Warriors in playoffs
Baron Davis had 12 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Portland Trail Blazers 120-98 Wednesday night in Portland to earn a playoff berth for the first time since 1994.
Golden State claimed the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Warriors went into the season finale against the Trail Blazers one game up on the Los Angeles Clippers, but made sure the Clippers’ game against New Orleans didn’t matter.
It was decided early, with the Warriors going up 64-46 at the half and leading by as many as 28 points.
Hornets 86, Clippers 83: At Los Angeles, Rasual Butler hit the tie-breaking jumper with 1.5 seconds remaining to give New Orleans a victory over the Clippers, who had been eliminated from playoff contention even before the final NBA game of the regular season ended.
Lakers 117, Kings 104: At Sacramento, Calif., Kobe Bryant scored 34 points and keyed a big third-quarter run that helped Los Angeles sew up the seventh seed in the Western Conference playoffs with a victory over the Kings.
Jazz 101, Rockets 91: At Salt Lake City, rookie Dee Brown had 13 points and eight assists, and Utah won a battle of reserves in a victory over Houston, days before the teams meet in the first round of the playoffs.
Cavaliers 109, Bucks 96: At Cleveland, LeBron James scored 24 points and capped a decisive run to open the fourth quarter with one of his powerhouse dunks, giving Cleveland a win over Milwaukee.
Cleveland notched its second straight 50-win season and earned the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference after Chicago lost to New Jersey.
Magic 94, Heat 68: At Orlando, Fla., Grant Hill scored 17 points, Hedo Turkoglu added 15 and Orlando beat Miami.
76ers 122, Raptors 119: At Toronto, Willie Green had a career-high 37 points to lead Philadelphia to a victory over the Raptors.
Luke Jackson had a career-high 30 points for the Raptors.
Knicks 94, Bobcats 93: At Charlotte, N.C., Eddy Curry scored 28 points and tipped in a miss with 0.6 seconds left to give New York a win over Charlotte in the final game for Bobcats coach Bernie Bickerstaff.
Pistons 91, Celtics 89: At Boston, Flip Murray hit the game-winner and Amir Johnson set career highs with 20 points and 12 rebounds to lead Detroit over the Celtics.
Grizzlies 116, Timberwolves 94: At Minneapolis, Pau Gasol had 25 points and 16 rebounds and Tarence Kinsey added 22 points to lead Memphis over Minnesota.
Nuggets 100, Spurs 77: At San Antonio, Reggie Evans had 19 points and 20 rebounds to help Denver beat the Spurs.
Nets 106, Bulls 97: At East Rutherford, N.J., Vince Carter had 24 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, and New Jersey beat Chicago, costing the Bulls the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Wizards 98, Pacers 95: At Indianapolis, Antawn Jamison had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Washington beat Indiana.
Spurs want “fair shake”
San Antonio Spurs star Tim Duncan said he hopes he and his teammates “get a fair shake” from officials in the wake of NBA referee Joey Crawford’s suspension.
NBA commissioner David Stern suspended Crawford, who has worked more postseason games than any active ref, indefinitely on Tuesday for his conduct toward Duncan during a game Sunday. His suspension will last at least through the NBA finals.
“I didn’t do anything to invoke the reaction that he gave to me and what he did, so I had nothing to do with that,” Duncan said after practice Wednesday. “So hopefully they take that into consideration and we get a fair shake from everybody.”
Shots fired at Murray’s home
Detroit Pistons guard Flip Murray says gunshots were fired into his home in Troy, Mich., after two people in masks approached a female friend who was returning with him from a nightclub. Police said no one was injured.
There are no suspects and the intent of the masked males was not clear. Murray, a former Seattle SuperSonics player, said he was not aware of being followed.
Around the league
Orlando Magic center Darko Milicic has a right midfoot sprain and could miss the start of the playoffs. … The Boston Celtics appointed Rich Gotham president, a role most recently held by legendary coach and team patriarch Arnold “Red” Auerbach, who died in October. … Terry Lyons, the NBA’s vice president of international communications, announced he will leave after the season, his 26th with the league. … The Arizona Supreme Court denied an appeal by former Portland Trail Blazer Damon Stoudamire for a jury trial on a marijuana possession charge. Stoudamire had asked the court to grant him a jury trial after a state Court of Appeals panel in Tucson had turned him down.