LAKERS 112, MAVERICKS 97
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Lakers, odds 1.499
Line: Lakers (-4.5), odds 1.874
Total Points: Under (226.5), odds 1.909
Pre-game Prediction
Lakers, 64.5%
Mavericks, 35.5%
DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic scored 45 points in his first game in Dallas since being traded to Los Angeles, helping the Lakers wrap up a playoff spot with a victory over the Mavericks.
Doncic’s emotional return came two months after a seismic trade out of nowhere that sent the five-time All-Star to Los Angeles. The 26-year-old star from Slovenia spent his first 5 1/2 seasons with the Mavericks, and still had two seasons left on his contract.
The 45 points matched Doncic’s season high — he did that once for Dallas and one other time for the Lakers. He also had eight rebounds, six assists and four steals.
LeBron James had 13 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter, when the Lakers fell behind before a strong finish.
Anthony Davis, who went from the Lakers to Dallas in the Doncic heal, had 13 points and 11 rebounds. Naji Marshall led the Mavs with 23 points and eight assists.
NBA's Top 10 Plays of the Night - April 9
MAGIC 96, CELTICS 76
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Magic, odds 1.291
Line: Magic (-8.5), odds 1.952
Total Points: Under (206), odds 1.909
Pre-game Prediction
Celtics, 56.8%
Magic, 43.2%
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Franz Wagner scored 23 points, Cole Anthony came off the bench with 18 points and the Orlando Magic beat the Boston Celtics 96-76 on Wednesday night to clinch seventh place in the Eastern Conference and the top spot in the play-in tournament.
Baylor Scheierman and Payton Pritchard scored 15 points each to lead the Celtics, who did not use their top six players and made 7 of 40 3-point shots.
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday and Al Horford did not play for the Celtics.
Paolo Banchero had 15 points and six assists for the Magic. It was Wagner’s 12th straight game of scoring 20 or more points.
SPURS 114, WARRIORS 111
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Spurs, odds 10.96 - the biggest odds win of the season?
Line: Spurs (-17.5), odds 1.921
Total Points: Under (233.5), odds 1.909
Pre-game Prediction
Spurs, 10.4%
Warriors, 89.6%
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Harrison Barnes made a 3-pointer at the buzzer after committing a foul moments earlier that could have cost his team, and San Antonio stunned Golden State.
Draymond Green made two free throws with 3.1 seconds left to make it 111-all after Barnes fouled him, then the veteran guard let it fly over Jimmy Butler and was immediately swarmed by his teammates when the horn sounded.
Keldon Johnson made a go-ahead layup with 11 seconds left after tying the game with 32 seconds remaining and finished with 21 points.
Butler scored 13 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and converted 16 of 17 free throws and Stephen Curry scored 30 with five 3-pointers and grabbed eight rebounds, but this loss could jeopardize Golden State securing a top-six playoff seed and avoiding the play-in tournament.
Stephon Castle also had 21 for San Antonio.
Green contributed 13 points, nine rebounds and eight assists but the Warriors lost a critical game at home for a second straight time.
THUNDER 125, SUNS 112
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Thunder, odds 1.337
Line: Thunder (-7.5), odds 1.913
Total Points: Over (228.5), odds 1.896
Pre-game Prediction
Thunder, 83%
Suns, 17%
PHOENIX (AP) — Jalen Williams scored 33 points, Chet Holmgren added 22 and short-handed Oklahoma City beat Phoenix, eliminating the Suns from the playoff race.
Phoenix will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2020 despite having a roster that included the high-priced All-Star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
The Thunder have already wrapped up the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs and were without several key players on Wednesday, including All-Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, defensive star Luguentz Dort and center Isaiah Hartenstein.
That didn’t stop them from topping the Suns, who have lost eight straight.
NUGGETS 124, KINGS 116
Betting Results:
Head to Head: Nuggets, odds 1.51
Line: Nuggets (-4.5), odds 1.892
Total Points: Over (234.5), odds 1.909
Pre-game Prediction
Nuggets, 50.4%
Kings, 49.6%
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Nikola Jokic had his 32nd triple-double of the season with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists and Denver beat Sacramento in the Nuggets’ first game since head coach Michael Malone was fired .
Christian Braun scored 25 points and Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. each had 21 points to help Denver end a four-game losing streak and complete a season series sweep of Sacramento.
With two regular-season games remaining, the Nuggets (48-32) are tied with the Clippers for the No. 4 playoff seed in the Western Conference.
