PHOENIX (AP) – Russell Westbrook became the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season, but failed for the second game in a row to break Oscar Robertson’s single-season record.
Westbrook fell two assists shy of what would have been his 42nd triple-double in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 120-99 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.
On a rough night all around, Westbrook had 23 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, along with eight turnovers before coach Billy Donovan pulled him with 2:34 to play.
Devin Booker scored 21 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter to help the Suns snap a 13-game losing streak.
Westbrook did get the six assists he needed to assure that he’d join Robertson as the only players to average a triple-double for a season.
HAWKS 114, CAVALIERS 100
CLEVELAND (AP) – Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 15 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter and Atlanta, despite resting center Dwight Howard and missing three other key starters, stunned Cleveland.
The Hawks, who beat Boston on Thursday night, outworked and outgunned the defending NBA champions. The Cavaliers blew a chance to move closer to securing the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
Mike Dunleavy added 20 points for Atlanta and got a little revenge against the Cavs, who tossed him in as part of a trade for Kyle Korver in February. The Hawks had 39 assists.
It was a shocking letdown by the Cavs, who were so impressive in a win over the Celtics on Wednesday night. But they lacked energy from the outset and the Hawks took advantage.
LeBron James scored 27 points, and Kyrie Irving had 18 for Cleveland.
RAPTORS 96, HEAT 94
TORONTO (AP) – DeMar DeRozan scored 38 points and Toronto beat Miami in the Raptors’ final home game of the regular season.
DeRozan broke Vince Carter’s franchise record with his 31st 30-point game of the season, shooting 14 of 32 from the floor. Carter set the mark in 2000-01.
Cory Joseph added 14 points, and Kyle Lowry had 12 in his second game back form an injury.
James Johnson had 22 points for Miami against his former team. The Heat remained ninth in the Eastern Conference with three games to play.
GRIZZLIES 101, KNICKS 88
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – Mike Conley scored 31 points and Memphis warpped up the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference with a victory over short-handed New York.
Conley was 12 of 17 from the field, including 7 of 11 from 3-point range. The Grizzlies will face the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs.
Wayne Selden scored a career-high 13 points and Vince Carter added 12, including a trio of 3-pointers as the Grizzlies pulled away with a 16-2 rally in the fourth quarter.
Courtney Lee led the Knicks with 16 points.
PISTONS 114, ROCKETS 109
HOUSTON (AP) – Stanley Johnson hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 32.4 seconds left and added two free throws to lift Detroit past Houston.
The Rockets led by two after a dunk by Montrezl Harrell before Ish Smith made a basket to tie it. James Harden missed a 3-pointer on the other end, and Johnson’s 3-pointer made it 110-107. Harden missed another 3-point attempt, and Johnson added the free throws to make it 112-107.
Harden finished one rebound shy of a triple-double with 33 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds.
Boban Marjanovic, Detroit’s 7-foot-3 backup center, led the Pistons with a career-high 27 points with 12 rebounds off the bench.
NUGGETS 122, PELICANS 106
DENVER (AP) – Rookie Jamal Murray scored a career-high 30 points, including several high-soaring dunks, and Denver beat New Orleans to keep its postseason hopes alive.
Nikola Jokic added 23 points and 12 rebounds to help the Nuggets pull within a game of Portland for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West with three games remaining.
New Orleans’ Anthony Davis scored 25 points in nearly 24 minutes on a night when fellow big man DeMarcus Cousins sat out with tendinitis in his right Achilles. The Pelicans were eliminated from playoff contention Tuesday in a home loss to the Nuggets.
SPURS 109, MAVERICKS 89
DALLAS (AP) – Bryn Forbes scored a career-high 27 points with San Antonio resting most of its starters, and the Spurs ran past Dallas after the Mavericks pulled most of their key veterans in the second half.
Dewayne Dedmon, the only San Antonio starter to play, had 10 points and 13 rebounds. Tony Parker made the trip but didn’t leave the bench, while Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Pau Gasol and Danny Green stayed home with the Spurs locked in to the No. 2 seed behind Golden State in the Western Conference.
The Mavericks, playing their fourth game since getting eliminated from the playoffs, pulled Dirk Nowitzki and other veterans in the second half, when the Spurs outscored Dallas 52-28 after trailing by 16 points in the first half. Dwight Powell led Dallas with 12 points.
JAZZ 120, TIMBERWOLVES 113
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – Gordon Hayward scored a career-high 39 points and Utah overcame an 11-point deficit to beat Minnesota.
Hayward and Joe Johnson powered a 40-point third quarter in which the Jazz came from behind and took the lead for good with a 16-7 run. Johnson finished with 22 points.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Timberwolves with 32 points and 13 rebounds, Ricky Rubio added 26 points, and Andrew Wiggins had 25.
LAKERS 98, KINGS 94
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Julius Randle scored 25 points and Corey Brewer stole an inbounds pass with 5 seconds to play, was fouled and made both free throws to lead Los Angeles over Sacramento.
Brandon Ingram had 14 points and D’Angelo Russell scored 13 for the Lakers. Jordan Clarkson finished with 12 points and Larry Nance Jr. added 11 rebounds in a victory that hurt Los Angeles in the lottery.
The Lakers remained 1 + games ahead of the Phoenix Suns for the second-worst record in the NBA. The Lakers have only three games remaining. The Suns beat Oklahoma City earlier Friday.
The King got 19 points from Skal Labissiere, 14 from Willie Cauley-Stein, 17 from Buddy Hield and 15 from Darren Collison.
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