Celtics get tie-break edge on Pacers

Kyrie Irving hit a driving layup with 0.5 seconds left and the host Boston Celtics beat the Indiana Pacers 114-112 on Friday night.

Boston moved into fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings. Both teams have identical 45-31 records, but the Celtics lead the regular-season series 2-1, giving them the current inside track on homecourt advantage in a first-round series.

Irving finished with 30 points and five assists. He has scored at least 30 points in six of his past seven games. Al Horford added 19 points and seven rebounds. Aron Baynes had 13 points and 13 rebounds.

If the current standings hold, the teams would meet in the first round. Their final regular-season meeting is Friday in Indiana.

Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pacers with 27 points.

Trail Blazers 118, Hawks 98: Damian Lillard scored 36 points, Al-Farouq Aminu added 17 and 11 rebounds, and visiting Portland extended its winning streak to a season-high six games.

ELSEWHERE

76ers: Jimmy Butler knows what’s coming Saturday night in Minneapolis. He understands, relishes and even encourages the looming prospect of the chilliest welcome any visiting NBA player is bound to receive this season.

“They’re going to boo me,” Butler said of the Minnesota fans who watched him force his way out of town via a trade to Philadelphia in November. “I would boo me, too. I’m not going to lie to you.”

Spurs: The team retired Manu Ginobili’s No. 20 following Thursday night’s game. Ginobili, the humble Argentinian who played 16 seasons with the Spurs, and Bill Bradley are the only players to win an NBA championship, Euroleague title and an Olympic gold medal.