The Los Angeles Clippers are going where their cross-town rivals the Lakers are not – with a 122-111 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves guaranteeing a play-off spot.
LeBron James, in his first season with the Lakers, will not feature in the play-offs for the first time since 2005 after his side went down to the Brooklyn Nets earlier this week.
Danilo Gallinari scored 25 points and Lou Williams had 20 off the bench as the Clippers became the fifth Western Conference side to secure a berth with their sixth consecutive win.
Triple-double number 7 for number 77, the Rookie of the Year. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Ej5X7tXjnr — Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) March 27, 2019
Luka Doncic had a triple-double – 28 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists – but his Dallas Mavericks fell to the Sacramento Kings 125-121.
It was the seventh of the season for Doncic, the third most triple-doubles by a rookie in NBA history.
The Boston Celtics halted their four-game losing streak with a 116-106 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Kyrie Irving did not play, but Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart both had 21 points as the Celtics sit fifth in the Eastern Conference.
That #LakersWin feeling 🙌@CaldwellPope: 29 pts, 6 3PM@KingJames: 23 pts, 14 ast@JaValeMcGee: 20 pts, 15 reb pic.twitter.com/VhigUZtnPE — Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 27, 2019
James hit 23 points and had 14 assists as the Lakers beat the Washington Wizards 124-106, while Kemba Walker hit 38 in a 125-116 overtime win for the Charlotte Hornets over the San Antonio Spurs.
Elsewhere, the Orlando Magic overcame the Miami Heat 104-99, the Toronto Raptors saw off the Chicago Bulls 112-103 and Eric Bledsoe hit 23 points for the Milwaukee Bucks in a 108-94 victory over the Houston Rockets.
Trae Young hit a double-double for the Atlanta Hawks in a 130-120 win over the New Orleans Pelicans and the Denver Nuggets edged out the Detroit Pistons 95-92.
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