Kings Eliminate Nuggets

NBA

Mitch Richmond scored all 17 of his points in the second half, including two baskets in the final 1:10, and the visiting Sacramento Kings beat Denver 90-86 Monday night, eliminating the Nuggets from the NBA playoff race.

Sacramento holds a two-game lead over Golden State with three games remaining in the race for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Antonio McDyess scored 19 points for Denver and Jalen Rose had 16.

Kings 90, Nuggets 86

Sacramento (90) - Polynice 12-21 1-1 25, B.Grant 3-9 8-10 14, Causwell 0-0 0-0 0, Richmond 7-18 1-1 17, Edney 0-1 3-4 3, Owens 4-10 0-0 8, Simmons 0-2 0-0 0, Smith 1-1 0-2 2, Marciulionis 5-8 6-6 19, Williamson 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 33-71 19-24 90.

Denver (86) - L.Ellis 5-8 5-8 15, McDyess 7-19 5-7 19, Mutombo 1-4 4-10 6, Rose 6-7 3-4 16, Stith 3-4 1-1 7, D.Ellis 4-10 2-2 10, MacLean 1-9 5-6 7, Hammonds 1-2 1-2 3, Overton 0-0 0-0 0, Fish 1-1 1-2 3, G.Grant 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 29-66 27-42 86.

Sacramento 21 23 25 21 - 90 Denver 23 21 20 22 - 86

3-Point goals-Sacramento 5-14 (Marciulionis 3-4, Richmond 2-9, Owens 0-1), Denver 1-5 (Rose 1-1, Stith 0-1, D.Ellis 0-3). Fouled out-Owens. Rebounds-Sacramento 44 (Polynice 17), Denver 51 (L.Ellis 9). Assists-Sacramento 12 (Edney 5), Denver 13 (Rose 7). Total fouls-Sacramento 28, Denver 27. Technical-Sacramento illegal defense. A-15,415 (17,171).

Heat 110, Nets 90 Miami

Miami, scrapping for the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference, held New Jersey scoreless during a 7-minute stretch and beat the Nets.

The victory was the fourth in a row for Miami, which moved a game ahead of Charlotte in the race for the eighth playoff slot in the conference. The Heat hold the tiebreaker advantage over the Hornets.

New Jersey (90) - Gilliam 4-15 4-7 12, Brown 2-6 2-2 6, Bradley 7-12 2-2 16, Childs 3-10 3-3 10, Reeves 3-6 3-4 11, J.Williams 3-8 2-2 8, Fleming 4-7 0-0 8, Graham 4-10 0-0 11, Mahorn 1-4 4-4 6, Werdann 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 32-80 20-24 90.

Miami (110) - W.Williams 4-9 0-0 10, Thomas 3-9 2-2 8, Mourning 8-9 4-9 20, Chapman 5-11 2-4 13, Hardaway 5-10 4-6 15, Askins 4-5 0-0 12, Gatling 8-14 1-1 17, Smith 4-4 0-0 9, King 0-2 0-0 0, Lenard 0-0 6-7 6, Schayes 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 41-75 19-29 110.

New Jersey 34 19 11 26 - 90 Miami 23 26 27 34 - 110

3-Point goals-New Jersey 6-15 (Graham 3-6, Reeves 2-5, Childs 1-4), Miami 9-16 (Askins 4-4, W.Williams 2-5, Smith 1-1, Hardaway 1-3, Chapman 1-3). Fouled out-Bradley, Reeves. Rebounds-New Jersey 48 (J.Williams 8), Miami 48 (Thomas 11). Assists-New Jersey 18 (Childs 5), Miami 28 (Hardaway 9). Total fouls-New Jersey 28, Miami 25. Technicals-Miami illegal defense 2. A-14,810 (15,200).

Pacers 90, Hornets 87 Indianapolis

Indiana’s reserves took the sting out of Reggie Miller’s absence and dealt a big blow to Charlotte’s playoff hopes.

With Miller resting at home a day after surgery on his fractured eye socket, the Pacers rallied from a 19-point deficit in the second quarter to beat the Hornets.

The victory clinched the third playoff seed in the Eastern Conference for the Pacers.

Charlotte (87) - L.Johnson 3-12 8-11 14, Geiger 5-10 0-0 10, Parish 0-0 0-0 0, Rice 10-16 6-7 31, Anderson 4-11 6-6 14, Zidek 2-3 3-3 7, Goldwire 0-1 0-0 0, Curry 2-7 2-2 7, Addison 2-4 0-0 4, Myers 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 28-65 25-29 87.

