LOS ANGELES: The Memphis Grizzlies clinched an NBA playoff berth in emphatic taste on Friday, with Luke Kennard main a stunning show from three-point vary in a 151-114 rout of the Houston Rockets. Kennard set a franchise file with 10 three-pointers — on simply 11 makes an attempt — as Memphis set a franchise file with 25 from past the arc. Their 25 treys got here on simply 42 makes an attempt. 8 Grizzlies avid gamers transformed from past the arc and Kennard was once essentially the most ruthlessly environment friendly of all. “It appears like each and every shot I take goes to head in,” Kennard mentioned after scoring 30 issues.

Desmond Bane added 25 issues and two-time All-Megastar Ja Morant added 18 in a assured efficiency off the bench in his 2d sport again from an eight-game NBA suspension for brandishing a gun at a nightclub. Even towards Western Convention stragglers Houston, it was once an outstanding show. Most significantly, Kennard mentioned, it was once the crew’s maximum entire sport since his arrival. “Taking part in laborious, taking part in speedy, speaking significantly better,” he mentioned. “We put it in combination for approximately a 48-minute sport, so it was once a amusing sport. I like the best way we performed — we’ve simply were given to construct off that.”

In Salt Lake Town, the Milwaukee Dollars made 22 three-pointers in a 144-116 wire-to-wire victory over the Utah Jazz that preserved their two-and-a-half-game lead over Boston atop the Jap Convention. The Celtics stored the power on with a 120-95 victory over the Indiana Pacers whilst third-placed Philadelphia slipped again with a 120-112 loss to the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco.

Grayson Allen scored a season-high 25 issues for Milwaukee, draining 5 three-pointers. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 24 issues and passed out 11 assists for the Dollars ahead of sitting out the fourth quarter. The Greek celebrity took a difficult foul early within the sport and grabbed his proper wrist—the similar wrist he injured in February. But when Antetokounmpo was once slowed, the Dollars weren’t. They tired 8 three-pointers — 4 by means of Allen — within the first quarter and Brook Lopez had 4 of his seven blocks within the first body as they seized keep an eye on.

Six Dollars avid gamers scored in double figures and Milwaukee dished out 42 assists. “It’s a in point of fact amusing solution to play,” Allen mentioned. “We have been getting the ball up the courtroom tremendous fast lately. A number of the ones possessions have been lower than 5 seconds — you get, like, 3 passes in and a just right shot.”

In Boston, Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 34 issues — his fortieth 30-point sport of the season, surroundings a franchise file. Jaylen Brown added 27 issues and grabbed seven rebounds and Derrick White chipped in 22 issues for Boston, who outscored the Pacers 32-21 within the 1/3 quarter and rolled from there. Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner scored 20 apiece for Indiana, who’re chasing the Chicago Bulls for tenth position within the East and the general play-in match berth. The Bulls beat the Path Blazers 124-96 in Portland.

Lakers silence Thunder

In San Francisco, Jordan Poole scored 33 issues and Stephen Curry added 29 because the reigning champion Warriors withstood 46 issues from Sixers celebrity Joel Embiid. With James Harden sidelined by means of damage, Embiid had Philadelphia poised handy Golden State a unprecedented house defeat. He made 19 of twenty-two loose throws, grabbed 9 rebounds and passed out 8 assists, and Philadelphia led by means of 11 early within the fourth quarter. The Warriors pulled degree 4 instances within the duration ahead of Curry were given previous Embiid for the go-ahead financial institution shot with 2:20 closing.

In Los Angeles, Anthony Davis scored 37 issues and grabbed 14 rebounds because the Lakers boosted their post-season hopes with a 116-111 victory over the Oklahoma Town Thunder. The Lakers, with celebrity LeBron James sidelined by means of a foot damage, have received 3 immediately and at 37-37 are degree with the Minnesota Timberwolves for 7th within the West. – AFP