NBA – Heat, Lakers fall with post-season looming

MIAMI (NBA) - The Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers have designs on winning the NBA title this season.

Defeats for both on Wednesday night suggest each side has a lot of work to do.

The Miami Heat, playing without USA guard Dwyane Wade, suffered a 90-85 home defeat against the Milwaukee Bucks to fall to 54-24.

Now in third place in the East, the Heat need to win all four games and have Boston lose twice to leapfrog the Celtics into second spot.

Should the Celtics finish second behind Chicago, they would have home-court advantage against the Heat if the two sides were to meet in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.

Despite beating the Heat, there was no joy in the Bucks' changing room because other results meant they were knocked out of playoff contention.

Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles, whose team was undermined by injuries this season, said: "You don't want to take anything away from it.

"The reality is that we got eliminated tonight."

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Bucks.

The Lakers, meanwhile, had been on a tear since the All-Star break and were threatening to overhaul San Antonio and finish first in the West.

They suddenly find themselves on a three-game losing streak.

Golden State beat them 95-87 at the Staples Center on Wednesday with David Lee's 22 points and 17 rebounds leading the Warriors.

The setback clinched first place in the West for San Antonio, who won 124-92 at home over Sacramento.

Argentina's Manu Ginobili had 25 points to lead the Spurs to their 60th win.

Back in the Eastern Conference, the Indiana Pacers clinched their first play-off spot in five years.

Their 136-112 triumph over Washington, coupled with Charlotte's 111-102 overtime defeat at home to Orlando, sealed a spot in the post-season for Frank Vogel's team.

Since becoming head coach midway through the season, Vogel's Pacers' have won 19 games and lost 16.

Other results (home team first): Philadelphia 76ers 92 New York Knicks 97; Toronto Raptors 96 Cleveland Cavaliers 104; Detroit Pistons 116 New Jersey Nets 109; New Orleans Hornets 101 Houston Rockets 93; Minnesota Timberwolves 98 Phoenix Suns 108; Oklahoma City Thunder 112 Los Angeles Clippers 108; Dallas Mavericks 96 Denver Nuggets 104.

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