The night could have easily tilted the other way for the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. No Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and a late-season game with playoff stakes quietly looming in the background. On paper, it felt like a trap.

Instead, the Spurs turned it into a statement.

Behind a composed offensive attack and a defense that tightened when it mattered most, San Antonio pulled away for a 112-101 win over the Portland Trail Blazers; a victory defined less by star power and more by collective resolve. From the opening tip, the Spurs looked like a team intent on controlling the tempo. De’Aaron Fox set the tone early, slicing into the lane and dictating pace on his way to a team-high 25 points. 

But this wasn’t a one-man show and it couldn’t be with San Antonio missing two stars.

San Antonio leaned into its depth. Devin Vassell filled the gaps with his two-way presence, while rookie guard Dylan Harper stepped comfortably into a larger role, guiding the offense with poise beyond his experience. Then came the spark from their other rookie. Carter Bryant, a name that doesn’t always headline box scores, caught fire from beyond the arc—knocking down five of six three-point attempts in a breakout shooting performance that stretched Portland’s defense to its limit.

“I thought we had really good contributions from everybody that played,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said. “I thought we did a really good job with responses throughout the game to a really competitive team… I thought we did really good job.”

Off the bench, Keldon Johnson brought his usual edge, attacking the rim and providing a physical jolt that helped the Spurs maintain control whenever momentum wavered. 

“I thought he [Carter Bryant] did a great job,” Coach Johnson said of the rookie. “He played within himself in terms of things we’ve talked about and training on. He shot with confidence and played with physicality.”

Still, Portland didn’t go quietly. Deni Avdija carved up the defense with 29 points, while Scoot Henderson added 20, helping the Trail Blazers chip away at San Antonio’s lead heading into the second half. For a moment in the third quarter, it felt like the game might slip. Portland surged, testing a Spurs lineup missing its defensive anchor.

That’s when San Antonio responded, not with flash, but with discipline.

The Spurs locked in defensively, cutting off driving lanes and forcing tough looks. On the other end, Fox returned to orchestrate, mixing timely buckets with smart decision-making. A late push, highlighted by key contributions from role players and interior finishes, reestablished control for good.

By the final minutes, the outcome felt inevitable. San Antonio didn’t just survive without its stars, it looked comfortable doing so. The win pushed the Spurs to 61 victories on the season and secured a top-two seed in the Western Conference, a milestone that underscores how far the franchise has come in a short time.

More importantly, it revealed something deeper. This isn’t just a team built around a generational talent. It’s a roster that can adapt, absorb adversity, and still impose its identity.

On a night when the spotlight could have dimmed, the Spurs proved they don’t need it to shine.

Game Notes

• Mitch Johnson confirmed Carter Bryant will be part of his playoff rotation following his career night.
  “He will play in the playoffs,” the Spurs’ head coach told reporters postgame.
• Keldon Johnson may have secured his Sixth Man of the Year award with his performance on Wednesday night.
• Johnson and Bryant combined for 37 points off the bench for San Antonio, a dangerous sign for other teams if those guys can match those numbers.

The Dallas Mavericks came up just short Wednesday night, falling 112-107 to the Phoenix Suns in a game that stayed competitive into the final minutes but ultimately slipped away late. Dallas actually shot a respectable 41.1% from the field and 36.1% from three, but couldn’t quite match Phoenix’s overall efficiency and shot-making. Marvin Bagley III led the way with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting and 8 rebounds, continuing his strong play, while Cooper Flagg struggled from the field at 4-of-19 but still stuffed the stat sheet with 12 rebounds and 6 assists. Max Christie added 18 points on 4-of-9 from three, and Ryan Nembhard chipped in 7 assists, but the Mavericks couldn’t find enough consistent scoring late. Phoenix was more balanced and efficient, shooting 46.2% from the field and 40.0% from three, led by Devin Booker’s 37 points and 9 assists and Dillon Brooks’ 28 points.

Dallas came out with solid early energy, getting offense through Marvin Bagley III inside and from three, while Max Christie hit a pair of threes and Cooper Flagg added scoring and playmaking to give the Mavericks early rhythm and even brief control. But that momentum didn’t last, as the Suns flipped the first quarter late behind Royce O’Neale’s shooting and Devin Booker’s shot creation, turning a competitive start into a 33-29 deficit. In the second quarter, Dallas pushed back, with Flagg attacking downhill, Nembhard creating looks, and contributions from Cisse and Middleton helping tie the game around 45-45.

