CELTICS CLOSE IN ON EASTERN CONFERENCE FOURTH SEED

INDIANAPOLIS—

Jason Tatum scored 22 points and Gordon Hayward added 21 in his return to Indianapolis on Friday night, leading the Boston Celtics to a crucial 117-97 victory over the Pacers.

The Celtics broke a tie with Indiana for the No. 4 seed in the East and essentially took a twogame lead in the chase for homecourt advantage because they won the season series, 3-1, giving them the tiebreaker, too. Boston also is building postseason momentum with three straight wins and five in their last six games.

Indiana’s two-game winning streak ended. Myles Turner led the Pacers with 15 points and seven rebounds, while Domantas Sabonis and Tyreke Evans each scored 12.

In Denver, Nikola Jokic scored 10 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, Paul Millsap finished with 25 points, and Denver clinched the Northwest Division title after a 119-110 win over the Portland Trailblazers.

Jokic added 13 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Nuggets to their first division title in six years. Jamal Murray scored 23 points and Torrey Craig had 18 points and seven rebounds off the bench for Denver.

The Nuggets are assured of at least the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference and can clinch the second seed with two morewins.

Denver clinched its first Northwest Division title since 2012-13.

Enes Kanter had 24 points and Rodney Hood 17 for the Trail Blazers. Damian Lillard scored 12 of his 14 points after halftime.

In Oakland, Stephen Curry scored 40 points to move into third place on Golden State’s career list in 120-114 win over Cleveland.

Draymond Green had 20 points and eight rebounds, Kevin Durant added 15 points and eight assists, and Quinn Cook scored 14 to help the Warriors (55-24) inch closer to clinching the Western Conference in their second-tolast regular season game at Oracle Arena.

With 16,283 points, Curry trails only Wilt Chamberlain (17,783) and Rick Barry (16,447) on the Warriors career scoring charts.