Kevin Durant scored 42 factors to assist the Phoenix Suns increase their possibilities of making the playoffs with a 123-112 win over the Jap Convention leaders, the Cleveland Cavaliers, on Friday.
Durant’s good show gave Phoenix their third win in a row as they struggle for a spot within the Western Convention playoffs.
He scored 19 factors within the third quarter, serving to the Suns take management of the sport. By the top of the third quarter, Phoenix have been main 98-79, and so they stayed in entrance till the ultimate whistle.
The win moved the Suns into tenth place within the Western Convention, placing them in line for a spot within the play-in event.
The highest six groups in every NBA convention go straight to the playoffs. Groups ranked Seventh to tenth play in a mini-tournament to resolve the final two locations.
Talking after the sport, Durant praised Cleveland. “That is the very best workforce within the league,” he stated. “We’ve been struggling, and we all know the final 10 video games might be very robust. So we simply needed to remain targeted and construct on the exhausting work we’ve executed this previous week.”
The loss was Cleveland’s fourth in a row. The Boston Celtics are actually simply 5 wins behind them on the prime of the Jap Convention.
Boston improved their report to 51 wins and 19 losses after beating the Utah Jazz 121-99. Kristaps Porzingis scored 27 factors and Jayson Tatum added 26.
In one other recreation, the Detroit Pistons have been crushed 123-117 by the struggling Dallas Mavericks. Detroit’s loss was a shock, as Dallas had been having a tough season after Luka Doncic was traded to the Lakers and Kyrie Irving was dominated out for the remainder of the season with damage.
Dallas have been helped by Spencer Dinwiddie’s 31 factors and P.J. Washington’s 27 factors. The win retains Dallas in eleventh place within the West with a 34-37 report, simply outdoors of the play-in spots.
Detroit are nonetheless in sixth place within the Jap Convention with a 39-32 report, which retains them forward of Seventh-placed Atlanta, who’ve 33 wins and 36 losses.
Thunder Safe Prime Spot
Within the Western Convention, Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder celebrated clinching the primary seed with an enormous 141-106 win over the Charlotte Hornets.
OKC had already secured first place after the Lakers misplaced to Milwaukee on Thursday. Towards Charlotte, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the workforce with 30 factors, and eight Thunder gamers scored double figures. They now have a 58-12 report on the prime of the West.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault stated his workforce wants to remain targeted because the playoffs method. “We’ve acquired to play with a way of function – you may’t calm down going into the post-season,” he stated. “It was an excellent 48-minute effort. We performed to our requirements on each offence and defence.”
Rockets and Timberwolves Push On
With Oklahoma Metropolis holding first place, the Houston Rockets boosted their possibilities of ending second. They got here again from 11 factors behind to beat the Miami Warmth 102-98. It was their ninth straight win.
Fred VanVleet was the star for Houston, scoring 37 factors and hitting 9 out of 11 three-pointers. The Rockets now have a 46-25 report.
The Minnesota Timberwolves additionally stayed near the sixth-placed Golden State Warriors. Minnesota beat the New Orleans Pelicans 134-93 and now have a 41-31 report. Golden State are simply forward with 41 wins and 29 losses.
In one other shock consequence, the Portland Path Blazers defeated the injury-hit Denver Nuggets 128-109.