Nets 128, Spurs 116

New York: James Harden had 18 points and 11 assists in his return from an 18-game absence to help Brooklyn beat San Antonio on Wednesday night.

Coming off the bench in an NBA game for the first time since he won the league’s Sixth Man award for Oklahoma City in 2011-12, Harden also had seven rebounds after the longest layoff of his career, missing more than a month because of a strained right hamstring.

Landry Shamet scored 21 points and Nicolas Claxton had a career-high 18 for the Nets.

Hawks 120, Wizards 116

Atlanta: Trae Young scored 33 points and John Collins hit a goahead 3-pointer with 24.4 seconds remaining and Atlanta beat Washington to clinch its first playoff berth since 2017.

Under interim coach Nate Mcmillan, who should receive strong consideration in the coach of the year balloting, the Hawks have posted a 25-11 mark to stamp themselves as a dangerous opponent heading into the postseason.

Cavaliers 102, Celtics 94

Cleveland: Kevin Love scored a season-high 30 points, Collin Sexton added 28 and Cleveland beat Boston to end an 11-game losing streak, locking the Celtics into a spot in the NBA’S play-in tournament.

Mavericks 125, Pelicans 107

Dallas: Luka Doncic scored 33 points, Kristaps Porzingis added 19 in his return from injury and Dallas beat New Orleans to take a big step toward avoiding the play-in tournament.

The Pelicans were eliminated from postseason contention and played without four starters.

Trail Blazers 105, Jazz 98

Salt Lake City: Damian Lillard scored 30 points and CJ Mccollum added 26 to lead Portland to a victory over Utah.

Portland moved into a tie with Dallas for the fifth position in the Western Conference.

Oladipo will have surgery, ending his Heat season

Victor Oladipo’s season is over, and the two-time All-star and former ALL-NBA selection might be looking at another long rehabilitation before he can return to the court.

The Miami Heat said Wednesday that Oladipo has elected to have surgery on his right quadriceps tendon. There is no timetable for recovery, but such a surgery typically comes with a rehab time of several months -- meaning his status for the start of next season, at minimum, seems uncertain at best.

NBA sets 3-pointer record

The NBA’S 3-point dependence is stronger than ever.

For the ninth consecutive season, the league record for 3-pointers made per game has been broken. Even if zero 3s are made in the final four days of a regular season that ends Sunday, the league’s average in 2020-21 will be higher than any other season.

The 3s-per-game record was clinched when Washington’s Davis Bertans made the NBA’S 26,375th 3-pointer of the season Wednesday night.