Jason Kidd's first basket of the game, a tip-in of a missed layup, gave the New Jersey Nets the lead for good with 30 seconds to play in a 96-92 victory over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday.
Washington lost its fifth straight game, yet finally managed to clinch an NBA playoff spot.
Richard Jefferson scored a season-high 35 points, Vince Carter had 31, and Kidd finished with four points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists as the Nets pulled within two games of the sixth-place Wizards in the Eastern Conference.
Antawn Jamison, the only one of the Washington's Big Three still standing, had 26 points and 11 rebounds for the Wizards, who nevertheless earned their third straight playoff berth with Indiana's 90-86 loss to Philadelphia.
Bobcats 92, Heat 82
At Charlotte, North Carolina, Gerald Wallace had 24 points and 10 rebounds to lead Charlotte to its second win in three days over injury-plagued and turmoil-filled Miami.
It was another damaging loss for Miami, which dropped three games behind idle Toronto with four games left in the race for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Dwyane Wade, in his second game back after missing six weeks with a separated shoulder, scored 14 points and Antoine Walker had 17 points and nine rebounds for the Heat, but they got little help. Miami played without Shaquille O'Neal, Udonis Haslem and Gary Payton, while James Posey was ineffective a day after he was arrested on a DUI charge.
Walter Herrmann added 20 points and Derek Anderson, a member of the Heat's championship team who wasn't re-signed in the offseason, scored 17 for the lottery-bound Bobcats, who built a 24-point third-quarter lead and cruised to their sixth win in eight games.
76ers 90, Pacers 86
At Philadelphia, Andre Miller had 19 points and 11 assists, and short-handed Philadelphia dealt Indiana a huge blow to its playoff hopes.
Jermaine O'Neal, playing with a sore left knee and ankle, missed his first seven shots and finished with 21 points on woeful 7-for-22 shooting.
Kings 112, Grizzlies 100
At Memphis, Tennessee, Brad Miller had 17 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds to lead Sacramento over lowly Memphis, assuring the Grizzlies of the worst record in the NBA.
Hawks 104, Celtics 96
At Atlanta, Tyronn Lue scored 26 points with 10 assists, and Zaza Pachulia had 22 points and 12 rebounds to help Atlanta beat Boston.
Hornets 103, Clippers 100, OT
At Oklahoma City, David West scored a season-high 33 points, including three straight baskets in overtime, to lead New Orleans into the thick of the playoff race with a victory over Los Angeles.
Bulls 98, Knicks 69
At Chicago, Ben Gordon scored 23 points, and Chicago moved a step closer to securing home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs by handing New York its most lopsided loss of the season.
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