BBNBA: Young guns show out for East leaders, Lakers eliminated
In an average week, the NBA schedule hits a lull on Tuesday before ramping back up for a Wednesday showcase. This is not one of those weeks. With five days remaining in the regular season and everything at stake, the league went all-out with a packed slate of games on Tuesday night — and everywhere you look, ex-‘Cats are getting in on the fun. Let’s break it down.
Herro, Heat hold first-place edge with route of Hornets
The playoff picture in the Eastern Conference is downright fascinating. With two games left to play, Miami holds a strong 2.5 game lead for the top seed. But after that, you’ve got a three-way tie between Boston, Milwaukee and Philadelphia. But whoever gets the two-seed out of that group might end up being worse off, because they would face the winner of the play-in tournament, which will probably end up being the Brooklyn Nets. Stopping Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving at full strength is a tough first-round matchup.
But for the moment, the Heat remains a cut above the rest. They maintained that advantage with a runaway 29-point victory over the Hornets on Tuesday, led by 6MOTY front-runner Tyler Herro. The Boy Wonder was dynamite from beyond the arc, hitting six three-pointers for a career-high 35 points off the bench. Yes, you read that right.
Herro dropped 13 in the fourth quarter alone, leading his team on a 42-18 run that put Charlotte in a casket. It was absurdly his eighth 30-point game off the bench this season, but this one set the franchise record. He’s all but wrapped up a 20 PPG average, which would put him in very rare company for a reserve.
Not to be overshadowed, Bam Adebayo scored 22 points with nine rebounds in the win. The fifth-year big man is closing in on the second double-double average of his career, putting up 19 and 10 on a nightly basis. He’s also a contender for Defensive Player of the Year.
On the other side, P.J. Washington dropped 13 points and six boards. The Hornets will have a chance to play their way into the playoffs as well. They’ve locked up the final spot in the play-in tournament next week, which would mean a matchup with the Hawks if nothing changes.
Embiid, Maxey lift Sixers to big win over Pacers
With Milwaukee winning in Chicago, the 76ers needed a win in Indiana to keep pace with the rat race. They did so with gusto, riding a dominant second quarter all the way to a 131-123 W. Not surprisingly, it was the Joel Embiid show once again. The MVP co-favorite scored 45 points on 30 shots to lead Philly to victory and move past LeBron James into pole position for the NBA’s scoring title.
However, it wasn’t just Embiid putting in work on Tuesday. The Sixers sank a franchise-record 23 threes against the Pacers, including eight by our guy Tyrese Maxey.
If he has his stroke looking like that… watch out, world. Maxey scored 30 points on a ridiculous 9-12 clip (8-11 3pt) for career-highs in both makes and attempts from deep. He’s shooting nearly 43% on threes this season, a crazy 13% jump from his rookie numbers. The Sixers needed shooters, Maxey said I got you.
Philly has three more games left on the schedule, starting Thursday in Toronto then Saturday and Sunday against the Pacers and Pistons. If they win out they could lock up the two-seed, since Boston and Milwaukee play each other tomorrow.
Isaiah Jackson scored 16 points in the loss. His Pacers won’t be making the playoffs, but between him and Tyrese Haliburton, they’re set up well for the future.
Booker, Suns put final kibosh on Lakers playoff hopes
The late game of the night didn’t mean much for the playoff standings, considering the Suns have long-since locked up the league’s best record and No. 1 seed in the West. But it was significant for the losers, confirming a shocking reality that we’ve been trending toward for weeks: the L.A. Lakers will not be participating in the playoffs this year.
Phoenix’s 121-110 victory handed coach Frank Vogel and the Lakers their seventh straight loss, officially eliminating them from play-in consideration. LeBron James watched from the sidelines as Devin Booker dropped a casual 32 on his team’s head, putting the final nail in the LakeShow coffin. But what a ride it’s been…
Anthony Davis was effective, with 21 and 13 in his third game back from injury. But all anyone is talking about is this tweet by the Pelicans, who threw shade at their former star after slipping into the playoffs ahead of him. The Lakers’ woes this year aren’t on AD for the most part, but it’s certainly a tough look.
