Basketball

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The battle of Los Angeles was no contest. The quest for the highest possible playoff seed is another story for the Clippers and Lakers.

The road to the NBA Finals now goes through Milwaukee. The road out of the Western Conference goes through Denver, for the first time ever. And the rest of the top half of the Eastern Conference playoff bracket is set as well.

DALLAS (AP) — Kyrie Irving had already sparked a rally to put the Dallas Mavericks in front when he hit a gravity-defying shot that helped seal a victory to keep their postseason hopes alive.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Wrapping up the top seed in the NBA playoffs was the order of business for the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.

BOSTON (AP) — Malcolm Brogdon scored 29 points and hit two late free throws to help the Boston Celtics hold on for a 97-93 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night. With Milwaukee’s win over Chicago, Boston (55-25) secured the No.

ATLANTA (AP) — Trae Young returned after missing one game with the flu and scored 25 points and had 16 assists to help the travel-weary Atlanta Hawks overwhelm shorthanded Washington 134-116 on Wednesday night.

DETROIT (AP) — Mikal Bridges scored 26 points and the Brooklyn Nets moved to the verge of a playoff spot by beating the Detroit Pistons 123-108 on Wednesday night. “We just had to stay locked in down the stretch," Bridges said.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Immanuel Quickley scored 39 points, one shy of his career high, and Quentin Grimes had a career-high 36 in the New York Knicks' 138-129 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.

BOSTON (AP) — Celtics All-Star Jayson Tatum is one of three starters Boston will be without when it hosts the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. The night after falling 103-101 at Philadelphia, Tatum is sitting with a bruised left hip.

The Canadian Elite Basketball League announced two new executive appointments on Wednesday.