— NBA (@NBA) April 11, 2026

LA was on a 13-0 scoring run. 

The Suns gained some life with two consecutive 3-pointers. Kennard responded with a 3-pointer for Los Angeles. At the end of the first, the purple and gold were up by 10. 

The Lakers lead the Suns 33-23 after one quarter. LeBron James has 14 points and five assists and is a team-high +16 in his nine minutes of play.

— Edwin Garcia (@ECreates88) April 11, 2026

Royce O’Neale opened up the second period with a layup. The Lakers lost the high energy they had in the first quarter, allowing Phoenix to cut LA’s lead to four. Grayson Allen was now leading the Suns with eight points. 

Phoenix was beating Los Angeles on the offensive boards 11 to one.

Phoenix has used the offensive glass to get back into the game, with an 11-1 margin, helping them turn a 16-point deficit into a lead before two Marcus Smart FT's made it 39-38 LA.

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 11, 2026

O’Neale scored a quick four points that put the Suns up by one. Kennard stopped some of the bleeding with a midrange jumper. The Lakers picked up their energy, and their offense clicked again, leading to a 9-2 scoring run.

At the four-minute mark, LA was up by six. 

Dillon Brooks and O’Neale had a combined 20 points for the Suns. Brooks was up to four fouls. Los Angeles ended the half strong, thanks to six points from LeBron. He had 22 points in the half. At halftime, LA was up by nine. 

LeBron with a pair of tough turnaround jumpers…

From almost identical spots 🔥

He's got 22 PTS at the break! pic.twitter.com/e2UCJL9Vkp

— NBA (@NBA) April 11, 2026

Jamaree Bouyea started the third period with a layup for Phoenix. Deandre Ayton responded on the other end with a dunk. Phoenix announced that Allen, who went to the locker room in the first half, was ruled out for the rest of the game with a left hamstring injury.

Both teams went on three-minute scoring droughts, but Hachimura ended LA’s with a 3-pointer. 

O’Neale converted on a free throw to give the Suns a point, but their scoring drought had hit six minutes. Amir Coffey stopped what ended up being a seven-minute scoring drought for Phoenix with a layup. 

A dunk by Oso Ighodaro forced a timeout by Los Angeles as their lead was now 11. Out of the break, Maxi Kleber was fouled and missed both free throws. On the other end, the Suns missed their shot attempt. 

Marcus Smart then scored four in a row. LeBron turned his jets on once more to give the Lakers their biggest lead of the night. 

Marcus Smart with back-to-back baskets. He's also had a steal and a rebound sandwiched in between these offensive plays. The Lakers really missed him.

— Edwin Garcia (@ECreates88) April 11, 2026

Going into the fourth, LA was up by 17.

The final frame began with a dunk by Jarred Vanderbilt on an assist from LeBron. James also assisted on a baseline cutting dunk by Kleber. At the 6:19 mark, LeBron was subbed out, and the rest of the game was garbage time as Los Angeles cruised to victory.

Key Player Stats

LeBron finished with 28 points, six rebounds, 12 assists and four steals. Kennard ended with 19 points, three assists and three steals. Hachimura pitched in with 13 points, two rebounds and three assists. 

Ayton had 10 points with five rebounds. Smart notched six points with five rebounds, seven assists and two steals. Vanderbilt logged six points with seven rebounds.

The Lakers’ last game of the season will be Sunday against the Utah Jazz at 5:30 PM PT.

You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.

Defense was optional in the Rockets’ Friday night matchup against the shorthanded Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite shooting 60.9 percent from the field and a career high 41 points from Amen Thompson, the Rockets were outscored by 33 points from the three-point line, only making 4-of-18 from distance, while allowing the Timberwolves to shoot 15-of-30. The Rockets dominated inside, posting a +22 points in the paint differential.

The Rockets also dominated the boards 49-38 and were a +6 in fast break points. The cliche of “win by the three, die by the three” came to fruition. The Rockets held a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter before the Wolves went on a 17-4 run. The Wolves made five threes in the final quarter to the Rockets one, and that was really the difference. For a Rockets team that was looking to take good habits into the playoffs and had everything to play for with the opportunity to move as high as the #3 seed in the West, the defensive effort was disappointing.

The loss dampens the shine on brilliant offensive performances from Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson. KD scored 33 points on 13-of-18 shooting from the field, and he added 7 rebounds and 7 assists. He became the oldest player in NBA history to score 2,000 points in one season, at 37 years and 193 days old. Amen Thompson’s career high 41 points in 41 minutes to go along with 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals was just enough to make him a whopping +1 on the floor. That’s how bad the defense was in this game. The Timberwolves defense was not cause for the game film to be sent to Springfield in its own right. Many of the Rockets’ missed threes were wide open shots. Conversely, the Timberwolves seemed to make whether they were contested or not.

