The Milwaukee Bucks will face either the Philadelphia 76ers or Toronto Raptors for a place in the NBA Finals.Milwaukee beat the Boston Celtics 116-91 in game five of the semi-finals to secure a 4-1 series win and ensure their first conference finals appearance since 2001.Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 20 for the Bucks in the win and snared eight rebounds and eight assists, with Khris Middleton adding 19 points.

The Boston Celtics beat the Indiana Pacers 110-106 to seal a series sweep and become the first team to advance to the second round of the NBA play-offs.Gordon Hayward racked up 20 points, three rebounds and two assists as his side came from behind at half-time to wrap up their first 4-0 series win in eight years.Marcus Morris and Jayson Tatum also dominated for the visitors, both finishing with 18 points.The Celtics will go on to face either the Milwaukee Bucks or the Detroit Pistons, with the Bucks leading their series 3-0.The Golden State Warriors, meanwhile, moved within one win of clinching their first-round play-off series with a 113-105 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.Kevin Durant poured in 33 points and Klay Thompson finished not far behind on 32 points to earn the Warriors a 3-1 series lead.

The sixth-seeded Brooklyn Nets upset the highly-rated Philadelphia 76ers 111-102 to take a 1-0 lead in their NBA play-off series.D’Angelo Russell had 26 points, while Caris LeVert had 23 and added four rebounds and two assists for the Nets, giving the Sixers only their 11th defeat at home this season in 42 games.Jimmy Butler scored 36 points for Philadelphia, but Joel Embiid failed to light up the Wells Fargo Centre with a 22-point haul and Ben Simmons only made nine.A last-gasp three-pointer from DJ Augustin helped the Orlando Magic beat The Toronto Raptors 104-101.Augustin, who had 25 on the night, scored with 3.5 seconds left and Kawhi Leonard missed a chance to take the game into overtime.

The Charlotte Hornets condemned the Detroit Pistons to their fourth straight loss and boosted their own play-off hopes with a 104-91 victory.Kemba Walker hit 31 points and had eight rebounds as Charlotte recorded a third straight win and moved one game behind the Pistons in the battle to claim the final play-off spot in the Eastern Conference.Walker scored 20 in the first half, while Frank Kaminsky scored 24 and Jeremy Lamb added 17 in the victory.

The Charlotte Hornets kept their NBA play-off hopes alive with a dramatic 113-111 victory over the Toronto Raptors.Jeremy Lamb – who less than a fortnight ago hit a buzzer-beater from his own half to secure victory against Toronto – nailed a game-winning three-pointer with under four seconds left on Friday night.There was still time for Toronto’s Kawhi Leonard to see a potential leveller get stuck between the rim and the backboard with less than a second left as Charlotte held on.

James Harden amassed 31 points as the Houston Rockets downed the Los Angeles Clippers 135-103 at the Staples Center.The reigning MVP made his case for this year’s accolade as another 30-plus game powered his side to their fourth-straight victory.Team-mate Chris Paul was not far behind, finishing with 29 points, and had fans on their feet with a buzzer-beating three-pointer at end of the third quarter.Houston sit third in the Western Conference, with the Clippers in sixth, potentially setting up a first-round play-off game between the pair.The Charlotte Hornets, meanwhile, kept their faint play-off hopes alive with a 115-109 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.Kemba Walker proved the Hornets – in 10th place in the Eastern Conference – have not given up on their post-season chances, pouring in 21 points in the fourth quarter and finishing with 32 for the night.

Joel Embiid poured in 39 points as the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Brooklyn Nets 123-110 at the Wells Fargo centre.The 25-year-old finished with 13 rebounds and six assists on a night where he recorded his 27th game with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds.

Jeremy Lamb’s incredible buzzer-beater from almost 50 yards secured the Charlotte Hornets a dramatic victory against the Toronto Raptors.Lamb’s attempt from half-court found the basket for a 115-114 victory for the play-off chasing Hornets, who have won three in a row.Kawhi Leonard, who had 28 points, looked to have sealed victory as he put the Raptors ahead with 44 seconds left to play, but Lamb’s winner stunned the Scotiabank Arena.

