The Atlanta Hawks guaranteed themselves a spot in the playoffs with a dominant 124-102 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday evening, ending a two-year postseason drought.
CJ McCollum led Atlanta’s offensive charge with 29 points, putting up 25 of those in the opening half, while Dyson Daniels achieved his second career triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists. The Hawks (46-35) will secure either the fifth or sixth position in the Eastern Conference standings.
Jalen Johnson contributed 18 points and nine rebounds, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker also adding 18 points for the Southeast Division champions. McCollum was particularly effective from beyond the arc, connecting on six of his eight three-point attempts.
Atlanta took control during the third quarter, building a commanding 92-59 advantage as Alexander-Walker and Johnson each scored 11 points in the period to put the game away.
For Cleveland (51-30), James Harden tallied 20 points and five assists, while Tyrese Proctor scored 15 points in the final quarter. The fourth-seeded Cavaliers will host either Atlanta or Toronto in the opening round of the playoffs.
Lakers 101, Suns 73
LeBron James recorded 28 points and 12 assists, becoming just the fourth player in league history to surpass 12,000 career assists, as Los Angeles dominated visiting Phoenix in convincing fashion.
Luke Kennard contributed 19 points in the victory that ensures Los Angeles will finish no lower than fourth in the Western Conference with home-court advantage for their first-round series. The Lakers trail third-place Denver by one game with one contest remaining, holding the tiebreaker advantage.
Dillon Brooks led Phoenix with 12 points and Royce O’Neale added 11 off the bench for the Suns, who played without injured star Devin Booker (ankle). Phoenix managed only 25 second-half points in a meaningless game after already securing the seventh seed and a home play-in contest. Grayson Allen left in the second quarter with a left hamstring injury and did not return.
76ers 105, Pacers 94
Tyrese Maxey poured in 32 points and Andre Drummond delivered a double-double from the bench as Philadelphia guaranteed finishing no worse than eighth in the Eastern Conference with a road victory over Indiana.
With Joel Embiid sidelined due to appendicitis, Drummond stepped up with 10 points and 16 rebounds. The 76ers halted a three-game losing streak and remained in contention for the East’s sixth and final automatic playoff position.
Jarace Walker paced Indiana with 17 points, while Micah Potter recorded 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacers, who have dropped four of their last five contests.
Pistons 118, Hornets 100
Jalen Duren scored 20 points on efficient 8-for-11 shooting as Detroit used a strong fourth-quarter surge to defeat host Charlotte.
Duncan Robinson added 19 points, Cade Cunningham scored 14, Ronald Holland II contributed 13, and Ausar Thompson chipped in 12 for the Pistons, who have won five of their past six games. Detroit had already secured first place in the Eastern Conference.
The defeat forces Charlotte into the East’s play-in tournament, eliminating their chance for direct playoff qualification. LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with 27 points, including six three-pointers, while Brandon Miller added 22 points. Coby White, returning from groin soreness, scored 11 points off the bench.
Additional Results
In other Friday action, AJ Green set a career high with 35 points in Milwaukee’s 125-108 victory over Brooklyn, while Jonas Valanciunas posted season highs of 23 points and 17 rebounds in Denver’s 127-107 win over Oklahoma City.
Utah snapped a 10-game losing streak with a 147-101 rout of Memphis, Sacramento beat Golden State 124-118, Miami crushed Washington 140-117, New York secured the third seed with a 112-95 win over Toronto, and Portland defeated the Clippers 116-97.
Orlando extended their winning streak to five games with a 127-103 victory over Chicago, San Antonio pounded Dallas 139-120 behind Victor Wembanyama’s 40 points, Boston tied an NBA record with 29 three-pointers in a 144-118 win over New Orleans, and Minnesota ended Houston’s eight-game winning streak 136-132.
