(The Sports Xchange) – Guards DeMar DeRozan and Lou Williams combined for 53 points to help Toronto beat the Heat 107-104 in Miami.
While Toronto was clinching home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, the Heat’s chance of making the postseason have just about vanished.
Despite not being mathematically eliminated, the odds are stacked against Miami extending their season beyond next week as the Heat (35-45) slipped 2-1/2 games out of the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference.
The four-time defending conference champions must win their remaining two games while the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics, who are tied for seventh and eighth in the East, must lose their remaining three games.
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Clippers 94, Grizzlies 86
Forward Blake Griffin and shooting guard J.J. Redick scored 18 points apiece, and Los Angeles defeated short-handed Memphis at Staples Center.
Center DeAndre Jordan finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds as the Clippers moved into a three-way tie with the Grizzlies and the San Antonio Spurs for the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference playoff race. Point guard Chris Paul had 15 points and 14 assists for Los Angeles.
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Warriors 110, Timberwolves 101
Point guard Stephen Curry padded the statistics in his Most Valuable Player candidacy with his 17th 30-point game of the season, pouring in 34 in Golden State’s win.
The win was the Warriors’ 16th straight at home and a franchise-record 37th at Oracle Arena this season, breaking the old mark of 36 set in 1975-76.
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Jazz 111, Blazers 105
Forward Trevor Booker scored a career-high 36 points and grabbed nine rebounds to pace Utah past Portland at the Moda Center.
Guard Rodney Hood scored 21 points with eight assists for the Jazz, who won for the sixth time in eight games.
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Bulls 114, Sixers 107
Pau Gasol had 24 points and 13 rebounds and was one of six Chicago players to score in double figures in win over Philadelphia.
Bulls point guard Derrick Rose, playing for the first time at home since Feb. 23, had 22 points and eight assists to help pace the Bulls, who also got productive nights from swingman Jimmy Butler (15 points), guard Mike Dunleavy (13 points) and guard Tony Snell (11 points).
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Knicks 80, Magic 79
Guard Tim Hardaway Jr. scored seven points in the final 1:10 to spark New York to a victory over Orlando.
Hardaway, who finished with 13 points and four assists, broke a 77-77 with his game-winning three-point basket with 12.6 seconds remaining.