The win was No. 63 on the season for the Suns, breaking a franchise record. Booker topped 30 for the 27th time this year, seventh-most in the league this year. They’ll face the second-place finisher of the play-in tournament, likely the Timberwolves of Clippers.
News & Notes:
- Karl-Anthony Towns dropped 26 & 10 in a loss to the Wizards, which put a damper on their hopes of escaping the play-in. But with a 5.5-game lead over the Clippers for seventh, the Wolves will be a one-win-and-in team at worst.
- Keldon Johnson had another terrific performance with 20 points in San Antonio’s win in Denver, clinching the last spot in the postseason. The Spurs still have a chance to swap seeds with New Orleans before season’s end.
- Olivier Sarr has been gangbusters for an OKC team that is truly doing everything they can to lose. They somehow failed to do so on Tuesday, but yeesh, look at the names in this box score.
| Player | Result | Points | FG (3PA) | Rebounds | Assists | Steals | Blocks | Turnovers | Minutes | +/- |
| Tyler Herro (MIA) | 144-115 W vs. CHA | 35 | 11-18 (6-10) | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 34 | +35 |
| Devin Booker (PHX) | 121-110 W vs. LAL | 32 | 12-22 (6-9) | 7 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 30 | +14 |
| Tyrese Maxey (PHI) | 131-122 W @ IND | 30 | 9-12 (8-11) | 3 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 38 | +15 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN) | 132-114 L vs. WAS | 26 | 10-24 (2-8) | 10 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 34 | -14 |
| Bam Adebayo (MIA) | 144-115 W vs. CHA | 22 | 7-10 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 30 | +9 |
| Anthony Davis (LAL) | 121-110 L @ PHX | 21 | 10-18 (0-2) | 13 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 35 | -19 |
| Keldon Johnson (SAS) | 116-97 W @ DEN | 20 | 8-15 (2-7) | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 33 | +15 |
| Isaiah Jackson (IND) | 131-122 L vs. PHI | 16 | 5-10 (0-2) | 4 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 25 | +1 |
| P.J. Washington (CHA) | 144-115 L @ MIA | 13 | 5-10 (0-3) | 6 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 33 | -16 |
| Olivier Sarr (OKC) | 98-94 W vs. POR | 10 | 3-8 (0-2) | 12 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 39 | +1 |
| Jarred Vanderbilt (MIN) | 132-114 L vs. WAS | 8 | 3-3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 20 | -10 |
| Trey Lyles (SAC) | 123-109 L vs. NOP | 8 | 3-5 (0-1) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | -12 |
| Malik Monk (LAL) | 121-110 L @ PHX | 7 | 3-7 (1-2) | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 18 | -5 |
| DeMarcus Cousins (DEN) | 116-97 L vs. SAS | 4 | 1-7 (0-2) | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | -8 |
| Rajon Rondo (CLE) | 120-115 L @ ORL | 3 | 1-3 (1-2) | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | -15 |
| Wenyen Gabriel (LAL) | 121-110 L @ PHX | 2 | 1-2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 14 | -6 |
| Nick Richards (CHA) | 144-115 L @ MIA | 2 | 1-2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -7 |
| Kevin Knox (ATL) | 118-108 L @ TOR | DNP – Coach’s Decision | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Eric Bledsoe (POR) | 98-94 L @ OKC | DNP – Achilles | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| De’Aaron Fox (SAC) | 123-109 L vs. NOP | DNP – Hand | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) | 98-94 W vs. POR | DNP – Rest | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Jamal Murray (DEN) | 116-97 L vs. SAS | DNP – ACL | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| John Wall (HOU) | 118-105 L @ BKN | DNP – Personal | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Today in the NBA
7:00 – Mavericks @ Pistons (Diallo)
7:30 (ESPN) – Nets @ Knicks (Randle, Quickley, Noel)
8:00 – Wizards @ Hawks (Knox)
8:00 – Celtics @ Bulls
9:00 – Thunder (SGA, Sarr) @ Jazz
10:00 (ESPN) – Suns (Booker) @ Clippers (Boston Jr.)
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