The Denver Nuggets secured a play-off berth for the first time in six years after a 114-105 win against the Boston Celtics.Nikola Jokic top-scored for the Nuggets with 21 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as his side used a big fourth quarter to clinch their fourth win in a row.Denver are now tied with the Golden State Warriors at the top of the Western Conference with a 47-22 record.The Warriors, meanwhile, were downed 111-105 by the San Antonio Spurs, who extended their winning run to nine games.DeMar DeRozan scored 26 points while LaMarcus Aldridge added 23 points for the Spurs, who moved up the Western Conference standings.San Antonio have claimed the fifth spot, moving above the Oklahoma City Thunder after their 116-107 loss to the Miami Heat.

DeMarcus Cousins produced a stellar performance as the Golden State Warriors edged out the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center.The 28-year-old posted season-highs in points (27) and assists (seven) in addition to eight rebounds as the Warriors narrowly won 106-104, ending the Rockets’ nine-match winning streak.The visitors were without injured All-Star Kevin Durant due to an ankle injury, but Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson led Golden State into a 14-point fourth-quarter lead thanks to their 24 and 30-point displays respectively.

Devin Booker scored 37 points as the Phoenix Suns had an unlikely victory against the high-flying Golden State Warriors.The two teams sit at opposite ends of the Western Conference but Phoenix rallied in the fourth quarter to secure a 115-111 win.Booker scored 13 consecutive points to help the Suns to their first win over the Warriors in 19 attempts, while Klay Thompson had 28 points for Golden State.

Russell Westbrook set an NBA record with his 10th straight triple-double as the Oklahoma City Thunder routed the Portland Trail Blazers 120-111.The Thunder star recorded 21 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists to break a tie with Wilt Chamberlain for most consecutive triple-doubles.Paul George also scored a triple-double for Oklahoma with 47 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.

Stephen Curry was the fourth-quarter hero as the Golden State Warriors claimed an 11th straight road win at Phoenix Suns.Curry scored 10 fourth-quarter points as Phoenix, who led by as many as 17 in the first quarter, failed to hold on to a six-point advantage with under nine minutes left on the clock.The Warriors scored 13 consecutive points at 94-88 down, and Curry’s late scoring spree saw them home 117-107 with Klay Thompson (25) top scoring.Anthony Davis returned from a three-week absence to score 32 points as the New Orleans Pelicans beat Minnesota Timberwolves 122-117.Davis was booed during his pre-game introduction and whenever he touched the ball during his first appearance since asking for a trade and recovering from a finger injury.The All-Star forward sat out the final 15-plus minutes, but there was no sign of injury as he stayed on the bench and Jrue Holiday (27) and rookie Kenrich Williams (19) guided the Pelicans to victory.Former Pelican Nikola Mirotic, acquired by Milwaukee at the trade deadline, was missing as the Bucks won 122-107 at the Dallas Mavericks.Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 29 points and grabbed 17 rebounds as the Bucks recorded a sixth consecutive win, with Brook Lopez (20), Eric Bledsoe (18) and Malcolm Brogdon (18) also in scoring form.The New York Knicks suffered a 15th successive defeat in losing 120-103 to the Detroit Pistons.Andre Drummond collected 29 points and 20 rebounds and Blake Griffin had 26 points as Detroit won for the fourth time in five games and their sixth straight win versus New York.Dennis Smith Jr scored a career-high 31 points for the NBA-worst Knicks, who have now lost 23 of their last 24 games.

The Toronto Raptors came out on top in an Eastern Conference battle as they downed the Philadelphia 76ers away from home.Kyle Lowry – amid rumours he has been offered in a trade – scored 20 points and was matched by team-mate Serge Ibaka who also grabbed 10 rebounds.Kawhi Leonard top-scored for the Raptors with 24 points but 76er Joel Embiid’s 44th triple-double – 37 points and 13 rebounds – proved in vain as Toronto held out for the 119-107 win.

James Harden scored at least 30 points for a 26th straight game as the Houston Rockets beat Utah Jazz 125-98.The shooting guard scored 29 of his 43 points by half-time and surpassed the 30-point marker with a driving floating jump shot in the third quarter.The reigning MVP’s hot streak is the third longest in NBA history and also helped the Rockets snap a two-game losing streak.Harden also had five assists, 12 rebounds, four blocks and six steals, while Donovan Mitchell had to settle for a top score of 26 points for Utah.The Los Angeles Lakers, meanwhile, struggled without LeBron James, losing 115-101 against the Golden State Warriors, with their star man rested after returning from a lengthy injury on Thursday night.Klay Thompson was back on court after missing one game due to illness and finished with 28 points, two assists and five rebounds.