Still, the same issues showed up again, as the Mavericks couldn’t sustain offense or string together stops. Booker took over late in the half, scoring off drives, pull-ups, and free throws while Dallas fell into missed shots and empty possessions. Even when Dallas had chances to grab control, they couldn’t convert, and Phoenix consistently answered with efficient offense. By halftime, the Suns led 61-53, a half where Dallas showed flashes but couldn’t match Phoenix’s consistency.

The second half had stretches where it felt like Dallas might flip the game, but they could never sustain it. In the third quarter, the Mavericks chipped away behind Marvin Bagley’s interior scoring, Poulakidas hitting shots, and Cooper Flagg facilitating, even cutting the deficit down multiple times. But every push was answered, as Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks consistently generated efficient offense, keeping Phoenix in control.

The fourth quarter followed that same script, with Dallas getting within one possession behind Christie’s threes and more Bagley scoring, but missed layups and empty trips prevented them from taking the lead. Booker closed it late with shot-making and free throws, while Dallas’ offense stalled at the worst time. The box score tells the story, as the Mavericks shot 41.1% overall, with Bagley leading with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting, while Flagg struggled at 4-of-19 despite filling the stat sheet. Phoenix was simply more efficient, shooting 46.2% and hitting 14 threes, led by Booker’s 37 and Brooks’ 28, which ultimately sealed a 112-107 loss.

23: Poulakidas points

John Poulakidas was one of the most impressive players in this game, especially considering the context. In real rotation minutes, he didn’t just hold his own; he legitimately impacted the game with his shooting and confidence. He finished with 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting and 5-of-8 from three (62.5%), and it felt like every make came in rhythm and within the flow of the offense. This wasn’t empty production either. He hit tough shots, spaced the floor, and gave Dallas a scoring punch they desperately needed.

What stood out most was how unafraid he was. There were multiple possessions where he went right at Devin Booker, either answering on the other end or forcing Booker to work defensively. That kind of shot-making and confidence, especially from a player in his role, changes how the game feels. Instead of the offense stalling, Dallas actually had someone who could step into a jumper and make it count.

For a team searching for consistent perimeter shooting, this is exactly the kind of performance that should turn heads. Poulakidas didn’t just have a hot night. He showed real, translatable skill as a shooter who can stretch defenses and compete against high-level players.

10: Missed AJ Johnson shots

This was AJ Johnson’s first real extended run, and it was about as rough as it could look. He finished just 1-of-11 from the field (9.1%) and 0-of-3 from three, and it felt even worse than the numbers suggest. The misses weren’t just tough looks. They were forced shots, rushed decisions, and possessions that stalled the offense completely. When Dallas was trying to make a push, those empty trips added up fast.

It wasn’t just the shooting, either. The overall feel wasn’t there. Timing, decision-making, and control all looked off, and instead of settling things down, his minutes often sped the game up in the wrong way. For a player getting a real opportunity, you want to see composure and flashes of creation, but this was mostly out of sync from start to finish.

It’s one game, and young players are going to have nights like this. But this was a reminder of how far he still has to go. When you’re trying to evaluate pieces for the future, performances like this stand out just as much as the good ones.

The Phoenix Suns lost an emotional, hard-fought game against the Houston Rockets and had to bounce back quickly against a pesky Dallas Mavericks team. The Suns got great nights from Devin Booker, who scored 37 points and dished out nine assists, and Dillon Brooks, who scored 28 points on 50% from the field and survived, barely, to win 112-107. 

Here’s what the Suns did well: they held Cooper Flagg to 11 points on 4-for-18 shooting, 11 rebounds, and six assists. The Suns shot 40% from the 3-point line and made 14 threes. The Suns outscored the Mavericks 16-6 in points off turnovers. Yet it was another game full of big momentum swings and consistent play. 

The Suns led by 18 points in the third quarter, only to go scoreless for five minutes and allow the Mavericks to go on an 18-1 run, cutting the deficit to 1. Then they woke up and went up double digits again, only for that lead to evaporate quickly and the Mavericks to lead by two. Booker and Brooks combined for 65 points, and the Suns only beat the 25-55 Mavericks by five points. Stagnant offense and poor defense allowed the Mavericks to hang around in a game the Suns should have won easily. 

