Amen Thompson and the Houston Rockets extended the NBA’s current longest active winning streak to nine games, while the reigning champion Boston Celtics registered a fourth successive victory.
The Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets, and LA Clippers headline the winners of a stacked 10-game NBA Saturday offering. | Photos: Suns, Rockets, Clippers
The Houston Rockets remained as the hottest team in the league, while both the Los Angeles Clippers and the Phoenix Suns stayed on point in the wide-open Western Conference post-season race.
ROCKETS CONTINUE BARRAGE, CELTICS MAKE IT FOUR STRAIGHT W’S
- Houston Rockets (46-25) def. Miami Heat (29-41), 102-98: Fred VanVleet caught fire with 37 points spiked on a season-high nine threes, extending the Rockets’ winning streak to a season-high nine games at the Heat’s expense, who suffered a 10th successive defeat.
[ALSO READ: Fred VanVleet torches Heat with 37, as Rockets roll to season-best ninth straight win]
- Boston Celtics (51-19) def. Detroit Pistons (16-55), 121-99: Kristaps Porzingis stuffed the stat sheet with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists to push the defending champion Celtics to a league-best 27th road win of the season.
- Orlando Magic (33-38) def. Washington Wizards (15-54), 120-105: Paolo Banchero logged his fourth 30-point game in the last five games, helping the Magic send the Wizards to a third-straight loss.
- Minnesota Timberwolves (41-31) def. New Orleans Pelicans (19-52), 134-93: The Timberwolves tallied their sixth largest margin of victory in franchise history following a 41-point beatdown of the also-ran Pelicans.
- Dallas Mavericks (34-37) def. Detroit Pistons (39-32), 123-117: Spencer Dinwiddie, P.J Washington, and Klay Thompson all combined for 78 points as the injury-hit Mavericks toppled the Pistons to break out of a four-game skid.
CLIPPERS TIGHTEN HOLD ON WEST NO. 7; SUNS EDGE MAVS FOR FINAL PLAY-IN SPOT
- LA Clippers (40-30) def. Memphis Grizzlies (44-27), 128-108: James Harden and the Clippers solidified their grip onto the West no. 7 seed after dominating the Grizzlies at home for a fifth straight win.
- Phoenix Suns (34-37) def. Cleveland Cavaliers (56-14), 123-112: Kevin Durant exploded for 29 of his team-high 42 points as the Suns added more woes to the Cavaliers, while keeping their West Play-in hopes alive.
[ALSO READ: Kevin Durant’s 42 tows Suns past weary Cavaliers to stay in West Play-in contention]
- OKC Thunder (58-12) def. Charlotte Hornets (18-52), 141-106: A returning Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped a league-leading 44th 30-point game in just three quarters, as the NBA-best Thunder rolled past the Hornets and into a fifth successive dub.
- San Antonio Spurs (30-39) def. Philadelphia 76ers (23-47), 128-120: Stephon Castle dazzled with 17 points and 14 assists — the most dimes by a rookie so far this season — for back-to-back Spurs victories.
- Portland Trail Blazers (32-39) def. Denver Nuggets (44-27), 128-109: Deni Avdija led from the front with a season-high 36-point performance against the short-handed Nuggets, giving the Trail Blazers a third consecutive victory.