LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers clinched an NBA playoff spot by beating the Denver Nuggets 103-97 on Friday despite the absence of Kobe Bryant and coach Mike Brown. Andrew Bynum had 30 points and eight rebounds and Matt Barnes added a season-high 24 points for the Lakers, who have won three of four without Bryant, who is resting a bruised shin. Los Angeles also played without Brown, who left shortly before tipoff for undisclosed personal reasons. Assistant John Kuester filled in. Barnes played an enormous game in a reserve role while matching his highest-scoring performance in two seasons with the Lakers. He scored six consecutive points after Denver trimmed Los Angeles’ lead to one point, hitting a 3-pointer and adding a clutch jumper with 1:29 to play. Andre Miller scored 20 points for the Nuggets, who are clinging on to a playoff spot. ___ ORLANDO, Florida (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks extended their recent dominance of Orlando by cruising past the Magic 109-81 on Friday, moving above their rivals in the NBA’s Southeast Division. Jannero Pargo hit five 3-pointers and scored 17 points, and Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Marvin Williams each had 16 for the Hawks, who have won their past six regular-season games against Orlando. Atlanta shot 50 percent from the field (40 for 79) for the game, including 14 3-pointers. The Hawks led by 35 at one point. Glen Davis and Von Wafer each scored 16 points to lead the Magic, which was without center Dwight Howard due to back spasms. ___ SUNS 112, ROCKETS 105 In Houston, Phoenix boosted its playoff hopes with a win at Houston. Marcin Gortat had 20 points and 15 rebounds and Steve Nash had 18 points and 10 assists for the Suns, who moved into the ninth spot in the Western Conference. Phoenix also moved within one game of the Rockets, who came in holding the No. 7 seed in the West. Marcus Camby had 14 points and 18 rebounds for Houston. ___ THUNDER 115, KINGS 89 In Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant had 29 points and nine rebounds to lead Oklahoma City past Sacramento. Russell Westbrook scored 22 points for the Thunder, who didn’t even need their starters in the fourth quarter to hang onto the best record in the Western Conference. Rookie Isaiah Thomas scored 21 points for the Kings, who dropped their seventh straight for their longest losing streak of the season. ___ MAVERICKS 97, TRAIL BLAZERS 94 In Portland, Dirk Nowitzki had 24 points and nine rebounds as Dallas hung on to beat fast-finishing Portland. Delonte West added 21 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Mavericks, who have a 1-1/2 game lead over Denver and Houston for the sixth playoff spot in the Western Conference. Nicolas Batum had 20 to lead the Blazers who trailed by 16 points with four minutes to go before closing hard but fruitlessly in the closing stages. ___ PACERS 102, CAVALIERS 83 In Indianapolis, Danny Granger scored 18 points to help Indiana clinch a playoff berth with victory over Cleveland. Tyler Hansbrough scored 16 points for the Pacers, who have won seven of eight to reach 37 victories this season, matching their total from last season. Indiana, which is in third place in the Eastern Conference standings, is best known for its defense but has reached three figures in eight out of nine games. Omri Casspi matched a season high with 14 points for the Cavaliers, who shot just 35 percent from the field. ___ RAPTORS 84, CELTICS 79. In Toronto, DeMar DeRozan scored 13 of his 22 points in the third quarter and made four pivotal late free throws to lead Toronto past Boston. DeRozan was a perfect 13-for-13 from the line as the Raptors ended a four-game losing skid despite being without injured stars Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon. Paul Pierce’s 18 points paced the Celtics, who nearly wiped out a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit but ultimately fell shot in the opener of a dizzying stretch that will see them play six games in six cities over eight days. Boston remained three games ahead of Philadelphia atop the Atlantic Division. ___ NETS 95, 76ERS 89 In Philadelphia, Gerald Green scored 23 points in New Jersey’s win over Philadelphia. Kris Humphries had 18 points and 13 rebounds for the Nets, who recorded their 13th road win of the season against only nine at home. Jrue Holiday’s 19 points led the Sixers, who suffered a critical loss as they try to cling onto a playoff spot, with six of their final seven games on the road. ___ BUCKS 113, PISTONS 97 In Auburn Hills, Michigan, Drew Gooden scored 26 points as Milwaukee pulled away from Detroit in the third quarter. Milwaukee is in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, trailing New York and Philadelphia by two games in the race for the playoffs. The Bucks led by five points at halftime but pushed the lead out to 20 in the third quarter. Brandon Jennings had 20 points and 10 assists for Milwaukee, which had all five starters score in double figures. Brandon Knight scored 25 points for the Pistons. ___ HEAT 105, BOBCATS 82 In Miami, LeBron James had 19 points and nine rebounds as Miami completed a three-game season sweep of lowly Charlotte. Chris Bosh had 18 points and seven rebounds for the Heat, who led by 22 after three quarters and rested James the entire final period. The Heat, playing without Dwyane Wade again due to an ankle injury, improved to 11-1 in the star guard’s absence. He is expected back for Sunday’s game at New York. Derrick Brown had 21 points and nine rebounds to lead Charlotte, which lost its 15th straight. ___ HORNETS 96, JAZZ 85 In New Orleans, Eric Gordon scored 10 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter to shore up New Orleans win over Utah. Gordon starred in his return from two games off with back soreness, and Chris Kaman added 19 points for the Hornets, who were playing after news that Tom Benson, owner of the NFL’s New Orleans Saints, had agreed to buy the Hornets from the NBA. Paul Millsap scored 27 points for Utah, which suffered a severe blow to its playoff ambitions. ___ KNICKS 103, WIZARDS 65 In New York, Baron Davis scored a season-high 18 points on his 33rd birthday as New York crushed Washington and surged into a tie for seventh in the East. J.R. Smith had 23 points for the Knicks, who moved level with Philadelphia. New York holds the tiebreaker between the two. April 14, 2012(Mainichi Japan)