Part of the roller coaster ride for the Suns was due to two in-game injuries to Jalen Green (knee) and Jordan Goodwin (lower leg injury), who both left the game in the first half and did not return. Already without Mark Williams and Grayson Allen, the Suns went to their bench and played everyone. Ryan Dunn played 24 minutes and guarded Flagg exceptionally well, while Rasheer Fleming played 14 minutes and had little impact on the game. Jamaree Bouyea played four minutes, and Amir Coffey played six as well. 

The big, emphasis on big, story of the night was Khaman Maluach, who started his first NBA game and showed why he was the Suns’ lottery prize this offseason. He scored 4 points, grabbed 14 rebounds (one night after the Suns were obliterated on the boards), and blocked three shots, including a monster block on a Flagg dunk attempt. 

Maluach still showed many flaws that he will have to work through to become a great center in the NBA, like his ability to grab the ball without bobbling it, finishing strong in the paint, and not getting pushed around. Tonight, though, he was the difference between the Suns winning and losing because of his effort. He challenged players at the rim, even though he got dunked on by Marvin Bagley in the first quarter, he blocked Flagg late in the game when the Suns needed it most. It was not just that he was trying to block shots either; it was his effort to contest shots and then immediately pursue the rebound after, something that Mark Williams has struggled to do since December. He and Booker tied for a team high +11 in plus/minus, and the eye test matched that. He was brilliant in his first start as a Phoenix Sun, and showed that he could be the Suns’ future at center as early as, well, right now. 

Game Flow

First Half 

The first half was back and forth between the Suns and the Mavericks. Neither team led by more than two possessions until the Suns closed the first half on an impressive 15-6 run to lead 61-53 at halftime. The Suns allowed just one field goal from the Mavericks in the last six minutes of the second quarter. Devin Booker started the game with a quick 8 points early in the first quarter and finished the second quarter attacking Dallas’s little guards at the rim. He had 19 points in the first half.

Outside of Booker, it was Phoenix’s 3-point shooting that was the difference in the first half, with Royce O’Neale scoring 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field and 4-of-5 from long distance. Jordan Goodwin hit three 3-point shots as well, but unfortunately, he left the game with a lower leg injury in the second quarter. The Mavericks were 12-of-12 from the free-throw line and got just enough offense to remain close at the break. 

With Mark Williams and Grayson Allen out of the lineup for injury management, and Jalen Green heading to the locker room just four minutes into the game, Jordan Ott was forced to play his young players. Khaman Maluach started the game for Williams and grabbed seven rebounds in the first half, and his defense was a mixed bag. His length at the rim is disruptive, but Marvin Bagley scored a team-high 11 points in the first half, with all of them coming against Maluach, including a thunderous dunk in the light center.

Ryan Dunn got into the rotation and played well, shutting down Cooper Flagg multiple times and finding shooters in the corner in the short roll on offense. Rasheer Fleming played seven minutes and was quiet in his minutes. 

Second Half

The Suns started the second half with a quick 10-0 run. Dillon Brooks was getting into his midrange bag, forcing the Mavericks to call a quick timeout just two minutes into the quarter. The Suns led 71-53 and had created the separation needed to take full control of the game, except they didn’t score for the next five minutes of game action. The Suns’ lack of ball movement and Brooks’ isolations were major contributors to the drought. The Mavericks did what they do best: get to the free-throw line and score in the paint. Dallas guard Max Christie knocked in a couple of 3-point jumpers as well, and just as fast as the Suns’ lead ballooned to 18, it dwindled to just one, 72-71. The Mavericks 18-1 run was another extended slog of unremarkable basketball from a Suns team that needs to be playing its best basketball right now. 

The Suns woke up and closed the quarter strong. Booker was attacking again in the midrange and converted multiple and-1 pullups to give the Suns a boost, and Gillespie scored 7 quick points to give the Suns an 88-80 lead after three quarters of basketball. 

The fourth quarter was another seesaw of runs. Mavericks guard John Poulakidas continued his hot shooting in the fourth quarter, knocking down multiple jumpers to get Dallas back into the game. The Suns’ offense continued to stagnate, and the Mavericks took their first lead of the game, 95-93, after a Christie pull-up 3-point shot in transition. It was Booker to the rescue yet again as he checked in and immediately deposited a long-range triple and got the free throw line. A tough pull-up jumpshot at the right elbow from Brooks put the Suns up 102-95 after a 9-0 run with five minutes to go. 

