Bobcats fall to Knicks, set futility mark

NBA: The Charlotte Bobcats couldn’t even beat a Knicks team resting most of its starters, finishing with the worst winning percentage in NBA history after a 104-84 loss in Charlotte, N.C., on Thursday.

J.R. Smith scored 22 points for the Knicks, who pulled away in the second half to clinch the Eastern Conference’s No. 7 seed and a first-round playoff matchup against No. 2 Miami beginning Saturday.

The Bobcats’ 23rd consecutive loss left them with a winning percentage of .106 (7-59) in the lockout-shortened season. The record was set 39 years ago, when the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers finished 9-73 (.110) in a full regular season.

The Knicks held out Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler and Baron Davis, while Amare Stoudemire had 21 points over two quarters.

The Bobcats played nearly even with the Knicks in the first half, leading twice and only trailing 46-44 at halftime.

• Grizzlies beat Magic to claim West’s No. 4 seed: Marc Gasol scored 22 points, Rudy Gay added 20 and the Memphis Grizzlies claimed the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference playoffs with an 88-76 win over the short-handed Orlando Magic in Memphis, Tenn. The Grizzlies will open the playoffs at home Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers, who dropped to the fifth seed with Memphis’ victory.

• Bulls rout Cavaliers, earn overall No. 1 seed: John Lucas III scored a career-high 25 points, Joakim Noah had 13 points and 13 rebounds, and the Chicago Bulls clinched the top overall seed in the NBA playoffs with a 107-75 victory over the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers. Chicago will host the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday.

• Nuggets beat Wolves, earn sixth seed in West: JaVale McGee scored 19 points to help the Denver Nuggets lock down the sixth seed in the Western Conference playoffs with a 131-102 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis. The Nuggets will face the third-seeded Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

• 76ers lose, slip to No. 8 seed in East: Ben Gordon scored 26 points to help the Detroit Pistons rout the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers 108-86 in Auburn Hills, Mich. Philadelphia (35-31) entered the game with a mathematical chance at the Eastern Conference’s seventh seed, but sat most of its starters. The 76ers open the playoffs at Chicago on Saturday.

• Jazz get past Blazers in season finale: Rookie Alec Burks scored 18 points and NBA Slam Dunk champ Jeremy Evans led a 10-0 fourth-quarter run as the playoff-bound Utah Jazz beat the Portland Trail Blazers 96-94 in Salt Lake City.

Utah will face top-seeded San Antonio in a first-round Western Conference matchup starting Sunday.

Rangers outlast Sens in Game 7 to advance

NHL: Rangers defensemen Marc Staal and Dan Girardi scored 4:18 apart in the second period, Henrik Lundqvist made 26 saves and top-seeded New York eliminated the visiting Ottawa Senators with a 2-1 victory in Game 7.

Staal broke the scoreless deadlock, and Girardi gave the Rangers a 2-0 lead with his first career NHL playoff goal.

Lundqvist allowed Daniel Alfredsson’s power-play goal in the second but stood tall the rest of the way to send the Rangers into a second-round Eastern Conference matchup with the Washington Capitals.

• Devils top Panthers in double-OT in Game 7: Adam Henrique scored his second goal of the game at 3:47 of the second overtime, and the New Jersey Devils beat the Florida Panthers 3-2 in Game 7 to advance to second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The Devils wasted a 2-0 third-period lead in Sunrise, Fla., then recovered and earned a matchup with Philadelphia in the East semifinals. Stephen Gionta scored in regulation for New Jersey, which won a series for the first time since 2007.

Stephen Weiss and Marcel Goc scored third-period goals for the Panthers, and Jose Theodore made 32 saves.

• Norris Trophy finalists named: Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins, Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators and Shea Weber of the Nashville Predators are the finalists for the Norris Trophy for the NHL’s best defenseman.

Non-BCS playoff system on horizon

College football: A group of the 11 Bowl Championship Series conference commissioners plus Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick recommended a four-team postseason event during their meetings in Hollywood, Fla., which concluded Thursday.

There’s plenty to resolve. How will the four teams will be selected – by a committee, BCS standing or polls? Where the games will be played – in bowls, at neutral sites or on campus? How will revenue be shared?

But change is coming because of wide dissatisfaction with the current BCS system.

The commissioners will present as many as seven options for a four-team playoff to conference spring meetings in May and June.

After getting feedback from the schools, the change must be approved by the NCAA Presidential Oversight Committee. Hancock said he hopes to have a resolution by July 4.

Tringale, Duke share lead at TPC Louisiana

Golf: Cameron Tringale and Ken Duke topped the Zurich Classic leaderboard at 7-under-par 65, leaving defending champion Bubba Watson six strokes back at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La..

Tringale birdied the final four holes and finished the round with eight birdies and a bogey. Duke had seven birdies and no bogeys. Both players are winless on the PGA Tour.

• Four-way tie at Mobile: Jennifer Rosales birdied five of the first seven holes on the back nine and finished with a 5-under 67 in the Mobile (Ala.) Bay LPGA Classic for a share of the first-round lead with Katie Futcher, Lindsey Wright and Caroline Hedwall.

Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., is 10 shots back.

Authorities issue warrants for Leaf

NFL: Authorities in Texas issued two arrest warrants for ex-NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf.

The Texas prosecutor who brokered a 10-year probationary sentence for Leaf two years ago on drug and burglary charges filed a motion to revoke Leaf’s probation earlier this month.

The warrants were issued Monday. Leaf made an initial appearance on them Wednesday via video from the jail in Cascade County, Mont.

Leaf was arrested in Great Falls on March 30 and again early on April 2. Authorities said that both times he was found in possession of oxycodone taken from other people’s residences.