Wanting to find an eloquent and sophisticated way to describe what we all just witnessed, the best I can come up with is… this game was weird. When you look at the stats both individual and team, you find it hard to believe that the Rockets let this one slip. What makes it harder to swallow is the big picture, after the Denver Nuggets defeated the OKC Thunder, and the Lakers appear to be on their way to beating the Suns, it’s all but certain that the Rockets will finish the season in the 5th seed of the Western Conference.

Sunday night at 7:30 PM CST the Rockets will be looking to match their win total from last season at 52, against the Memphis Grizzlies, who are actively trying to lose games. Should the Rockets be locked into the five sees, coach Ime Udoka when asked stated that he will be resting players in that game. That being said its possible we just watched the last meaningful regular season game of the season. We will still be here at TDS covering the season finale with Game Preview, In-game discussion, and Game Recap.

It was Fan Appreciation Night in Salt Lake and boy, did the home team give the fans something to appreciate, as the Jazz beat down the shorthanded Grizzlies by 46. Two Jazz bench players recorded triple doubles, a feat unparalleled in living memory.

Kennedy Chandler – A-

Kennedy’s speed is reminiscent of Isaiah Collier, but what really impressed me tonight was his ball-handling. There were moments when his crossover moves left defenders in the dust. He recorded a double-double with 26 points and 10 assists, shooting an impressive 4-7 from 3. The only blot on his report card was at the free throw line, where he was a surprising 0-4.

Ace Bailey – A-

Ace also had a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds, a lot of his scoring coming in the second half. He was active defensively, recording 3 steals and a block and had a number of hustle plays, with John Konchar being the primary beneficiary.

Cody Williams – C

Cody’s shot was off tonight, going 6-16 from the field and 2-6 from 3. There were also periods of the game when he seemed to disappear, something he cannot afford to do next season when he’ll be likely coming off the bench and will need to make an impact in limited minutes.

Blake Hinson – A

Blake did most of his damage tonight from inside the arc, scoring 18 of his team high 30 points driving to the basket. He shot 44% from 3 and also contributed in other ways with 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.

Oscar Tshiebwe – A

Oscar had a monster game on the boards tonight with 22 rebounds. His push shot from the key has really come along and he looks to create opportunities for his teammates, dishing out 3 assists. If he doesn’t make the team next season, it won’t be because of lack of effort. He played hard to the final whistle tonight, blocking the Grizzles’ last shot of the game.

Bez Mbeng – A

Bez was the first one off the bench tonight and took full advantage of the opportunity, notching a triple-double with 27 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. His defensive skills have been well reported, but tonight really showcased his playmaking ability and his activity around the basket. One of the plays of the night was Bez saving a ball from going out of bounds in the corner and then lobbing a perfect cross court pass to Cody for a 3.

John Konchar – A

Not to be outdone, John recorded his second triple-double in a row, with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, to go along with his 5 steals and 2 blocks. To say that John was all over the court is an understatement. He blocked passing lanes, leaked out on fast breaks and seemed to battle for every loose ball, all while negotiating his way through 3 early fouls. He did have the play of the game, with an over the shoulder pass to Blake for 3.

The Fans – A

On the last home game, on Fan Appreciation Night, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the energy the fans brought to the game. The last two ugly seasons would test the mettle of any fan, but they keep coming, keep giving their all, keep cheering on whichever Jazz players are on the court.

Game Story

On paper, this was a Friday evening prime time matchup, literally broadcasted on Prime.

When the two teams met two weeks ago, the Minnesota Timberwolves made the most dramatic overtime comeback in NBA history. Anthony Edwards wasn’t even active for that game, but he suited up today for the first time after missing 10 of the last 12 games. The Wolves may have been locked into the sixth seed in the Western Conference standings, but the Houston Rockets sat just above them at the fifth seed still with an opportunity to move up before the end of the season.

But then came the injury report.

Minnesota smartly opted to rest Naz Reid for the first time, while keeping Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, and Bones Hyland in street clothes as well. Wolves fans hoping to avoid a postseason date with the Denver Nuggets were liking shadow-rooting for a Minnesota loss, as it would keep the dream alive for a different first round matchup*.

_{(*The Nuggets ultimately won their game midway through this Wolves game, eliminating the Rockets chances at the three seed.)}

Back to the actual game at hand.

