Hawks Claim Playoff Spot, LeBron Reaches 12,000 Assists in NBA Showdown
The Atlanta Hawks clinched a spot in the NBA play-offs and secured the Southeast Division title with a commanding 124-102 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday. The Hawks needed just one win from their last two games to guarantee a top-six finish in the Eastern Conference and dominated the Cavaliers in the third quarter, scoring 35 points to extend their 61-48 half-time lead to 96-65. CJ McCollum led the Hawks with a game-high 29 points, marking their first divisional crown since 2021 and allowing them to avoid the play-in tournament for the first time in five seasons. In another highlight, veteran LeBron James became the fourth player in NBA history to achieve 12,000 career assists while helping the Los Angeles Lakers secure home-court advantage in the first round of the play-offs with a 101-73 win against the Phoenix Suns. James contributed 28 points, 12 assists, and six rebounds, guiding the Lakers to their 15th win in 19 games and ensuring a top-four finish in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics secured the second seed in the Eastern Conference after an impressive 144-118 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, matching a record with 29 three-pointers. Sam Hauser led the charge with eight triples, allowing the Celtics to claim the Atlantic Division title. The New York Knicks, despite defeating the Toronto Raptors 112-95, will settle for the third seed. The Raptors fell to sixth place, tied with the seventh-placed Orlando Magic, who extended their winning streak to five matches with a 127-103 victory over the Chicago Bulls. In the Western Conference, Victor Wembanyama returned from injury to lead the San Antonio Spurs with 40 points in a 139-120 win against the Dallas Mavericks. The Denver Nuggets kept their hopes alive for third place after defeating the reigning champions, Oklahoma City Thunder, 127-107.
Source: BBC Sport - 2026-04-11