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Nightly Pulse: NBA News & Highlights from Apr. 11

Follow tonight's NBA action in real time as teams jockey for playoff position with two games left in the regular season.

NBA.com Staff

πŸ€ Friday’s Full Slate πŸ€

Bucks 125 Pistons 119

Magic 129 Pacers 115

Hawks 124 76ers 110

Celtics 130 Hornets 94

Cavaliers 108 Knicks 102

Bulls 119, Wizards 89

Heat 153 Pelicans 104Β 

Mavericks 124, Raptors 102

Timberwolves 117, Nets 91

Nuggets 117, Grizzlies 109

Thunder 145 Jazz 111

Suns 117, Spurs 98

Warriors 103, Trail Blazers 86

Clippers 101, Kings 100

Lakers 140, Rockets 109

Top Stories of the Night πŸ“°πŸ‘‡

  1. Nuggets win battle of interim coaches: The Grizzlies made headlines first for surprisingly parting ways with their head coach, then Denver followed suit just over a week later. This was the second win for David Adelman since taking over. It sure helped to have Jamal Murray back. His clutch playmaking and shot-making allowed the Nuggets to come back from 15 points down. Nikola Jokić also became the 3rd player ever to officially average a triple-double for a season.
  2. Cavs steal victory in MSG: After three hard fought quarters, this game was decided in crunch time. That’s when Max Strus took over for Cleveland, alongside Darius Garland who could not be stopped. The duo’s strong 4th showing nullified good games from Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby. The East’s top team is making every game count with just one more outing before the playoffs.
  3. Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament set:Β With tonight’s results, one half of this year’s Play-In Tournament is official. The winner of Atlanta versus Orlando will clinch the seven seed and book a first-round matchup with the defending champion Boston Celtics. The loser of that contest will face the winner of Chicago and Miami for the opportunity to claim the 8th and final spot in the East.

Top Performers πŸ‘πŸ‘

  1. Giannis Antetoknounmpo: 32 pts (11-22 FG), 11 rebounds, 15 assists, two steals and one block in win over DET
  2. Anthony Davis: 23 pts (10-18 FG, 1-5 3PM), 13 rebounds, 10 assists, seven blocks in win over TOR
  3. Luka DončiΔ‡: 39 points (13-19 FG, 5-9 3PM), eight rebounds, seven assists, one steal in win over HOU
  4. Isaiah Joe: 32 points (11-15 FG, 10-14 3PM), five rebounds, nine assists, two steals in win over UTAH

Lakers’ 50th Win 🌴

In his first season as head coach, JJ Redick has led the Lakers to 50 wins on the year and clinched the three seed in the process. The Rockets were without nearly their entire starting lineup, and the final score reflected it.

Reaves Feeling It ✨

Austin Reaves is going to finish with 23 points, and he saved his best plays for the fourth quarter.

πŸ‘‰ Grizz Play-In Bound

No Beam Tonight

The Clippers escape thanks to a last-second heave that wasn’t meant to be from DeMar DeRozan. James Harden guided LA, as did Derrick Jones Jr. The two connected on one of the night’s best plays.

Kings Within 2 🚨

There’s less than a minute to play in Sacramento. It’s been tightly contested throughout, with the Kings riding a late wave of mementum. DeMar DeRozan’s jumper makes this a one possession game.

DeRozan Passes Reggie ⭐️

Jimmy πŸͺ£

The Warriors are cruising to victory against Portland, up by more than 20 with six minutes to play in the fourth quarter. Jimmy Butler has a team-high 24 points including this and-one reverse finish.

Pacific Division Duel

Deficit Erased

In the final regular season game in Denver, the Nuggets sent the crowd home with plenty to cheer about. The Nuggets completed a 15-point comeback win against the Memphis Grizzlies, cementing the win with clutch hihghlights on both sides of the floor.

The Bank is Open Late 🏦

Jamal Doing it All 🍿

Murray’s presence has been missed as of late for Denver, and tonight’s performance showcases what he brings to this Nuggets team. He’s finding teammates and hitting clutch jumpers as his team tries to pull off the comeback win.

Star Connection πŸ’«

Luka DončiΔ‡ and LeBron James are leading the Lakers attack tonight. The duo has more than half of the team’s points so far as LA is ahead of Houston in the 2nd.

JokiΔ‡ TD βœ…

Tied in the Mile-High City πŸ—»

A Russell Westbrook three ties this one up at 88. We’re far from finished, though, as Memphis will look to steal the road win with the playoff seeding on the line.

 

Silky Smooth Dime πŸͺ™

Stephen Curry is up to his usual antics, filling up the score sheet early. The Trail Blazers are anything but afraid, however, as they trail by just five early in the 2nd quarter.

2nd Halves Underway ⏯️

  • The Timberwolves are hoping to build momentum ahead of a possible play-in tournament appearance. They’re leading Brooklyn by double-digits as the third quarter gets going.
  • Both Memphis and Denver are in need of tonight’s win for seeding implications. The Grizzlies are holding onto a decent lead, but the Nuggets are well within striking range with their home fans fueling them.

Getting Out of Hand 😬

  • The Miami Heat blitzed the Pelicans from the jump, and New Orleans never recovered. They outscored the Pelicans in every quarter, en route to a 153-104 win, one of the largest margins of victory this season.

  • The Bulls are in a lopsided affair as well, leading the Washington Wizards by 24 in the final minutes. With Josh Giddey resting, Chicago saw big efforts from Julian Phillips and Matas Buzelis with 23 and 0 points respectively.

 

  • The Mavericks are one quarter away from a win as they enter the 4th quarter with a near 30-point lead. Anthony Davis is having his best game since being traded to Dallas, recording a triple-double along with seven blocks. It also helps Dallas’ cause to have Dereck Lively II back in the rotation.

Cleveland Comeback βœ…

The Cavaliers pulled off a gritty win tonight, fueled late by big shots from Max Strus and Darius Garland. Strus finished with 19 points n five made threes while Garland added a 26-point 13-assist double-double.

New York rests in the third spot in the Eastern Conference despite the loss, due to Indiana’s loss to Orlando.

Max Strus has the Knicks reeling after hitting consecutive threes, mixed with a block on the other end in the final two minutes of a competitive matchup.

One time in Slow-Mo πŸŽ₯

Peyton Watson’s slam against the Memphis Grizzlies was a beauty in real-time, and even better when slowed down. The finish brought the home crowd to its feet, as the team tries to overcome a 10-ppoint deficit in the 2nd quarter.

All tied in NYC πŸ‘€

It’s winning time inside Madison Square Garden, as the Cleveland Cavaliers have tied the game at 92 apiece. The Cavaliers are hoping to take their first lead since the opening quarter. Expect an electric finish between these two top teams in the Eastern Conference.

πŸ’ͺ Too Much Giannis πŸ’ͺ

The Bucks needed every ounce of Giannis’ big time triple-double in order to escape Detroit with the victory. It marked Milwaukee’s seventh straight victory, a pleasant sign as the team prepares to enter the postseason without their second-in-command.

1 More Quarter

The Knicks have put three solid quarters together against the conference’s top team, led by Jalen Brunson’s 20 points. Both teams are missing a key piece, as Donovan Mitchell and Karl-Anthony Towns are sidelined tonight for rest.

New York leads by seven entering the fourth.

Final Score Update

  • Bucks def. Pistons

  • Celtics def. Hornets

  • Hawks def. 76ers

  • Magic def. Pacers

Moving the Ball πŸ€

Magic Pulling Away πŸ’¨

Indiana had hopes of keeping their chance at claiming the three seed alive going into this game, but Orlando’s first-half performance has mostly shut the door on that dream. The Magic lead 72-49 entering the 2nd half with an outstanding performance so far from Trevelin Queen.

Woah There, Rook 😳🫨

Pacers first-year man Johnny Furphy just captured the attention of the entire arena with a rim-rocking jam in the 2nd quarter. It’s an early contender for dunk of the night to say the least.

 

Max Strus gets Cleveland going on offense, by sinking his first two attempts from deep. It’s a must-win game for New York if they want to maintain the edge over the Pacers in the standings. Indiana trails them by just one game.

KPJ Thriving ⛹️‍♂️

Kevin Porter Jr. is filling a big void for Milwaukee, who are without Damian Lillard indefinitely. He’s shown what he can do as a scorer in recent games, but he can also facilltate, evidenced by this sweet alley-oop to Giannis Antentokounmpo.

Early Q1 Update:

  • Detroit leads Milwwaukee 36-35
  • Atlanta leads Philadelphia 29-26
  • Orlando tied with Indiana 29-29

Cade Cunningham stood out the most, poring in 12 early points against the Bucks.

Bucks Hot From 3 πŸ”₯

Kyle Kuzma and Ryan Rollins are finding a spark for Milwaukee against Detroit by dialing in from deep. The Pistons are battling as well as the first quarter has a high-scoring pace. With three minutes too play Detroit leads 28-24.

2-Way Walker πŸ‘

The 76ers are missing majority of their starters, giving opportunity for guys like Lonnie Walker IV to show what he can do. He gets the block. on Trae Young and trails to the other end for the triple.

1st Time For Everything πŸ…

Tonight’s Notes πŸ“πŸ‘‡

  1. Golden State hoping to avoid play-in tournament:Β Harrison Barnes’ game-winning shot over his former team, really shook the Warriors foundation ahead of the postseason. The team now clings to the sixth seed with an identical record to the Timberwolves and Grizzlies (47-33). With just two games left, the path to avoiding the play-in for the Warriors starts with a win in Portland – which will not be easy.
  2. Lakers aim to sew up three seed: Further up the Western Conference standings, more finality is taking shape. The Los Angeles Lakers (49-31) can lock themselves into third with a win against Houston, putting them out of reach for the Nuggets and Clippers. Many of Houston’s starters will be rested, but you can’t count out the scrappy two-seeded Rockets.
  3. Pacers on Knicks’ heels: New York held position best they could while Jalen Brunson nursed a sprained ankle. He’s now back, and the team still sits third in the East, but are only a game ahead of the Indiana Pacers. Both teams will be tested tonight as New York hosts the top-seeded Cavaliers and the Pacers battle the Magic. A New York loss and Indiana win would set up a true cliffhanger in the regular season finale.

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