The Phoenix Suns beat the Miami Heat 111-90 at FTX Arena on Wednesday to secure their 53rd win of the season and become the first team to clinch a playoff berth.

The Suns missed Chris Paul due to a thumb injury but Devin Booker returned from health and safety protocols. Booker shot 7-for-12 from the field and drained four 3-pointers to post 23 points, eight rebounds and nine assists for the Suns. He also made some remarkable defensive contributions with two steals and two blocks.

"We know what we're working for," Booker said after the game.

Both the Suns and Heat contained each other at the 3-point line, but the Suns had a huge advantage inside the paint. Deandre Ayton's double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds aside, JaVale McGee had 11 points and 15 rebounds, including seven on the offensive glass, in less than 16 minutes for the Suns. As a result, the Suns led in both second-chance points (14-4) and points in the paint (52-44).

"I'm sure they remembered that," Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said. "They wanted to really make a statement tonight. They just outplayed us."

Jimmy Butler sat out Wednesday's game for the Heat due to sinus congestion. Without his ability to change the opponents' defense with individual offense, the team had to put everything in the basket shouldered by Tyler Herro. Unfortunately, it was one of the coldest nights for Herro's touch. He took a team-high 20 attempts but only made seven of them, including shooting 2-for-9 in triples.

After Wednesday's win, the Suns have now beaten each of the league's remaining 29 teams at least once. The last time they did this was the 2006-07 season.

"We wanted to make a statement here," Booker said. A statement is the loudest when it's made via victory over the leader of the other conference.

Should James have taken the final shot in regulation?

The Houston Rockets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 139-130 in overtime (OT) at Toyota Center on Wednesday to pocket their second win in the past 15 games.

The dominant performance by the Houston youngsters should bring a smile to the franchise's front office. Jalen Green shot 13-for-21 from the field for a team-high 32 points, including 10 in OT. Alperen Sengun had a double-double of 21 points and 14 rebounds in addition to two steals and two blocks. Kenyon Martin Jr. and Josh Christopher combined for 38 points and 17 rebounds.

"That was so much fun and exciting and great for a packed house to see us play like that," Rockets head coach Stephen Silas said. "And also great for our team to respond to the adversity, get down and come back out fighting."

"It felt good," Green said. "They kept feeding me. Told me to keep attacking until they stop me. So that's what I did. The basket felt super big tonight."

The Lakers suffered their 11th loss in the past 15 games on Wednesday. Losing to the worst team in the West sounds bad, but it's not the first lost game the purple and gold should have won.

LeBron James dropped a triple-double of 23 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists, but his last play in regulation was embarrassing. He drove his way to the hoop and was able to shoot an open reverse layup in the last seconds. However, instead of shooting, James passed it to Carmelo Anthony, who then missed the shot. The game then entered OT, during which the Lakers fell apart immediately.

"Ended up behind the backboard," James said, explaining his decision at the end of regulation. "I was a little bit off-balance and I could have forced a reverse layup, but I wasn't in the position to feel like I could have got a great look. I could have got a decent look and I feel like Melo's look was a lot better than mine."

The explanation was not convincing but not unacceptable either. The point is, the Lakers, despite their struggling performance this season, should have never come to the point where one bucket could decide the game against the Rockets.

"It is hard losing when you're pouring everything you have into it and trying to get traction for this group. But we've got resolve and this is a tough stretch we have to fight through," Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said.

Other games on Wednesday (away teams come first):

Boston Celtics 115-101 Charlotte Hornets

Chicago Bulls 114-108 Detroit Pistons

Atlanta Hawks 115-124 Milwaukee Bucks

Oklahoma City Thunder 102-132 Minnesota Timberwolves

Orlando Magic 108-102 New Orleans Pelicans

New York Knicks 107-77 Dallas Mavericks

Toronto Raptors 119-104 San Antonio Spurs

Portland Trail Blazers 85-123 Utah Jazz

Denver Nuggets 106-100 Sacramento Kings

Washington Wizards 109-115 Los Angeles Clippers