The China Mail - Cleveland cruise to record 16th straight win, Boston clinch

Cleveland, who had been forced to overcome a double-digit deficit in Tuesday's win over Brooklyn, had no such difficulty in Friday's clash in Tennessee.

The Cavs, who have already clinched their place in the postseason, maintained their charge towards securing the Eastern Conference No.1 seeding with a dominant offensive display.

Cleveland -- who have now won 20 of their last 21 games -- took a stranglehold on the contest with 75 points in the first half to open up a hefty 18-point cushion at the break.

Memphis, who came into Friday's game on a run of four straight wins, never looked like reeling in the visitors in the second half as Cleveland closed out a victory that sees them improve to 56-10.

Evan Mobley led the Cavs' scoring with 22 points while Darius Garland finished with 20. Seven Cleveland players finished in double figures.

Ja Morant led Memphis with a season-high 44 points in a losing effort.

Cleveland now lead the second-placed Boston Celtics by 8.5 games.

The reigning NBA champion Celtics bounced back from Wednesday's home defeat to Western Conference leaders Oklahoma City with a 103-91 road victory against the Miami Heat that officially booked their playoff ticket.

Derrick White helped close the deal for Boston, rattling in 12 fourth quarter points as the Celtics outscored Miami 25-14 in the final frame to clinch a win that lifts them to 48-19 in the East.

Jayson Tatum led Boston's scoring with 28 points, including five three-pointers, while Jrue Holiday finished with 25.

Andrew Wiggins top-scored for Miami with 23 points.

- Lakers pipped in thriller -

A thrilling game in Denver meanwhile saw the injury-ravaged Los Angeles Lakers come within a whisker of snatching an improbable victory over the Nuggets before the hosts squeezed home 131-126.

The Lakers, missing starters LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes, clawed their way back from a 13-point third quarter deficit to edge into the lead in the final minute after 37 points from Austin Reaves and 32 points from rookie Dalton Knecht.

But hopes of victory were dashed in the dying seconds, with Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Russell Westbrook combining for eight unanswered points to give Denver victory.

Denver star Jokic finished with 28 points, with Murray adding 26 and Christian Braun 22. Denver improved to 43-24 and are second in the West, while the Lakers (40-25) dropped to fifth after their fourth straight loss.

In Atlanta, the Los Angeles Clippers poured in 68 second-half points to climb out of an 11-point halftime hole and thrash the Hawks 121-98.

James Harden led the fightback for the Clippers, scoring 13 points as the visitors outscored Atlanta 35-8 in the third quarter.

Harden and Kawhi Leonard both scored 25 points apiece. with Ivica Zubac adding 18.

The win leaves the Clippers lurking in eighth position in the Western Conference on 36-30, just outside the top six postseason berths.

In other games on Friday, the Houston Rockets took their unbeaten streak to five games with a 133-96 pummeling of the Dallas Mavericks, Tari Eason leading the rout with 30 points, with support from Jalen Green (23 points).

The in-form Rockets climbed into third place in the Western Conference on 42-25.

The Indiana Pacers moved to 37-28 for the season after defeating the hapless Philadelphia 76ers 112-100. The Sixers slumped to their 44th defeat of a miserable season after squandering a 16-point second-quarter lead.

T.Wu--ThChM