Kyle Anderson and Joan Beringer got the nod in the starting lineup and immediately made their presence known. The 32-year-old veteran, Anderson, dinked and dunked in seven first quarter points. Meanwhile, the 19-year-old rookie impressed with two big slams early, including snatching away a Rockets sidelines inbounds pass before traveling throwing in two of his six first quarter points.

Edwards was understandably rusty on both ends of the court early, going zero for three in his opening shift. However, one teammate who wasn’t cold was Terrence Shannon Jr. Fresh off a career-high 33-point performance, Shannon continued on this heater by swishing all three of his treys. The Wolves were laying waste to the Rockets defense, converting on 57% of their first half field goal attempts.

Unfortunately, Houston scored on 68% of their own looks.

Kevin Durant was doing what Kevin Durant does. The two-time Finals MVP was just having shooting practice, knocking in shots over Jaden McDaniels over and over. His 17-point first quarter was only outshined by Amen Thompson, who could’ve been mistaken as DeMar DeRozan tonight based on the amount of mid-range jumpers he was making. Thompson led the Rockets with 24 first half points of his own, on his way to a career-high 41 points on 17 of 22 shots.

The lack of defense from both clubs made for some riveting back-and-forth action. Neither team got more than two possessions ahead of the other in the first half. In the second half, Houston looked like were going to be the first team to seize control of the game. They built up a 10-point lead midway through the third quarter thanks to Minnesota’s soft interior defense and typical foul issues.

Enter: Anthony Edwards.

Outside of a springy dunk over Jabari Smith in the first half, Edwards only had seven points on two for six shooting. He missed his first two attempts in the third quarter, but then uncorked a flurry of jumpers and letting any Rockets defender know about it. Things were getting spicy, as Edwards notched a 12-point quarter to match Durant’s scoring efforts.

Edwards was still on a minutes restrictions, so it looked like Houston were in prime position to pump their lead back up against Minnesota’s second line. Unfortunately for the home team, as they have all season, they had a complete meltdown to start the fourth. They immediately committed three straight non-shooting fouls in the first minute, muting their defensive intensity.

Donte DiVincenzo took advantage, attacking Alperen Şengün and chipping in points in a row for Minnesota. Mike Conley also canned his third triple in as many attempts. McDaniels painted a defensive masterpiece all in one possession, stripping Reed Sheppard, blocking Jabari Smith, then corralling the rebound. But the player who stood out the most was Shannon, who contributing nine of his team-high 23 points in the quarter as well.

You already know that a poster dunk was part of it.

This was all just a setup for the final clutch time minutes of the game. Edwards returned to the game with 4:02 remaining and his team sporting a nine-point lead. Şengün, Durant, and Thompson led a swift 8-2 run to pull within just five points with still over two minutes remaining. Edwards stared down one of his favorite teammates of all-time, Josh Okogie, and went one-on-one against him. After bobbling the ball, he was called for an offensive push-off foul. Durant split a pair of free throws on the other end, giving Edwards another shot at Okogie.

This time, Edwards reminded us all who he was.

When you zoom out and look at this game, consider the following:

• Minnesota was without several key starters and rotation players
• Edwards was on a minutes restrictions
• Minnesota had nothing to play for (standings wise).
• Houston had something to play for (standings wise).
• Houston was playing at home
• Houston was at full-strength (minus Fred VanVleet)
• Houston was winners of eight in a row, with their last lost an all-time blunder against Minnesota
• Houston shot 60.9% from the field thanks to 86 paint points
• Houston shot and made more free throws than Minnesota

Yet the Timberwolves won by multiple possessions. It’s just one game, but it might be fair to ponder if the Wolves are indeed back.

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Box Score

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Comment of the Night

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Up Next

Minnesota packs their bags and heads back home for the final game of the season. They play host to the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, April 12, at 5:30 PM CT, but more importantly, this is the game that Kevin Garnett returns to Target Center. If you haven’t gotten your tickets yet, they’re likely going to be hard to find. Will we get the return of the “KG Cam?“

This specific game will have no impact on the standings and playoff seedings. The Pelicans just got crushed by the Celtics while the Wolves will likely want no more than one half of action for their regular rotation players. This game will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network.

Highlights

For 24 minutes, it didn’t look like a blowout. Inside the Frost Bank Center, the San Antonio Spurs found themselves in a game that felt tighter than expected. The Dallas Mavericks weren’t backing down, trading shots, matching energy, and riding a red-hot first half from Cooper Flagg that kept the crowd uneasy.

