Durant helps Nets close in on 7th seed

Kevin Durant scored 36 points, leading a pair of fourth-quarter surges that carried the host Brooklyn Nets into a tie for seventh place in the Eastern Conference with a 118-107 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night.

The Nets caught the Cavaliers at 43-38 with a game remaining and clinched the tiebreaker. They will finish seventh if they beat Indiana on Sunday in their final regular-season game. The No. 7 team hosts No. 8 on Tuesday, moving into the playoffs with a victory.

The loser of the 7-8 game has a second shot at the postseason by beating the winner of the game between the Nos. 9 and 10 teams on Friday.

Bucks 131, Pistons 101: Giannis Antetokounmpo had 30 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists to help visiting Milwaukee rout Detroit. Antetokounmpo needs 35 points or more Sunday in the season finale at Cleveland to join Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only Milwaukee players to average 30 points for a season.

Knicks 114, Wizards 92: Obi Toppin scored a career-high 35 points and New York beat host Washington. RJ Barrett scored 14 points for the Knicks before leaving the game with a sprained right knee.

Raptors 117, Rockets 115: Pascal Siakam had 29 points and 10 rebounds, Gary Trent Jr. made the winning layup with 4.8 seconds left and host Toronto beat Houston.

Hornets 133, Bulls 117: LaMelo Ball scored 24 points and visiting Charlotte buried Chicago.

Heat 113, Hawks 109: Bam Adebayo had 24 points and host Miami withstood 35 points from Atlanta’s Trae Young to pick up its sixth straight win.