NBA recap: Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Jayson Tatum’s 44 points boost the Celtics over the Hornets, Suns become first team to clinch playoff spot, Giannis leads the Bucks to sixth straight win.
On Wednesday night, the Suns became the first team to clinch a playoff spot in the NBA. Here's how the day's games went.
Charlotte Hornets - Boston Celtics 101-115
Jayson Tatum continues his burst of big performances, with most points in back-to-back games in Celtics history with 44 points against the Hornets (54 last week against the Nets). He shot 16-for-24 from the field and made six of nine three-point attempts, and was six-for-six on free throws.
Detroit Pistons - Chicago Bulls 108-114
DeMar DeRozan put up 36 points and helped the Bulls to end a five-game losing streak. He made 12 of 25 field goal attempts, 12 of 13 free throws, eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals in the victory over the Pistons.
Miami Heat - Phoenix Suns 90-111
Devin Booker made his return after being out due to Covid protocols and had a near triple-double, finishing with 23 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds. The Suns’ 111-90 victory over the Heat made them the first team to clinch a playoff spot.
Milwaukee Bucks - Atlanta Hawks 124-115
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to victory with a huge 43-point game over the Atlanta Hawks, extending their winning streak to six games in the 124-115 win.
Minnesota Timberwolves - Oklahoma City Thunder 132-102
Malik Beasley got a standing ovation in Moinnesota for his role in leading the Timberwolves to victory. He scored 33 points and made a franchise record 11 three-pointers in the win over the Thunder.
New Orleans Pelicans - Orlando Magic 102-108
Cole Anthony and Terrence Ross helped hold off the Pelicans, scoring 19 and 14 points respectively in their defeat over the Magic.
Houston Rockets - LA Lakers 139-130
Jalen Green, the rookie out of California scored 13 straight points for the Rockets in this nail-biting game, which went into overtime against the Lakers. Green scored a season-high of 32 points and finished 13 of 21 from the floor. LeBron James nailed his fifth triple-double of the season with 23 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists, but the Lakers allowed Houston to shoot 51 percent from the floor and ended up losing in OT 139-130.
Dallas Mavericks - NY Knicks 77-107
The Knicks snapped Dallas’ five-game winning streak with a 30-point win over the Mavericks on their home turf. The Mavs struggled from the outside and missed their first 19 three-point attempts. Luka Doncic picked up his 14th technical foul of the season, leaving him just two away from a one-game suspension. Julius Randle scored 26 points for the Knicks, who are now on a three-game winning streak.
San Antonio Spurs - Toronto Raptors 104-119
Fred VanVleet made his return for the Raptors after missing five games due to an injury. He put up 26 points in the defeat over the San Antonio Spurs.
Utah Jazz - Portland Trail Blazers 123-85
Bojan Bogdanovic scored 27 points with six three-pointers, leading the Jazz to victory over Portland. Bogdanovic had 14 points in the third quarter alone and has averaged 27.7 points on 61.4 percent shooting with 21 three-pointers in the past three games.
Sacramento Kings - Denver Nuggets 100-106
Nikola Jokic scored 38 points and had 18 rebounds, finishing the game with a key three-pointer to help give the Nuggets the win over the Kings.
LA Clippers - Washington Wizards 115-109
The Clippers rallied to defeat the Wizards, with Reggie Jackson putting up 31 points and Marcus Morris Sr. adding another 27 in the 115-109 win over Washington.