It took a miracle 3-pointer by Kobe Bryant with 1.1 seconds left in regulation and an equally miraculous collapse by the Sacramento Kings against a Golden State Warriors team missing three starters and set to begin summer vacation today.
But the Lakers went into double-overtime of their regular-season finale Wednesday against the Portland Trail Blazers in control over their playoff seeding. And then Bryant hit a shot more significant than anyone could have imagined.
Bryant's second buzzer-beating, rain-making 3-pointer sent the Lakers to a 105-104 triumph, the Western Conference's No. 2 seed and into a first-round series with the Houston Rockets beginning Saturday at Staples Center.
PHOTO: EPA
It will mark the first Yao Ming-Shaquille O'Neal playoff showdown and set up a path to the NBA Finals that would match the Lakers against the defending NBA champion and No. 3 seeded San Antonio Spurs in the second round.
It also was perhaps the most opportune outcome for which the Lakers -- who also captured the Pacific Division title -- could have hoped, especially after San Antonio hammered Denver by 26 points earlier Wednesday.
Now the Lakers will face a Houston team that ended a five-game losing streak last Wednesday, scored just 69 points against Utah on Saturday and started Bostjan Nachbar in Wednesday's 92-89 loss to Dallas.
The Rockets had the worst second-half record (15-15) of any of the Lakers' possible first-round playoff opponents and the worst home-court record (27-13) of any Western Conference playoff team.
Houston also enters the playoffs with less-than-perfect health. Steve Francis is nursing an injured elbow and wrist, Cuttino Mobley has been bothered by a bruised shoulder and Yao recently complained of fatigue. Neither Francis nor Mobley started Wednesday against Dallas, with 30-somethings Mark Jackson and Jim Jackson taking their place. And Mobley described the Rockets last week as playing not to lose their playoff seeding rather than to win.
Houston does play the trademark defense preached by coach Jeff Van Gundy for years with the New York Knicks. The Rockets held opponents to just 41.2 percent shooting during the regular season, second-best in the league.
The Lakers split their four-game season series against the Rockets, most recently posting a 93-85 victory April 1. O'Neal held Yao to just six points and eight rebounds on 3-for-15 shooting in that game.
For the year, O'Neal averaged 23.0 points and 8.5 rebounds in four games against Houston. Yao averaged 21.5 points and 8.8 rebounds against O'Neal.
The series also will feature a matchup of Bryant and Francis, both All-Stars.
Most significantly, though, the Lakers will not have to fight their way from the No. 4 seed to the finals. That honor now belongs to the Kings, who stunningly lost 97-91 to Golden State, and will open the playoffs against No. 5 Dallas.
Since the NBA expanded the playoffs to 16 teams in 1984, a No. 4 seed never has won the championship. The spot has been a graveyard for teams, with No. 4 seeds going just 17-23 in first-round series and 0-17 in the conference semifinals.
The Lakers and Rockets, meanwhile, last met in the first round of the 1999 playoffs, which the Lakers won 3-1. The Lakers won their 2000-01 championship as a No. 2 seed.
Houston plays a defense-oriented style that should be more favorable to the Lakers than the small lineup in vogue with the Mavericks. Dallas has averaged 116 points in its past 11 games since shifting Antoine Walker to center and starting undrafted rookie Marquis Daniels at guard.
The Mavericks also boasted the league's best home record (36-5) but the Lakers were able to dodge them thanks to Bryant's shots. Dallas owner Mark Cuban had hoped Tuesday that his team would face the Lakers in the first round.
The Lakers would play the Spurs in the second round, should they advance, and could wind up with the winner of a Sacramento-Minnesota series in the Western Conference finals.
But San Antonio (57-25) would have home-court advantage in a second-round series against the Lakers by virtue of a better regular season record. The Spurs will go into the playoffs on an 11-game winning streak, including a 95-89 victory over the Lakers on April 4.
Heat 96, nets 84
Caron Butler scored 22 points and Dwyane Wade sparked a third-quarter surge to help the Miami Heat finish with their first winning record in three years by beating the New Jersey Nets 96-84 Wednesday night.
The Heat earned home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, beginning this weekend. They will host New Orleans after Milwaukee lost to Toronto, giving Miami fourth place in the East.
"That's what we came here tonight to do, and it went our way," guard Rafer Alston said. "We took care of our end, and Toronto took care of their end."
The game was meaningless for the Nets, and none of their starters played more than 30 minutes. New Jersey had clinched its third consecutive Atlantic Division title and will open the playoffs at home Saturday against the New York Knicks.
Miami, which lost 103 games the past two seasons, finished 42-40 under first-year coach Stan Van Gundy. The Heat started 0-7 and were 11 games below .500 on March 2, but won 17 of their last 21.
"I know we're moving on to something more important," Van Gundy said. ``But I congratulated our guys very sincerely. It's a great accomplishment to come from where they did."
Hornets 94, Wizards 78
In Washington, the playoff-bound Hornets wrapped up the regular season with one of their easiest wins of the year. Baron Davis scored 26 points and Jamaal Magloire had 23 points and 14 rebounds in securing the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. New Orleans will play at Miami to open the playoffs.
The Hornets (41-41) also avoided their first losing season since 1991-1992.
The Wizards (25-57) finished another miserable year 32 games away from break-even, their worst season since going 19-63 in 2000-2001.
Magic 95, 76ers 89
In Orlando, Florida, Juwan Howard scored 26 points, leading the Magic, winners of two straight following a 13-game skid.
