USA - Ming, McGrady make Rockets fire

NEW YORK (NBA) - Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady combined for 59 points and Rafer Alston added 23 as the Houston Rockets continued to make a push for the fourth-best record in the West with a 99-95 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Houston (50-29) has inched ahead of the Utah Jazz (48-30) for the fourth-best mark, which translates to home-court advantage in the first round of the play-offs.

On Monday, China international Yao netted 31 points in a 95-90 victory over Seattle but absorbed a hard foul from Nick Collison late in the game - sparking an altercation between the two teams.

Two nights later, he was showing no ill effects, scoring 27 points on 8-of-18 shooting with 12 rebounds.

McGrady netted 32 points on 10-of-25 from the floor, including 2-of-6 from the arc. But he ran into his own injury problems, leaving the game with 58 seconds left after Trail Blazers rookie Brandon Roy rolled into his knee in a scramble for a loose ball.

Brandon Roy scored 20 points and Luke Schenscher added a career-high 18 for Portland.

Tim Duncan and Michael Finley know when it is winning time for the San Antonio Spurs.

Duncan and Finley scored 23 of the Spurs' 30 points in the fourth quarter en route to a 109-100 victory over the lottery-bound Sacramento Kings.

Duncan collected 26 points and 13 rebounds and Finley added 19 points for San Antonio (57-21), which has won 11 of its last 12 contests to remain two games back of second-place Phoenix (59-19) in the Western Conference standings.

France captain Tony Parker and Argentina star Manu Ginobili scored 14 points apiece for the Spurs, who might not need to worry about seeding the way they are playing.

Francisco Garcia and Mike Bibby scored 22 points apiece for Sacramento, which will miss the post-season for the first time since 1998.

In Minnesota, the Timberwolves needed Kevin Garnett a lot more than the Dallas Mavericks needed Dirk Nowitzki.

With the stars for both teams out of action, Austin Croshere stepped up and led six Mavericks in double figures in a 105-88 victory over the Timberwolves.

Germany international Nowitzki and Jerry Stackhouse were given the night off and did not even make the trip.

Already eliminated from play-off contention, Minnesota announced before the game that Garnett will be out indefinitely with an injured right quadriceps.

Dallas dealt with the absence of its All-Star much better than Minnesota.

Croshere scored 19 points and Jason Terry and Josh Howard each scored 16 points for Dallas, which set a franchise record with its 30th road victory of the season.

The Philadelphia 76ers believe in making life miserable for the Boston Celtics.

Steven Hunter tied a career high with 20 points as the 76ers recorded a 102-94 victory over the Celtics to win the season series between the division rivals.

Andre Miller scored 20 points and Louis Williams tied a career high with 18 for Philadelphia, which defeated Boston in each of their last three meetings.

While Dwyane Wade returned to form offensively, Alonzo Mourning sparked another celebration for the Miami Heat with his work on the other end of the court.

Wade collected 16 points, seven assists and six rebounds but Mourning preserved the lead with a crucial block in the waning seconds as the Heat clinched the Southeast Division title with a 85-82 victory over the shorthanded Washington Wizards.

Antoine Walker had 19 points and seven rebounds for Miami, which has been the only winner in the division's three-year history.

In Michigan, Chauncey Billups and the Detroit Pistons killed two birds with one stone.

Billups collected 28 points and eight assists as the Pistons clinched their second straight Eastern Conference title with a 104-99 triumph over the Orlando Magic.

Detroit (51-27) also wrapped up home-court advantage throughout the entire Eastern play-offs.

Mike Dunleavy needed to be at his best in order to keep the Indiana Pacers' post-season hopes alive.

Dunleavy matched his season high of 25 points and Danny Granger added 18 and a career-high 10 assists as the Pacers beat the lowly Milwaukee Bucks, 104-98, sweeping the season series.

Jermaine O'Neal and reserve Darrell Armstrong each had 16 points for Indiana (35-43), which closed within one game of Orlando (36-42) for the eighth and final play-off spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Denver Nuggets are peaking at the right time while the Utah Jazz are doing the complete opposite.

Carmelo Anthony scored 32 points to lead all five starters in double figures as the Nuggets clinched a play-off berth with a 115-106 victory over the slumping Jazz.

Allen Iverson had 22 points and 12 assists and Nene had 19 and nine rebounds Marcus Camby for Denver (42-36), which has won a season-high seven straight games to push its lead to two games for the sixth place in the Western Conference standings.

Matt Harpring netted 31 points off the bench and Deron Williams collected 18 and 14 assists for the Jazz, who shot 49% (45-of-91) from the floor.

Shawn Marion and the Phoenix Suns continue to soar toward the post-season.

Marion and fellow All-Star Amare Stoudemire both recorded double-doubles for the Suns en route to a 109-91 victory over the injury-plagued Seattle SuperSonics.

The win kept Phoenix (58-19) two games ahead of the San Antonio Spurs (57-21) for second place in the Western Conference standings with four contests remaining.

Marion collected 24 points and 10 rebounds and Stoudemire added 18 and 11.

A leading candidate for Sixth Man of the Year, Leandro Barbosa netted 20 points off the bench for the Suns.

Rashard Lewis scored 30 points and Mike Wilks chipped in a career-high 20 for Seattle, which was without All-Star Ray Allen, Luke Ridnour and Earl Watson all due to ankle injuries.

Jamie Strickland
FIBA