NBA-Highlights of Monday's National Basketball Association games
April 14 (The Sports Xchange) - Highlights of Monday's National Basketball Association games. - - - Grizzlies 97, Suns 91 Zach Randolph scored a season-high 32 points and collected nine rebounds, and Mike Miller added five three-pointers and a season-high 21 points off the bench, as the Grizzlies beat the Phoenix Suns and eliminated them from playoff contention. In a tight game down the stretch, Mike Conley put Memphis ahead to stay at 93-91 on a three-pointer with 1:08 left. Markieff Morris scored 21 points off the bench for the Suns (47-34), who will miss the playoffs for a fourth straight season. The Grizzlies (49-32), tied with Dallas (49-32), play the Mavericks in the season finale on Wednesday with the winner claiming the No. 7 seed in the West. - - - Warriors 130, Timberwolves 120 Reserve forward Draymond Green connected on a career-best four three-pointers, leading the Golden State Warriors to a victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves that clinched the West's sixth seed. The Warriors, who recorded a first-round playoff upset of Denver as the six seed a year ago, will face either the Los Angeles Clippers or Oklahoma City Thunder in the first-round, best-of-seven series. Stephen Curry compiled 32 points and 15 assists for the Warriors (50-31) while Minnesota lost despite Kevin Love's monster night of 40 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists. - - - Bulls 108, Magic 95 Mike Dunleavy scored 22 points, leading the Chicago Bulls to a victory over the Orlando Magic as they fight for playoff positioning. The Bulls played their final regular-season home game, but their playoff future remains unsettled. Chicago and Toronto Raptors remain tied for third place in the Eastern Conference, both with 48-33 records. The Bulls need to win their season finale on Wednesday and have Toronto lose theirs in order to get the No. 3 seed. - - - Rockets 104, Spurs 98 The Houston Rockets used a late rally to overcome a fourth-quarter deficit for a win over the San Antonio Spurs that clinched a season series sweep. The Rockets (54-27) secured home-court advantage for their Western Conference quarter-final series against the Portland Trail Blazers by completing their first season sweep against the Spurs (62-19) since the 1988-89 season. Dwight Howard finished with 20 points and 17 rebounds as Houston used a 10-2 run in the fourth to surge past the Spurs, who have already clinched the No. 1 seed in the West. - - - Bobcats 95, Hawks 93 Chris Douglas-Roberts made a running six-footer at the buzzer to give the Charlotte Bobcats a win over the Atlanta Hawks. Center Al Jefferson scored 27 points and added 15 rebounds to lead the Bobcats (42-39), who remain a game behind the Washington Wizards in the battle for the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference. Mike Scott tallied 20 points for Atlanta (37-44), locked into the East's eighth spot. - - - Pelicans 101, Thunder 89 Tyreke Evans, pressed into emergency point guard duty, scored a career-high 41 points and dished out eight assists to power the short-handed New Orleans Pelicans to a victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Evans' status before the game was uncertain because of a bone bruise in his knee, but he exploded for the Pelicans (33-48). Kevin Durant scored 25 for the Thunder (58-23), who missed the chance to clinch the West's No. 2 seed but can do so with a win in their finale on Wednesday, or with one more loss by the Los Angeles Clippers. - - - Wizards 114, Heat 93 Trevor Ariza scored 25 points and the Washington Wizards took advantage of Miami playing without LeBron James and Chris Bosh to beat the Heat. Miami's largest loss of the season locked up the Eastern Conference regular-season title for the idle Indiana Pacers. The Heat (54-27), who have lost four of five games, will enter the postseason as the second seed. The Wizards (43-38), currently sixth in the East, are one game ahead of the Charlotte Bobcats. - - - Raptors 110, Bucks 100 Greivis Vasquez scored 25 points and Kyle Lowry added 24 as the Toronto Raptors set a team record with their 48th victory of the season in defeating the Milwaukee Bucks. Vasquez was filling in for regular shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, who was rested by the Raptors (48-33). Toronto can clinch the East's third seed by winning their season finale on Wednesday against the New York Knicks. - - - 76ers 113, Celtics 108 Rookie point guard Michael Carter-Williams had 21 points, a career-high 14 rebounds and six assists as the Philadelphia 76ers held off the Boston Celtics. Backup guard Tony Wroten added 20 points for the Sixers (18-63), who snapped a four-game losing streak in their final home game of the season. - - - Lakers 119, Jazz 104 Nick Young scored a season-high 41 points and sparked a massive turnaround as the Los Angeles Lakers pounded the Utah Jazz. Young scored 17 in the fourth quarter as Los Angeles stormed to a commanding 20-point lead after trailing by 13 in the first half. (Editing by Peter Rutherford)
