NBA
Heat beat Wizards, wrap up Southeast Division title MIAMI (AP) – Antoine Walker scored 19 points and took two crucial charges late in the fourth quarter, Dwyane Wade added 16 points, seven assists and six rebounds, and the Heat wrapped up the Southeast Division title with an 85-82 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.
The win assures the defending NBA champion Heat of no worse than the fourth seed for the Eastern Conference playoffs. But unless Toronto collapses down the stretch, Miami will likely open the postseason on the road because its record won’t be among the best four in the conference.
Brendan Haywood had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Washington, losers of six straight. The Wizards went for the win with 7.8 seconds left, but Antonio Daniels’ 3-point try from the right corner was blocked by Alonzo Mourning.
Miami was without Shaquille O’Neal, who attended his paternal grandfather’s funeral in Newark, N.J. earlier in the day, and Udonis Haslem, sidelined by a sore groin.
Pistons 104, Magic 99
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Tayshaun Prince’s short jumper broke a late tie, and Detroit locked up home-court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs with a victory over Orlando.
In a possible preview of a first-round series, Chauncey Billups led the Pistons with 28 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter. Richard Hamilton added 21.
The eighth-place Magic had their lead over Indiana cut to one game in the race for the final playoff spot.
Former Detroit All-Star Grant Hill led Orlando with 22 points, the most he has scored against the Pistons since leaving in the summer of 2000. Keyon Dooling and Jameer Nelson added 17 points apiece, while Dwight Howard finished with 12 points and 16 rebounds.
Pacers 104, Bucks 98
MILWAUKEE – Mike Dunleavy scored 25 points, including four free throws in the final 7.7 seconds, and Indiana beat Milwaukee.
Danny Granger had 18 points and 10 assists, while Jermaine O’Neal and Darrell Armstrong added 16 points apiece for Indiana, which held a 58-39 rebounding advantage.
Mo Williams scored 17 of his 23 points in the second half to lead Milwaukee, and Dan Gadzuric and rookie Noel each added a season-high 18 points.
Mavericks 105, Timberwolves 88
MINNEAPOLIS – With Nowitzki and Jerry Stackhouse resting at home, Josh Howard and Jason Terry scored 16 points apiece to lead Dallas past Minnesota.
The Mavericks set a franchise record with their 30th road victory of the season. If Dallas (65-13) wins its last four games of the season, it will finish with the second-best record in league history.
With the top seed in the West wrapped up, Dallas left Nowitzki, Stackhouse and Erick Dampier at home and sat Devin Harris to rest up for the postseason.
Craig Smith had 14 points and seven rebounds, and Justin Reed scored 17 for Minnesota, which announced shortly before game time that All-Star Kevin Garnett is out indefinitely with an injured right quadriceps. The Timberwolves lost their sixth straight home game, their longest skid since a franchise-record 14-game streak in 1994.
Spurs 109, Kings 100
SAN ANTONIO – Tim Duncan scored 26 points, Michael Finley added 19, and San Antonio rallied in the fourth quarter for a victory over Sacramento.
Duncan scored 13 in the fourth quarter and Finley added 10 to help the Spurs erase the Kings’ five-point lead in the third.
With four games remaining, the Spurs (57-21) have a shot at their second consecutive 60-win season and their third in the last five seasons. They have won five straight and 11 of 12.
The Spurs swept the Kings 4-0 in the season series.
Ron Artest sat out for Sacramento with a sore left hamstring.
Mike Bibby and Francisco Garcia scored 22 points apiece for the Kings, who are guaranteed of finishing last in the Pacific Division.
76ers 102, Celtics 94
BOSTON – Steven Hunter tied a career-high with 20 points and Andre Miller added 19 points to lead Philadelphia to a comeback win over Boston.
Louis Williams also tied a career high with 18 points and Joe Smith added 16 for the Sixers, who outscored Boston 55-36 in the second half to win their third straight game.
Ryan Gomes scored a game-high 26 points to lead the Celtics, who lost their fifth straight after announcing that leading scorer Paul Pierce would miss the rest of the season with a sore left elbow.
Philadelphia also played without its leading scorer, Andre Iguodala, who sat out his second game with a strained lower back.