Heat beat Celtics, clinch playoff bid
BOSTON — Tyler Herro scored 24 points and the Miami Heat clinched a playoff spot and locked the Boston Celtics into the play-in tournament Tuesday night with a 129-121 victory.
Miami moved into a tie with idle Atlanta for fifth place in the Eastern Conference. The surging Heat won for the 10th time in 13 games. They have three games left in the regular season.
Kemba Walker led the Celtics in their regularseason home finale with 36 points.
NUGGETS 117, HORNETS 112
Michael Porter Jr. and Nikola Jokic scored 30 points apiece, and Denver held off host Charlotte to snap a two-game slide.
Terry Rozier, who had 43 points in Sunday’s loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, added 21 points for the Hornets, who are assured a spot in the playin tournament.
GRIZZLIES 133 MAVERICKS 104
Ja Morant had 24 points, eight assists and seven rebounds as host Memphis used a third-quarter burst to beat Dallas. Tim Hardaway Jr. led the Mavericks with 19 points, while Willie Cauley-Stein finished with a season-high 16 points.
NETS 115, BULLS 107
Kevin Durant had 21 points and eight assists, and visiting Brooklyn beat Chicago despite Zach LaVine’s 41 points. Brooklyn lost guard Kyrie Irving to an apparent facial injury early in the second half.
BUCKS 114, MAGIC 102
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for host Milwaukee, which remains third in the Eastern Conference.
PACERS 103, 76ERS 94
Domantas Sabonis had his ninth triple-double of the season and Caris LeVert added 24 points to help host Indiana end Philadelphia’s eight-game winning streak.
WARRIORS 122, SUNS 116
Host Golden State overcame a 66-58 deficit behind Andrew Wiggins’ 38 points, and Draymond Green’s triple-double of 11 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Devin Booker led Phoenix with 34 points.
LAKERS 101 KNICKS 99 (OT)
Kyle Kuzma scored 23 points, and Andre Drummond added 16 points and 18 rebounds for host Los Angeles. LeBron James missed his fifth straight game with an ankle injury.
CLIPPERS 115 RAPTORS 96
Kawhi Leonard scored 20 points, and Los Angeles led all the way in a win over Toronto in Tampa, Fla. The Clippers stayed one game ahead of the Nuggets in the race for third place in the NBA’s Western Conference.
KINGS 120, THUNDER 106
Buddy Hield and Delon Wright scored 21 points apiece for host Sacramento.
TIMBERWOLVES 119 PISTONS 100
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 28 points and Anthony Edwards added 22 as visiting Minnesota beat undermanned Detroit in a game with significant lottery implications.