- Thunder, Celtics stay hot: Two of the league’s best teams are also playing some of the best ball of anyone as the playoffs approach. The Thunder dropped 145 on the Bulls en route to their 10th straight. Meanwhile, the Celtics capped off a 6-0 road trip to extend their win streak to nine with a 14-point win over the Grizzlies. That was the first 6-0 road trip in Celtics history.
- Pacers beat Kings in thriller: Both teams held double-digit leads during this game, including the Kings going up by 16 in the third, but the Pacers came out on top thanks to some gritty play in the fourth quarter. Aaron Nesmith led the way for Indiana with 24 points as the Pacers picked up the big win to tighten their hold on the No.4 seed in the East.
- Lakers hang on for big win vs Rockets: The Lakers and Rockets squared off in a marquee matchup Monday with stars galore on both sides. However, it was unsung heroes like Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent who gave the spark for Los Angeles and made all the difference with a combined 40 points off the bench. Los Angeles
- Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat: 28 points, 12 rebounds, five assists in win vs Wizards. The Heat have now won five straight as we hit the stretch run of the season.
- Miles Bridges, Charlotte Hornets: 26 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists to snap a five-game losing streak.
- Isaiah Joe, Oklahoma City Thunder: Tied his season-high with 31 points on 10-for-17 shooting, including 8-for-14 from deep, in the win over the Bulls.
Lakers 104, Rockets 98
In a battle between two of the best in the West, the Lakers prevailed in front of the home crowd Monday night. The Rockets managed to Hold the dynamic duo of LeBron James and Luka Dončić in check, but James still made his mark at the end with a chase down block to seal it in the waning moments.
It was a close game throughout with neither team leading by double-digits at any point. Great defense was played on both sides but the Lakers made just enough plays on that end down the stretch to secure the victory.
LEBRON WHAT A BLOCK 😱 pic.twitter.com/kgVKQ1YTKo
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 1, 2025
Lakers improve to 29-9 at home, the third-best mark in the league.
😬 Crunch time in LA
The Lakers lead the Rockets by five as we enter crunch time at Crypto.com Arena at just over three minutes to play. Houston has done a great job holding the Lakers’ stars in check as Luka Dončić and LeBron James have been held to a combined 32 points on 10-for-26 shooting.
However, the Lakers have gotten huge contributions from Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent off the bench to keep LA afloat.
The Rockets aren’t going away quietly, though. Jabari Smith Jr. has a double-double off the bench and Tari Eason has also provided some punch.
Tari Eason with the nasty cross & FLUSH. 😤
HOU-LAL | 4Q on TNT pic.twitter.com/Xhms7LAduY
— NBA (@NBA) April 1, 2025
😤 Lakers’ bench stepping up
Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent have combined to go 11 for 20 on 3PA to help fuel a huge scoring surge from the Lakers’ bench. Los Angeles takes an 82-77 advantage over Houston going into the fourth quarter. Buckle up, we’ve got a good finish coming.
LUKA MY GOODNESS 🤯
Handles + Dime 🔥💯 pic.twitter.com/MlJQCQvW1M
— NBA (@NBA) April 1, 2025
🎬 Lakers and Rockets tied at the half
The Lakers and Rockets are knotted up at 48 in what could be a playoff preview. Luka Dončić is stealing the show for the Lakers so far with 15 points and six assists in 19 minutes of action while the Rockets are getting contributions from all over the place as five players have six or more points.
The second half is shaping up to be a good one and you can catch the action on TNT.
— NBA (@NBA) April 1, 2025
😎 Nets steal one in Dallas
Nets 113, Mavericks 109
The Nets are going to battle til the end of the season and tonight was proof as they went into Dallas and got a win over a playoff hopeful Mavs team.
They trailed by as many as 10 points in the fourth quarter but mounted a 12-0 run to get back on the right side and managed to hold on for the dub. Keon Johnson was the catalyst on offense with 24 points and D’Angelo Russell racked up a double-double with 18 points and 11 assists in 31 minutes.
Keon rises to the upper room! 🚀 pic.twitter.com/sa0TYV57mt
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) April 1, 2025
😮 Thunder drop 145 in win
Thunder 145, Bulls 117
The Thunder had yet another incredible night on offense Monday as they cruised to a win over the Bulls. They had seven players score in double figures and three players reach the 20-point mark as they simply couldn’t be stopped. The Thunder finished the night shooting 53.1 percent from the floor and 53.5 percent from deep with 23 3PM.
In a year with seemingly countless incredible performances, this was one of Oklahoma City’s best. They finished one point shy of tying their season high for points in a game. The 23 made threes is tied for the third-most by the team this season.
1️⃣3️⃣ first half Thunder threes 👌 pic.twitter.com/CdbleGwrsU
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) April 1, 2025
Oh, and they sealed the best record against a conference in NBA History, per Nick Gallo.
