Headline: Lakers Secure Playoff Edge: OKC Shines as Celtics and Mavericks Surge in Late-Season Showdown

When you score 31 points to propel your team to a vital victory on the road.

Austin Reaves and the Lakers secured a tie-breaker by breaking their deadlock with the Grizzlies in the fight for home-court advantage in the First Round.

**5 HEADLINES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀 March 30, 2025**

**Western Clash:** Lakers grab an essential road victory in Memphis, while OKC reaches 50 wins over .500.

**Play-In Developments:** Mavericks surpass the Kings in the West, and the Magic move ahead of the Hawks in the East.

**Eight is Great:** Boston wraps up the division title with their eighth consecutive win, while the Nets end their losing streak.

**NBA TV Tonight:** Knicks face the Blazers, Rockets aim for their 12th win in 13 games against the Suns.

**League Pass:** What’s on the line tonight for the Clippers, Warriors, and Timberwolves as they vie for the 6th seed?

**BUT FIRST… ⏰ The two-week dash to the end of the regular season begins now…**

Tonight’s NBA TV doubleheader kicks off at Madison Square Garden, with the Knicks taking on the Blazers (6 PM ET) as New York seeks to secure its fifth straight victory over Portland.

Following that, the Rockets will go for their 12th win out of their last 13, facing off against Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and the Suns (9 PM ET), who are fighting for a spot in the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament.

**1. LAKERS SOLIDIFY THEIR GRASP ON THE 4TH SEED; OKC STRIKES 50 GAMES OVER .500**

Lakers Instagram

With only two weeks left in the regular season, every match-up between teams jostling for Playoff positioning becomes critical.

This was evident on Saturday as the Lakers clashed with the Grizzlies.

Both teams entered the contest with identical 44-29 records, with the Lakers holding a slight edge over the Grizzlies for the prized 4th seed—and the home-court advantage in the First Round—due to winning the season series 2-1.

A victory for the Lakers would not only grant them a one-game advantage over Memphis but also secure the tiebreaker should both finish the season tied.

**Justin Ford/Getty Images**

Lakers 134, Grizzlies 127: Austin Reaves (31 pts, 7 reb, 8 ast, 5 3pm), alongside Luka Dončić (29 pts, 8 reb, 9 ast) and LeBron James (25 pts, 6 reb, 8 ast, 3 stl), delivered an impressive performance as they combined for 85 points, leading the Lakers past the Grizzlies. | Recap

**Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images**

Thunder 132, Pacers 111: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recorded his league-leading 47th game of 30+ points this season (33 pts, 7 reb, 8 ast), steering the Thunder to their ninth consecutive victory and their 62nd of the season, just two shy of the franchise record. | Recap

**2. MAVS AND MAGIC MOVE UP IN SoFi NBA PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT STANDINGS**

**Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images**

Mavs 120, Bulls 119: Dallas improved to 4-0 with Anthony Davis in the lineup. The All-Star contributed 18 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, while Klay Thompson led the team with 20 points, including five from beyond the arc, helping the Mavs halt Chicago’s four-game winning streak. | Recap

**Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images**

Magic 121, Kings 91: Paolo Banchero (24 pts) and Franz Wagner (21 pts) needed only three quarters to produce 45 points and steer the Magic to a dominant victory over the Kings during Sacramento’s East Coast trip. | Recap

**David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images**

Heat 118, Sixers 95: After enduring a ten-game losing streak—their first since 2008—the Heat have rebounded with four straight victories, the latest highlighted by Tyler Herro’s back-to-back 30-point games (30 pts, 7 ast, 5 3pm) and 20 points paired with six 3-pointers by Alec Burks. | Recap

**3. CELTICS SECURE DIVISION TITLE WITH EIGHTH STRAIGHT VICTORY; NETS END LOSING STREAK**

**Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images**

Celtics 121, Spurs 111: Jayson Tatum (29 pts, 10 reb, 8 ast) and Jrue Holiday (21 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast, 5 3pm) combined for 50 points, propelling the Celtics to their longest winning streak of the season (8 games) and their league-high 31st road victory. | Recap

**Nets 115, Wizards 112:** On Friday, Drew Timme notched a double-double (11 pts, 10 reb) during his NBA debut. On Saturday, he scored 19, netting the decisive layup with 7.7 seconds remaining to help the Nets snap a six-game losing streak. Tyrese Martin and Jalen Wilson both contributed 20 points in the win. | Recap

**4. NBA TV DOUBLEHEADER: HART MEETS FORMER TEAM, AMEN FACES SUNS STAR DUO**

**Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images**

Josh Hart was dealt from the Blazers to the Knicks as part of a four-team trade on February 9, 2023. He has yet to lose to Portland since joining New York and looks to extend his unbeaten streak to 5-0 against his old team tonight (6 PM ET).

**Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images**

This season, 201 players have defended at least 500 shots. Among them, Amen Thompson leads the pack with the lowest field goal percentage allowed (40.9%).

The 22-year-old sophomore has emerged as a prominent player on both ends of the floor this season, with his defensive versatility and intensity closely linked to Houston’s success.

As the Rockets aim for their 12th victory in 13 games, Thompson encounters his next challenge against Phoenix’s tandem of Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, two of the top 10 scorers in the league.

**The Stakes:** The Rockets head into tonight’s matchup with a 1.5-game edge over the Nuggets for the second position in the West, while Phoenix is just one game away from securing a spot in the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament.

**5. PLAYOFFS VS. PLAY-IN: THREE TEAMS COMPETING FOR ONE SPOT**

**Nathaniel S. Butler, Nic Antaya & David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images**

The Clippers, Warriors, and Timberwolves are just a half-game apart in their quest for the last guaranteed Playoff position among the top six seeds.

Tonight on League Pass, all three teams will compete, creating a potential reshuffling of the standings.

**Tonight’s Scenarios**

Completing the evening on League Pass: The Bucks will host the Hawks (7 PM ET), as both squads look to recover from recent losses—three straight for Milwaukee and two for Atlanta. Additionally, the Hornets visit the Pelicans (7 PM ET), and the Sixers take on the Raptors (7:30 PM ET).