Stephen Curry and the streaking Golden State Warriors kept rolling on the same night the Houston Rockets put an end to OKC Thunder’s 11-game win streak.
The Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, and Detroit Pistons emerged victorious in a loaded 10-game NBA Saturday slate. | Photos: Celtics, Warriors, Pistons
Detroit became the seventh team to clinch a playoff spot, continuing one of the most remarkable one-year turnaround in recent memory.
Meanwhile, only two games separate six teams from the third to eight spots in the West all battling for playoff positioning.
PISTONS END SIX-YEAR PLAYOFF DROUGHT; CELTICS SET NBA 3-PT RECORD
- Detroit Pistons (43-34) def. Toronto Raptors (28-50), 117-105: For the first time since the 2018-19 season, the Pistons are back in the playoffs behind an inspiring road triumph against the Raptors.
- Started from the Bottom, Now we here: From finishing with the worst record last season to making it to the postseason a year later, Detroit’s win also gave way for the Orlando Magic to lock up an East play-in spot.
- Boston Celtics (57-20) def. Phoenix Suns (35-42), 123-103: Jaylen Brown and the defending champion Celtics splashed their way to NBA history books thanks to a resounding bounce-back victory over the Suns.
- Historic Beantown Barrage: Boston surpassed the 2022-23 Golden State Warriors (1,363) for the most threes made by a team in a single season after Payton Pritchard drilled the record-setting 1,364th triple. The tally now stands at 1,370 treys with five games remaining in the Celtics’ schedule.
- Chicago Bulls (35-42) def. Portland Trail Blazers (34-44), 118-113: Josh Giddey racked up an absurd triple-double of 15 points, 19 rebounds, and 12 assists in a tight Bulls dub in the Windy City.
- Sacramento Kings (37-40) def. Charlotte Hornets (19-58), 125-102: Zach LaVine bannered three 20-point scorers from the Kings with 25 markers, propelling Sacramento to snap out of a three-game skid.
- Tight at the Tail-end: With a much-needed win and a Phoenix loss in Boston, Sacramento gained a two-game lead over the Suns for the 10th and final West play-in spot.
- Cleveland Cavaliers (62-15) def. San Antonio Spurs (32-45), 114-113: Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley combined for 51 points, anchoring the East-best Cavaliers to survive the gutsy Spurs for win no. 62 of the season.
ROCKETS SNAP OKC’S WIN STREAK; WARRIORS KEEP HUMMING
- Houston Rockets (51-27) def. OKC Thunder (64-13), 125-111: In a battle between the top two teams in the West, the Rockets made a statement and ended the Thunder’s 11-game winning run behind 30-point outings from Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun.
[ALSO READ: Rockets put the brakes on SGA, Thunder in battle of West leaders]
- Golden State Warriors (46-31) def. Denver Nuggets (47-31), 118-104: Stephen Curry continued his red-hot scoring stretch, unloading 36 points this time in the Warriors' first win over the Nuggets since 2022.
[ALSO READ: Stephen Curry goes for 36, surging Warriors end run of futility vs Nuggets]
- LA Lakers (47-30) def. New Orleans Pelicans (21-46), 124-108: Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James combined for 92 in a resounding Lakers bounce back at expense of the Pelicans.
- Back and Forth They Go: With the win on top of a Nuggets loss, LA reclaimed the West third seed and now built a half-game lead over Denver. However, the Warriors are lurking behind trailing just one full game over the two.
- LA Clippers (45-32) def. Dallas Mavericks (21-46), 114-91: The Clippers notched their 10th win in the last 12, blasting past the Mavericks to forge a three-way tie alongside the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Memphis Grizzlies for the West no. 6-8 spots.
- Indiana Pacers (46-31) def. Utah Jazz (16-62), 140-112: Myles Turner made his presence felt on both ends, finishing with 26 points and seven blocks for a third straight Pacers dub.