NBA: Boston Celtics clinch playoff slot as Clippers enjoy 50th win of the season

Jeff Green hit three three-pointers as Boston ran out 98-93 winners over Detroit, while the Los Angeles Clippers closed in on their first division title after ending a three game losing streak.

Boston's Avery Bradley stops the ball from leaving play against Detroit's Greg Monroe.

Jeff Green's game-high 34 points helped Boston hold on for a 98-93 victory over Detroit to secure the Celtics' NBA playoff berth.

Green made 13-of-19 shots from the field, including three three-pointers.

The victory, coupled with the Philadelphia 76ers' 88-83 loss to Charlotte, ensured the Celtics will be in the postseason for the sixth straight year.

DeAndre Jordan scored 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds Wednesday to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to their 50th win of the season and a 126-101 triumph over the Phoenix Suns.

Chris Paul added 15 points, 12 assists and four steals for the Clippers, who snapped a three-game losing streak to finally reach 50 wins for the first time in franchise history.

The club's previous highest win total in a season was 49, when they were the Buffalo Braves in the 1974-75 campaign.

The Clippers can clinch their first Pacific Division title with a win over their crosstown rivals the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday — or if the Golden State Warriors lose at Phoenix on Friday.

Carmelo Anthony could not quite match his feat of the previous night but a 40-point haul from the small forward helped the New York Knicks to a 10th straight win as they downed the Atlanta Hawks 95-82.

Anthony matched his career-best with a 50-point game against Miami on Tuesday but settled for 10 fewer in another Knicks winning cause.

The Houston Rockets are closing in on a postseason berth too and a 112-102 success against the Sacramento Kings helped their cause. Play-off certainties the Memphis Grizzlies were resounding 94-76 winners against the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Utah Jazz suffered a setback to their play-off hopes as they slid to a 113-96 home-court defeat against the Denver Nuggets, while the San Antonio Spurs beat the Orlando Magic 98-84, the Brooklyn Nets overcame the Cleveland Cavaliers 113-95 and the Charlotte Bobcats edged the Philadelphia 76ers 88-83.

Elsewhere the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Milwaukee Bucks 107-98, the Toronto Raptors overcame the Washington Wizards 88-78 and the New Orleans Hornets lost 98-88 to the Golden State Warriors.

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