The Thunder has now clinched the best record against a conference in NBA history.
28-1 against the Eastern Conference this year.
— Nick Gallo (@NickAGallo) April 1, 2025
👀 Good 4Q brewing in Mavs vs Nets
The Mavericks started the fourth on a 7-0 run to get some breathing room but the Nets aren’t going away that easy.
Do ya thing, 21 🔨 pic.twitter.com/bKv91EIVNg
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) April 1, 2025
Catch the finish on NBA League Pass as the Mavericks look to bolster their playoff position.
🔥 Celtics pull away in second half vs Grizzlies
Make it nine in a row for the Celtics, who capped off a perfect six-game road trip tonight with a 14-point win over the Grizzlies.
Boston drilled 21 three-pointers and Al Horford had his highest scoring output of the season with 26. The Celtics are the hottest team in the Eastern Conference by far and continue to remind the league why they’re the reigning champs.
We also had some Celtics history tonight as Derrick White set the franchise’s single-season record for made threes with 246, surpassing Isaiah Thomas’ mark set in 2017. Don’t look now, but Jayson Tatum (240) and Payton Pritchard (237) are well within range to pass Thomas as well. That would make three Celtics topping the previous franchise record in the same season.
History for Derrick White 👏 pic.twitter.com/BWbbtwgMSs
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 1, 2025
💪 Thunder flexing their muscle
Per Thunder broadcaster, Paris Lawson, the Thunder have racked up 100 points through three quarters for the 21st time this season. 100 points. 36 minutes. 21 times. That’s better than one out of every four games and there’s still nearly two weeks to go in the season.
The usual suspects are fueling the offensive fire for the Thunder tonight. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams have combined for 50 points already and Isiah Joe has chipped in 22 off the bench thanks in part to six made threes.
The Thunder hold a healthy advantage over the Bulls as we head to the fourth.
Precision pass 🪡 AND-1 a finish 💪 pic.twitter.com/A3K1fDl7NA
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) April 1, 2025
🏅 Clippers cap off winning road trip
Clippers 96, Magic 87
The Clippers finished off a 3-1 Eastern Conference road swing with a nine-point win over the Magic in Orlando. It was a low-scoring affair, but that’s to be expected when two of the league’s best defensive teams square off. The Magic rank fourth in defensive rating at home and the Clippers have the second-ranked defense on the road.
Ivica Zubac fell just two points shy of recording a 20-20 game for the Clippers while Orlando’s Paolo Banchero led all scorers with 26.
Derrick Jones Jr. had arguably the highlight of the night with this nasty putback, though.
IT’S A BIRD. IT’S A PLANE.
IT’S DERRICK JONES JR. https://t.co/Vb99wvZHXP pic.twitter.com/Yqy2G8pPHW
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) April 1, 2025
🏁 Pacers race to the finish line, complete comeback vs Kings
Pacers 111, Kings 109
The Pacers are no strangers to coming through in the clutch this season and tonight was no different. Staring down a 16-point deficit and a 6.6 percent win probability in the third quarter, the Pacers stormed back with a terrific fourth quarter on both ends to seal the win.
The Pacers were fueled by some unsung heroes off the bench with Obi Toppin pouring in 19 points and Jarace Walker chipping in 15. Of course, Tyrese Haliburton made his mark with 18 points and 11 rebounds, including the go-ahead triple late in the fourth.
Tyrese Haliburton for the lead‼️ pic.twitter.com/Lwk288egda
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) April 1, 2025
🐝 Hornets get back in win column
Hornets 110, Jazz 106
The Hornets and Jazz put on a show Monday with a fun and competitive clash in the Queen City. The Hornets, who had dropped five straight, were carried by Miles Bridges’ 26 points and 10 rebounds to get back in the win column.
It wasn’t all Bridges, though. Mark Williams cooked up 18 points and 13 boards for another double-double and Tidjane Salaun provided some sharpshooting off the bench by making all three of his attempts from beyond the arc.
Utah had some strong showings, too, with Keyonte George pouring in 20 off the bench and Kyle Filipowski notching a 14 & 13 double-double.
put em in a spin cycle 🔄@MilesBridges | 📹 @FDSN_Hornets pic.twitter.com/TFEfxls2uT
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) April 1, 2025
🔥 Hot hot Heat
Heat 120, Wizards 94
The Heat pushed their win streak to five games with a convincing win over the Wizards tonight. Miami only shot 28.1 percent from deep but it didn’t matter because it dominated down low with a 68-36 advantage on points in the paint.
Bam Adebayo was on fire from the jump and finished with 28 points and 12 boards. Tyler Herro also had a solid night with 27 despite not hitting a single three.
