BOSTON — Bradley Beal scored 27 points and Washington clinched the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 118-102 win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.
BOSTON — Bradley Beal scored 27 points and Washington clinched the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 118-102 win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.
The Wizards will be facing Chicago in their first playoff appearance since 2008.
Trevor Booker scored 20 points, Marcin Gortat had 15 with 10 rebounds, and John Wall 15 points for Washington, which finished the regular season 44-38. It’s the most wins for the franchise since 45 in 2004-05.
The Wizards jumped over Brooklyn and into fifth place after the Nets lost in Cleveland.
CAVALIERS 114, NETS 85
CLEVELAND — Brooklyn coach Jason Kidd sat his starters for the playoffs and the Nets closed the regular season with a loss that dropped them to the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Although the Nets could have clinched the Eastern Conference’s No. 5 spot with a win, Kidd elected to rest Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Joe Johnson, Deron Williams and Shaun Livingston, who spent the night on the bench as the world’s highest-paid cheerleading squad. Kidd also limited the minutes of key reserves and used only seven players.
KNICKS 95, RAPTORS 92
NEW YORK — The New York Knicks finished their disappointing season with a victory and Toronto blew a 21-point lead but earned the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Toronto will host the Brooklyn Nets, who fell to the No. 6 seed, in its playoff opener Saturday.
BOBCATS 91, BULLS 86, OT
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kemba Walker scored eight of his 22 points in overtime to help Charlotte defeat Chicago.
Al Jefferson added 10 points and 18 rebounds for Charlotte, and Chris Douglas-Roberts finished with 13 points after being held scoreless for the first three quarters.
Josh McRoberts made a key play in overtime, blocking D.J. Augustin’s 3-point attempt. Walker grabbed the loose ball and raced the length of the court for a layup that gave the Bobcats an 88-81 lead with 1 minute left.
PACERS 101, MAGIC 86
ORLANDO, Fla. — Rasual Butler and Chris Copeland each scored 19 points as Indiana rested key players and still cruised.
The Eastern Conference’s top seed ended the season winning three of four to shake off a nasty late-season slump. The Pacers will open the playoffs against eighth-seed Atlanta.
Indiana held out Paul George, Lance Stephenson and David West against the Magic. Also getting the night off was reserve Ian Mahinmi.
76ERS 100, HEAT 87
MIAMI — Thaddeus Young scored 20 points, Michael Carter-Williams had 12 in the final game of his impressive rookie campaign for Philadelphia.
It was Philadelphia’s second win of the season over the two-time defending NBA champions, though Miami was that in name only Wednesday. LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Mario Chalmers and Chris Andersen were held out to rest for the playoffs, which for the Heat begin on Sunday at home against the Charlotte Bobcats.
HAWKS 111, BUCKS 103
MILWAUKEE — Mike Scott scored 17 points and the Atlanta Hawks ended the regular season with a 111-103 win Wednesday over the Bucks, hours after Milwaukee owner Herb Kohl announced he was selling his team.
Dennis Schroder added 15 for the Hawks, who rallied from a 12-point deficit in the first half.
Atlanta is locked into the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and a first-round date with the Indiana Pacers. Scott started for forward Paul Millsap, who was rested to get ready for the postseason.
GRIZZLIES 106, MAVERICKS 105, OT
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Mike Conley hit two free throws with 1.1 seconds left in overtime, and Memphis grabbed the Western Conference’s No. 7 seed away from Dallas.
Monta Ellis missed a 17-footer before Conley drew the foul driving to the basket. Dallas had one last shot, but Ellis missed from the top of the key.
Memphis became the seventh team in the West with 50 wins this season. The Grizzlies, who set a franchise record with a 14th straight home win in a single season, will open the postseason Saturday at Oklahoma City.
THUNDERS 112, PISTONS 111
OKLAHOMA CITY — Kevin Durant scored 42 points, including 21 in the fourth quarter, and Oklahoma City secured the No. 2 playoff seed in the Western Conference.
Oklahoma City (59-23) had lost two straight to put itself in the must-win situation in the regular-season finale to earn the No. 2 seed. Durant brought the Thunder back while recording his 14th 40-point game of the season.
PELICANS 105, ROCKETS 100
NEW ORLEANS — Tyreke Evans had 25 points and 10 assists, and New Orleans closed out a difficult season with a crowd pleasing victory.
It was the second straight victory for the Pelicans, both starring Evans’ relentless hustle and forceful dribble-drives. Evans was nearly held out of the low-stakes games with a bruised right knee, but insisted on playing.
He gave New Orleans the lead for good with a driving layup with 2:35 left, then sealed it with a powerful move in which he wedged his way between Jordan Hamilton and Josh Powell for a running, right-handed hook from the lane.
LAKERS 113, SPURS 100
SAN ANTONIO — Jordan Hill had 18 points and 14 rebounds and the Lakers closed their worst season since they moved to Los Angeles with a victory over San Antonio.
Nick Young scored 16 points and Kendall Marshall added 15 points to help Los Angeles close the season with a two-game winning streak.
The Lakers (27-55) are expected to look dramatically different next season after finishing with their worst record since moving to Los Angeles.
JAZZ 136, TIMBERWOLVES 130, 2OT
MINNEAPOLIS — Trey Burke scored a career-high 32 points to go with nine assists and seven rebounds and the Jazz avoided their worst record since moving to Utah 35 years ago.
Gordon Hayward had 23 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, and Derrick Favors added 21 points and 12 boards for the Jazz (25-57), who would have tied the worst record since the team relocated in 1979 with a loss. They also snapped a five-game losing streak and won for just the fourth time in their last 25 games.
SUNS 104, KINGS 99
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Archie Goodwin scored 12 of his career-high 29 points in the fourth quarter for Phoenix.
The Suns outscored the Kings 33-25 in the fourth quarter to snap a three-game losing streak.
Marcus Morris had 10 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter for the Suns. Twin Markieff Morris scored 15 points and Gerald Green 12.
TRAIL BLAZERS 110, CLIPPERS 104
PORTLAND, Ore. — Will Barton had a career-high 23 points and 10 rebounds and Portland beat Los Angeles Clippers with both teams resting key players in advance of the playoffs.
Portland, which sat starting forward LaMarcus Aldridge, ends the regular season on a five-game winning streak. Seeded fifth in the Western Conference, Portland will face the Rockets in a first-round series starting Sunday in Houston.
WARRIORS 116, NUGGETS 112
DENVER — Jordan Crawford scored a career-high 41 points and Harrison Barnes added 30 as a squad of Golden State backups beat Denver.
Crawford beat his previous career high of 39 points set against Miami on March, 30, 2011, when he was with Washington. He surpassed it with a runner that put the Warriors ahead for good at 110-108.