Spurs beat Rockets 123-105 to stay alive in playoff race

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Keldon Johnson had 24 points and 11 rebounds, and the San Antonio Spurs kept alive their chance of becoming the first team in NBA history to make 23 consecutive playoff appearances with a 123-105 victory over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday.

DeMar DeRozan scored 23 points for San Antonio, which has won five of seven since arriving in the Florida bubble.

The Western Conference is guaranteed to have a play-in for its final playoff spot. The Spurs will need help to be one of the teams playing this weekend for that final spot, but made sure they couldn’t be eliminated Tuesday with their win.

Russell Westbrook had 20 points and seven turnovers in his first game back in the lineup for Houston after missing two games with a bruised right quadriceps.

The Rockets played without guards James Harden (rest) and Eric Gordon (ankle).

SUNS 130, 76ERS 117

Devin Booker scored 35 points and the Suns protected their playoff hopes by beating the 76ers to remain undefeated in the NBA restart.

Booker became the Suns’ career leader with his 91st 30-point game, breaking a tie with Walter Davis.

Mikal Bridges added 24 points for the Suns, who began the day only one game behind eighth-place Memphis in the Western Conference playoff race.

Phoenix is 7-0 as the only undefeated team in the restart.

Alec Burks led the 76ers with 23 points. Philadelphia, No. 6 in the East and already assured of a playoff spot, is attempting to prepare for the postseason after losing Ben Simmons to a knee injury.

NETS 108, MAGIC 96

Jeremiah Martin and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot each scored 24 points, leading Brooklyn to the victory.

Dzanan Musa added 17 points and Tyler Johnson had 14 for the Nets, who improved to 5-2 in the restart with their third straight victory.

With the Nets locked into the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference and the Magic eighth, the teams went with limited rosters while getting players extra rest. Brooklyn suited up nine players and Orlando used 10.

Markelle Fultz and Wes Iwundu each scored 18 points for the Magic, who have dropped five in a row after a 2-0 start at Walt Disney World. (AP)