CAVALIERS 108, KNICKS 102
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Cavs, odds 2.33
Line: Cavs (+3.5), odds 1.917
Total Points: Under (2223.5), odds 1.909
Pre-game Prediction
Cavs 27.3%
Knicks, 72.7%
NEW YORK (AP) — Darius Garland scored 13 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers' comeback from 23 points down for a 108-102 victory Friday night over the New York Knicks, who finished 0-8 against the top two teams in the Eastern Conference.
The Knicks were locked into the No. 3 seed in the East during the game when the Indiana Pacers, resting all five starters, were routed by the Orlando Magic to end their hopes of passing New York.
But no matter where the Knicks finished, they look a step below the teams above them. The top-seeded Cavaliers completed a four-game sweep, just as the No. 2 Boston Celtics did with their overtime victory at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.
The Cavaliers played without All-Star Donovan Mitchell and key reserves Ty Jerome and De’Andre Hunter, but went with their other four starters.
Jalen Brunson scored 27 points for the Knicks, who rested All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns but otherwise had their regular starting lineup in their third straight loss.
The Knicks made 10 of their first 13 3-point attempts to open a 48-25 lead in the first half, but the Cavaliers outscored them 30-16 in the fourth quarter.
NBA's Top 10 Plays of the Night - April 11
BUCKS 125, PISTONS 119
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Bucks, odds 2.513
Line: Bucks (+4.5), odds 1.912
Total Points: Over (229.5), odds 1.909
Pre-game Prediction
Bucks, 36.7%
Pistons, 63.3%
DETROIT (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 32 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds to lead the Milwaukee Bucks in a 125-119 win over the Detroit Pistons on Friday night, securing the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Milwaukee will face the fourth-seeded Indiana Pacers in the first round, a year after losing to them in the opening round.
Cade Cunningham scored 36 points on 15-of-21 shooting for the Pistons, who will be seeded sixth in their first postseason appearance since 2019.
Detroit will match up with the third-seeded New York Knicks, shooting to at least win one playoff game for the first time since 2008.
Antetokounmpo has a career-high 11 triple-doubles this season, surpassing his total from last year by one.
Milwaukee's Bobby Portis Jr. had 17 points and 10 rebounds, Kevin Porter Jr. scored 16, Brook Lopez had 15 points and seven rebounds and Kyle Kuzma added 10 points.
Malik Beasley scored 21 points, Jalen Duren had 11 points and 16 rebounds, Tobias Harris scored 17, Dennis Schroder had 12 points and Ausar Thompson chipped in with 11 points.
HEAT 153, PELICANS 104
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Heat, odds 1.088
Line: Heat (-15.5), odds 1.909
Total Points: Under (214.5), odds 1.929
Pre-game Prediction
Heat, 84.9%
Pelicans, 15.1%
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Bam Adebayo had 23 points and 12 rebounds in just 22 minutes, and the Miami Heat defeated reeling and injury-depleted New Orleans 153-104 on Friday night in what became the Pelicans' most lopsided regular-season loss in franchise history.
Tyler Herro, who also played just 22 minutes, scored 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting, and Duncan Robinson scored 21 points in 19 minutes for Miami, which never trailed and led by as many as 52.
Despite the victory, the Heat's chances of moving up to the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference vanished when Chicago also won to clinch that spot.
The Heat will be the 10th seed, and open the postseason with a play-in game on Wednesday night at Chicago. The victor will need to win a second play-in contest to advance to a first-round playoff series.
Jamal Cain scored 25 points and Antonio Reeves added 19 points for the Pelicans, who've lost six straight. Elfrid Payton had 13 assists and 10 rebounds.
LAKERS 140, ROCKETS 109
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Lakers, odds 1.107
Line: Lakers (-12.5), odds 1.898
Total Points: Over (228), odds 1.899
Pre-game Prediction
Rockets, 21.5%
Lakers, 78.5%
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luka Doncic had 39 points, eight rebounds and seven assists and the Los Angeles Lakers clinched the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoffs with a 140-109 victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday night.
Austin Reaves scored 23 points for the Lakers, who also clinched the Pacific Division title for only the second time in the last 13 seasons and won 50 games for just the second time in 14 years.
LeBron James scored 14 points before sitting out the final 19 minutes of Los Angeles’ sixth win in eight games. Doncic played only the first three quarters.
Taking care of business against Houston likely means James and Doncic will get at least a full week off between this game and the start of the playoffs.
Alperen Sengun, Dillon Brooks, Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason and Jae’Sean Tate all sat out for the Rockets, leaving Houston without six of its top seven scorers.
THUNDER 145, JAZZ 111
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Thunder, odds 1.249
Line: Thunder (-8.5), odds 1.909
Total Points: Over (234.5), odds 1.909
Pre-game Prediction
Thunder, 82.4%
Jazz, 17.6%
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Aaron Wiggins scored 35 points and Isaiah Joe added 32 on a career-high 10 3-pointers to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 145-111 victory over the Utah Jazz on Friday night.
Jaylin Williams added 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists to help power the Thunder to their 31st road victory this season — second only to Boston.
Svi Mykhailiuk led Utah with a career-high 27 points. Brice Sensabaugh added 25 points and six assists. The Jazz never led on the way to their 20th loss in 22 games.
Utah cut a 12-point deficit to 48-44 early in the second quarter after Keyonte George capped a 10-2 run with a pair of free throws. Oklahoma City rebuilt a double-digit lead before halftime behind hot outside shooting. The Thunder made 13 3-pointers and shot 45% from the perimeter in the first half.
Joe punctuated the barrage with a long-distance buzzer beater — his fifth 3-pointer of the half — to give Oklahoma City a 73-58 halftime lead. The Thunder led by 26 in the third quarter, going up 90-64 on another 3-pointer by Joe.
The Thunder played without top scorer and MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who sat out his second straight game with a left shin contusion.
