NBA ROUNDUP: Miami clinches the Southeast division title with a win over Philadelphia
Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro tallied 24 points each, and the Miami Heat pulled away late in the first quarter and never looked back in a 129-101 rout of the host Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night.
With the win, the Heat clinched the Southeast Division title for the third time in the past four seasons.
Butler made 9 of 12 field goal attempts and finished with six assists for the Heat (43-37), who took their third straight win as they continued to push for a guaranteed playoff spot. Herro went 7-for-17 from the floor, but did most of his damage from long range, emptying five 3-pointers.
Bam Adebayo put up 14 points and eight rebounds, while Max Strus also had 14 points as Miami connected on 18 of his 39 shot attempts from outside the arc.
Following his 52-point performance against the Celtics on Tuesday, Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid picked up where he left off, scoring 12 points in the first quarter. However, Miami shot a blistering 68.2 percent from the field in the period to go into the second 41-31.
Jimmy Butler put up 24 points on his former team as the Miami Heat took down Philadelphia
Tyler Herro (R) had 24 points as he pulled away from opponents like James Harden (L)
Philadelphia (52-28) couldn’t get within single digits the rest of the way.
Embiid led the Sixers’ pace with 21 points, six rebounds and two blocks, while James Harden finished with 14 points, four rebounds and four assists.
Miami blew open the game in the second quarter, opening the frame with a 9–2 run to take a 17-point lead. The Heat later emptied three treys during a 13-2 spurt just before halftime, leading them into halftime with a 67-46 tie.
Herro led all first half scorers with 16 points, while Embiid had 15 for Philadelphia.
The 76ers were hampered by poor play in the first half and made eight turnovers that led to 17 Miami points. The Heat only gave the ball away twice.
Philadelphia showed some life late in the third quarter, compiling a 7-0 run on timeout to draw within 13. But a pair of 3-pointers from Strus sandwiched around a Georges Niang jumper kept the 76ers at bay.
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey did not play due to neck stiffness.
Butler got more revenge on his old team as the Heat won another Southeast division crown
Oklahoma City Thunder 114, Utah Jazz 98
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 22 points to help the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder snap a three-game losing streak in a 114-98 victory over the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Thursday night.
The result eliminated the short-handed Jazz (36-44) from postseason contention and moved OKC (39-42) one step closer to clinching a spot in the play-in tournament heading into the final weekend of the season. regular season.
Josh Giddy contributed 17 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Thunder. Eight OKC players scored at least nine points in the road win.
The Thunder will secure a spot in the play-in on Sunday-afternoon by winning against Memphis.
Kris Dunn finished with 22 points, eight assists and seven boards, while Kelly Olynyk totaled 16 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists to accelerate the Jazz.
Playing without four starters, Utah nearly overcame an early 16-point deficit, but was unable to catch up with the Thunder in the third quarter after coming within one run five times.
Josh Giddey (3) and the Thunder blew past the Utah Jazz and eliminated them from the playoffs
Cleveland Cavaliers 118, Orlando Magic 94
Danny Green scored 21 points, Cedi Osman added 19 and the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Orlando Magic 118-94 on Thursday night in a game where both teams rested their starters.
Isaiah Mobley came off the bench with 18 points for the Cavaliers, who had won the Eastern Conference playoffs as the fourth seed by beating the Magic on Tuesday night.
Jalen Suggs led the Magic with 22 points in their home final. Bol Bol added 18 points and eight rebounds to his first start since Dec. 30.
Cleveland Cavaliers’ Danny Green, right, drives around Orlando Magic’s Jay Scrubb (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game
129 San Antonio Spurs, 127 Portland Trailblazers
Keita Bates-Diop had 25 points, Julian Champagnie and Keldon Johnson added 24 points each, and the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 129-127 in the first NBA game in the Texas capital on Thursday night.
Tre Jones had 18 points and 10 assists for San Antonio, which is guaranteed to finish with one of the NBA’s three worst records.
Kevin Knox was 24 points ahead of Portland and Drew Eubanks added 23 points against his former team. The Trail Blazers have lost seven of eight.
San Antonio made up a seven-point deficit in the final five minutes by hitting three consecutive three-pointers to take a 123–119 lead with 3:09 remaining.
The Spurs play their last two home games at the Moody Center in Austin as part of what the franchise considers to be a regional outreach.
San Antonio Spurs guard Tre Jones (33) drives around Portland Trail Blazers forward Jabari Walker (34) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Austin, Texas