UNDATED (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t look like a team that could be relegated to the NBA’s play-in tournament.
Anthony Davis had 42 points and 12 rebounds as the Lakers won for just the third time in their last 11 games, 123-110 over the Suns. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso each had 17 points for Los Angeles, which is one game behind Portland for sixth place in the Western Conference.
Cameron Payne had 24 points in the Suns’ second loss in three contests since a five-game winning streak.
Phoenix is two games behind the West-leading Utah Jazz.
Elsewhere in the NBA:
— The Knicks had dropped eight straight at Staples Center before Derrick Rose scored 25 points off the bench in New York’s 106-100 victory over the Clippers in Los Angeles. Reggie Bullock chipped in 24 points, including five 3-pointers against his former team as the Knicks stayed in sole possession of fourth place in the East. Kawhi Leonard provided a team-high 29 points for the Clippers, who are third in the West and a game ahead of the Nuggets.
— Jimmy Butler provided 26 points and 11 assists as the Heat beat the Celtics, 130-124 to take a two-game lead over Boston for the sixth seed in the East. The Heat led by as many as 26 in the first half before the Celtics stormed back, opening the third quarter on a 22-8 run to get within 12 points. Duncan Robinson added 22 points and Bam Adebayo (ad-eh-BY’-oh) finished with 20 as Miami took a major step toward avoiding the play-in tournament.
— Tim Hardaway Jr. poured in 25 points and Josh Richardson added 20 as the Mavericks blew by the Cavaliers, 124-97. It was an easy win for Dallas despite Luka Doncic, who received a flagrant-two foul and an automatic ejection early in the third quarter for hitting Collin Sexton in the groin area. Doncic finished with 15 points in 22 minutes and Jalen Brunson had 13 points and seven assists in the Mavs’ fourth consecutive win.
— Eric Bledsoe had 24 points and 11 assists for the Pelicans in a 112-110 comeback win over the hornets. Jaxson Hayes added 18 points and James Johnson finished with 17 points to help New Orleans pull within 1 1/2 games of the Spurs for the 10th spot in the Western Conference. Terry Rozier scored a career-high 43 points on 16-of-26 shooting, including seven 3-pointers for Charlotte.
— The Kings rolled to a 126-98 rout of the Thunder as Maurice Harkless and Terence Davis each scored 18 points to lead eight Sacramento players in double figures. Delon Wright had 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists as the Kings won for the fifth time in their last six games.
— Nikola Vucevic delivered 29 points and 16 rebounds to carry the Bulls to a 108-94 victory over the Pistons. Zach LaVine scored 30 points as Chicago moved within 2 1/2 games of the Indiana Pacers for the last Eastern Conference play-in spot.
— Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell each scored 27 points and the Timberwolves led by 43 in the third quarter of a 128-96 rout of the Magic. Rookie guard Anthony Edwards added 16 points and 10 rebounds to help Minnesota end a three-game losing streak.
