NBA Notes: Lakers, LeBron James, Sixers, Tyrese Maxey, Magic

Lakers

LeBron James recorded 28 points, 12 assists and six rebounds as the Lakers defeated the Suns 101-73 on Friday, clinching home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs.

Los Angeles improved to 52-29 and will finish as either the No. 3 or No. 4 seed in the West. The Lakers trail Denver by one game for third place but hold the tiebreaker entering the final day of the regular season.

James continued his strong play, also reaching 12,000 career assists in the first half and becoming the fourth player in NBA history to hit that mark. He set the tone early, scoring 14 first-quarter points as the Lakers built a double-digit lead they never relinquished.

Luke Kennard added 19 points and Rui Hachimura scored 13 for Los Angeles, which has now won 15 of its past 19 games despite injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Marcus Smart returned from a nine-game absence and finished with six points and seven assists.

76ers

Tyrese Maxey scored 32 points as the 76ers defeated the Pacers 105-94, snapping a three-game losing streak.

Paul George added 21 points, while VJ Edgecombe and Kelly Oubre Jr. chipped in 16 and 15, respectively. Andre Drummond contributed a double-double with 10 points and 16 rebounds.

Philadelphia improved to 44-37 and remains in eighth place in the Eastern Conference with one game to play.

The Sixers were without Joel Embiid, who underwent an appendectomy on Thursday. Head coach Nick Nurse said the procedure went well, though there is no timetable for Embiid’s return.

Magic

Franz Wagner scored 25 points and Jamal Cain added 20 as the Magic defeated the Bulls 127-103 for their fifth straight win.

Orlando improved to 45-36 and moved into a tie with Toronto for the No. 6 seed in the East after the Raptors lost Friday. The Magic remain in position to avoid the play-in tournament with one game remaining.

Paolo Banchero contributed 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, while Jalen Suggs scored all 12 of his points in the third quarter, knocking down four 3-pointers during a key stretch that helped Orlando pull away.

The Magic took control in the second half after building a modest halftime lead, using a strong third quarter to create separation and secure the win.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.