Wall returns as Wizards clinch playoff spot

Otto Porter Jr. scored 26 points and Bradley Beal pitched in with 22 points as the Washington Wizards defeated the Charlotte Hornets for the first time this season, winning 107-93 on Saturday evening in the American capital.

With the win, the Wizards (42-34) officially clinched a playoff spot. The Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks sit a game and 11/2 games back, respectively, in the seventh and eighth spots in the Eastern Conference, but ninth-place Detroit (36-40) is well out of striking distance.

Porter, who also pulled in a team-best 11 rebounds, and Beal each made six three-point shots, combining to go 12-for-18 from long range.

John Wall, who played in his first game since January 25 after a knee injury, scored 15 points and 14 assists and Mike Scott also added 15 points for the Wizards, who won for only the second time in their last six outings.

In other NBA action, the visiting Brooklyn Nets used a strong second half to get the game to overtime and beat the Miami Heat 110-109 to prevent the hosts from clinching a playoff berth.

Dwyane Wade’s potential game-winning layup rolled off the rim in the final seconds of overtime to give the Nets their third win in four games against Miami this season.

The loss snapped the Heat’s nine-game home winning streak. Miami slipped to the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, a half-game behind Milwaukee.

Meanwhile, Marcus Morris had 25 points and nine rebounds and Jayson Tatum scored 24 as the host Boston Celtics beat the Toronto Raptors 110-99 in a battle of Eastern powerhouses.

Terry Rozier added 21 points and seven assists and Al Horford had 14 points for the Celtics, who earned their sixth straight victory and pulled within two games of the Raptors for first place in the East with six games remaining for each team.

DeMar DeRozan scored a game-high 32 points with seven assists and seven rebounds, Serge Ibaka had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Jonas Valanciunas had 13 and 11 for Toronto, which suffered its fourth loss in the last seven games following BO HBNF XJO TUSFBL r 3FVUFST