Grizzlies beat Clippers, earn No. 5 seed

The Memphis Grizzlies won a game they were probably better off losing.

Jake Tsaklalidis scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds, while Lorenzen Wright finished with 17 points Tuesday night as the Grizzlies defeated the visiting Los Angeles Clippers 101-95, giving Memphis a better seeding but less favorable matchup in the first round of the playoffs.

The win gives Memphis the fifth seed in the Western Conference and an opening-round matchup against Dallas. The Clippers, who lost their second straight and fifth in the last seven, dropped to the sixth seed but will have home-court advantage Northwest Division champion Denver.

Bobby Jackson scored 15 points for Memphis, while Shane Battier added 12. James Singleton, who averages 3.1 points, led the Clippers with 23 points.

76ers 91, Nets 88: At Philadelphia, Allen Iverson and Chris Webber did not play because of injuries, did not show up in the locker room until tip-off and missed Philadelphia’s win over New Jersey. The 76ers will fine Iverson and Webber for not being at the arena 90 minutes before the game against the Nets, and the duo might not make the trip to close out the season in Charlotte today.

Wizards 116, Bucks 103: At Washington, Gilbert Arenas scored 31 of his 43 points in the second half, and the Wizards overcame a career-high 43 points from Michael Redd to beat Milwaukee on the next-to-last day of the regular season.

Hawks 103, Heat 100: At Atlanta, Tyronn Lue’s 3-pointer with 8.3 seconds left gave Atlanta a victory over a Miami team that was without its head coach and three top players. Miami stayed close despite having leading scorers Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade watch the game in street clothes. Coach Pat Riley was visiting his sick mother in upstate New York.