Sacramento Kings remain in contention for a playoff spot following a 127-117 victory over the Detroit Pistons in a match that saw Zach LaVine go off in a display that left the Pistons out of breath at the end.
LaVine was the star on the night after posting 43 points including eight three-pointers for his third straight game with 35 or more points, while DeMar DeRozan poured in 37 points as the Kings overcame an 18-point deficit to claim the win.
It was a third successive victory for the Sacramento Kings and they remain ninth in the Western Conference standings, one win ahead of closest challengers, the Dallas Mavericks – Kings’ likely opponent if the standings in the West remains this way after 82 games.
While an automatic play-off spot is out of the question now for the Kings, they can still reach the play-offs through the play-ins make the play-ins, with 11th-placed Phoenix Suns the only team that could stop Kings from the play-ins.
Suns are three games behind the Kings with four regular-season games left to play. Teams that finish seventh to 10th qualify for the play-in tournament, which runs from 15th-18th April.
Elsewhere, the Miami Heat, assured of a play-in place in the Eastern Conference, secured a 117-105 win at home against the already eliminated Philadelphia 76ers, who registered a 12th successive defeat.
Check out highlights of LaVine and DeRozan starring against the Pistons here.