Aussies Abroad: Daniels' Hawks Finals bound

Dyson Daniels' Atlanta Hawks have been locked into the NBA's Eastern Conference play-in tournament alongside Josh Giddey's Chicago Bulls after copping a 121-105 home loss to the New York Knicks.

It was the eighth-placed Hawks' third straight defeat and fifth in their past six games, and meant Giannis Antetokounmpo and his sixth-placed Milwaukee Bucks were assured of a playoffs berth. 

Australian guard Daniels had 12 points, two rebounds, two steals, one assist and a block in Saturday's game, while Trae Young (16 points) set the team record for assists in a season as he added nine to his tally. He averages 11.6 per game.

But the Hawks had no answer to the hot-shooting Knicks and their big man Karl-Anthony Towns, who had 30 points and 11 rebounds.

The Knicks took command with a 40-22 second period and solidified their hold on third place in the east. 

Their 78 first-half points were the most allowed by Atlanta before halftime this season.

With the regular season wrapping up on April 13, the teams that finish ranked seventh to 10th advance to the April 15-18 play-in tournament seeking one of the last two playoffs berths in their conference.

The Hawks (36-41) are back in the play-in tournament for a fourth straight season. They failed to advance last season, but did so the previous two times before losing in the first round.

They sit just ahead of Giddey and his ninth-placed Bulls (35-42), who are also play-in tournament bound. 

With a playoffs berth clinched earlier in the day, Antetokounmpo had 36 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists as he led the Bucks to a thrilling 121-115 overtime win against the Miami Heat.

The Bucks (43-34) moved past Detroit - who lost 109-103 to Memphis - into the No.5 spot in the east.

Miami (35-43) fell a half-game behind Chicago in the race for No.9 in the east.

In Inglewood, California, Ivica Zubac was 11-for-11 from the floor for 25 points, and Kawhi Leonard and James Harden scored 29 each as the Los Angeles Clippers blew away the Dallas Mavericks 135-104.

Zubac also had 10 rebounds and is the first player in NBA history to have 25 points and 10 rebounds without any turnovers or misses. 

His perfect shooting night is a franchise record for most makes without a miss in a single game.

Australian veterans Ben Simmons and Patty Mills both chipped in from limited court time for the Clippers.

Simmons was on the court for 12 minutes, making three assists and scoring two points.

Mills had only seven minutes on court, but contributed a rebound, an assist and five points.

The Clippers have won four in a row and six of their past seven games.

Anthony Davis had 27 points and Kai Jones added 18 on 9-for-9 shooting to lead the Mavericks.

Davis grabbed his left knee in the first half and his stomach multiple times in the second, though he continued to play. 

He had missed time with an abdominal injury after being acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers.

In Philadelphia, the Timberwolves scored a 114-109 road win over the 76ers.