Mavericks clinch league's best record
The Dallas Mavericks can ease up the last five games of the regular season. They've already clinched the league's best record (64-13) - and homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Dallas Mavericks can ease up the last five games of the regular season. They've already clinched the league's best record (64-13) - and homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs.
Dirk Nowitzki scored 26 points, including 12 straight in the third quarter, and Josh Howard made a key three-pointer in the final 2 minutes, leading the Mavs past the visiting Los Angeles Clippers, 96-86, last night to clinch the top seed this postseason.
Corey Maggette led Los Angeles with 24 points.
In other games:
* At Seattle, Yao Ming's 31 points led Houston to a 95-90 win over the SuperSonics. Rockets guard Bonzi Wells did not show up for practice or the game. He left a voice message for Houston trainer Keith Jones saying he felt he was disrupting the chemistry of the team. As of last night, head coach Jeff Van Gundy had not heard from him.
* At San Antonio, Tony Parker scored 30 points to help the Spurs beat Portland, 112-96. The Trail Blazers announced that rookie LaMarcus Aldridge's rapid heartbeat, which he experienced 9 days ago, was caused by Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, a condition in which an extra electrical connection between the atria and the ventricles is present. It is not considered career-threatening, but he will miss the rest of the season.
* At Denver, Carmelo Anthony scored 33 points and Allen Iverson added 24 to lead the Nuggets over the Los Angeles Lakers, 115-111.
* At Minneapolis, Anthony Parker scored 13 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter, and the Raptors rallied to beat Minnesota, 111-100.
* At Milwaukee, Hedo Turkoglu scored 25 points to lead Orlando to a 117-94 win over the Bucks. Milwaukee's Michael Redd will sit out the remainder of the season with a left knee injury.
* At New York, Chauncey Billups scored 22 points to lead Detroit over the Knicks, 91-83.
* At Oakland, Stephen Jackson's 28 points led Golden State over Utah, 126-102.
Noteworthy
* Miami forward James Posey was arrested in Miami early yesterday on a drunken-driving charge after an officer pulled him over for stopping in the middle of a road. Posey was arrested and taken to Miami-Dade County jail. He was later released on $1,000 bond. It is unknown whether he will play in Charlotte tonight.
* The new owners of the Seattle SuperSonics and the WNBA's Storm said they have an agreement in principle to acquire 21.2 acres of land on the shore of Lake Washington in suburban Renton for a new arena. The facility could open in time for the 2010 season. *