San Antonio hadn’t separated—not yet. But Victor Wembanyama was determined to make sure his team would not go down, not on this night. Wembanyama was doing what he always does, gliding through defenders, scoring with ease, impacting every inch of the floor. Still, Dallas lingered. Every Spurs push met with a Mavericks answer. Every hint of a run dissolved into another close stretch.

At halftime, the message wasn’t about urgency. It was about control. And when the Spurs came back out, everything changed.

The third quarter didn’t begin with a roar—it built into one. De’Aaron Fox took command first, slowing the game just enough to speed it up where it mattered. He dissected Dallas’ defense possession by possession, threading passes, collapsing the lane, and making the right read every time. The offense started to breathe.

“He’s by far the most capable on our team of understanding the pulse of the game,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said of Fox. “I think we’ve seen that from him time and time again and that’s exactly what we need as the playoffs arrive.”

Then it started to sprint. Wembanyama followed, turning control into chaos—for Dallas. He scored inside, stretched the floor, cleaned the glass, and erased any thought of resistance. What had been a game suddenly felt like a showcase.

And the Mavericks? They cracked.

Shots stopped falling. Possessions grew frantic. A team that couldn’t miss in the first half suddenly couldn’t buy a basket. Meanwhile, the Spurs kept coming: wave after wave, bucket after bucket. By the time the fourth quarter arrived, the tension was gone. So was the doubt. San Antonio didn’t just pull away—they buried the game.

The final score, 139-120, told part of the story. But it didn’t capture the shift—the moment when a competitive night turned into a statement. Wembanyama finished with 40 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists, another effortless display of dominance that somehow continues to feel routine. Fox added 18 points and 10 assists, quietly orchestrating the turning point that broke the game open.

“It feels good,” Wembanyama said of meeting the 65-game requirements for post season awards. “It feels like a box that’s checked. It was a season where a lot of things happened and this is a good conclusion for it.”

Around them, the Spurs played like a team that knows exactly who it is. Shots fell. The ball moved. The pace never dipped. What looked ordinary in the first half became overwhelming in the second.

Dallas had its moments, despite the loss. Cooper Flagg’s 33 points made sure of that. But moments weren’t enough. Not against a team that can shift gears like this.

Because that’s what this game became. A reminder.

The Spurs don’t need four quarters to beat you. Sometimes, all it takes is one. And when they find it, there’s not much anyone can do to stop what comes next.

Game Notes

• Mitch Johnson said Wembanayama may miss Sunday’s game against Denver due to rest, but conversations will happen before. Meanwhile, Wemby says he would not be surprised if that’s the case.
• Carter Bryant is playing with such confidence as the regular season closes and the postseason set to begin. That makes a much more dangerous Spurs team going into the first round. The rookie finished with 12 points off the bench, connecting on all three of his attempts from beyond the arc.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Jalen Duren had 20 points, Duncan Robinson scored 19 and the Detroit Pistons beat Charlotte 118-100 on Friday night, locking the Hornets into the play-in tournament.

Already assured of the top seed in the Eastern Conference, the Pistons played their regular starters against the Hornets.

Cade Cunningham scored 14 points, Ronald Holland II had 13 and Ausar Thompson added 12 for Detroit, which is one win shy of its first 60-win season in 20 years with one regular-season game remaining. Duren also had a game-high nine rebounds.

LaMelo Ball had 27 points and eight assists and Brandon Miller had 22 points to lead the Hornets.

Through late in the third quarter, the lead had changed hands 11 times with 13 ties and neither team led by more than eight.

But Charlotte held its last lead at 83-82 with 5:52 left in the third quarter and after the teams were last tied at 87 with 2:46 left in that period, Detroit went on a 24-8 burst for a 111-92 lead with 6:23 to play.

HEAT 140, WIZARDS 117

WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington clinched the worst record in the NBA with a loss to the Miami.

Washington (17-64) has lost nine in a row and 25 of its last 26 to tumble to the bottom of the standings.

The Wizards became the first NBA team to lose 64 games in three consecutive seasons. The Vancouver Grizzlies lost at least 63 games in each of their first three seasons from 1995-96 to 1997-98, while the Process-era Philadelphia 76ers matched that futility from 2013-14 to 2015-16.

Simone Fontecchio and Pelle Larsson both scored 24 points for the Heat (42-39), who had lost 10 of 13. Miami scored an average of 143.5 points while going 4-0 against Washington this season.

The Heat are already assured a fourth consecutive trip to the play-in tournament.

Miami’s Bam Adebayo had 20 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. He scored 83 points, the second-most in NBA history, against Washington on March 10 and averaged 34.8 points against the Wizards this season.

