Nets warm up for 76ers with Timberwolves win, Clippers win sixth straight without Kawhi

LA, April 14: The Brooklyn Nets warmed up for Wednesday's showdown with the Philadelphia 76ers with a comfortable 30-point victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Tuesday's postponed game.

Kevin Durant top scored for the Nets with 31 points along with four rebounds, with guard Joe Harris adding 23 points in the 127-97 win.

Brooklyn improved to a 37-17 record, equal with the 76ers, in the absence of James Harden (hamstring) and Kyrie Irving (personal reasons).

The Utah Jazz regained some form after losing three of their past five games, triumphing 106-96 over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Jazz center Rudy Gobert put on a show with 13 points, 14 rebounds and a staggering seven blocks, while Croatian forward Bojan Bogdanovic top scored with 23.

Kevin Durant puts up 31 PTS on 11-15 FGM in just 27 minutes of action!@KDTrey5 x @BrooklynNets pic.twitter.com/bMME1HKi7k

— NBA (@NBA) April 13, 2021

No Kawhi but Clippers keep on winning

The Los Angeles Clippers extended their winning streak to six games despite missing Kawhi Leonard in a 126-115 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

Leonard was out with a sore right foot but Paul George was up to the task, with 36 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. That's the fourth straight game he's reached 30 points.

The Clippers have now won 12 of their past 14 matches and move to a 38-18 record, equating to third in the West.

PG soars and slams... he's got 30 for the 4th straight game!

TNT pic.twitter.com/ShjzuZDVQN

— NBA (@NBA) April 14, 2021

The Los Angeles Lakers managed a 101-93 win over the Charlotte Hornets to move to 34-21 in the West.

With LeBron James and Anthony Davis still out injured, the Lakers relied on Kyle Kuzma with 24 points including four threes while center Andre Drummond had 12 rebounds.

The Phoenix Suns remain firm in second in the West with a 106-86 win over the Chicago Bulls and the Boston Celtics edged the Portland Trail Blazers in a final quarter thriller 116-115 as the jostle for play-offs seedings continues.

Thunder crashing down

Guard Luguentz Dort may have scored a career-high 42 points but he was not able to celebrate as the Oklahoma City Thunder slumped to their seventh straight loss against the Jazz. The Thunder are now 20-34 and practically out of playoffs contention.

LeBron loves Kuz sledgehammer

Kyle Kuzma got LeBron James on his feet with a massive one-handed dunk on the transition late in the second in the Lakers' win.

Bron's reaction was everyone's reaction. https://t.co/v5NszY73yC pic.twitter.com/EzPLB4oG0U

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 14, 2021

Tuesday's results

Brooklyn Nets 127-97 Minnesota Timberwolves Los Angeles Clippers 126-115 Indiana Pacers Atlanta Hawks 108-103 Toronto Raptors Los Angeles Lakers 101-93 Charlotte Hornets Utah Jazz 106-96 Oklahoma City Thunder Phoenix Suns 106-86 Miami Heat Boston Celtics 116-115 Portland Trail Blazers

Nets in Philly

The top two in the East will face off when the Philadelphia 76ers host the Brooklyn Nets (both 37-17) with Joel Embiid and Kevin Durant available to play although James Harden will likely miss due to injury.