NBA roundup: Jalen Brunson nets career-high 48 points in Knicks' win

Jalen Brunson scored a career-high 48 points and outdueled Donovan Mitchell in a potential postseason preview Friday night, when the visiting New York Knicks pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 130-116 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Knicks (45-33), in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, moved within three games of the fourth-place Cavaliers (48-30) and reduced their magic number for clinching a playoff spot to one.

The Knicks also clinched the season series (3-1) against the Cavaliers on Friday. Whomever finishes fourth will have home court advantage in the first round.

The 48-point performance broke Brunson's career high by four points and his total was the highest by a Knicks point guard in the last 60 years. All four of Brunson's 40-point games have come this season, his first in New York.

Mitchell Robinson (10 points, 14 rebounds) had a double-double for the Knicks, who had seven players finish in double figures. Mitchell finished with 42 points for the Cavaliers, who have lost two straight.

Celtics 122, Jazz 114

Another strong performance by Jayson Tatum helped Boston move a step closer to first place in the Eastern Conference standings by earning a home victory over Utah.

Tatum scored a game-high 39 points and also had 11 rebounds. He was 12 of 17 from the field, and made five of his eight 3-point attempts. Malcolm Brogdon came off the bench to score 19 points and record seven assists for the Celtics, who received 17 points from Derrick White and 12 rebounds from Blake Griffin.

Talen Horton-Tucker led the Jazz with 28 points and seven assists along with eight rebounds. Center Walker Kessler added 20 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots.

Warriors 130, Spurs 115

Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan