NBA roundup: Rockets claim comeback win over Phoenix as Raptors ease past Heat

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/durant-kevin/pKXcd9rI/"]Durant[/a], who was traded from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/phoenix-suns/M1Gy2pra/"]Phoenix[/a] to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/houston-rockets/Sr9PQALP/"]Houston[/a] last year, received a mixed reception upon his return to Arizona, with sections of the Suns home crowd subjecting him to boos throughout a see-saw game.[/p][p]Phoenix needed a victory to keep their faint hopes of bagging an automatic play-off spot in the Western Conference alive.[/p][p][b]And the home side got off to a dream start after surging into a 21-point first-quarter lead against a stunned Rockets line-up.[/b][/p][p]But Houston recovered before outscoring Phoenix 38-21 in the fourth quarter to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/houston-rockets-Sr9PQALP/phoenix-suns-M1Gy2pra/?mid=na7H90x9"]complete a victory[/a] that means the Suns will miss out on direct entry to the play-offs.[/p][p][b]"They hit us with a good punch early on...I love how we weathered the storm and stayed together and took that first punch,"[/b] Durant said.[/p][p][b]"It's a great team win."[/b][/p][embed guid="156f8408-2540-4558-9892-404624d45c06" url="https://x.com/HoustonRockets/status/2041760265620857003" social-type="twitter" /][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/minnesota-timberwolves/KjBIVQcI/"]Minnesota Timberwolves[/a] will instead be assured of the final play-off ticket from the Western Conference after cruising to a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/indiana-pacers-YPohMUTt/minnesota-timberwolves-KjBIVQcI/?mid=SrCscNh3"]124-104 defeat[/a] of the struggling [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/indiana-pacers/YPohMUTt/"]Indiana Pacers[/a].[/p][p]After the Pacers led briefly in the first quarter, Minnesota quickly asserted their superiority and led by eight points heading into the second quarter.[/p][p][b]The Timberwolves - once again missing Anthony Edwards with a knee issue - never looked like surrendering that advantage and led by as many as 31 points midway through the fourth quarter as they closed out a comfortable victory.[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dosunmu-ayo/IesK6I5I/"]Ayo Dosunmu[/a] led the Minnesota scoring with 24 points from 10-of-17 shooting while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/randle-julius/lhl0euwn/"]Julius Randle[/a] and Bones Hyland added 19 points apiece.[/p][embed guid="3f9bcae8-480a-4a1c-827a-4dd187af05f3" url="https://x.com/Timberwolves/status/2041689618630816242" social-type="twitter" /][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/toronto-raptors/CxtbCMdU/"]Toronto[/a] Raptors kept their automatic play-off hopes on track with a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/miami-heat-CQ7AXnT5/toronto-raptors-CxtbCMdU/?mid=pfFK4m7t"]121-95[/a] blowout of the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/miami-heat/CQ7AXnT5/"]Miami Heat[/a].[/p][p]Miami had needed a win to keep their slim chances of securing a top-six finish alive in a razor-thin Eastern Conference play-off race.[/p][p]But Toronto took the lead early in the second quarter and steadily pulled away for a victory which leaves them occupying the sixth and final direct entry play-off place in the Eastern Conference standings.[/p][p][b]Scottie Barnes scored 25 points and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ingram-brandon/jJ12C7e8/"]Brandon Ingram[/a] 23 to guide Toronto to the win. The Raptors are now 44-35 with three games of the regular season remaining, one game ahead of the seventh-placed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/philadelphia-76ers/vwRW2QSh/"]Philadelphia 76ers[/a].[/b][/p][embed guid="fa86e788-f26e-43ec-a57f-3827c0a856f5" url="https://x.com/Raptors/status/2041703179562238269" social-type="twitter" /][p]Miami's loss locked them into the East's four-team play-in tournament next week which will determine the final two teams who advance to the play-offs.[/p][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/boston-celtics/KYD9hVEm/"]Boston Celtics[/a] closed in on securing the No.2 seed in the Eastern Conference after holding off the in-form [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/charlotte-hornets/xftMikUg/"]Charlotte Hornets[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/boston-celtics-KYD9hVEm/charlotte-hornets-xftMikUg/?mid=vNVnytWq"]113-102[/a] at the TD Garden in Boston.[/p][p][b]Back in the Western Conference, the injury-hit [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-lakers/ngegZ8bg/"]Los Angeles Lakers[/a] drifted further out of contention for the number three seed after suffering a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/los-angeles-lakers-ngegZ8bg/oklahoma-city-thunder-0fHFHEWD/?mid=QgMMmJFk"]123-87[/a] pummeling to the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/oklahoma-city-thunder/0fHFHEWD/"]Oklahoma City[/a] Thunder at home.[/b][/p][p]The Lakers, whose hopes of mounting a postseason charge have been left in tatters after injuries to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doncic-luka/pQ4ZBK0o/"]Luka Doncic[/a] and Austin Reaves, rested [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/james-lebron/nuIVxFJk/"]LeBron James[/a] as Oklahoma City cruised to a lopsided win.[/p]