James Harden notched yet another 30-plus game but it was not enough for the Houston Rockets as they lost to the New Orleans Pelicans 121-116.Jahlil Okafor scored 27 and Jrue Holiday 19 as the Pelicans ended a three-game skid.Anthony Davis, who is locked in a public dispute over his future with the Pelicans, sat out his fifth straight game with a sprained left index finger.

James Harden scored a career-high 61 points as his Houston Rockets side defeated the New York Knicks 114-110.Harden continued his purple patch with his fifth 50-point game of the season, adding 15 rebounds and four assists at Madison Square Garden.He secured the win when the Knicks turned over the ball with five seconds remaining, scoring a lay-up as Houston cemented their position on top of the Southwest Division.The Indiana Pacers won their third game in a row 110-106 over the Toronto Raptors, but the side may be more concerned about an injury suffered by Victor Oladipo.The All-star suffered a serious right knee injury part-way through the second quarter and was carried off on a stretcher.The Boston Celtics won their fifth-straight game with a 123-103 victory over the struggling Cleveland Cavaliers, while D’Angelo Russell claimed 25 points and 10 assists as the Brooklyn Nets beat the Orlando Magic 114-110.

James Harden continued his stunning form with a season-high 57 points to lead the Houston Rockets to a 112-94 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.The reigning NBA MVP reached at least 30 points for the 17th successive game – the best such run since Wilt Chamberlain in 1964 – and had done so by half-time at Toyota Center.He had 36 points on the board by the end of the second quarter and continued his onslaught after the resumption before finishing with his best haul of the campaign to date.And in another piece of history-making, Harden broke a franchise record by scoring more than 40 points for the 14th time this season.In response to Harden’s points avalanche, Memphis’ best return was the 14 points recorded by Garrett Temple and Mike Conley as the Grizzlies fell to an eighth loss in nine games.Tony Parker enjoyed a successful first return to San Antonio since moving to Charlotte last summer as the Hornets claimed a 108-93 victory over the Spurs.

LaMarcus Aldridge poured in a career-high 56 points to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a thrilling 154-147 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.The Spurs opened the game with 14 straight three-pointers but were forced into double overtime and overcame a triple-double – 24 points, 24 rebounds and 13 assists – from Russell Westbrook to secure the win.Aldridge finished with nine rebounds while Derrick White scored 23 points and Marco Belinelli added 19, including five three-pointers, lifting the Spurs to their seventh home win in a row.

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee Bucks to a 116-109 win over the Houston Rockets despite 42 points from fellow MVP favourite James Harden.Harden, the 2017-18 MVP, reached the game-high double digits at Toyota Centre but was overshadowed by his rival’s double-double as Antetokounmpo finished with 27 points, 21 rebounds and five assists.The close match-up saw the Rockets lead by six points at half-time but the Bucks made the most of a powerful third quarter, outscoring their opponents 38-23, to take control of the game.A Harden rally in the fourth got the Rockets within three points but the point guard paid the price with four missed shots and the Bucks went on to wrap up their seventh win in eight games.Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls suffered their fifth loss in a row as the Portland Trail Blazers used a late surge to emerge 124-112 winners.CJ McCollum scored 24 points as Damian Lillard reached his fifth double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 assists.

Paul George finished with 37 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 107-100 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.Facing a tough crowd after rejecting the Lakers last summer, the five-time NBA All-Star scored nine of his points in the fourth quarter as the Thunder fought their way back from a five-point deficit.The victory puts Oklahoma on seven wins from 10 games, while the Lakers have fallen to 1-3 since losing LeBron James to a groin injury.Joel Embiid top scored for the Philadelphia 76ers with 42 points, tying for his season high, and added 18 rebounds in the 132-127 win over the Phoenix Suns.Ben Simmons scored 29 points and JJ Redick added 27 for the 76ers who narrowly saw off a second-half rally from the Suns after leading by 30 in the third quarter.The Detroit Pistons ended a three-game losing run, beating the Memphis Grizzlies 101-94.

Kawhi Leonard shot 45 points – including 16 of 22 field goals – as the Toronto Raptors saw off the Utah Jazz 122-116.It was a career-high for Leonard who also went 13 for 17 in free throws, while Pascal Siakam also had a career best with 28 and 10 rebounds for the Raptors.

