Howard, Jokic lead way as Nuggets beat Detroit
Sixers down Orlando, clinch No. 1 East seed
DETROIT — Markus Howard scored a career-high 20 points, Nikola Jokic had a triple-double and the Denver Nuggets moved closer to a higher playoff seed with a 104-91 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Friday night.
Jokic had 20 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists for Denver (47-24). The Nuggets improved to 3-0 on a four-game road trip that finishes the regular season.
The Pistons (20-51) lost for the 11th time in 13 games. Hamadou Diallo led the Pistons with 18 points, Tyler Cook scored 17 and Deividas Sirvydis added a career-high 16. The Pistons only dressed eight players, with the oldest being 25-year-old Jahlil Okafor.
The first half turned into an unexpected scoring duel between Sirvydis and Howard. The rookies each had a career-high 16 points in the half.
76ERS 122, MAGIC 87: In Philadelphia, Seth Curry scored 20 points, Joel Embiid had 13 points and 11 rebounds and the 76ers clinched the top seed for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference with a victory over Orlando.
Ben Simmons added 13 points and nine assists to help the 76ers improve to 48-23. Philadelphia could’ve clinched earlier this week, but lost at Indiana on Tuesday and at Miami on Thursday. Embiid didn’t play against the Pacers due to illness and logged just 25 minutes against the Heat while still looking sluggish.
But he was more engaged in the second quarter against the undermanned Magic, helping Philadelphia outscore Orlando 39-19 in the period.
JAZZ 109, THUNDER 93: In Oklahoma City, Bojan Bogdanovic scored 22 points, and Utah beat Oklahoma City to inch closer to claiming the top seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
Utah can clinch the top seed with a win at Sacramento on Sunday or a loss by Phoenix against San Antonio on Saturday or Sunday.
MAVERICKS 114, RAPTORS 110: In Dallas, Luka Doncic had his 11th triple-double of the season with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists and the Mavericks guaranteed themselves a top-six finish in the Western Conference, to avoid the NBA’s play-in next week, with a victory over Toronto.
Kristaps Porzingis, who finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds, made a 3-pointer on the game’s first shot and the Mavericks never trailed.
WIZARDS 120, CAVALIERS 105: In Washington, Russell Westbrook got his first triple-double since passing Oscar Robertson and becoming the NBA’s career leader earlier in the week, lifting Washington past Cleveland and helping the Wizards clinch a spot in the play-in tournament.
ROCKETS 122, CLIPPERS 115: In Houston, Kelly Olynyk scored 20 points and fell a rebound shy of a triple-double as the Rockets snapped a seven-game skid with a victory over a Los Angeles team that rested several starters.
The Clippers were without Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and Patrick Beverley as all three sat out on the second night of back-to-back games as the team prepares for the playoffs.
WARRIORS 125, PELICANS 122: In San Francisco, Jordan Poole scored a go-ahead layup with 21.4 seconds left and made two free throws with less than a second remaining on the way to a career-high 38 points despite an injury scare in the third quarter, and Golden State held off New Orleans while Stephen Curry and other stars rested with injuries.
Golden State’s supporting cast again showed its talent on a night Curry and Draymond Green were among the Warriors regulars rested by coach Steve Kerr. Curry is still bothered by a tender tailbone he hurt falling hard on metal steps March 17 at Houston.
GRIZZLIES 107, KINGS 106: In Memphis, Tenn., Justise Winslow had season highs with 25 points and 13 rebounds and Memphis held on to beat Sacramento.