Aussies Abroad: Daniels' near triple-double delight

Atlanta's Zaccharie Risacher and Dyson Daniels have both strengthened their cases for individual NBA honours after dominating in a 21-point win over Brooklyn.

Risacher is vying for the rookie of the year award while Australian Daniels is in the running for best defensive player, as the Hawks (38-42) won for just the third time in their past nine games.

They are now just two games behind the Orlando Magic for the first play-in spot in the Eastern Conference.

Atlanta also lead the ninth-place Chicago Bulls by one game and hold a two-game lead over the Miami Heat. 

Risacher scored a season-high 38 points as the Hawks routed the Nets 133-109 on Thursday night.

The No.1 pick in the draft shot 15 for 20 from the field, including 6 for 11 from 3-point range.

Trae Young added 24 points and 12 assists for the Hawks, who shot at 57 per cent.

Daniels had 10 points, nine assists, nine rebounds and three steals to raise his NBA-leading total to 226.

The Hawks never trailed and led 69-45 at half-time behind 23 points from Risacher. 

Risacher has scored 30 or more points in four games, most among this season's rookies. He made at least five 3-pointers in each of them.

In Indiana, the Pacers secured home-court advantage in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs with a 114-112 win over the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers.

With the New York Knicks losing 115-106 to the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, the Pacers could still earn the No.3 seed in the East if they win their final two games while the Knicks lose out.

Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 23 points and dished out 10 assists. He buried 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to put Indiana ahead 113-107 with 3:08 remaining.

The Cavaliers fought back and earned a chance to tie or win the game on the final possession, but Jaylon Tyson's turnaround attempt at the buzzer was no good.

Ty Jerome paced Cleveland with 24 points and De'Andre Hunter added 23 points and 11 rebounds. The Cavaliers, who have already clinched the No.1 seed, played without Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Max Strus.

Cade Cunningham poured in 36 points and recorded eight assists as hosts Detroit pulled out a comeback victory over New York in a preview of a potential first-round playoff matchup.

Jalen Duren supplied 18 points and 13 rebounds for the Pistons. Tobias Harris had 17 points and Ron Holland.

Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks with 25 points and 10 rebounds but also had seven turnovers.

The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 136-111, with  Giannis Antetokounmpo collecting 28 points and 11 rebounds.

Antetokounmpo fell five assists short of what would have been his fourth straight triple-double, but the Bucks (46-34) still won their sixth consecutive game. Milwaukee's Kevin Porter Jr. scored 20 points.

Lester Quinones scored a career-high 21 while Keion Brooks Jr. and Jamal Cain each set a career best with 20 as the Pelicans lost their fifth game in a row.