The Cleveland Cavaliers clinched No.1 seeding in the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs after cruising past the Chicago Bulls 135-113.
Darius Garland led the scoring with 28 points in a balanced offensive performance from the Cavs, who improved to 63-16 to ensure they will finish the regular season on top of the East.
The victory means Cleveland will have home advantage when the playoffs get under way next week following the completion of the regular season on Sunday.
Garland was one of five Cleveland players to post double figures, with Evan Mobley adding 21 points with 12 rebounds and seven assists and Ty Jerome chipping in with 18 off the bench.
“You celebrate these moments,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “It’s hard to win 63 games in this league, and it’s hard to be the first seed. We’re hungry for more.”
Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, the second-seeded Boston Celtics edged the third-placed New York Knicks in a thriller at Madison Square Garden, with Jayson Tatum’s 32-point performance guiding the NBA champions to a 119-117 overtime victory.
Back in the Western Conference playoff race, where six teams are vying for the remaining four automatic playoff berths, the Minnesota Timberwolves suffered a potentially costly 110-103 defeat on the road to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The result leave Minnesota on 46-33 and outside the top six places in the West in eighth position.
The Memphis Grizzlies boosted their chances of playoff qualification with a 124-100 win over the Charlotte Hornets on the road.
The game was overshadowed by a scary injury to Grizzlies rookie Jaylen Wells, who was stretchered off the court after landing heavily following a foul by K.J. Simpson.
US media reported Wells was awake and alert and nursing a broken wrist following the incident.
The Grizzlies, the Denver Nuggets, the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers now have identical 47-32 records with just three regular season games remaining.
The Phoenix Suns were eliminated from postseason contention after suffering a 133-95 blowout to Golden State, while the Clippers climbed into the playoff positions with a 122-117 win over San Antonio.
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Nick Cammett/Getty Images
