(The Sports Xchange) – Boston Celtics clinched the Atlantic Division title and moved atop the Eastern Conference standings with a 114-105 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
The victory, which completed a four-game sweep of the season series with the Nets, moved the Celtics a game ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the East.
Isaiah Thomas scored 27 points, Al Horford had 19 and the pair combined for the final 15 Boston points in the last 4:41.
Despite Brooklyn’s loss, Brook Lopez scored 25 points and became the leading scorer in franchise history, passing Buck Williams. Jeremy Lin scored 26 points and grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds for the Nets.
Heat 124, Cavaliers 121 (OT)
Miami kept its slim playoff hopes alive, defeating Cleveland in overtime. The Cavaliers rested LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.
The Heat (40-41) will need to win their regular-season finale today against the Washington Wizards to have any hope of making the playoffs. Even with a victory, Miami would need a loss by Indiana or Chicago.
Tyler Johnson had 24 points and Hassan Whiteside added 23 points and 18 rebounds to help Miami snap a three-game home losing streak.
Bulls 122, Magic 75
Robin Lopez scored 18 points, and Jimmy Butler and Jerian Grant each had 17 to lead Chicago’s rout of Orlando, moving the Bulls closer to clinching a playoff berth.
Nikola Mirotic added 16 points and Dwayne Wade kicked in 13 to a balanced Bulls attack that included points from the five starters and all eight players off the bench.
Evan Fournier and Nikola Vucevic led the Magic with 14 points each.
Bucks 89, Hornets 79
Giannis Antetokounmpo posted his third triple-double of the season, and Jason Terry scored 15 points off the bench as Milwaukee beat Charlotte to clinch a winning season.
Antetokounmpo had 10 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in 36 minutes while Terry hit 5-of-7 three-pointers. Milwaukee also got 16 each from Tony Snell and Greg Monroe and 15 from Khris Middleton.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist led the Hornets with 13 points.
Pacers 120, 76ers 111
Paul George scored 27 points and Thaddeus Young added 20 as Indiana held off Philadelphia to draw nearer to a playoff berth.
Myles Turner contributed 18 points and 13 rebounds, and Kevin Seraphin chipped in 17 points for the Pacers (41-40). Indiana, which is seventh in the Eastern Conference, would seal a playoff berth with a home win over Atlanta on Wednesday.
Rookie Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot had a career-high 24 points for the 76ers.
Wizards 105, Pistons 101
Bradley Beal poured in 33 points and Washington spoiled Detroit’s final game at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
Markieff Morris supplied 20 points and eight rebounds, and Tomas Satoransky added 11 points for the Wizards. With Washington locked into the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, coach Scott Brooks sat John Wall and Otto Porter Jr.
Tobias Harris’ 22 points led the Pistons, who are moving to the new downtown Little Caesars Arena next season.
Jazz 105, Warriors 99
With Golden State stars Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant watching from the bench as the fourth quarter unfolded, Utah ended the Warriors’ 14-game winning streak.
George Hill paced the Jazz with 20 points, going 5-for-7 from three-point range, after being upgraded from questionable with a right groin strain.
The Jazz remain tied with the Los Angeles Clippers for the fourth seed for the Western Conference playoffs.
Trail Blazers 99, Spurs 98
Noah Vonleh converted a layup as time expired to give Portland its third consecutive win and ninth in the past 11 outings.
Shabazz Napier scored a career-high 32 points for the Trail Blazers, and Kawhi Leonard scored 18 points for the Spurs, who lost their third game in a row.
Clippers 125, Rockets 96
Chris Paul scored 19 points and registered nine assists, and Blake Griffin added 18 points as Los Angeles won its sixth game in a row.
Jamal Crawford added 19 points off the bench and DeAndre Jordan added 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Should the Clippers win the final game of the season at home against the Sacramento Kings otoday, they will host the Utah Jazz in the first round of the playoffs.
