Aussies Abroad: Daniels delivers double-double

AAP.

Australian guard Dyson Daniels has continued his stellar NBA season, recording another double-double as the surging Atlanta Hawks routed the Orlando Magic 130-101 for their 17th win in their past 19 games.

Daniels finished with 15 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and one steal for Atlanta in Orlando on Wednesday night (Thursday AEDT).

Fellow Australian Jock Landale also made an impact, contributing eight points, one rebound and one assist in an eventful 15 minutes on court.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the Hawks with 32 points, while Jalen Johnson added 18 points and 14 rebounds.

Atlanta swept the season series against Orlando 4-0 and now holds a 3.5-game lead over the Magic in the Southeast Division with five games remaining.

Jamal Cain top-scored for Orlando with 17 points off the bench, while Desmond Bane and Wendell Carter Jr each added 14.

The Hawks blew the game open in the second quarter, pouring in 47 points on 17-of-24 shooting.

Tensions flared late in the game when Magic centre Goga Bitadze was ejected for a flagrant foul 2 after pulling Landale down by the shoulder. Daniels was issued a technical foul after confronting Bitadze in defence of his teammate.

In Miami, Jaylen Brown scored 43 points and Jayson Tatum recorded his first triple-double of the season as the Boston Celtics defeated the Heat 147-129.

Tatum finished with 25 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists as Boston erupted for 53 points in the first quarter, a franchise record and the equal second-highest opening quarter in NBA history.

Sam Hauser added 23 points for the Celtics, who have now won 10 of their past 11 games following a loss.

Boston (51-25) sits second in the Eastern Conference, four games behind Detroit.

Bam Adebayo had 29 points and 10 rebounds for Miami, who tied a franchise record with 24 three-pointers. The Heat remain 10th in the East play-in race.

In Chicago, Pascal Siakam scored 25 points as the Indiana Pacers defeated the Bulls 145-126 to climb off the bottom of the standings.

Coming off a win over Miami, the injury-hit Pacers produced their highest-scoring game of the season to improve to 18-58, moving ahead of Washington.

Guerschon Yabusele led Chicago with 20 points, while Collin Sexton added 18. The Bulls have now lost five straight to fall to 29-47.

Australian Josh Giddey did not play due to a hamstring injury.