Simmons leads 76ers to 14th straight win

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia 76ers coach Brett Brown acknowledged that after he told his players and the media before the season began that the goal was to make the playoffs, it “wasn’t well received” by many in the cautious front office.

Turns out, Brown had the pulse of The Process. Not only are the Sixers headed to the postseason, they’re poised to make some noise. JJ Redick scored 18 points, and the surging 76ers matched a franchise record with their 14th consecutive victory, 109-97 over the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.

Ben Simmons added 16 points, seven rebounds and nine assists, and Robert Covington had 15 points and 10 rebounds. Two years after going 10-72, the Sixers (5030) clinched homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs and secured their first 50-win season since Allen Iverson’s 2000-01 team, which lost in the Finals.

The only other time the Sixers won 14 straight in a single season, Dr. J and Moses Malone delivered Philadelphia its last NBA title in 1983.

JAZZ 112, LAKERS 97: Donovan Mitchell scored 28 points and Utah clinched a playoff berth with a road victory over Los Angeles. Utah is the fourth team in the Western Conference to lock up a postseason spot, with five clubs still in the running for the other four positions before the regular season ends Wednesday. PACERS 123, HORNETS 117: Domantas Sabonis scored a career-high 30 points, Victor Oladipo had 27 points on 12-of-15 shooting and Indiana beat Charlotte on the road. HAWKS 112, CELTICS 106: Taurean Prince scored 33 points, and Atlanta rallied for the road win in Boston. With the No. 2 spot in the Eastern Conference already locked up, Celtics coach Brad Stevens left Al Horford, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier on the bench for the entire fourth quarter. RAPTORS 112, MAGIC 101: C.J. Miles scored 22 points and OG Anunoby had a career-high 21 for Toronto in a home win over Orlando.