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Lakers return to playoffs

Kobe Bryant, left, goes to the basket over Phoenix's Brian Grant. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press The Spokesman-Review
Kobe Bryant, left, goes to the basket over Phoenix's Brian Grant. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

Helped by the absence of Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant put on his usual one-man offensive show and the Los Angeles Lakers easily clinched a playoff berth.

Bryant made a late-season case for league MVP honors, scoring 43 points in a 109-89 rout of the visiting Phoenix Suns on Sunday.

“It doesn’t really seem like we’re overly jumping for joy, but it is a great accomplishment for us,” he said. “We came from last season when we didn’t make it. This season nobody expected us to make it, and here we are.”

The Lakers are back in the postseason for the first time since losing the 2004 NBA Finals to Detroit. Their seeding has yet to be decided, but they could face Phoenix in the first round.

“It is good to be back in the playoffs again. That’s an important step for this club because of the number of young players we have that haven’t been in the playoffs,” said coach Phil Jackson, who was let go after losing the 2004 championship.

The Suns rested Nash and Raja Bell because of thigh-related injuries, leaving Shawn Marion to carry the load in Phoenix’s first loss to the Lakers this season. He had 29 points, and Boris Diaw had 11 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds for his second straight triple-double and fourth of the season.

Bulls 117, Heat 93: At Miami, Luol Deng scored 17 of his 26 points to spearhead Chicago’s first-half rally from an early 15-point deficit, and the Bulls also got 18 points apiece from Andres Nocioni and Ben Gordon to beat the Heat and clinch an Eastern Conference postseason berth.

Spurs 103, Timberwolves 90: At Minneapolis, Tim Duncan had 10 points and eight rebounds in just 20 minutes, and San Antonio moved closer to clinching first place in the Western Conference behind 57 points from its bench in a win over Minnesota.

Pistons 103, Knicks 97: At Auburn Hills, Mich., Richard Hamilton scored 28 points, and Tayshaun Prince added 20 as Detroit set a franchise record for wins. The Pistons (64-16) broke the mark of 63 wins set by the 1988-89 Bad Boys NBA champs, a team led by current Knicks president Isiah Thomas.

Wizards 104, Cavaliers 92: At Washington, Gilbert Arenas scored 35 points, leading the Wizards past LeBron James and Cleveland to end a five-game losing streak and clinch consecutive postseason berths for the first time since 1988.

Nets 95, Celtics 93: At East Rutherford, N.J., Nenad Krstic scored 18 points to pace a balanced attack, Richard Jefferson added 15, and New Jersey held on for a victory over Boston.

Mavericks 111, Jazz 95: At Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki scored 14 of his 22 points on free throws, and Jerry Stackhouse finished with 20 points in his return to the sixth-man role, leading the Mavericks past Utah. The loss eliminated the Jazz from postseason contention.

Kings 96, Hornets 79: At Sacramento, Calif., Mike Bibby hit five 3-pointers while scoring 23 points, and the Kings celebrated their eighth consecutive playoff berth with a victory over New Orleans.

Around the league

Miami head coach Pat Riley will not accompany his team to Atlanta today, heading instead to upstate New York to visit his ailing mother. The team does not know if Riley will coach the team against the Hawks on Tuesday night. … LeBron James was back in the Cleveland starting lineup Sunday against Washington after missing a game for the first time this season because of a sprained left ankle. … Paul Pierce missed Boston’s game against New Jersey because of bursitis in his left elbow. Rookie Gerald Green started in his place.