Sat Mar 22 4:18am ET
Field Level Media
Fred VanVleet scored 13 of his game-high 37 points in the fourth quarter as the Houston Rockets won their ninth straight game, defeating the host Miami Heat 102-98 on Friday night.
After scoring just three points in the first quarter, VanVleet scored nine in the second and 12 in the third to get going.
He made 13-of-17 shots from the floor, including 9-of-11 on 3-pointers. He added 2-of-4 on free throws, and he had three assists.
Houston (46-25) has the longest active win streak in the NBA.
Miami (29-41), which has lost 10 straight games, was led by Andrew Wiggins, who scored 20 of his team-high 30 points in the second quarter. It was the best-scoring quarter of his 11-year NBA career.
Suns 123, Cavaliers 112
Kevin Durant scored 42 points, including a clutch 3-pointer that helped snuff out a late Cleveland rally, as host Phoenix won its third straight game.
Durant's 3-pointer with 70 seconds remaining in regulation came as Cleveland was threatening after trailing by as many as 21 points. Devin Booker scored 17 points and Collin Gillespie adding 13 for the Suns.
Darius Garland led Cleveland with 18 points, De'Andre Hunter scored 17 off the bench, and Evan Mobley registered 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Timberwolves 134, Pelicans 93
Julius Randle scored 20 points on 7-for-11 shooting from the floor as Minnesota cruised to a win over New Orleans in Minneapolis.
Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels added 17 points apiece for the Timberwolves, who bounced back from a home loss against the Pelicans two nights earlier. Rudy Gobert registered 15 points and 11 rebounds.
C.J. McCollum scored 15 points to lead the Pelicans, who have lost eight of the past 10. Bruce Brown scored 14 points.
Thunder 141, Hornets 106
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points to lead Oklahoma City to a home win over Charlotte.
A night after the Thunder clinched the top spot in the Western Conference, Oklahoma City poured it on early to leave little doubt about the outcome. Eight Thunder players scored 10 or more points, the fourth time since the franchise moved to Oklahoma City that the team achieved that feat.
Miles Bridges led the Hornets with 20 points, while Nick Smith Jr. added 14. They each hit four 3-pointers.
Celtics 121, Jazz 99
Kristaps Porzingis compiled 27 points, 10 rebounds and six assists as Boston defeated Utah in Salt Lake City for its ninth win in its last 10 games.
Jayson Tatum added 26 points for Boston, which has won four games in a row. Reserves Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser scored 18 and 14 points, respectively.
Collin Sexton led Utah with 30 points, while Keyonte George followed with 19 and Johnny Juzang put up 11. Walker Kessler tallied eight points, 11 rebounds and six assists for the Jazz, who have dropped 11 of 12.
Clippers 128, Grizzlies 108
James Harden recorded 30 points and nine assists and Kawhi Leonard added 23 points and 10 rebounds as Los Angeles extended its winning streak to five games with a victory over Memphis at Inglewood, Calif.
Ivica Zubac produced 17 points and 10 rebounds, Bogdan Bogdanovic had 16 points off the bench and Norman Powell added 14 as the Clippers improved to 8-1 since March 5 while extending their home winning streak to eight games. The Clippers won without head coach Tyronn Lue.
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 23 points and Santi Aldama added 16 for the Grizzlies, who were without star Ja Morant for the fourth consecutive game because of shoulder and hamstring injuries.
Traill Blazers 128, Nuggets 109
Deni Avdija scored a season-high 36 points on 12-of-16 shooting to lead Portland to a convincing victory over visiting Denver.
Shaedon Sharpe added 23 points as Portland won its fourth straight game. Avdija made four 3-pointers and also had eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals during his fourth 30-point effort of the month. Dalano Banton added 19 points and five assists off the bench.
Aaron Gordon scored 23 points for the Nuggets, who were without three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic (ankle) for the third straight game. Denver is in fourth place in the Western Conference, three percentage points behind the Los Angeles Lakers. Russell Westbrook had 18 points, Michael Porter Jr. tallied 17 and Christian Braun had 15 points for Denver.
Spurs 128, 76ers 120
Jeremy Sochan racked up 23 points and Stephon Castle amassed 17 points and 14 assists as host San Antonio defeated depleted Philadelphia.
Devin Vassell added 20 points while Chris Paul had 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc. Keldon Johnson also had 18 points and Barnes finished with 14 for San Antonio.
Quentin Grimes led the 76ers with 25 points and 10 assists. Edwards also scored 25 points, Guerschon Yabusele had 23 and Ricky Council IV hit for 20 as Philadelphia lost for the sixth time in its past seven games.
Magic 120, Wizards 105
Paolo Banchero posted 30 points and eight rebounds in three quarters as visiting Orlando downed Washington.
Six Magic players scored in double figures. Franz Wagner had 21 points while Wendell Carter Jr. had 16 points and 12 rebounds for Orlando, which has alternated losses and wins for eight games.
