Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzki, playing the final home NBA game of their storied careers, have each scored 30 points to lead the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks respectively to victory.
With wife Gabrielle Union courtside, Wade made 10 of 23 shots, including four three-pointers, as the Heat outclassed the Philadelphia 76ers 122-99.
It was a bittersweet night for the Heat (39-42), who were eliminated from playoff contention earlier in the evening when the Detroit Pistons rallied from a 22-point deficit to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies 100-93.
Wade, 37, will end his career on Thursday (AEST) at the Brooklyn Nets.
German Nowitzki, meanwhile, turned back the clock to lead the scoring for the Mavericks as they defeated the hapless Phoenix Suns 120-109.
The 14-time All-Star and 21-season veteran took the first eight Dallas shots and scored his team’s first 10 points in the first three minutes. He passed his previous season high of 21 on a three-pointer in the third quarter.
Dallas’ season finale and Nowitzki’s career-ender is against San Antonio – a fact he only confirmed to the crowd post-match.
"As you might expect, this is my last home game," the 40-year-old said.
Philadelphia (50-31), who already clinched the third seed in the eastern conference playoffs, rested two of their stars in Joel Embiid and JJ Redick.
Australian Ben Simmons earned 16 points and four rebounds in reduced minutes, while Jonah Bolden failed to score in his 13 minutes.
Elsewhere, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry left his side's 112-103 win over the New Orleans Pelicans with a sprained right foot.
Curry sustained the non-contact injury when he rolled his foot and ankle while dribbling near the three-point line and immediately fell.
The Warriors nevertheless won the game, despite the absence of Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala and Aussie Andrew Bogut.
They had already secured top seed in the western conference.
The Charlotte Hornets kept their playoff hopes alive with a 124-97 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, with Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb scoring 23 apiece.
The Hornets led by 12 in the first half and pushed the lead all the way to 27 in the fourth quarter, winning their fourth straight and eighth in their last 11 games. They must now beat Orlando on Thursday (AEST) and hope the Pistons lose at New York to leapfrog Detroit for the final playoff spot.
The undermanned Boston Celtics, missing Australian Aron Baynes, also beat Washington Wizards 116-110, while the Knicks beat Chicago Bulls 96-86.
In Minnesota, meanwhile, Australian Mitch Creek made his Timberwolves debut, recording six points, two rebounds and one steal in 12 minutes of action as his side were outclassed 120-100 by the Toronto Raptors.
Creek previously played for the Brooklyn Nets this season, averaging 3.8 points in nine minutes of action across four games.
Leave a Reply