Published: April 4, 2026 at 12:23 pm
Sacramento Kings overcame a 17-point first-half deficit to down New Orleans Pelicans 117-113 at home on Friday night. Rookie Maxime Raynaud scored 28 points. He was 11 of 14 from the field and made 6 of 7 free throws. He also had eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks.
Nique Clifford added 23 points and seven assists, and Daeqwon Plowden had 17 points. The Kings have won two in a row to improve to 21-57, while New Orleans have lost seven straight to fall to 25-53.
Jeremiah Fears had 28 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Pelicans. Siddiq Bey added 20 points, and Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III each had 13.
Magic down Mavericks despite Flagg’s 51 points
In Dallas, Wendell Carter Jr scored 28 points as Orlando Magic posted a 138-127 win over hosts Dallas Mavericks. In the process Magic overcame a 51-point showing from rookie No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg and handed out Mavericks their 14th consecutive loss at home.
Desmond Bane had 27 points as Magic remained a half-game behind eighth-place Charlotte in the Eastern Conference. Orlando are safely in the play-in tournament with an outside shot at the top six and automatic entry into the East playoffs.
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Coach Jason Kidd and Maji Marshall were ejected seconds apart early in the fourth quarter for the lottery-bound Mavericks, who are on their longest home losing streak at 25-year-old American Airlines Center. Dallas lost the first 19 games of the 1993-94 season at since-demolished Reunion Arena.
Flagg was caught up in the disagreement that led to Kidd’s ejection, drawing his own technical foul before Kidd went onto the court apparently to protest the same non-call that drew Flagg’s ire. The 19-year-old responded with 24 points in the fourth quarter to become the youngest in NBA history with a 50-point game.
Raptors coast to 128-96 win over Grizzlies
Toronto Raptors coasted to a 128-96 win over Memphis Grizzlies with RJ Barrett scoring 25 points. Brandon Ingram had 17 with seven rebounds. Rookie Collin Murray-Boyles, the ninth overall pick last summer, added 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting to help Toronto snap a two-game skid.
GG Jackson led Memphis with 30 points, and Cedric Coward had 15. The Grizzlies lost for the eighth time in nine games. Jackson was 10 of 16 from the field. A 13-4 run by Toronto to end the first half gave the Raptors a 59-41 lead at the break. The advantage would stretch to 31 near the five-minute mark of the third, and reach 33 in the fourth quarter.
Durant powers Rockets past Jazz
Kevin Durant powered Houston Rockets to their fifth straight victory by scoring 25 points. Rockets defeated Utah Jazz 140-106 at home.
Durant shot 8 of 12 from the field and added five assists. It was the 45th time this season he’s scored 20 or more points while shooting 50% or better. That’s second among NBA players behind Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has done it 47 times.
Amen Thompson had 21 points and Alperen Sengun scored 19 for the Rockets (48-29). Cody Williams led the Jazz with 27 points and 11 rebounds, but they shot just 5 of 27 from behind the 3-point line.
Utah (21-57) have lost eight consecutive games and 12 of 13.
Celtics steam past Bucks
Jaylen Brown scored 26 points and Jayson Tatum added 23 to the total as Boston Celtics capitalized on another fast start in a 133-101 victory over Milwaukee Bucks.
Tatum was an assist shy of his second straight triple-double despite sitting out the entire fourth quarter of a game the Celtics never trailed. He had 11 rebounds and nine assists Friday after collecting 25 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists Wednesday in a 147-129 triumph over the Miami Heat.
Knicks rout Bulls
New York Knicks routed Chicago Bulls 136-96 at home in a game they led by 47 points. OG Anunoby scored 31 points, Mitchell Robinson had 17 points and 11 rebounds. Anunoby was 9 for 15 from the field, including 7 for 10 from 3-point range, and Robinson made each of his seven shots starting in place of All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns, who did not play because of a right elbow impingement.
All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson had 17 points and 10 assists to help the Knicks win their second consecutive game after dropping three in a row.
McCollum helps Hawks rout Nets
In New York, CJ McCollum had 25 points and seven assists as Atlanta Hawks routed Brooklyn Nets 141-107 for their fourth straight victory and 18th in 20 games.
McCollum was 8 of 12 from the field, hitting 4 of 7 3-pointers. Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 21 points, and Jalen Johnson had 18 points and 11 rebounds. Onyeka Okongwu scored 15 points.
Nic Claxton led Brooklyn with 16 points, and Malachi Smith had 15. The Nets lost their second straight to fall to 18-59.
Atlanta scored the first 10 points and led 35-17 with 1:28 left in the first quarter. It was 71-55 at the half, with McCollum scoring 16 points and Johnson 13. McCollum was 4 of 5 from the field in the half, hitting three 3-pointers without a miss.
76ers down Timberwolves
Paul George scored 23 points, Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr each had 21 as Philadelphia 76ers defeated Minnesota Timberwolves 115-103 at home.
Joel Embiid had 19 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists in his return to the lineup to help the 76ers remain sixth in the Eastern Conference with five games to play.
Julius Randle and Bones Hyland each had 21 points for the Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards struggled to eight points.
Hornets down Pacers
Charlotte Hornets defeated Indian Pacers 129-108 for their eighth victory in 10 games as Brandon Miller scored 22 points and Kon Knueppel added 20 to the total.
Miles Bridges scored 19 points and LaMelo Ball had 18 points and nine assists to help the Hornets improve to 42-26. Charlotte was 24 of 49 from 3-point range. Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 30 points. The Pacers (18-59) had won two in a row.
