Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points to lead the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder to a 113-108 win over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday.
The Thunder clinched their third consecutive playoff appearance with the victory, becoming the first team this season to do so.
Chet Holmgren added 20 points and a game-high 12 rebounds for the Thunder, while Ajay Mitchell was the only other Oklahoma City player in double figures with 16.
All five Orlando starters finished in double figures, led by Paolo Banchero, who scored 32 points and added a team-best 10 rebounds. Desmond Bane added 16 points.
The Magic have dropped back-to-back games after winning seven straight.
Knicks 136, Pacers 110
Josh Hart had one of the most prolific games of his career, when he scored 33 points to lead surging New York to a win over visiting Indiana.
Hart was 12 of 13 from the field, including 5 of 5 from 3-point land. The 33 points were the second most of Hart’s nine-year career. Hart, who sat out the fourth quarter, added seven rebounds and five assists as the Knicks extended their winning streak to four games. Karl-Anthony Towns (22 points, 11 rebounds) and Jose Alvarado (16 points, 10 assists) each posted double-doubles for the Knicks.
T.J. McConnell (10 points, 10 assists) recorded a double-double while Jarace Walker scored a team-high 16 points for the Pacers, who suffered their franchise-record 14th straight loss. Indiana, which is in last place in the Eastern Conference, also had a 13-game skid earlier this year.
Nuggets 124, 76ers 96
Christian Braun had 22 points, Cameron Johnson scored 18 and host Denver used a big first half to rout short-handed Philadelphia.
Aaron Gordon, Jamal Murray and Bruce Brown finished with 12 points each and Nikola Jokic had 14 assists for the Nuggets, who never trailed and led 72-40 at halftime.
MarJon Beauchamp scored 16 points to top the 76ers, whose two-game win streak ended. Philadelphia was without Joel Embiid (oblique), Kelly Oubre Jr. (elbow) and Tyrese Maxey (finger).
Spurs 132, Kings 104
Victor Wembanyama scored 18 points in just 22 minutes, Keldon Johnson came off the bench for an additional 18 and San Antonio wasted no time distancing themselves from host Sacramento.
Stephon Castle finished with a game-high 12 assists and Luke Kornet a game-high 10 rebounds for the Spurs, who used a 19th win in their last 21 games to remain three games back of the Oklahoma City Thunder atop the Western Conference standings. Former Kings Harrison Barnes (16) and De’Aaron Fox (15) combined for 31 points as San Antonio swept the three-game season series.
Maxime Raynaud exploded for a season-best 32 points to go with a team-high nine rebounds for the Kings, who had won four of their last five. The rookie made 13 of his 25 shots.
Timberwolves 116, Suns 104
Julius Randle scored 32 points on 10-for-17 shooting and Minnesota pulled away for a win over Phoenix in Minneapolis.
Bones Hyland added 22 points off the bench for Minnesota, which bounced back from a 13-point road loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in its previous game. Ayo Dosunmu finished with 19 points, and Jaden McDaniels contributed 16.
Devin Booker scored 34 points in 35 minutes to lead Phoenix, which dropped its third game in a row. Oso Ighodaro tallied 16 points and Collin Gillespie scored 12 despite missing nine of his 13 shots from the field.
Hornets 136, Heat 106
LaMelo Ball pumped in 30 points and distributed 13 assists as Charlotte opened a seven-game homestand with a victory against Miami.
Coby White’s 24 points and Kon Kneuppel’s 22 points also boosted Charlotte (35-34), which was coming off a 2-2 road trip. Brandon Miller had 16 points and Miles Bridges added 14 points.
Tyler Herro led the Heat with 20 points while Norman Powell had 17 points, Keshad Johnson supplied 15 points, Pelle Larsson notched 14 points and Simone Fontecchio ended up with 10 points. Miami (38-31) has lost two in a row since its seven-game winning streak.
Pistons 130, Wizards 117
Jalen Duren scored a career-high 36 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as visiting Detroit overcame an early exit by star Cade Cunningham to defeat Washington.
Daniss Jenkins scored 15 points, Tobias Harris added 12 and Ronald Holland II had 11 for Detroit, which handed Washington its 13th straight loss. Cunningham exited the game midway through the opening quarter due to back spasms and did not return.
Bub Carrington scored 21 of his season-high 30 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Wizards. Carrington shot 12-for-16 from the field and matched his season high with six 3-pointers.
Cavaliers 123, Bucks 116
Evan Mobley scored 27 points and grabbed a season-high 15 rebounds, and James Harden had 27 points and six assists as Cleveland took control in the final seven minutes to win at Milwaukee.
The Cavaliers scored eight straight points in a 70-second span midway through the final period to seize a 108-100 lead, then powered home for their 11th win in 15 games with Harden in the lineup.
Kevin Porter Jr. had 25 points and 10 assists, and Bobby Portis Jr., Ousmane Dieng and Ryan Rollins scored 19 points apiece for the Bucks, who fell to 2-9 since Feb. 27.
–Field Level Media
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