The Suns had control of the game again; they just had to hold on a little longer. Another Brooks jumper gave the Suns an eight-point lead, but the Mavericks continued to fight (even after they took out all of their best players to try to lose the game). The Mavericks cut the deficit to three, but a Booker side step 3-point shot was the nail in the coffin, as the Suns led 110-104 and went on to win 112-107. 

Up Next

A Friday night showdown against the Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles, with tip-off at 7:30 Arizona time. 

The never-say-die Dallas Mavericks put up a valiant, short-handed effort against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night, losing 112-107. Devin Booker was the high scorer and all-around best player for the Suns, scoring 37 to go along with five rebounds and nine assists. John Poulakidas led Dallas in scoring off the bench, pouring in 23 and making it look easy.

Both the Mavericks and Suns were on fire early from the three-point line. The teams traded leads, with neither squad playing much defense. Both Cooper Flagg and Jalen Green exited the game early with injury issues and it was unclear if either would return. The Mavericks stayed feisty and stuck with the Suns, trailing 33-29 after one quarter.

With Cooper Flagg returning in the second, Dallas tried to keep pace with the Suns and managed for most of the quarter. The hot outside shooting from Dallas cooled but getting to the line allowed Dallas to match scoring with the Suns. But after tying it at 50 with 4:22 remaining, the Mavericks would score only three points the rest of the quarter. The Suns scored slowly and built up a 61-53 to take into the half.

Before the second half started began, it was reported that Jalen Green would not return. The Suns opened the half blowing up their lead to as many as 18 as Dallas looked half asleep. The Mavericks, of course, spent the rest of the period whittling that lead back down to zero only to unravel in the final few minutes. The score entering the fourth was the same difference as when the second half began: the suns lead 88-80.

Dallas would not go away. The Mavericks stormed back once again, taking a 95-93 lead with around eight minutes remaining. Following a Suns timeout, Phoenix retook the lead but not before the Mavericks entered the 45th CLUTCH game of their season, being down five with under five minutes to go. In the first really obvious tanking move I can remember, Kidd pulled all his starters and they STILL managed to keep the game within three points until a Devin Booker three sealed the game with 1:12 remaining. The Mavericks fall, 112-107.

Have yourself a game, John Poulakidas

I make it a point not to get too invested in two-way players. If a two-way player matters, the season is usually lost. But that doesn’t mean I’m against a good story, and the Yale guard has been fun for Dallas these last 40 days or so. He scored his first NBA points three weeks ago and just nine games later, scores a career high 23 points on some great looking shots.

To be honest, I have no idea if he has a spot on a NBA team. He plays real hard and has a key skill in terms of shot making that teams can use. He tries hard on defense, but considering Dallas is so bad at defense I’ve no idea how to rate him. Perhaps he can go to Summer League with the Mavericks?

The Suns have a lot of good players I enjoy watching

Dillon Brooks is an acquired taste at best, but I very much appreciate the games of Collin Gillespie and Khaman Maluach. The former helped control the game for the Suns on the offensive end while the latter was fantastic on the boards for the Suns, grabbing 14 in his first start. I’m not sure how the pieces all fit with this team; Booker is awesome and Jalen Green has a ton of talent.

AJ Johnson might be the worst NBA contract player on the Mavericks in years

Tonight, Johnson shot 1-11 from the floor. He’s now 20-72 from the field in his short time with the Mavericks. Professional basketball players cannot shoot 27% from the floor. His finishing is weak (he loses the ball on drives), his shot from distance looks as if he’s blind, and his defense is that of a grade schooler. Sorry if this is too harsh. Whoever drafted and signed him should not be allowed to make personnel decisions.

Tyrese Haliburton took another big step in his recovery on Wednesday. 

In a post on X, the Pacers star announced that he had moved onto 5-on-5 work. 

“Played 5 on 5 today for first time since June,” he wrote on the social media platform along with the praying hands emoji. 

Haliburton, 26, has been recovering from a ruptured Achilles that he suffered during Game 7 of the NBA Finals last year. 

While he has been rehabbing, the two-time All-Star has been at Pacers games to help cheer on his team, and away from the court, he’s thrown himself into some different hobbies. 

According to The Athletic, Haliburton has been learning to DJ, working on a sneaker line with Puma and livestreaming with his brother. 

The news on Wednesday had fans excited to see the NBA star inching closer to a return. 

