Clippers complicate Lakers; Irving bails out Mavs

The Los Angeles Clippers beat the Lakers on Wednesday in a high-voltage classic and accelerated to fifth place in the West, on a day in which Kyrie Irving kept the Dallas Mavericks in the hunt with a monumental performance in the win over the Sacramento Kings and in which the Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets sealed the mathematical lead in the East and West, respectively.

CLIPPERS 125 – LAKERS 118

The Los Angeles Clippers sealed their eleventh consecutive victory over the Lakers and, with 27 points from Norman Powell and 25 from Kawhi Leonard, regained their fifth position in the West, which gives direct access to the playoffs, to leave their rivals in seventh place, which would force them to play in the play-in against the New Orleans Pelicans.

They beat a Lakers in which LeBron James scored 30 of his 33 points in the second half and Anthony Davis contributed a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds in his first games in consecutive days since November.

Paul George was the Clippers’ known casualty, but Tyronn Lue’s team imposed its law and is already one step away from direct access to the playoffs. Of course, if they finish fifth they would have to face Kevin Durant’s Phoenix Suns, the great unknown of this postseason.

MAVERICKS 123 – KINGS 119

Kyrie Irving scored 19 of his 31 points in an extraordinary fourth period and gave the Mavericks a momentous home win over the Kings to keep his team alive in the fight for a playoff spot in the West.

Dallas still trails Oklahoma City, who won the head-to-head meetings played in the regular season, so they need to get one more win than the Thunder in their two remaining games.

Irving finished with 31 points, 6 three-pointers and 8 assists, while Slovenia’s Luka Doncic contributed 29 to beat De’Aaron Fox’s 28.

The Mavericks will host the Chicago Bulls on Friday and the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday. The Thunder will play on the road against the Utah Jazz and then face the second-place Memphis Grizzlies.