Derrick Rose finished with a career-high 39 points and Kirk Hinrich added 30 as Chicago beat Boston 101-93 on Tuesday to boost their National Basketball Association playoff chances.
“I thought we played hard in stretches,” coach Doc Rivers said. “Rose was spectacular tonight. Him and Hinrich single-handedly carried the game for them.”
The eighth-place Bulls lead Toronto by a game in the Eastern Conference and will make the playoffs as long as they finish with a better regular season record.
The Bulls needed to beat Charlotte yesterday or for the Raptors to lose to New York.
The Celtics, who got Kevin Garnett back on Tuesday, lost their sixth game in the past nine and now have no hope of catching third seed Atlanta.
Paul Pierce led the Celtics with 28 points, and Ray Allen scored 25. Garnett finished with 14 points and nine rebounds. The coaching staff decided to rest him in the last game.
“One game left and we’ve got everyone healthy going into the playoffs, which was the No. 1 goal of the season,” Pierce said.
The Bulls seized control with a 14-4 run to start the final quarter.
Rose finished with 17 points in the fourth. Hinrich chipped in 10, including a jumper that made it 95-88 with 43.7 seconds left.
Chicago trailed 68-67 entering the fourth, but scored the first six points.
LAKERS 106, KINGS 100
At Los Angeles, Pau Gasol had 28 points and eight rebounds, Shannon Brown scored 24 points and Kobe Bryant rested as the Lakers finished their regular-season home schedule with a 106-100 win over the Sacramento Kings.
Sasha Vujacic scored 13 points for the Lakers, who had lost six of nine heading into Tuesday’s game.
“Pau and Shannon led us in scoring and we had some help off the bench,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said.
Tyreke Evans scored 10 points before his superb rookie season ended with a third-quarter ejection.
Sacramento wrapped up their fourth straight losing season with their 11th defeat in 12 games.
Bryant sat out with a sprained ankle and a broken finger. Lakers giant center Andrew Bynum missed his 12th straight game with a strained Achilles’ tendon. Both players should suit up this weekend when the top-seeded Lakers open defense of their NBA title.
JAZZ 103, WARRIORS 94
At Oakland, California, Mehmet Okur had 23 points and seven rebounds, and Paul Millsap grabbed a career-high 24 rebounds as Utah swept the three-game season series against Golden State despite losing leading scorer Carlos Boozer to an early injury.
Boozer strained his right ribcage while playing all 12 minutes of the opening period. He was taken to the locker room for X-rays at the start of the second quarter, but didn’t return. He had five points and four rebounds before departing.
The Jazz were to wrap up the season yesterday at home against Phoenix in a game that will determine both teams’ playoff seedings. Utah, riding a 10-game home winning streak, could be as high as the No. 2 seed or fall to fifth.
SUNS 123, NUGGETS 101
At Phoenix, Amare Stoudemire scored 26 points, and Steve Nash had 18 points and 10 assists before sitting out the fourth quarter as Phoenix completed a rout of Denver to earn homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
The Suns made 14 of 24 3-pointers, 11 of 17 in the first three quarters. Phoenix jumped to an 18-2 lead and the Nuggets never cut it to single digits after the first quarter.
The Suns can finish no worse than No. 4 in the West and would be No. 3 if they won at Utah yesterday. Denver, which finished its regular season, would get the No. 4 spot and a first-round homecourt edge if Phoenix beats the Jazz.
Carmelo Anthony scored 29 points to lead the Nuggets.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely