WASHINGTON: Defending NBA champion Miami, playing without its top stars, clinched this season’s best NBA record and a home-field advantage in the play-offs with a 103-98 victory yesterday at Washington.
Ray Allen scored 23 points to lead the Heat, who lacked LeBron James due to a sore right hamstring, Dwyane Wade with a knee bruise and ankle sprain, Chris Bosh with the flu and Udonis Haslem with a sore right ankle.
The Heat set a new team record for victories in a single season with 62 and ensured they will finish atop the San Antonio Spurs, the leaders of the NBA Western Conference, for the top playoff seed.
At 62-16, Miami had already clinched the top Eastern Conference mark.
Rashard Lewis scored 17 points for the Heat while Shane Battier added 15 points and Mike Miller had 14 points and eight rebounds for Miami.
The Wizards, led by A J Price’s 23 points and 17 from John Wall, saw their nine-game home win streak snapped. Washington fell to 29-50. Also yesterday, Kobe Bryant set a Rose Garden record by an opponent with his season-high 47 points and visiting Los Angeles edged Portland 113-106 to keep its play-off hopes alive.
Pau Gasol had 23 points and nine assists while Dwight Howard added 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who maintained their one-game hold on the eighth and final play-off spot in the Western Conference with three games to play.
Damian Lillard led Portland with a career-high 38 points along with nine assists. The Trail Blazers were within 108-104 with 1:15 left, but Steve Blake grabbed two critical offensive rebounds in the final minute to seal the Lakers’ victory.
Bryant played 48 minutes and made 14-of-27 shots from the field - and all 18 from the foul line.
Meanwhile, Wilson Chandler scored 29 points and Corey Brewer added 28 as hosts Denver downed San Antonio 96-86 to set a franchise record with its 21st consecutive home victory.
Andre Iguodala had 12 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists as the Nuggets improved to a league-best 36-3 at home while surpassing the record set by the 1984-85 squad.
Denver has won five straight and is one game ahead of Memphis for the third seed in the Western Conference. San Antonio fell into a tie with Oklahoma City for the top seed in the West.
Also yesterday, Chris Paul led the way with 19 points and 11 assists as Los Angeles easily handled visiting Minnesota to grab its third straight win with a 111-95 result.
Blake Griffin added 19 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Clippers. REUTERS
