NBA – Bulls get home court advantage throughout play-offs (video)

CHICAGO (NBA) - The NBA post-season picture is much clearer on Thursday morning with the Chicago Bulls having clinched home-court advantage throughout the playoffs and the Los Angeles Lakers having beating the Dallas Mavericks to second place in the Western Conference.
 
The Bulls got 19 points from Kyle Korver and rolled to a 97-92 home triumph over the New Jersey Nets on Wednesday to finish the regular season with 62 wins and 20 defeats.
 
That result, coupled with San Antonio's 106-103 setback at Phoenix, assured the Bulls of having the best record with the Spurs falling to 61-21.
 
It all means that should the Bulls and Spurs meet in the NBA Finals, the former will have home-court advantage.
 
No team has been as hot as the Bulls, who are now riding a nine-game winning streak.
 
They will take on Indiana in the first round of the play-offs.
 
The victory over the Nets put Tom Thibodeau in a tie with Paul Westphal of the 1992-93 Phoenix Suns for the most wins by a first-year coach.
 
"I'm happy for our team," Thibodeau said.
 
"I think they made a serious commitment. They played hard, and they played for each other."
 
San Antonio lost Argentina's Manu Ginobili early in the game to a hyperextended elbow but X-rays were negative.
 
He will have an MRI on Thursday.
 
Phoenix's Poland international Marcin Gortat had quite a battle with Spurs big man Tim Duncan
 
The Pole scored 21 points and corralled 13 rebounds while Duncan finished with 17 points and 12 boards.
 
Kobe Bryant had 36 points as the LA Lakers prevailed in overtime, 116-108, at Sacramento.
 
The Lakers played without center Andrew Bynum, who suffered a hyperextended knee in their previous game.
 
Dallas also won 121-89 at home over New Orleans but lost their tie-breaker to LA and finished third in the West.
 
San Antonio will go up against Memphis, LA will face New Orleans and Dallas will meet Portland in the first round of the play-offs.
 
Oklahoma City, who fell in overtime at home to Milwaukee 110-106, finished fourth in the West and will meet Denver in the first round.
 
The Nuggets finished their regular season with a 107-103 defeat at Utah.
 
Back in the East, Boston beat the visiting New York Knicks 112-102.
 
The two sides will meet in the first round of the play-offs.
 
Other results (home team first): Cleveland Cavaliers 100 Washington Wizards 93; Minnesota Timberwolves 102 Houston Rockets 121; Orlando Magic 92 Indian Pacers 74; Philadelphia 76ers 100 Detroit Pistons 104; Toronto Raptors 79 Miami Heat 97; Charlotte Bobcats 96 Atlanta Hawks 85; Golden State Warriors 110 Portland Trailblazers 86; Los Angeles Clippers 110 Memphis Grizzlies 103.

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