NBA Roundup: Lakers Secure Home Court, Maxey Lifts Sixers, Magic Keep Play-In at Bay
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LOS ANGELES — LeBron James’ 28 points, 12 assists and six rebounds powered the Los Angeles Lakers past the Phoenix Suns, 101-73, Friday night, clinching first-round home-court advantage and keeping the club in contention for the West’s No. 3 seed.
The victory moved Los Angeles to 52-29, one game behind Denver for third place but holding the tiebreaker entering Sunday’s regular-season finale. James reached 12,000 career assists in the first half, becoming just the fourth NBA player to hit that milestone. He scored 14 points in the opening quarter as the Lakers built a double-digit cushion they never surrendered.
Luke Kennard finished with 19 points and Rui Hachimura added 13. Marcus Smart returned after missing nine games, contributing six points and seven assists. Los Angeles has won 15 of its last 19 despite injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Maxey ends Sixers skid
INDIANAPOLIS — Tyrese Maxey poured in 32 points to halt Philadelphia’s three-game slide, guiding the 76ers to a 105-94 win over the Indiana Pacers. Philadelphia improved to 44-37 and remains eighth in the Eastern Conference with one game left.
Paul George scored 21, while VJ Edgecombe and Kelly Oubre Jr. supplied 16 and 15 points, respectively. Andre Drummond posted 10 points and 16 rebounds. The Sixers played without Joel Embiid, who underwent an appendectomy Thursday. Head coach Nick Nurse said the surgery “went well,” but offered no timetable for the reigning MVP’s return.
Magic push win streak to five
ORLANDO — Franz Wagner’s 25 points and Jamal Cain’s 20 helped the Orlando Magic defeat the Chicago Bulls, 127-103, notching their fifth consecutive victory. Orlando (45-36) pulled even with Toronto for the East’s No. 6 seed after the Raptors lost Friday, leaving the Magic poised to dodge the play-in tournament with one game to play.
Paolo Banchero flirted with a triple-double, producing 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Jalen Suggs knocked down four third-quarter three-pointers, scoring all 12 of his points during a decisive stretch that widened a modest halftime lead into a comfortable margin.
Source: Hoops Wire