Rookie Alex Sarr had 19 points and 10 boards to lead the Wizards, who took their third loss in a row.
Mavericks 123, Pistons 117
Spencer Dinwiddie scored a season-high 31 points and P.J. Washington added 27 as Dallas snapped a four-game losing streak with a win over visiting Detroit.
Klay Thompson finished with 20 points and Naji Marshall amassed 19 points and 11 rebounds for the injury-plagued Mavericks, who had only nine available players.
Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 35 points and added seven rebounds and six assists. Malik Beasley scored 16 points as Detroit's two-game winning streak ended.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic recorded his 19th career postseason triple-double in Monday's 105-102 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, finishing with 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. He added three steals to his tally while shooting 8-for-16 from the field with a 4-for-8 effort from deep. Jokic had an extremely busy night and played the entire second half. Fatigue may have contributed to Jokic recording five of his seven turnovers after halftime, including three in the fourth quarter. Still, it was another hugely impressive performance from Jokic, who trails only Magic Johnson (30) and LeBron James (28) on the all-time postseason triple-doubles list.
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard was sensational in Monday's matchup against the Denver Nuggets, helping the team tie the first-round series with a 105-102 road win. Leonard already had 21 points by halftime and finished as the leading scorer in the contest with 39 points on 15-for-19 shooting. He went 4-for-7 from deep, including a buzzer-beating triple to end the first half. The two-time Finals MVP also produced a high-level defensive effort, notching two steals and one block. Additionally, he had three rebounds and five assists in 39 minutes. Leonard has always been a strong playoff performer and looks set to have another impressive series. With two games played, he is shooting 70.6 percent against the Nuggets, averaging 30.5 points with 2.5 steals.
New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson put up a game-high 37 points on 12-for-27 shooting in Monday's 100-94 Game 2 loss to the Detroit Pistons. Brunson made it back-to-back 30-point efforts to start the 2025 postseason, but he failed to lead his team to victory this time around. The two-time All-Star finished 4-for-12 from downtown and shot 9-for-11 from the free-throw line, wrapping things up with three rebounds, seven assists, and two steals across 44 minutes of action. For the second game in a row, Brunson briefly exited the contest in the fourth quarter, which is slightly concerning. However, even if he is dealing with some ailment, it certainly isn't affecting his performance. Through the first two games of the series, Brunson has averaged an impressive 35.5 points along with 7.5 assists.
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham scored a team-high 33 points on 11-for-21 shooting in Monday's 100-94 Game 2 victory over the New York Knicks. Playing in just his second career postseason game, Cunningham erupted for 20 first-half points, helping the Pistons snap a historic 15-game postseason losing streak. The team had not won a playoff contest for 17 years. Cunningham posted a second consecutive double-double in the series, capping off his line with 13 rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Detroit has played well to open the postseason, and the next couple of games will be extremely special as NBA playoff basketball returns to Motown for the first time since 2019. Cunningham should relish the occasion.
Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris had a 15-point, 13-rebound double-double as the team tied its first-round series against the New York Knicks with a 100-94 road victory on Monday night. Harris led the Pistons with 43 minutes, shooting 6-for-11 from the field and 2-for-2 at the charity stripe. His line included one assist and one steal. It has been an impressive start to the postseason for Harris, who has averaged 20.0 points and 9.5 rebounds with 58.3 percent shooting through the first couple of games. His improved performances are a big bonus for the Pistons, who saw Harris produce mediocre efforts throughout the regular season.
Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Maxi Kleber (foot) will not be in the lineup on Tuesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The German veteran continues to recover from foot surgery. Kleber has not seen any action since Jan. 25, but his return appears to be approaching, as he has been practicing. However, it remains unclear whether Kleber will have a significant role with the Lakers since he has yet to play for his new team. When he was still in Dallas, Kleber averaged 3.0 points and 2.8 rebounds in 18.7 minutes this season.
Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson II (personal) is not listed on the injury report for Tuesday's Game 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He missed Game 1 of the series for personal reasons. Jackson II averaged 7.2 points and 3.2 rebounds in 15.8 minutes during the regular season, making 28 appearances after missing the first half of the campaign with a foot injury. However, the 20-year-old logged only two minutes of action during the Play-In Tournament and is unlikely to receive significant playing time under normal circumstances during the playoffs.
Denver Nuggets' C Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double, finishing with 26 points, 10 assists and 12 rebounds in a 102-105 loss to the Clippers on Monday, Apr. 21.
Denver Nuggets forward/center Aaron Gordon (calf) will be active on Monday against the Los Angeles Clippers. He was listed as probable on the initial injury report, as Gordon continues to manage a calf injury. The team upgraded his status to available before tip-off. The 29-year-old played a key role in Saturday's 112-110 overtime victory against the Clippers, scoring 25 points and picking up eight rebounds with two steals. This means Gordon has scored 25-plus points in three of his last seven outings.
