NBA Roundup: Warriors’ Win (100-92) Tightens Western Conference Play-In Race

Golden State triumphed for the ninth time in ten games behind 19 points from Jonathan Kuminga and 15 from Andrew Wiggins. The Warriors’ victory keeps them alive for a position in the Western Conference play-in round matchup between the No. 7 and No. 8 teams. With two games remaining in the regular season, Golden State, the Sacramento Kings, and the Los Angeles Lakers all have identical records.

Both Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, two of Golden State’s best players, missed the game because of ailments to their right knees.

Portland, which has lost 13 times in the previous 15 games, was led by Deandre Ayton with 25 points and 11 rebounds and Scoot Henderson with 18 points and 12 assists. Jabari Walker chipped in with 16 rebounds and 17 points.

Pelicans 135, Kings 123

New Orleans defeated host Sacramento with 31 points apiece from CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson, earning a crucial victory in the Western Conference playoff chase.

With two games remaining in the fight for the sixth and final guaranteed postseason position in the Western Conference, the Pelicans led the Phoenix Suns 34-11 at the start of the game thanks to three 3-pointers and three free throws from Trey Murphy III (27 points).

The first-half explosion helped the Pelicans to a season series sweep of the Kings in five games, never falling behind. For Sacramento, De’Aaron Fox scored a game-high 33 points.

Bulls 127, Pistons 105

The Pistons suffered their franchise-record 67th loss of the season as visiting Chicago defeated Detroit behind a 39-point performance from DeMar DeRozan.

For the Bulls, DeRozan converted all but one of his eight free-throw attempts and hit 14 of his 22 field goal attempts, including 4 of his 6 efforts from 3-point range. With two games left, Chicago secured the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference. Next week, they will visit Atlanta, the tenth seed, in the play-in playoffs.

For the Pistons, who have now lost six straight games, Jalen Duren scored twenty points and pulled down eleven rebounds, shattering the franchise record set by the 1979–80 squad. Marcus Sasser accrued 20 points as well.

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Knicks 118, Celtics 109

In order to assist visiting New York defeat Boston and increase its winning streak to three games, Jalen Brunson scored a game-high 39 points.

The Knicks are still one game behind the Milwaukee Bucks in third place in the Eastern Conference rankings. The Celtics, who have already dropped their last two games, were formerly the top seed in the East.

Josh Hart had 16 points and 16 rebounds, and Donte DiVincenzo scored 17 for the Knicks. With seven assists and eighteen points, Jayson Tatum led Boston.

Jazz 124, Rockets 121

With a victory over Houston in Salt Lake City, shorthanded Utah ended a 13-game losing run led by Luka Samanic, who scored a season-high 22 points, and Keyonte George, who had 20 points.

In the Utah Jazz’s home finale, seven players who were not in the rotation for different reasons were joined by seven other players who scored in double figures.

With 42 points, Fred VanVleet led all scorers, but the Rockets suffered their sixth defeat in seven games. In the final seconds, VanVleet and Dillon Brooks both missed 3-pointers that could have tied the game.