Lauri Markkanen was perfect on a three-shot foul in the fourth overtime to put Chicago ahead to stay and help the visiting Bulls earn a 168-161 win over the Atlanta Hawks Friday in the third-highest-scoring game in NBA history. The Bulls set a franchise record for points, topping a 156-155, four-overtime win at Portland on March 16, 1984. Markkanen finished with 31 points, his 12th straight game with 20-plus points. He added 17 rebounds to secure his fifth straight double-double, a career best. Chicago's Zach LaVine scored a career-high 47 points and was 6-for-14 on 3-point attempts while adding nine rebounds and nine assists. Atlanta got a franchise-rookie-record 49 points from Trae Young, who was 17-for-33 from the floor with six 3-pointers, 16 assists and eight rebounds. Young became the first rookie since Earl Monroe in 1968 to produce a game with at least 49 points and 10 assists. Bucks 131, Lakers 120 Eric Bledsoe converted a three-point play with 2:25 remaining to give Milwaukee the lead for good, and the visiting Bucks scored 15 of the game's final 17 points to defeat Los Angeles Lakers. Thanks to the victory, Milwaukee became the first NBA team to clinch a playoff berth this season. Bledsoe finished with 31 points, and Giannis Antetokounmpo chipped in with 16 points and 15 rebounds for the Bucks, who won their seventh straight. LeBron James had 31 points and 10 assists for the Lakers, who have followed each of their past six wins with a loss. In a fourth quarter that featured seven lead changes and six ties, James gave the Lakers their last advantage at 118-116 by sinking a 3-pointer with 3:11 left, but the Bucks dominated the rest of the game. Raptors 119, Trail Blazers 117 Kawhi Leonard made the winning jump shot in the final seconds to finish with 38 points as Toronto defeated visiting Portland. Marc Gasol added 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists as Toronto ended Portland's season-high, five-game winning streak. The Raptors have won nine of 10 games. Kyle Lowry had 19 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds for Toronto. CJ McCollum led Portland with 35 points while Damian Lillard had 24 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Clippers 116, Kings 109 Rookie Landry Shamet had 20 points and Danilo Gallinari added 19 as visiting Los Angeles withstood a physical game between playoff contenders in beating Sacramento. Lou Williams scored 17 points as the Clippers solidified their hold on a playoff spot in the Western Conference with five weeks remaining in the regular season. Buddy Hield scored 23 points despite 6-for-19 shooting, and Willie Cauley-Stein added 16 points and 12 rebounds for Sacramento. Celtics 107, Wizards 96 Al Horford led seven Celtics in double figures with 18 points, and host Boston snapped a four-game losing streak by defeating Washington. Kyrie Irving had 13 points and 12 assists for the Celtics, who picked up their first win since the All-Star break. Marcus Morris had 17 points, and Marcus Smart added 16. Bradley Beal led the Wizards with 29 points and 11 rebounds. Jeff Green and Tomas Satoransky added 15 points each for Washington. Hornets 123, Nets 112 Kemba Walker scored 25 points, and Charlotte took control in the second quarter while recording a victory over Brooklyn on New York as the teams split their four-game season series. Walker led seven Hornets in double figures. Charlotte won for just the third time in the past 10 games and moved a half-game ahead of idle Orlando into eighth place in the Eastern Conference. D'Angelo Russell scored 22 points and handed out nine assists, but the Nets lost for the ninth time in 14 games and the fifth time in their past eight. Russell shot 9 of 24 and missed 6 of 7 3-point attempts. Pelicans 130, Suns 116 Julius Randle, Jrue Holiday and E'Twaun Moore each hit or eclipsed the 20-point mark as visiting New Orleans defeated Phoenix. Randle finished with 22 points, Holiday had 21, Moore came off the bench to add 20, and Cheick Diallo had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Pelicans. New Orleans continued to restrict the minutes for All-Star forward Anthony Davis (17 points in 21 minutes) in the wake of his recent trade demand. Devin Booker scored 26, Kelly Oubre Jr. added 19, and Deandre Ayton had 16 for the Suns, who missed an opportunity to win consecutive games for the first time since a four-game winning streak in mid-December. — Reuters