Miami used a 10-0 run late in the first quarter to take the lead for good. The Heat was up 34-23 after a quarter and 72-52 at halftime. Miami shot 63.2% (24 of 38) in the first half.

KNICKS 112, RAPTORS 95

NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 29 points, Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds, and New York clinched the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference with its 13th consecutive victory over Toronto.

The Knicks improved to 53-28 with the victory in what could be a preview of a first-round playoff series. New York lost its chance to climb to No. 2 when Boston beat the lottery-bound New Orleans Pelicans, while Toronto (45-36) is currently sixth in the East after having its two-game winning streak snapped.

Brunson shot 12 for 18 from the field while Towns was just as effective, shooting 8 for 12 for the Knicks, who extended their winning streak to five games.

New York forward OG Anunoby injured his left ankle midway through the second quarter and did not return to the game.

Brandon Ingram scored 16 points and Ja’Kobe Walter and Scottie Barnes each had 15 for the Raptors, who have not beaten New York since Jan. 22, 2023. The Knicks won all five meetings this season, once in the NBA Cup tournament.

CELTICS 144, PELICANS 118

BOSTON (AP) — Sam Hauser had 24 points on eight 3-pointers, and Boston tied the franchise and NBA record with 29 3s on its way to clinching the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 playoff seed with a win over New Orleans.

Jaylen Brown added 23 points in 29 minutes, sitting out the entire fourth quarter. Payton Pritchard finished with 21 points and 10 assists for Boston, which clinched the Atlantic Division.

The Celtics’ 29 3s equal their total from Oct. 22, 2024 against the Knicks. The Memphis Grizzlies (April 6 vs. Cleveland) and Milwaukee Bucks (Dec. 29, 2020 at Miami) also share the record.

Big man Neemias Queta even got in on the action for Boston, knocking down his first career 3 to go along with 10 rebounds. Seven different Celtics players had at least two.

Boston led by as many as 41 points against a Pelicans team missing several starters.

76ERS 105, PACERS 118

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Tyrese Maxey scored 32 points, Paul George had 21 and Philadelphia beat Indiana to snap a three-game skid.

VJ Edgecombe scored 16 points, Kelly Oubre Jr. had 15 and Andre Drummond had 16 rebounds and 10 points for the Sixers (44-37), who maintained their eighth-place position in the Eastern Conference with one game remaining.

A year after they made it to Game 7 of the NBA Finals, Pacers (19-62) ensured they will finish with the second-worst record in the league.

Jarace Walker led Indiana with 17 points, followed by Quenton Jackson with 16 and Ethan Thompson with 15. Micah Potter had 13 points and 10 rebounds.

The Pacers went 14 of 50 from 3-point range, while the Sixers were 5 of 29. Indiana had 21 turnovers while the Sixers had just eight.

Philadelphia finished with a 64-28 advantage in points in the paint.

HAWKS 124, CAVALIERS 102

ATLANTA (AP) — CJ McCollum scored 29 points and Atlanta used a big third quarter to blow out Cleveland, clinching a playoff spot and the Southeast Division title.

The Hawks had not won the Southeast Division since 2021, when they ultimately advanced to the Eastern Conference finals. They have been in the play-in tournament the last four seasons.

James Harden scored 20 points for the Cavs, who are locked into the No. 4 seed in the East. Jaylon Tyson returned from a 10-game absence to start and had 15 points.

Dyson Daniels had 13 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds for the Hawks, his second triple-double of his career. Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 18 points and Jalen Johnson added 18 points and nine rebounds before sitting out the final 10 minutes of the game. The Cavs shot 26% from 3-point range.

The Hawks have won 14 of their final 15 home games ahead of the playoffs.

Atlanta led 66-55 in the third quarter, then put together a 16-0 run to push the lead to 27. It was never threatened thereafter.

BUCKS 125, NETS 108

MILWAUKEE (AP) — AJ Green made 11 3-pointers to set Milwaukee's single-game record and scored a career-high 35 points in a victory over Brooklyn.

Green shot 11 of 16 from 3-point range to break the record of 10 3-pointers that Ray Allen and Damian Lillard had shared. Green’s now has 227 3-pointers as he chases the franchise single-season record of 229, set by Allen in 2001-02.

Milwaukee’s Cormac Ryan added a career-high 28 points in his first start. Taurean Prince had 18 points and 10 rebounds. Prince was 6 of 11 and Ryan 5 of 9 on 3-point attempts.

As a team, Milwaukee shot 24 of 48 from beyond the arc.

This game marked the Bucks’ home finale as they wrap up their first losing season in a decade, snapping a string of nine straight playoff appearances. It comes amid speculation regarding the future of two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has spent his entire 13-year career in Milwaukee.