“You’ll back more [strong] than before Hali,” one fan wrote on X.

“LETS GOOOOOOOOO,” another person chimed in. 

“The comeback ab to be something special,” a third wrote on the platform. 

Even ESPN sports talk host Pat McAfee responded with an excited post on social media after Haliburton posted about it. 

pic.twitter.com/nNa2zyyNzL

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 9, 2026

Things have been tough for Indiana with Haliburton out for this season, going from one of the best teams in the NBA to one of the worst. 

The Pacers have an 18-61 record this season, the second-worst in the NBA, as they fight for lottery positioning a year after they went to the Finals. 

Indiana is likely to have its lowest win percentage ever this season; right now it stands at .228. 

Haliburton was diagnosed with shingles in late February and had to be away from the team for several weeks. 

He did return to the Pacers bench on March 25. 

The Pacers are down to their final three games of the season with a trip to Brooklyn on Thursday before playing at home against the 76ers on Friday and the Pistons on Sunday. 

The Spurs turned in a solid performance tonight without Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama. It wasn’t a perfect game, as the team survived despite turning the ball over too much and not exactly playing the most efficient offense, allowing the Blazers to cut the lead to a couple of baskets late in the fourth quarter. Where the Silver and Black won the game was on the defensive end of the court, as they limited the Blazers to 101 points despite 29 points from Deni Avdija and 20 points from Scoot Henderson, who is starting to show the promise that made him the second third overall pick a few years back. De’Aaron Fox led the team with 25 points and Devin Vassell had one of his best games of the season on both ends of the court, making defensive plays and scoring 14 points and 8 rebounds. Carter Bryant had a career game, as Portland left him free at the three point line and he hit 5-6 three pointers. Harper excelled in his starting role tonight as he scored 13 and kept the offense organized. You have to also give credit to Keldon Johnson, who was unstoppable coming off of the bench, as it was a team effort where every player that got onto the court made an impact on the victory over a possible playoff opponent for their 61st victory of the season.

Observations

• Even though Wembanyama was out tonight, his imprint was all over the game. Nobody thought this was a 60 game winning team when the season started, but his competitive spirit drove the team to an amazing win total. He’s really young, but he’s already a leader.
• I was not really impressed with Harrison Ingram at first, but he’s really been working hard on his game in Austin, and he’s improved a lot. He’s going to make a run at joining the regular roster next season, and he has a shot.
• The Blazers started out quick but Fox righted things quickly with a personal 10-0 run to make the score 12-8 Spurs.
• Avdija looks really good out there, and without Wemby on the court to erase defensive mistakes, he had a lot of space to create tonight. Carter Bryant had a turn at defending him, and picked up a quick foul, but seemed to do a good job keeping up with his speed.
• Missed free throws (3) and turnovers (4) hampered the Silver and Black in the first quarter, but somehow led 32-23 after the first quarter on a final three-point shot from Dylan Harper.
• Sidy Cissoko was a player I hated to see leave San Antonio. His game was so raw when he was in San Antonio, but you could see they talent and athletic ability. I’m happy for his success in Portland. Blake Wesley is another former Spur who’s on Portland, and he showed his commitment to the game by going to the floor and wrestling Keldon for a loose ball and winning a jump ball.
• Jordan McLaughlin always contributes whenever he plays. It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t leave the bench for five games, he’s going to step up whenever he’s called upon.
• Spurs led by as many as 15 points in the second quarter, and led 61-51 at the half with Avdija getting some free throws to end the first half scoring. The biggest negative was 5 more turnovers in the quarter, which is something that could have been more harmful than it was, because the Spurs defense stepped to limit the damage.
• Deni Avdija on offense and Jrue Holiday on defense got the Blazers on a 17-12 start to start the third and cut the lead in half, forcing a Mitch Johnson timeout. The Spurs finished the rest of the quarter on a 15-5 run and led 88-73 with a quarter to play.
• Things got a little dicey early in the fourth as Scoot Henderson turned defense into offense by creating turnovers and putting them into the hoop.
• The Spurs took over the fourth with getting to every loose ball, but it was a uneven effort, as they also made mistakes that led to easy Portland points. It looked at times that the Spurs were going to run away with it, leading by as much as 17, but the Blazers stayed in it with their defense while the Spurs offense stagnated. When they cut the lead to single digits with 4:26 left, Mitch had to call a timeout to settle the team.
• The lead shrunk to 6 after the Spurs botched a jump ball with Keldon letting it go out of bounds thinking it was off of Portland. Luckily, the Spur found their mojo and closed out the game with timely stops and enough offense to win by double digits, 112-101.