The Magic (21-61) won their fewest games since the 1991-92 season. A three-year streak of playoff appearances also ended.
Samuel Dalembert had 23 points and 10 rebounds for Philadelphia, which ended the season on a four-game slide. The Sixers (33-49) finished with their worst record in six years and missed the playoffs for the first time in that span.
Knee problems sidelined both Orlando's Tracy McGrady, who won the league's scoring title, and Philadelphia's Allen Iverson.
Cavaliers 100, Knicks 90
In New York, LeBron James finished his rookie season on a winning note, scoring 17 points. James scored Cleveland's final two points on a crowd-pleasing breakaway dunk with 30 seconds left, then exchanged hugs with players from both teams after the final buzzer.
New York, which plays New Jersey in the playoffs beginning Saturday, had a chance to move up to sixth place in the conference, but needed a victory and a loss by New Orleans.
Celtics 137, Hawks 132
In Boston, the Celtics charged into the playoffs with their best offensive performance of the season behind Marcus Banks' career-high 28 points. The Celtics, who had lost five in a row, will face Indiana in the first round of the playoffs.
Mark Blount scored 27 points and Ricky Davis had 24 for Boston, which played without Paul Pierce (sprained ankle), who said he'll be ready for the playoffs.
Atlanta missed the playoffs for the fifth straight year, but scored more points than any Boston opponent this season. The Hawks were led by Stephen Jackson and Chris Crawford with 24 points each and Jason Terry with 20.
Raptors 89, Bucks 87
In Milwaukee, the Bucks lost their poise and a fourth-quarter lead for the third straight game to squander home-court advantage in the playoffs. Both Miami and New Orleans leapfrogged them, relegating Milwaukee to the sixth spot in the East and a first-round matchup with Detroit.
Jalen Rose's wide open 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds left won it for the lottery-bound Raptors.
The Bucks (41-41) lost their last three when a victory in any one of them would have secured the fourth playoff spot. Desmond Mason led Milwaukee with 27 points, but didn't score after halftime, and left the court at halftime holding his left hip after he was knocked over by Vince Carter.
Timberwolves 107, Grizzlies 90
In Memphis, Tennessee, the Timberwolves wrapped up the top seed in the West. Kevin Garnett scored 26 points and Latrell Sprewell added 20 and the Wolves ended the season with nine straight victories.
They dominated from the start, leading by as many as 29 points early in the fourth quarter.
Memphis, already guaranteed the sixth seed in the playoffs, has lost four straight and six of their last seven.
Pacers 101, Bulls 96
In Indianapolis, Jonathan Bender and Austin Croshere fueled an 11-2 fourth-quarter run to propel the Pacers, who finished with the league's best record (61-21).
Al Harrington led the Pacers with 22 points and seven rebounds, and Jermaine O'Neal added 19 points and 13 rebounds in 29 minutes.
The loss marked a bitter end to another disappointing season for Chicago, which finished 23-59. Jamal Crawford scored 31 points.
Suns 89, Jazz 84
In Salt Lake City, Amare Stoudemire scored 29 points and Shawn Marion had 19, guaranteeing the Suns wouldn't finish alone at the bottom of the Western Conference.
Phoenix finished 29-53, avoiding tying the 1987-88 team's 28-54 finish for second worst in Suns history.
Raul Lopez closed his rookie season with a career-high 25 points to lead Utah, which finished 42-40 to open the post-John Stockton and Karl Malone era. It was the Jazz's 19th straight winning season, but the first time since 1983 Utah did not make the playoffs.
Spurs 93, Nuggets 67
In San Antonio, Tim Duncan had 23 points and 16 rebounds for the Spurs, who recovered from a woeful first half to end the regular season with their 11th straight victory.
The Spurs led by as much as 28 points in the fourth quarter. They enter the playoffs as the No. 3 seed and will meet the Grizzlies.
Carmelo Anthony, guarded mostly by perimeter defender Bruce Bowen, led the Nuggets with 12 points, but he shot only 5-for-15.
Warriors 97, Kings 91
In Oakland, California, Jason Richardson scored 28 points to help Golden State blow Sacramento's chance to win the Pacific Division title.
Peja Stojakovic scored 27 points for the Kings, whose late-season collapse reached its lowest point with their eighth loss in 12 games. After beating the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, Sacramento needed just one win to clinch its third straight division title, but the Kings lost to Denver and Golden State.
The Lakers took the Pacific title by beating Portland 105-104 in double overtime.
Sacramento plays Dallas in the first round of the playoffs.
SuperSonics 118, Clippers 87
In Los Angeles, Ray Allen had 26 points and 11 assists, and Vladimir Radmanovic added 25 points as Seattle thrashed the Los Angeles Clippers.
The SuperSonics completed their poorest season in 18 years with a 37-45 record.
Bobby Simmons had a career-high 24 points and tied his career best with 10 rebounds for the injury-depleted Clippers, who lost 14 of their last 15 games to finish with a 28-54 record, giving them one more win than last season.
They had the Western Conference's worst record.
Mavericks 92, Rockets 89
In Houston, Marquis Daniels scored 21 points and Antawn Jamison had 18 points for Dallas, which has won seven of the last eight games and 11 of 14 against Houston.
Scott Padgett had a season-high 18 points to lead the Rockets, who played without Steve Francis (sprained right wrist, bruised left elbow) and Cuttino Mobley (left shoulder contusion) for the second straight game.
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