MAGIC 127, BULLS 103

CHICAGO (AP) — Franz Wagner scored 25 points, Jamal Cain added 20 and Orlando remained in the running to avoid the play-in tournament by beating Chicago.

Orlando’s fifth straight win, combined with Toronto’s loss to New York, moved the Magic (45-36) into a tie with the Raptors for sixth place in the Eastern Conference with one game remaining.

Paolo Banchero chipped in with 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Jalen Suggs scored all 12 of his points and hit four 3-pointers in the third quarter, helping the Magic break open the game.

Tre Jones scored 23 points for Chicago (31-50), which hit the 50-loss mark for the first time since the 2018-19 team finished 22-60 under Fred Hoiberg and Jim Boylen. The Bulls are looking for new leadership after firing executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley on Monday. They could also be in the market for a new coach if Billy Donovan opts to step down after six seasons.

Leonard Miller had 15 points and seven rebounds. Matas Buzelis scored 14 after missing three games because of an illness. He exited with a sprained right ankle in the fourth quarter and wasn’t sure if he’ll travel to Dallas for the season finale on Sunday. Josh Giddey missed his fourth straight game because of a strained left hamstring, and Donovan said he will not play against the Mavericks.

SPURS 139, MAVERICKS 120

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 40 points and 13 rebounds in his 65th game to become eligible for NBA awards, and San Antonio beat Dallas.

De’Aaron Fox had 18 points and 10 assists and Keldon Johnson had 17 points for San Antonio.

Rookie Cooper Flagg had 33 points, six rebounds and five assists for Dallas, which has lost 11 of 13.

After opening the season with a 40-point game against Dallas, Wembanyama reached 40 for the fifth time in what could be his regular-season finale.

The NBA requires a minimum of 65 games played to be eligible for season-long awards and Wembanyama got there in San Antonio’s penultimate game.

The 7-foot-4 Wembanyama, who leads the league with 197 blocks, is favored to win Defensive Player of the Year, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

NUGGETS 127, THUNDER 107

DENVER (AP) — Jonas Valanciunas had season highs of 23 points and 17 rebounds, and Denver beat Oklahoma City in a battle of reserves.

Denver (53-28) won its 11th straight game to secure at least the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference. Julian Strawther finished with 22 points and David Roddy had a season-high 21 points.

The Nuggets sat their entire starting lineup despite battling for home-court advantage in the first round. A 21-5 run to open the fourth quarter gave them the win they needed and kept them in position for the No. 3 seed. Denver entered with a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Lakers, who were hosting Phoenix.

The Nuggets, who finish the season at San Antonio on Sunday night, prioritized rest over seeding.

JAZZ 147, GRIZZLIES 101

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Blake Hinson scored a career-high 30 points, John Konchar and Bez Mbeng had triple-doubles, and Utah beat short-handed Memphis.

Bez Mbeng had a career-high 27 points, Kennedy Chandler scored 26 and Ace Bailey 23 for the Jazz, who snapped a 10-game skid.

Mbeng added 11 rebounds and 11 assists and Konchar finished with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in the first game in which the Jazz had two players record a triple-double in the same game.

When Konchar scored his 11th point, his former Memphis and current Utah teammate Jaren Jackson Jr. got so excited he ran onto the court and drew a technical foul.

Memphis’ Dariq Whitehead (21 points) and Tony Okani (20 points) also posted career-highs, and Adama Bal added 18 points.

TIMBERWOLVES 136, ROCKET 132

HOUSTON (AP) — Anthony Edwards had 22 points, with a key 3-pointer late, Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 23 points off the bench and Minnesota snapped Houston's eight-game winning streak.

Amen Thompson had a career-high 41 points and Kevin Durant added 33 for the Rockets, who have clinched a playoff berth but are still playing for postseason seeding. The Timberwolves are also heading for the playoffs with the sixth seed in the Western Conference.

Minnesota led by 10 with about four minutes left before Houston used an 8-2 run, with four points from Alperen Sengun, to cut the lead to 132-128 with about a minute to go.

But Edwards hit a 3-pointer a few seconds later to push the lead to 135-128 and send the home fans streaming toward the exits.

The Rockets led by five before Minnesota used a 13-4 run, with the first eight points from Donte DiVincenzo, to take a 116-112 lead with about eight minutes to go.

Reed Sheppard made a basket for Houston, but Minnesota scored the next seven points, capped by a 3 from DiVincenzo, to push the lead to 123-114 midway through the quarter.

