The Phoenix Suns clinched its first playoff berth since the 2009-10 season with a 109-101 win over the visiting Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.
Chris Paul scored 15 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter, and he also had10 assists. Phoenix is now two games ahead of the Clippers for second place in the Western Conference. Utah Jazz lead the conference standings by a game over the Suns.
Bojan Bogdanovic scored 24 points and Jordan Clarkson added 23 to lead Utah to a dominating 154-105 victory over host Sacramento as the Jazz set a franchise record for most points in a game.
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Westbrook’s triple-double
Russell Westbrook finished with 18 points, 18 rebounds and 14 assists for his 30th triple-double of the season, and Bradley Beal scored 27 points, as Washington beat visiting Los Angeles 116-107.
Seth Curry scored 20 points in three quarters and host Philadelphia had little trouble dispatching Atlanta 127-83. The short-handed Hawks played without a number of key players such as TraeYoung (left ankle), Cam Reddish (right Achilles) and De’Andre Hunter (right knee).
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Nikola Jokic had 32 points and delivered a key block on Zion Williamson in the final seconds to help host Denver hold on to beat New Orleans by two points, 114-112.
Jimmy Butler scored a game-high 29 points and host Miami used a 17-0second-half run to rally past San Antonio, while Jaylen Brown’s 38 points and Jayson Tatum’s 35 propelled Boston to a bounce-back victory against visiting Charlotte.
In other matches, CJ McCollum recorded 26 points to help Portland roll over host Memphis and Julius Randle scored 34 points as host New York pulled away in a dominating fourth quarter in a blowout victory over Chicago.
The results: Orlando 109 bt Cleveland 104; Philadelphia 127 bt Atlanta 83; Boston 120 bt Charlotte 111; Washington 116 bt LA Lakers 107; New York 113 bt Chicago 94; Miami 116 bt San Antonio 111; Portland 130 bt Memphis 109; Denver 114 bt New Orleans 112; Utah 154 bt Sacramento 105; Phoenix 109 bt LA Clippers 101 .