Nets win, put end to playoff drought

D’Angelo Russell scored 20 points and Joe Harris added 19 on Sunday, leading the Nets to a 108-96 victory over the Pacers in Indianapolis and back into the NBA playoffs for the first time in four years.

The Nets moved into position to clinch when the Heat lost to the Raptors earlier in the day.

It’s also the first time since 2014-15 the Nets haven’t posted a losing record.

Domantas Sabonis finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Pacers.Thaddeus Young scored 16 in a game coach Nate McMillan promised to closely monitor the minutes his players logged.

And Nets wasted no time in taking full advantage of that opportunity to end the NBA’s sixth-longest active playoff drought.

Kemba Walker scored 20 of his 31 points in the first half and Frank Kaminsky had a season-high 24 points to help the Hornets beat the Pistons 104-91 in Detroit in a possibly pivotal game with just two games remaining for the playoffhopeful teams. The Hornets have won three straight to cling to their chances of rallying for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons have lost four in a row to possibly plummet from being a sixth-seeded team to missing the postseason for a third consecutive year and the ninth time in a decade . ... James Harden scored 30 points in just three quarters as the Rockets broke their NBA record by making 27 3-pointers in a 149-113 victory over the Suns in Houston. Eric Gordon tied a career-high with eight 3s and Harden contributed five.