The 37-year-old Durant has scored 2,026 points this season, making him the oldest player to reach 2,000 in a season. He passed Karl Malone, who did it in the 1999-00 season when he was 36. It’s Durant’s eighth season with at least 2,000 points and the first since 2023-24.

KINGS 124, WARRIORS 118

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Devin Carter scored a career-high 29 points and Sacramento missed an opportunity to improve its draft position by beating Golden State.

The Kings remained tied with Utah for the fourth-worst record in the NBA this season, matching a win by the Jazz earlier in the night.

Maxime Raynaud added 23 points for Sacramento in the final home game of the season.

Brandon Podziemski scored a career-high 30 points to lead the Warriors, who used the game as a tuneup for next week’s play-in tournament.

This was just the second game that Stephen Curry and Kristaps Porzingis played together for Golden State after the two had about eight minutes on the court at the same time on Sunday against Houston in Curry’s first game after missing 27 games with a knee injury.

Coach Steve Kerr said before the game he wanted the two to get as much time as possible in the final two games of the regular season. Golden State is assured the 10th seed in the Western Conference and will need to win two play-in games to make the playoffs.

Curry and Porzingis each scored 11.

TRAIL BLAZERS 116, CLIPPERS 97

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Deni Avdija scored 35 points, Donovan Clingan had 18 points and 13 rebounds, and Portland beat the Los Angeles Clippers to take the inside track for the eighth seed in the Western Conference.

If Portland beats the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, the Blazers will secure their spot in the 7-8 play-in game on Tuesday in Phoenix against the Suns.

Robert Williams III had 13 points and 10 rebounds as Portland outrebounded the Clippers 46-35 and won the turnover battle despite leading the league in turnovers.

Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 24 points and eight rebounds.

After Portland took a 55-35 first-half lead, the Clippers stormed back. Jordan Miller’s 3-pointer gave the Clippers their first lead since the first quarter at 82-79 with 2:05 left in the third. But the lead was short-lived as Matisse Thybulle tied it at 82 on Portland’s next possession.

LAKERS 101, SUNS 73

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James had 28 points, 12 assists and six rebounds, and the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers clinched home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs with their victory over Phoenix.

Luke Kennard scored 19 points and Rui Hachimura added 13 for the Lakers, who will be either the third or fourth seed in the Western Conference despite finishing the regular season without injured stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

Los Angeles (52-29) is one game behind third-place Denver (53-28) with one game left, but LA holds the tiebreaker over the Nuggets.

The Lakers won their second straight and their 15th in 19 games with a vintage performance from the 41-year-old James, who showed no weariness on the second night of a back-to-back set in which he scored 54 points on 63.6% shooting (21 for 33).

James also recorded the 12,000th assist of his career in the first half, becoming only the fourth NBA player to reach the milestone.

The NBA scoring king racked up 14 points in the first quarter, and he added six points and seven assists in the second half while making sure the Lakers’ lead stayed firm.

The Dallas Mavericks (25-56) took on the San Antonio Spurs (62-19) for the last time in the 2025-2026 season. Saturday night’s matchup ended with Dallas on the wrong side of a 139-120 final score, with the loss dropping Dallas’ record to 25-56 with one game remaining. The Mavs had eight players listed as “out” so some unusual suspects got to showcase their talents.

Let’s get to the grades!

Ryan Nembhard: B-

13 PTS / 1 REB / 7 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 31 MIN

Nembhard had a relatively solid game with nothing remarkable. He chipped in a few points, he led the team in assists nearly from the opening tip and didn’t do much to get upset about.

Max Christie: A-

16 PTS / 1 REB / 2 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 31 MIN

This is the kind of game Christie is capable of at really any given time. I still don’t love the high frequency of three-point attempts for a guy who can drive and shoot the mid-range, not to mention hit free throws at a high clip. That said, when he shoots the three this well, it’s nice to see and gives the Mavs a different dimension.

Cooper Flagg: A

33 PTS / 6 REB / 5 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 32 MIN

Flagg got himself back on track after a poor scoring night last game. His shooting was spot-on (13-for-25; 3-for-7 from deep) and he poured in the points by making good decisions for easy baskets, while connecting on a number of tough, well-defended shots. This was his eleventh game scoring 30 or more points.

Khris Middleton: B

14 PTS / 3 REB / 3 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 25 MIN

Middleton was efficient (5-for-8) yet quiet, in that his contributions didn’t really pop out while watching the game. He was solid and made the most of his chances.