Bam set the tone from the jump with 16 points in Q1 & led the team with 28 💥 pic.twitter.com/FGzHqqI4Q5
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) April 1, 2025
👀 Down to the wire
We’ve got a couple of exciting finishes brewing to close out the early window. The Kings are clinging to a three-point lead with just under five to go against the Pacers. Both teams have managed to battle back after trailing by double digits.
Obi Toppin hits his fifth three of the night 🏹 pic.twitter.com/Y8nPOxn7jT
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) April 1, 2025
In Orlando, the Magic are battling with the Clippers as we reach the mid-way point of the fourth quarter. Paolo Banchero has 26 for the Magic but the team has yet to find an answer for Ivica Zubac, who is up to 17 points and 16 boards.
COUNT THAT, BIG ZU 😤
He’s got 13 PTS & 9 REB in the first half! pic.twitter.com/zym0DQltIp
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) March 31, 2025
☘️ Celtics take lead into halftime vs Grizz
The Celtics are shooting a ton of threes tonight because, well, it’s a day that ends in Y. Boston canned 12 triples in the first half and put up 41 points in the second quarter to take a five-point lead into the half, led by Al Horford and Kristaps Porziņģis hitting three triples apiece.
Catch the second half of the action on TNT as the Grizzlies look to defend their home court against one of the hottest teams in the league.
Al is heatin’ 🆙 pic.twitter.com/b0vgnGskI8
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 31, 2025
🆙 Youngsters getting their moment
The Hornets and Jazz matchup may not have playoff implications, but it’s still a big opportunity for the young bucks on both sides to make an impression.
Brice Sensabaugh drew the nod for the Jazz and has gone 5-for-8 from deep on his way to 17 points thus far, and Keyonte George has added a spark off the bench with 17 of his own for Utah.
For Charlotte, Tidjane Salaun has gone a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc, as has Josh Green.
We’ve got a close game brewing with the Jazz erasing what was a 14-point Hornets lead.
For history 💜 https://t.co/60I6y0fyhu pic.twitter.com/OZMBM7jHvo
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) April 1, 2025
Isaiah Collier also set the Jazz rookie record for assists on that dime.
😱 SGA. OMG.
Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander unleashed all the moves in this drive to the bucket against the Bulls, which he capped off with a nifty lefthanded scoop.
SGA SHOWING OFF THE HANDLE PACKAGE 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/DkQNjFCuOs
— NBA (@NBA) April 1, 2025
The Bulls are hanging with the Thunder in the early goings in OKC but there’s a lot of basketball left to be played. Catch the action on NBA League Pass.
🕺The shimmy is key
Ja Morant had to pull out all the stops to get this floater to fall, including a shimmy. Hey, you can’t argue with the results.
Ja takes it coast-to-coast… and hits a little dance 🕺
BOS-MEM on TNT pic.twitter.com/pgUDI214u7
— NBA (@NBA) March 31, 2025
Catch the Grizzlies vs Celtics matchup on TNT right now.
🍿 Big games delivering early
Two matchups in the early window pit playoff teams against one another with the Pacers hosting the Kings and the Clippers hosting the Magic. Both games are delivering the goods thus far.
- The Clippers-Magic game has had 11 lead changes in the first 18 minutes and neither team has led by more than six points.
- The Pacers-Kings matchup has been a game of runs with eight lead changes and six ties through a quarter and a half. The Pacers led by as many as 10 in the first but the Kings mounted a big run to take the lead.
Catch all the action on NBA League Pass now. And catch up on some of the best moments so far below 👇
Sharing is caring 👏
Harden ➡️ DJ ➡️ Bogi ➡️ Nico ➡️ Kawhi! pic.twitter.com/WA6I82JOnl
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) March 31, 2025
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) March 31, 2025
🗣️BAM!
Bam Adebayo is off to a torrid start tonight for the heat with 16 points and six boards in just 12 minutes of work against the Wizards. Miami is building a double-digit lead on Washington as it looks to notch another road win and solidify its playoff position.
Catch the action now on NBA League Pass
BAM SLAM INCOMING 💥 pic.twitter.com/SJHlb5OU2d
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) March 31, 2025
🔑 NBA storylines tonight
- Playoff race heating up: The final weeks of the regular season are here and the playoff races are tightening up in both conferences. Tonight’s action is chock full of playoff implications with 12 playoff hopefuls in action.
- Grizzlies begin key back-to-back: Memphis is looking to get things turned around before the playoffs begin and tonight presents the Grizzlies with a huge opportunity as they host the Celtics. They cap off the back-to-back with a matchup against the Warriors on Tuesday.
- Bulls have opportunity to make a statement: The Bulls have been playing some of the best basketball of any team in the Eastern Conference of late. They’ve won seven of their last 10 with several impressive wins in that sample. A matchup tonight on the road against the Thunder gives the Bulls a huge chance to score a statement win.
