Lillard snaps, scores 61 as Blazers top Mavericks
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. » Damian Lillard tied his career high with 61 points, and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Dallas Mavericks 134-131 on Tuesday night to move into eighth place in the Western Conference.
The Blazers will clinch a spot in the play-in series for the last playoff spot out West with a win Thursday against Brooklyn.
Lillard made nine 3-pointers in his sixth 50-point game of the season. He’s the 12th player in NBA history to score 50 points in back-to-back games after dropping 51 on the 76ers on Sunday.
Carmelo Anthony added 26 points on 10-of 17 shooting for Portland.
Kristaps Porzingis scored 36 points and Luka Doncic had 25 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds for the Mavericks, who will finish No. 7 in the West.
SPURS 123, ROCKETS 105 » Keldon Johnson had 24 points and 11 rebounds, and the Spurs kept alive their chance of becoming the first team in NBA history to make 23 consecutive playoff appearances.
DeMar DeRozan scored 23 points for San Antonio, which has won five of seven since arriving in the Florida bubble.
The Western Conference is guaranteed to have a playin for its final playoff spot. The Spurs will need help to be one of the teams playing this weekend for the final spot, but made sure they couldn’t be eliminated Tuesday with their win.
SUNS 130, 76ERS 117 » Devin Booker scored 35 points and the Suns protected their playoff hopes by beating the 76ers to remain undefeated in the NBA restart.
Booker became the Suns’ career leader with his 91st 30-point game, breaking a tie with Walter Davis.
Mikal Bridges added 24 points for the Suns, who are in the mix for the final spot in the Western Conference playoff race.
Phoenix is 7-0 as the only undefeated team in the restart.
Alec Burks
76ers with 23 led the
points.
Philadelphia, No. 6 in the East and already assured of a playoff spot, is attempting to prepare for the postseason after losing Ben Simmons to a knee injury. CELTICS 122, GRIZZLIES 107 » Jayson Tatum scored 29 points, and the Celtics put the Grizzlies in further danger of missing the playoffs.
The Grizzlies missed another chance to guarantee themselves a spot in the Western Conference playin series, and could fall out of eighth place if Portland beats Dallas later Tuesday.
Boston (48-23), which has already locked up the Eastern Conference’s third seed, won its fourth straight.
Gordon Hayward added 19 points and five assists.
Memphis (33-39) lost for the sixth time in seven games since the restart. Ja Morant finished with 26 points and 13 assists.
NETS 108, MAGIC 96 » Jeremiah Martin and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot each scored 24 points, leading Brooklyn to the victory.
Dzanan Musa added 17 points and Tyler Johnson had 14 for the Nets, who improved to 5-2 in the restart with their third straight victory.