The fifth matchday of Week 20 of the 2020-21 NBA season has concluded and it’s time to take a look back at the scores and highlights of the matches and standings of the teams.
76ers 109-107 Pelicans
Philadelphia 76ers notched a very tight win over New Orleans Pelicans to almost seal their number one seed in the Eastern Conference.
Joel Embiid led the way with 34 points and 13 rebounds while Ben Simmons posted 10 assists for the win.
The Pelicans missed the services of Zion Williamson, who has been ruled out indefinitely due to a fractured finger.
Bulls 121-99 Celtics
Chicago Bulls kept themselves marginally alive in the race for a spot in the play-in tournament with a comfortable win over Boston Celtics.
Nicola Vucevic slammed a triple double at the United Center as Celtics turned up with a lacklustre performance without Jaylen Brown.
Zach LaVine and Coby White registered 25 points each while Kemba Walker’s top-scoring 33-point display ended in vain.
Heat 121-112 Timberwolves
Miami Heat emerged as winners at the American Airlines Center over Minnesota Timberwolves to solidify their position for direct qualification into the playoffs.
Tyler Herro registered 27-points in a 29-minute outing, and Jimmy Butler chipped in with 25 points as well for the win.
Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns also scored over 25 points each, but their efforts were not enough with Timberwolves succumbing to their 47th defeat of the season.
Hornets 122- 112 Magic
Terry Rozier and LaMelo Ball led the scoring with 28 and 27 points respectively to keep the team in the play-in tournament spot.
After trailing by 4 points at the end of the first quarter, the Hornets followed it up by outscoring the Magic in the rest of the three quarters for the win.
Mohamed Bamba recorded 18 assists for the visitors in a losing cause.
Bucks 141-133 Rockets
Milwaukee Bucks contined their scoring spree to keep the heat on Brooklyn Nets and their second seed in the Eastern Conference table.
Brook Lopez top scored with 24 points for the Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo played his part with 11 rebounds.
Mavericks 110-90 Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers suffered their ninth successive defeat in the league following a thrashing at the hands of Southwest division winners Dallas Mavericks.
Luka Doncic scored 24 points as the Mavericks keep warding off Portland Trailblazers and Los Angeles Lakers for the playoff spot.
Jazz 127-120 Nuggets
In a vital Western Conference fixture, Utah Jazz secured a win over Denver Nuggets at the Vivint Smart Home Arena.
The Jazz secured their fourth win in a row on the bank of a stellar 48-point display from Bojan Bogdanovic.
The Nuggets faced defeat despite solid outings from Nikola Jokic and Michael Porter Jr. , who registered 24 and 31 points respectively.
Trailblazers 106-101 Lakers
In a crucial encounter, Portland Trailblazers increased their lead over the defending champions who stare into the play-in tournament to compete in the playoffs.
Damian Lillard stepped up with a 38-point display, on the other end, Anthony Davis slammed 36 points, but a poor first quarter marked their defeat.
Suns 128-105 Knicks
New York Knicks lost their second game in a row with a defeat to Phoenix Suns at the Talking tick Resort Arena.
DeAndre Ayton top scored with 26 points and also slammed 15 rebounds. For the Knicks, Julius Randle recorded 24 points with 11 rebounds.
Kings 104-113 Spurs
San Antonio Spurs won a key encounter to keep a hold of the final NBA play-in tournament spot with a win over Sacramento Kings.
DeMar DeRozan top scored with 24 points for the win at the Golden 1 Center following a bright final quarter.
NBA Week 20 Standings
Eastern Conference
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Brooklyn Nets
- New York Knicks
- Atlanta Hawks
- Miami Heat
- Boston Celtics
- Charlotte Hornets
- Indiana Pacers
- Washington Wizards
- Chicago Bulls
- Toronto Raptors
- Orlando Magic
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Detroit Pistons
Western Conference
- Utah Jazz
- Phoenix Suns
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Denver Nuggets
- Dallas Mavericks
- Portland Trail Blazers
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Golden State Warriors
- Memphis Grizzlies
- San Antonio Spurs
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Sacramento Kings
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Houston Rockets
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