Miami Heat forward/center Kevin Love (personal) remains away from the team and will not be an option for Wednesday's Game 2 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 2016 NBA champion has appeared in only seven games in 2025, and it's unknown when he will be back in the fold for Miami. Bam Adebayo, who led the Heat with 24 points in Sunday's Game 1 loss, and Kel'el Ware will continue to be the team's primary frontcourt options on Wednesday, with Haywood Highsmith providing cover off the bench.
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Ousmane Dieng (calf) has been ruled out for Tuesday's Game 2 against the Memphis Grizzlies. The 21-year-old missed the final month of the regular season due to a left calf strain, and it's unclear when he will be available again. Dieng averaged 3.8 points and 2.2 rebounds in 10.9 minutes during the regular season. With his absence, Jaylin Williams and Kenrich Williams are positioned to earn more playing time off the Thunder bench.
Miami Heat point guard Terry Rozier (ankle) was hurt during an optional workout on Monday. Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald reports that Rozier sprained his left ankle and will be listed as questionable on the injury report for Wednesday's Game 2 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. This marks a fresh setback for Rozier, who has looked like a shadow of his former self in 2024-25 and fell out of the rotation at the end of the regular season. He also didn't take the floor against Cleveland in Sunday's Game 1.
Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard (calf) has been listed as questionable on the injury report for Tuesday's Game 2 against the Indiana Pacers. On Saturday, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Lillard was on track to rejoin the lineup for either Game 2 or Game 3 in the series, and it seems like his comeback might occur in Tuesday's game. On Monday, Lillard practiced fully, with Bucks head coach Doc Rivers saying, "He looks great to me." The Bucks were hammered 117-98 in Game 1 in Indianapolis and need Lillard back as soon as possible. Ryan Rollins will lose his starting spot once Lillard returns, while Kevin Porter Jr.'s playing time is also under threat.
Detroit Pistons forward/center Isaiah Stewart (knee) has been ruled out for Monday's Game 2 against the New York Knicks. This isn't a surprise, as Stewart missed time at the end of the regular season due to inflammation in his right knee and sat out the end of Game 1. He was listed as questionable on the initial injury report. With Stewart absent, Paul Reed will move up the depth chart, but Detroit may also opt to deploy smaller lineups more in Monday's game.
Detroit Pistons forward/center Isaiah Stewart (knee) has been listed as questionable for Game 2 of the team's first-round series against the New York Knicks on Monday night. Stewart has been dealing with inflammation in his right knee since the end of the regular season and made an early exit in Game 1, leaving with over nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The 23-year-old big man had two points in the contest with five rebounds and two blocks. Paul Reed is likely to enter the rotation on Monday if Stewart can't play, although he probably won't see much time on the court behind starting center Jalen Duren, who will aim to bounce back in Game 2 after being held to seven points and six rebounds in Saturday's loss.
Denver Nuggets forward/center Aaron Gordon (calf) has been listed as probable for Monday's Game 2 against the Los Angeles Clippers. Gordon is back on the injury report with a right calf strain, but he is likely to play. The veteran was one of the stars of the show in the series opener on Saturday, posting 25 points, eight rebounds, and two steals in 46 minutes. The Clippers must improve their defensive effort against him on Monday night, though they aren't the only team that has struggled to contain him, as Gordon is averaging over 20 points per game this month.
Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown (knee) doesn't believe he'll face a minutes restriction in Sunday's playoff battle with the Orlando Magic. He suffered from posterior impingement in his right knee, forcing him to miss nine of the Celtics final 20 games of the regular season. Fortunately, head coach Joe Mazzulla reported Brown has looked good. Despite struggling from the three-point line, the 28-year-old has played well against Orlando during the 2024-25 campaign (two games), averaging 27.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 3.0 steals. While the injury is still somewhat concerning for fantasy managers, Brown is worth including in any DFS lineup on Sunday.
Dallas Mavericks' F Anthony Davis scored 40 points on 16-of-29 shooting in a 106-120 loss to Memphis on Friday, Apr. 18.
Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant (ankle) will play in Friday's elimination game against the Dallas Mavericks. Morant is dealing with a "severe" ankle sprain and received an injection in his ankle on Thursday. He was originally listed as questionable for Friday's game before the team upgraded his status to available. Morant's presence in the lineup is a major boost for Memphis, but it remains to be seen how effectively he can play through his ankle injury.
Dallas Mavericks point guard Brandon Williams (oblique) has been upgraded to available for Friday's play-in showdown against the Memphis Grizzlies. Williams was initially listed as probable for the game. The 25-year-old has added a spark to the Mavericks late in the season and was one of the standout performers in Wednesday's win over the Sacramento Kings, finishing with 17 points and five assists in 18 minutes off the bench. A similar effort from Williams on Friday night would boost Dallas' chances of victory in a tough road game.
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