In addition to Mitchell, his five award-winning three-point shots and a stratospheric dunk, Caris LeVert scored 18 points against his former partners, helping Cleveland consolidate its fourth place in the Eastern Conference, thanks to a ratio of 46 wins to 28 losses.

Last night's game against the Nets allows the Philadelphia 76ers, third in the East, to secure a playoff spot, without even having played Tuesday.

If Cleveland is not yet mathematically qualified, it would nevertheless take a monumental explosion in the last ten days of the regular season, for the Cavs not to invite themselves to the finals.

Playoffs where they could meet the Nets, their victims Tuesday, still sixth in the East and therefore virtually qualified as well.

Against Cleveland, Brooklyn started the game perfectly by winning the first quarter 30-23, before being totally overtaken in the next two. His baroud of honor in the final quarter allowed him to close the gap to the Cavs, but not to reverse the fate of the game.

Day'Ron Sharpe led Brooklyn in scoring with 20 points, while Spencer Dinwiddie had 19 points, 11 assists and 5 rebounds.

J.B. Bickerstaff, the coach of the Cavs, did not appreciate that his team relaxed at the end of the game.

"We have to play a whole game," Bickerstaff said. "Instead, we let ourselves be guided by our emotions. We got drunk, instead of finishing the job the way we had to."

the Clippers lost the game and George

Dirty night for the Los Angeles Clippers who lost 101-100 to the Oklahoma City Thunder and lost Paul George, injured right knee in the last quarter of the game.

Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics during the NBA regular season game against the Sacramento Kings on March 21, 2023 in Sacramento © EZRA SHAW/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

George had to be taken back to the locker room after a collision with Lu Dort of the Thunder and must undergo tests to find out the exact severity of his injury.

In Sacramento, the Boston Celtics struck a blow by winning 132-109.

Against the Kings, surprising third in the West, Boston showed why it had dominated the entire beginning of the NBA season and found its star Jayson Tatum, in need of skill in recent meetings, but author of 36 points Tuesday.

In the day's other games, Trae Young finished with 30 points in Atlanta's 129-107 win over the Detroit Pistons, who are last in the league with 16 wins and 57 losses.

Atlanta, on the other hand, now has 36 wins and 36 losses and is guaranteed to play at least the catch-up tournament that pits the 7th to 10th place teams in each conference for the last ticket of the playoffs.

Playoffs that will probably not see the Washington Wizards, 12th in the East annihilated in Orlando by the Magic 122-112 and Gary Harris' 22 points.

© 2023 AFP