new york: Tim Hardaway Jr scored 20 points as the New York Knicks ended the Chicago Bulls’ seven-game winning streak. The Bulls wasted an opportunity to stay ahead of the Toronto Raptors, who beat Detroit on Sunday, in the race for the third seed in the Eastern Conference play-offs. The two teams are tied at 47-33.
The Knicks (35-45) were officially eliminated from playoff contention on Saturday when Atlanta clinched the final berth with a win over Miami. Point guard Mike Conley scored 24 points and handed out eight assists as the Memphis Grizzlies used a second-half run to beat the Los Angeles Lakers and stay in play-off position.
The Grizzlies (48-32) have won four of their last five and hold a one-game lead over the idle Phoenix Suns, who play Memphis on Monday in a clash for the eighth spot in the Western Conference playoff race. The Lakers (25-55) dropped their seventh in a row.
Memphis forward Marc Gasol scored 18 points and pulled down 15 rebounds. Reserve forward Mike Miller chipped in 13 points and five rebounds.
Golden State forward Draymon Green’s three-point attempt bounced off the back rim in the final seconds of overtime, giving Portland a two-point victory over the Warriors.
Green’s three-pointer with 3.6 seconds left in regulation forced the extra session but the Warriors squandered Stephen Curry’s 47-point night.
The victory clinched at least the fifth playoff seed in the Western Conference for the Trail Blazers (53-28). The Houston Rockets (53-27) are in fourth place, a half-game ahead of Portland.
Golden State (49-31) will be in the playoffs, but its hold on the West’s sixth seed is slipping. Dallas is a half-game back and Memphis Grizzlies is one game behind the Warriors.
A three-point basket by guard Lance Stephenson in the final minute helped the Indiana Pacers defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder and move closer to a number one conference playoff seed. Stephenson’s big shot put Indiana ahead 97-91 as the Pacers (55-26) took a half game lead over Miami atop the Eastern Conference and can clinch top spot with a win in the final game tomorrow.
Kevin Durant scored a game-high 38 points for Oklahoma City (58-22), which was attempting to clinch the second seed in the Western Conference. Russell Westbrook added 21 points for the Thunder.
Mirza Teletovic scored 15 of his 20 points in the second half and the Brooklyn Nets inched closer toward securing the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference with a victory over the Orlando Magic.
Brooklyn (44-36) needs only a win in one of their remaining two games or a Washington loss to clinch the fifth spot.
Rookie center Mason Plumlee continued his strong play of late by collecting 17 points and 11 rebounds in 26 minutes as the primary backup to Kevin Garnett.
Shooting guard DeMar DeRozan poured in 30 points and the Toronto Raptors tied a franchise record for victories with a win over the Detroit Pistons.
Toronto (47-33), which clinched the Atlantic Division championship for first time in seven years on Friday, also won 47 games in 2000-01 and 2006-07. They can set a new record with a victory over Milwaukee today or at New York tomorrow.
DeMarcus Cousins and rookie guard Ben McLemore combined to make four free throws in the final 12 seconds, and Sacramento edged Minnesota. Cousins finished with 35 points and 15 rebounds.
Love, the NBA’s leader with 63 double-doubles, scored 43 points and grabbed 11 rebounds after returning from a one-game absence caused by a hyperextended elbow.Reuters