There are only two more games left in the season, and Wemby has to play at least 20 minutes in one of them to qualify for post-season awards. I would guess that he’s going to play Friday against the Mavericks as they will just be funneling the rock to Cooper Flagg as he continues to rake in accolades for his rookie of the year campaign. There have been a lot of great first year players this year, but I don’t see anyone beating Cooper, who has been stellar on a really bad team. Dylan Harper is incredible, but his role on a good team is not going to grab the kind of attention that Flagg gets, and actually deserves.

The Spurs final game will be against the Nuggets, which should be a ho-hum affair, as both teams should have settled their playoff standings by then and will be resting all their starters and top contributors. It’s going to be Harrison Ingram time, and he’s going to make his case for being on the regular roster next year.

DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 14 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for his 34th triple-double of the season, and Denver beat the Memphis Grizzlies 136-119 on Wednesday night for the Nuggets’ 10th straight win.

Denver increased its hold on the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference with its first double-digit winning streak since getting 15 in a row Feb. 23-March 23, 2013. The Nuggets lead the reeling Los Angeles Lakers by 1 1/2 games and finish the regular season with games against the top two teams in the conference.

Jamal Murray scored 26 points and Jonas Valanciunas had 14 points in his 1,000th career game.

The wins during the streak haven’t been easy. Memphis needed to rally from double-digit deficits in the fourth quarter twice, winning both in overtime.

Jokic, who leads the NBA in rebounding and assists, already clinched a triple-double average for the second straight season. His assist on Cameron Johnson’s layup midway through the third gave him the 198th triple-double of his career. He didn’t play in the fourth quarter.

Cedric Coward had 27 points, for the Grizzlies, who have lost six in a row and 18 of 20. Memphis was 19 of 50 from deep two nights after tying an NBA record with 29 made 3-pointers.

MAGIC 132, TIMBERWOLVES 120

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Paolo Banchero had 20 points and eight rebounds, Desmond Bane added 18 points and six assists and Orlando beat Minnesota.

Franz Wagner scored 17 points and Goga Bitadze came off the bench with 14 points and 15 rebounds for the Magic, who have won four straight.

The win pulled the Magic (44-36) up to seventh place in the tight race for playoff/play-in positions. With two road games remaining (Chicago on Friday and Boston on Sunday), they could finish anywhere between six and ninth in the Eastern Conference.

Terrence Shannon Jr. led the Timberwolves with a career-high 33 points. Jaden McDaniels, back in the lineup after missing six games with a left knee injury, added 18 points in 19 minutes.

The Timberwolves, who have lost five of seven, played without Anthony Edwards (right knee injury) and four players who started Tuesday night’s win at Indiana that clinched their Western Conference playoff spot.

Julius Randle missed his first game of the season and Rudy Gobert missed his fifth.

PISTONS 137, BUCKS 111

DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 13 points and 10 assists in his return from injury as Detroit beat Milwaukee in its home finale.

Cunningham hadn’t played since sustaining a collapsed lung in a win against the Washington Wizards on March 17, but appeared comfortable while playing 26 minutes in short stints. He hit six of 11 field goal attempts, including one 3-pointer, and pulled down five rebounds.

Jalen Duren added 21 points and nine rebounds as the Pistons won for the sixth time in eight games. Duncan Robinson scored 20 points on a night where J.B. Bickerstaff kept all five starters under 30 minutes.

Detroit (58-22) can win 60 games for the first time since 2005-06 by winning against the Charlotte Hornets and Indiana Pacers in their final two games.

Jericho Sims had a triple-double — 11 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists — while Ryan Rollins scored 23 points for Milwaukee, which has lost 10 of its last 13 games.

Cunningham played 13 minutes in the first half, putting up six points and five assists as the Pistons built a 75-57 lead. Duren had 11 points, six rebounds and a plus-20 in his 13 minutes.

CAVALIERS 122, HAWKS 116

CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points, Evan Mobley had 22 points and tied a career high with 19 rebounds, and Cleveland defeated Atlanta.