Marvin Bagley III: N/A

2 PTS / 1 REB / 1 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 8 MIN

Bagley suffered a shoulder injury that took him out of action after only eight minutes, so qualifying for an actual grade isn’t possible. Hopefully he will be able to play in game 82 as opposed to ending his season here.

John Poulakidas: C+

12 PTS / 1 REB / 0 AST / 1 STL / 1 BLK – 30 MIN

Poulakidas couldn’t replicate what he did last time out, and it wasn’t even close. He hoisted a lot of three-pointers as would be expected, but almost none of them went through the net until late in the game when he caught fire a bit. Despite the late flurry, he was the worst Mav in terms of plus/minus (by a big margin) for most of the night. Perhaps the best part of his game is that he stayed within himself and didn’t stop shooting. He demonstrated confidence that not may two-way players would show after such a rough start.

AJ Johnson: B

13 PTS / 1 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 20 MIN

I joke around with other MMB staffers that Johnson is a legend in the making. While that isn’t necessarily likely, I do still think there is a good NBA player inside the rough edges of what he currently is. He shot decently well (4-for-9), buoyed by a bank-shot three-pointer, and nailed his free throws (4-for-4) while showing little flashes that have me rooting hard for him to develop more this offseason to see what he can bring to the team next year. This was his highest scoring game since coming to Dallas.

Tyler Smith: C+

6 PTS / 2 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 19 MIN

Smith displayed his athleticism and some decently quick hands on a so-so shooting night (3-for-7 but 0-for-4 from beyond the arc).

Final Thoughts

At this point, Mavs’ losses are far more valuable than Mavs’ wins. Without P.J. Washington, Naji Marshall and a host of others, this was a nice game to take the L while letting some younger guys get opportunities they otherwise would not have, all the while watching Cooper Flagg put on a show.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

Facing an Indiana Pacers team seeking as many lottery balls as possible and suiting up the sort of roster to prove it, the Philadelphia 76ers got an ugly “a win’s a win” by the final score of 105-94. With one game now remaining in the regular season, the Sixers can finish anywhere from sixth to eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Here are the possible scenarios:
– Finish 6th and avoid the Play-In: beat Milwaukee, see Toronto lose to Brooklyn and Orlando lose in Boston
– Finish 7th and host the 7-8 Play-In game: beat Milwaukee, one of Toronto or Orlando loses and the other wins
– Finish 8th and hit the road for the 7-8 Play-In: lose to Milwaukee or both Toronto and Orlando win
We’ll find out how that all shakes out on Monday. For now, let’s talk Bell Ringer.

Tyrese Maxey: 32 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover

It wasn’t a scoring masterclass by Tyrese Maxey on Friday night, but you can’t say he was passive again, and there’s a certain “willing his team to victory” virtue to scoring 32 points on 28 shots. The finger is still clearly an issue for him, as the 1-of-10 mark from behind the arc would attest, as well as his heading to the locker room to get it checked out at one point in the second half. But Tyrese kept attacking, earning 10 free throw attempts, and ultimately did enough for his team to get the W. Making sure his team avoids the 9-vs-10 Play-In game may not seem like a lofty goal, but the Sixers’ floor would be Earth’s core low without number 0 around.

.@TyreseMaxey leads all scorers with 2️⃣7️⃣ pic.twitter.com/0tnqDh8vXF

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 11, 2026

VJ Edgecombe: 16 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers

If nothing else, it’s still fun to watch VJ Edgecombe run around in Game 81 like he still has a rocket booster strapped to his back. The rookie guard was all over the place, taking the elevator to the penthouse to reject Taelon Peter early in the game, or having his steals lead to soaring dunks in transition on the other end. The quieter parts of his game are coming along nicely too, like when he recognized a double team and hit a cutting Kelly Oubre in the lane for a bucket. Throw that all together along with an efficient 7-of-14 night from the floor and more than anything, I want to see what Edgecombe can do in the bright lights of a playoff environment.

bucket denied. 🚫 pic.twitter.com/SkcQ8CkCvb

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 10, 2026

Paul George: 21 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover

Playing in the town where he spent the early part of his NBA career, George showed he can still get buckets with the best of them. PG hit a trio of triples of the contested catch-and-shoot variety, but also did a fair amount of his damage in the mid-range with four pull-up jumpers inside the arc. I’m all for analytics and getting the most efficient shots possible, but there’s no denying a certain artistry to having a guy playing perfect defense on you and still just rising up from 15 feet and hitting a shot right in his face. As the Sixers’ offense stagnated throughout the evening, it seemed like George was always there to make something from nothing with a timely bucket.

working the mid-range. 👏 pic.twitter.com/UN9plJ04DH

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 11, 2026