Stars watch Heat clinch best mark
NBA: Ray Allen scored 23 points, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade chilled at the end of the bench, and the Miami Heat’s B-squad gave the resting A-team the gift of home-court advantage throughout the playoffs Wednesday night, clinching the best record in the NBA with a 103-98 victory over the host Washington Wizards.
With James (right hamstring) and Wade (sprained ankle and bruised knee) looking like two guys sitting at a bus stop, and Chris Bosh at home with flu-like symptoms, the Heat committed 25 turnovers but still managed the win that assured they’ll finish better than the Western Conference-leading San Antonio Spurs.
• Kobe scores 47: Kobe Bryant scored a season-high 47 points and the visiting Los Angeles Lakers pulled closer to a playoff berth with a 113-106 victory over the short-handed Portland Trail Blazers.
The Lakers moved a game up on the Utah Jazz for the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference.
• Nuggets win 21st straight at home: Wilson Chandler scored 29 points and Corey Brewer had 28 as the Denver Nuggets overcame a slow start to post their franchise-record 21st straight home win, 96-86 over the San Antonio Spurs.
Campbell helps Bruins regain division lead
NHL: Gregory Campbell scored twice in a three-goal first period and the Boston Bruins regained first place in the Northeast Division with a 5-4 victory over the reeling New Jersey Devils at Newark, N.J. New Jersey has lost eight straight (0-4-4).
Indiana’s Zeller leaving for NBA
Miscellany: Three more players, including Indiana sophomore Cody Zeller, will enter the NBA draft.
Zeller, a 7-footer, led the Hoosiers in scoring (16.5 points) and rebounding (8.1).
Syracuse sophomore point guard Michael Carter-Williams and Missouri point guard Phil Pressey also announced their decisions to leave school.
• Barcelona advances: Barcelona reached the semifinals of the Champions League for the sixth consecutive year after battling back to draw 1-1 with Paris Saint Germain at the Camp Nou.
Pedro Rodriguez smashed home the tying goal in the 71st minute.
In the other match, Bayern Munich beat Juventus 2-0 to go through on 4-0 aggregate to join Barcelona, Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund in the semifinals.
• Oil Kings, Blazers clinch: Henrik Samuelsson and Dylan Wruck combined for six points as the Edmonton Oil Kings defeated the host Medicine Hat Tigers 4-2 to advance to the Western Hockey League Eastern Conference final.
Kale Kessy scored in overtime and host Kamloops advanced to the Western Conference final with a 4-3 overtime win over Kelowna.