Atlanta Hawks secure play-off spot while LeBron James makes assist history
The Atlanta Hawks secured their spot in the NBA play-offs and claimed the Southeast Division title with a decisive 124-102 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
Needing just one win from their final two regular-season fixtures to guarantee a top-six finish in the Eastern Conference, the home side comfortably dismantled their already-qualified opponents.
A dominant third-quarter performance saw the divisional champions score 35 points, stretching a 61-48 half-time advantage into an insurmountable 96-65 lead.
Guard CJ McCollum paced the offense with a game-high 29 points, ensuring his team bypassed the play-in tournament for the first time in five seasons.
James enters exclusive assist club
Over in the Western Conference, veteran superstar LeBron James etched his name further into the history books during a 101-73 rout of the Phoenix Suns.
The iconic forward became only the fourth player in the history of the league to record 12,000 career assists.
His stellar individual output of 28 points, 12 assists and six rebounds helped the Los Angeles Lakers secure crucial home-court advantage for the upcoming post-season.
The dominant victory marked a 15th win in 19 outings for the California franchise, officially locking in a top-four finish in the standings.
Former Utah Jazz maestro John Stockton remains the undisputed all-time assist leader with 15,806, while Chris Paul and Jason Kidd are the only other individuals ahead of James.
Celtics tie three-point record
Elsewhere, the Boston Celtics cemented the second seed in the East by wrapping up the Atlantic Division with an emphatic 144-118 win against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The 18-time champions were devastating from beyond the arc, sinking a record-equalling 29 three-pointers as forward Sam Hauser contributed eight of his own.
That historic shooting display forced the New York Knicks to settle for the third seed, despite finishing their campaign with a 112-95 triumph over the Toronto Raptors.
Defeat for the Canadian outfit caused them to slip down into sixth place, leaving them tied with the Orlando Magic after the Florida franchise beat the Chicago Bulls 127-103 for a fifth consecutive win.
Wembanyama shines on return
Rising star Victor Wembanyama returned from a brief injury absence to guide the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs past the Dallas Mavericks with a 139-120 win.
The 22-year-old Most Valuable Player contender strengthened his credentials by amassing a staggering 40 points, 13 rebounds and five assists.
Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets kept their hopes of securing third place in the West alive by defeating reigning champions and top seeds Oklahoma City Thunder 127-107.
