The Phoenix Suns defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 124-111 behind 52 points by Devin Booker, increasing their prospects of making the NBA playoffs.
With Kevin Durant and Jusuf Nurkic contributing 20 and 19 points respectively, all five Phoenix starters finished in double figures.
Phoenix is now only one game behind New Orleans, who are in sixth place and hold the final Western Conference automatic play-off spot.
Phoenix will now participate in the play-in competition.
Two teams from each conference advance to the tournament, which decides the final four postseason spots.
The third-place Minnesota Timberwolves will undoubtedly make the playoffs thanks to the Suns’ victory.
In other news, the Boston Celtics, who have already clinched the top spot in the Eastern Conference, defeated the Charlotte Hornets 118-104 behind 25 points each from Jayson Tatum and Sam Hauser.
Boston’s score improved to 59-16 thanks to 20 points from Kristaps Porzingis, 19 from Derrick White, and 15 from Al Horford.
The Portland Trail Blazers mounted a late comeback, but the Orlando Magic prevailed 104-103 to maintain their fifth-place standing in the Eastern Conference.
As the buzzer went off, Deandre Ayton missed a 12-foot jumper that would have won the game for Portland, a struggling team in the Western Conference that has now dropped ten straight games.
The Indiana Pacers defeated the Brooklyn Nets 133-111 to stay on track for an automatic play-off position in the East.
Tyrese Haliburton top-scored with 27 points and Jalen Smith added 17 off the bench as Indiana remain in sixth, two wins ahead of seventh-placed Miami Heat.
Brooklyn stay 11th and are all but eliminated from play-off contention.
Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 20 points as 10th-placed Atlanta Hawks won 113-101 at ninth-placed Chicago Bulls, with both teams on course for a place in the play-in tournament in the East.