The Toronto Raptors came through a dramatic fourth quarter to beat the Miami Heat 106-104 and improve their NBA-best record.Kawhi Leonard led the way with 30 points, eight rebounds and two steals, while Danny Green hit a three-pointer to put the Raptors ahead with just over 20 seconds remaining.The final quarter saw the lead change hands 12 times, with Miami missing the chance to take the win on the game’s final possession.Toronto now stand on 26 wins and 10 losses for the season.

Steph Curry nailed a last-gasp lay-up to give the Golden State Warriors a narrow 129-127 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.The Clippers’ Avery Bradley tied the game at 127-127 with 20.6 seconds left on the clock, having seen the Warriors grasp a 103-94 lead going into the fourth.After a big third quarter which saw Curry contribute 11 points, it was then left to the point guard to salvage the victory, finding the basket with 0.5 seconds left on the clock and walking away with a night’s total of 42 points, six rebounds and two assists.

Kawhi Leonard matched a season-high 37 points to lift the Toronto Raptors to a 126-110 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.The 27-year-old added six rebounds and was backed up by team-mate OG Anunoby, who tied his career best to score 21 points.Toronto, still without injured All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry, improved to 25-9 for the season as the Cavs fell to their fourth loss in five games.

Blake Griffin recorded a triple-double for Detroit but missed a last-second three-pointer as the Pistons went down 107-104 to the Milwaukee Bucks.Griffin finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists but it was not enough to deny the Bucks, for whom Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a game-high 32 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.Milwaukee were outscored in three of the four quarters but their performance in the second, which they dominated 30-16, proved key as they improved to 20-9, 1.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors at the top of the Eastern Conference.James Harden scored almost half his side’s points as Houston Rockets saw off the Utah Jazz 102-97The in-form guard, who brought up a half-century of points against the LA Lakers last week, poured in another 47 as the Rockets recorded their fourth win in a row.Paul George scored 16 points in five minutes as the Oklahoma City Thunder raced away from the Chicago Bulls in a 121-96 victory, while Rudy Gay finished with 21 and LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan 20 each as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Philadelphia 76ers 123-96.Elsewhere, the Phoenix Suns downed the New York Knicks 128-110 for their third straight win, and Karl-Anthony Towns collected 14 and 14 rebounds as the Minnesota Timberwolves – for whom nine players scored in double digits – saw off the Sacramento Kings 132-105.

LeBron James and Lonzo Ball finished with triple-doubles as the Los Angeles Lakers routed the Charlotte Hornets 128-100.In their largest road win since winning the championship in the 2009-10 season, it was also the first time Lakers team-mates recorded triple-doubles in the same game since Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1982.LeBron ended the victory with 24 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists, while Ball capped off a thrilling night with numbers of 16-10-10.The Boston Celtics, meanwhile, saw their eight-game winning streak come to an end as the Detroit Pistons snapped a six-game losing run with a 113-104 win.

The Boston Celtics clinched their seventh consecutive victory by beating the Washington Wizards 130-125 after overtime.Kyrie Irving scored back-to-back three pointers late in the extra period to secure a nailbiting win for the Celtics.The side overcame an 11-point deficit at the start of the third quarter as they improved their record to 17-10 for the season.

Former team-mates LeBron James and Dwyane Wade faced off for what is set to be the final time as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Miami Heat.The friends, who played together at both the Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers, shared a warm embrace after the match-up, which saw the Lakers win 108-105.Wade, who is due to retire at the end of the season, almost tied the game in the closing seconds, but missed a three-point attempt over James.Both NBA superstars scored big – James finishing with 28 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds, while Wade contributed 15 points and 10 assists to Miami.A sixth win in seven games leaves the Lakers fifth in the Western Conference with a 17-10 record while Miami slip to 11-15 in the Eastern Conference.

The Brooklyn Nets ended an eight-game losing streak by beating the Toronto Raptors 106-105 in thrilling fashion on Friday night.D’Angelo Russell finished with 29 points, scoring six in overtime, while Jarrett Allen clinched the game-winning basket with just over a minute remaining on the clock.Fred VanVleet aimed for a three-pointer on the buzzer but saw the ball spin off the rim, handing the Nets their first win against the Raptors since 2015.In North Carolina, the Charlotte Hornets beat the Denver Nuggets to snap their opponents’ seven-game winning run.Kemba Walker finished with 21 points, including eight assists and six rebounds, giving the Hornets their first win in four games.