Heat stay alive at Cavs’ expense
MIAMI — Tyler Johnson scored 24 points, including the game’s final four from the foul line, and the Miami Heat remained alive in the postseason chase by rallying to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 124-121 on Monday night.
Hassan Whiteside scored 23 points and grabbed 18 rebounds for Miami, which would have been eliminated with a loss. Josh Richardson scored 19 points, James Johnson had 16 and Goran Dragic added 15.
Deron Williams had a season-high 35 points, along with nine assists and seven rebounds for the Cavaliers, who fell to 0-7 this season when LeBron James doesn’t play.
The Cavs were also without Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson, and fell a game behind Boston in the race for No. 1 in the Eastern Conference. Kevin Love scored 25 points, Channing Frye had 21 and Kyle Korver had 18.
Miami survived despite Cleveland getting two four-point plays in overtime, including one by Williams with 34 seconds left that put the Heat on the brink. But Johnson scored the last four points, and Miami stayed in the No. 9 spot in the East.
No. 7 Indiana and No. 8 Chicago both won earlier Monday, and would have clinched playoff trips with a Heat loss.
Instead, it’s on to Game No. 82 on Wednesday night to decide it all. Emergency starter Jerian Grant had 17 points and a career-high 11 assists, and the Chicago Bulls routed the Orlando Magic to move closer to a postseason berth. The Bulls led by as many as 47 points in their largest margin of victory this season. They would have clinched a playoff berth with a Miami loss to Cleveland, but the Heat’s rally means Chicago will have until its final regularseason game. The Bulls host the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. Chicago and Miami remained one game behind No. 7 Indiana after the Pacers beat the 76ers in Philadelphia. Paul George scored 17 of his 27 points in the opening quarter and the Indiana Pacers inched closer to clinching a berth in the NBA playoffs with a victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Thaddeus Young added 20 points, Myles Turner scored 18 and Kevin Seraphin had 17 to give the Pacers (41-40) their fourth straight victory and push them one win away from guaranteeing a playoff spot for the sixth time in the past seven years. The 76ers (28-53) lost for the seventh straight time and finished with a home record of 17-24. They conclude their fifth straight season out of the playoffs Wednesday night against the New York Knicks. Isaiah Thomas scored 27 points to help the Boston Celtics beat back a fourth-quarter charge and defeat the Brooklyn Nets to keep alive their hopes of securing the Eastern Conference’s top seed. The Celtics clinched the Atlantic Division title and can finish with no worse than the No. 2 seed. Al Horford added 19 points and eight rebounds. Brooklyn trailed by 27 in the third quarter before an 18-5 run got it back into the game. The Nets got as close as six in the fourth, but Thomas and Horford combined for 15 points in the period to help secure the victory.
Tony Snell scored 16 points, Jason Terry had season highs of 15 points and five 3-pointers, and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Charlotte Hornets. Center Greg Monroe provided punch in the paint with 16 points and nine rebounds for the Bucks, who clinched at least the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs with the win. Giannis Antetokounmpo picked up his third triple-double of the season with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, clinching the feat after firing a pass with 54 seconds left to Khris Middleton for a 3.