Try again next year, Rockets

PLUS: An absolute barn-burner for the Sixers and Heat, and another one for the Nuggets and Clippers.

Good morning. Let’s basketball.

But first, Grain Field by French Impressionist Berthe Morisot (1875).

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Scores

Hawks 95, Mavericks 109 — Good news for Atlanta: Luka Doncic didn’t score 73 points this time. Bad news for Atlanta: they still lost.

Dallas remains in solo possession of No. 5 with a Warriors rematch on Friday. Playoff Status is now giving the Mavericks a 73% probability of keeping No. 5. Meanwhile, the Clippers are at a 94% probability of keeping No. 4. Round 3 … fight!

Kings 109, Knicks 120 — Sacramento played great defense for a while and led by 21 in the second but … 29 free throws for the Knicks, 18 of them in the second half. Shrug. Masterpiece game from Josh Hart, especially considering he was questionable to play: 31 points on 14/19 shooting, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals. Doubling off of him only works so long before he starts attacking!

As I wrote all the way back on Valentine’s Day, the Kings are probably a play-in team and that’s OK.

Sixers 109, Heat 105 — Wild, playoff-intensity game with a wild, playoff-intensity finish. Please keep in mind that before we got here, the Sixers had led by 16 in the first before Miami rolled back and took a lead in the second, and that the Sixers had picked up a 16-point lead late in the second that Miami rolled up by the end of the third. The Heat just couldn’t hold.

The halfcourt defense down the stretch was just incredible on both ends, so I understand why Erik Spoelstra didn’t initially take a timeout for the final possession. I’m not as sure why he chose not to take one once Terry Rozier fell out of the play.

Something weird:

• Joel Embiid and Bam Adebayo both on the floor: Sixers +13

• Embiid on, Adebayo off: Heat +23 (?!)

• Adebayo on, Embiid off: Sixers +15 (?!)

Philadelphia is now 2-0 with Embiid back, with a mostly easy schedule remaining with the exception of Orlando. But there is a back-to-back this weekend, and if Embiid or Tyrese Maxey need to rest for one of those games, the Sixers are fully capable of losing. They need to win at least five more — and maybe all six — to have a strong shot at escaping the play-in. Miami has the cooling Rockets on a back-to-back Friday, then a huge showdown against the Pacers that is super relevent for the Sixers on Sunday.

Warriors 133, Rockets 110 — Reality is smacking the Rockets in the face (again) this week.