James Harden added 21 points for the Cavaliers, who have won four straight and seven of eight. Cleveland (51-29) can finish no lower than fourth place in the Eastern Conference and is 1/2 game behind New York for the third seed.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 25 points and Jonathan Kuminga had 24 off the bench as Atlanta was unable to clinch a playoff berth with the loss. The Hawks (45-35) have dropped their last two after winning four straight. They are one game ahead of Toronto for the fifth seed but only 1 1/2 in front of Orlando to avoid being in the play-in tournament.

It was Mitchell’s 200th regular-season game with at least 20 points in four years with the Cavaliers. He is the fifth player in franchise history to reach that milestone.

Mitchell had his 14th game this season with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.

SPURS 112, TRAIL BLAZERS 101

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — De’Aaron Fox had 25 points and San Antonio kept rolling even with Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle sidelined by injuries, defeating Portland.

San Antonio (61-19) is 28-3 since Feb. 1 and has its best record since 2017, its last appearance in the Western Conference finals during a 22-year postseason run that included five NBA championships.

Deni Avdija scored 27 points and Scoot Henderson added 20 for the Trail Blazers, who have lost two straight after a three-game winning streak.

Portland (40-40) remains ninth in the West, just 2 1/2 games ahead of Golden State (37-42) heading into the final weekend of the regular season.

San Antonio had six players in double figures to offset the absence of the NBA’s past two Rookie of the Year winners. Keldon Johnson scored 20 points and rookie forward Carter Bryant added a season-high 17.

SUN 112, MAVERICKS 107

PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored 37 points, Dillon Brooks added 28 and Phoenix edged short-handed Dallas.

The Mavericks pulled within 110-107 on John Poulakidas’ 3-pointer with 1:08 left and had a chance to get even closer on their next possession but Oso Ighodaro blocked Moussa Cisse at the rim to stop the rally.

Brooks made a driving layup with 13.7 seconds to finally put the game away. The Suns clinched the No. 7 spot in the Western Conference playoff race, meaning they get two chances at home to win one game in the play-in tournament.

Poulakidas — a 6-foot-5 undrafted rookie who played at Yale — scored a season-high 23 points. Rookie of the Year front-runner Cooper Flagg had a tough game, scoring 11 points on 4 of 19 shooting.

The Mavericks trailed 71-53 early in the third quarter but used an 18-1 run to get back into the game. Dallas took its first lead of the second half when Max Christie hit a 3-pointer for a 95-93 advantage with 8:16 left.

The Suns responded with a 9-0 run and didn’t trail again. Dallas had just 10 available players because of injuries.

THUNDER 128, CLIPPERS 110

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Chet Holmgren had 30 points and 14 rebounds, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 20 points and 11 assists, and Oklahoma City clinched the NBA’s best regular-season record with a victory over Los Angeles.

Jalen Williams scored 18 points for the NBA champion Thunder (64-16), who will have homecourt advantage throughout the postseason in their title defense after holding off San Antonio (61-19), which is on an 18-2 run since February. Oklahoma City has won seven straight and 19 of 20 to earn the West’s No. 1 seed for the third straight season.

Kawhi Leonard scored 20 points and Brook Lopez added 16 for the eighth-place Clippers, who had won seven of nine. Los Angeles is 35-18 since shortly before Christmas, but still must win one of its final two games to extend this once-moribund franchise’s streak to 15 consecutive winning seasons.

The Clippers head to Portland on Friday for a crucial game. The winner almost certainly will finish eighth in the Western Conference, while the losers will slip to ninth, where they’ll need two wins in the play-in tournament to make the playoffs.

The Philadelphia 76ers are the only team left in the NBA that can sweep the Houston Rockets.

Houston rides into this game on a 7-game winning streak and just one game behind in the race for home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

The Sixers are currently eighth in the Eastern Conference and one back in the loss column from being in fifth place (at the time of writing). They’re also two up in the loss column from 10th place, so there’s quite a range of spots for them to fall into. Obviously, they will be trying hard to win to avoid the play-in.

For Houston, tonight is about continuing to build upon their recent success and execute a decent NBA offense heading into the postseason and offseason. The Rockets have slipped on their “30 assists per game” streak, but a new streak could start tonight.

Tip-off

7pm CT

How To Watch

Space City Home Network

Injury Report

Rockets

Steven Adams: OUT

Fred VanVleet: OUT

Sixers

Cameron Payne: OUT

Johni Broome: OUT

The Line (as of this post)

N/A

Check here for updates

Looking ahead because we can

Friday night at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves