PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Seth Curry scored 20 points, Joel Embiid had 13 points and 11 rebounds and the Philadelphia 76ers clinched the top seed for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference with a 122-97 victory over the Orlando Magic on Friday night.
Ben Simmons added 13 points and nine assists to help the 76ers improve to 48-23. Philadelphia could’ve clinched earlier this week, but lost at Indiana on Tuesday and at Miami on Thursday.
Embiid didn’t play against the Pacers due to illness and logged just 25 minutes against the Heat. Embiid, Simmons and the rest of Philadelphia’s starters relaxed on the bench in the fourth quarter with the 76ers up big.
Ignas Brazdeikis scored 21 points for the Magic. They have lost six straight.
WIZARDS 120, CAVALIERS 105
WASHINGTON (AP) — Russell Westbrook had his first triple-double since passing Oscar Robertson and becoming the NBA’s career leader, lifting Washington past Cleveland and helping the Wizards clinch a spot in the play-in tournament.
ADVERTISEMENTWestbrook had 21 points, 17 assists and 12 rebounds for his 183rd triple-double and league-leading 37th this season.
Davis Bertans scored 17 points, and Rui Hachimura and Robin Lopez each had 14.
Washington clinched a spot in the NBA’s new play-in tournament for the playoffs involving the Nos. 7-10 seeds in each conference.
Collin Sexton had 26 points for Cleveland.
JAZZ 109, THUNDER 93
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Bojan Bogdanovic scored 22 points and Utah beat Oklahoma to inch closer to claiming the top overall seed.
The Jazz have a 1 1/2-game lead over Western rival Phoenix. Utah can clinch the top seed with a win at Sacramento on Sunday or a loss by Phoenix against San Antonio on Saturday or Sunday.
Jordan Clarkson scored 18 points and Rudy Gobert had 16 points and 18 rebounds for the Jazz. All-Star guard Michael Conley returned after missing nine games with a right hamstring injury and scored 10 points in 16 minutes.
Svi Mykhailiuk scored 19 points for Oklahoma City, They have lost nine in a row.
NUGGETS 104, PISTONS 91
DETROIT (AP) — Markus Howard scored a career-high 20 points, Nikola Jokic had a triple-double and Denver beat Detroit to move closer to a higher playoff seed.
Jokic had 20 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists.
Detroit lost for the 11th time in 13 games. Hamadou Diallo led the Pistons with 18 points.