Indiana (90) - McKey 6-11 6-6 18, D.Davis 4-11 3-6 11, Smits 5-11 2-2 12, Workman 1-3 2-2 5, Jackson 5-10 4-6 15, Pierce 5-10 4-4 15, A.Davis 1-6 0-0 2, Ferrell 2-2 0-0 4, Best 0-3 0-0 0, E.Johnson 3-7 0-0 8. Totals 32-74 21-26 90.

Charlotte 28 24 19 16 - 87 Indiana 21 19 21 29 - 90

3-Point goals-Charlotte 6-14 (Rice 5-7, Curry 1-4, Anderson 0-1, L.Johnson 0-2), Indiana 5-13 (E.Johnson 2-5, Workman 1-2, Jackson 1-2, Pierce 1-3, Best 0-1). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Charlotte 37 (Geiger 9), Indiana 51 (D.Davis, Smits 12). Assists-Charlotte 17 (L.Johnson 6), Indiana 22 (Jackson 6). Total fouls-Charlotte 26, Indiana 26. A-16,538 (16,530).

Knicks 125, Raptors 79 New York

New York came within two points of matching a franchise record for largest victory margin, in routing Toronto.

Patrick Ewing scored 23 points in three quarters and John Starks added 19 for the Knicks, who shot 57 percent from the field.

Toronto (79) - O’Sullivan 4-12 0-0 8, Murray 4-12 2-2 11, Earl 9-21 7-10 25, Christie 2-5 0-0 4, Robertson 2-3 0-0 4, King 3-8 3-4 9, Lewis 0-3 1-4 1, Esposito 5-9 4-4 17. Totals 29-73 17-24 79.

New York (125) - Mason 6-9 2-2 14, Reid 3-5 2-2 8, Ewing 11-19 1-2 23, Starks 7-11 2-3 19, Harper 5-9 0-0 12, Ward 3-5 2-2 11, Davis 5-12 2-2 13, Williams 4-6 0-0 8, Anderson 0-1 0-0 0, Grant 7-8 0-0 14, Lohaus 1-2 0-0 3. Totals 52-87 11-13 125.

Toronto 17 18 25 19 - 79 New York 29 26 32 38 - 125

3-Point goals-Toronto 4-16 (Esposito 3-7, Murray 1-4, O’Sullivan 0-1, Christie 0-2, King 0-2), New York 10-18 (Starks 3-3, Ward 3-5, Harper 2-5, Lohaus 1-1, Davis 1-4). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Toronto 47 (Earl 11), New York 41 (Ewing 9). Assists-Toronto 20 (King 8), New York 33 (Mason 7). Total fouls-Toronto 13, New York 19. A-19,763 (19,763).

Spurs 121, Trail Blazers 97 Portland

Arvydas Sabonis fought his old Olympic foe David Robinson to a virtual standoff as Portland, the NBA’s hottest team over the past six weeks, beat San Antonio.

The Blazers blew the game open in the final quarter, sending the Spurs to their most onesided loss of the season.

Sabonis had 22 points and nine rebounds, then sat out the fourth quarter, as Portland clinched the No. 6 spot in the Western Conference. Buck Williams added 20 points, including 8-for-8 at the foul line, for the Blazers.

San Antonio (97) - Elliott 5-13 1-1 12, Smith 1-5 0-0 2, D.Robinson 5-10 15-19 25, Del Negro 8-17 1-1 18, Johnson 4-9 6-8 14, Perdue 1-3 0-0 2, Person 8-13 0-0 21, Herrera 0-0 0-0 0, M.Williams 0-2 0-0 0, Rivers 1-2 0-0 3, Anderson 0-0 0-2 0, Alexander 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 33-74 23-31 97.

Portland (121) - Grant 4-9 0-0 8, C.Robinson 7-15 2-2 18, Sabonis 7-10 8-10 22, McKie 6-11 2-2 15, Strickland 5-12 4-4 14, R.Robinson 2-5 0-2 4, Dudley 1-5 0-0 2, B.Williams 6-8 8-8 20, J.Robinson 5-9 2-4 14, Wingfield 0-1 0-1 0, Trent 1-3 2-2 4, Spencer 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 44-88 28-35 121.

San Antonio 19 37 29 12 - 97 Portland 28 34 27 32 - 121

3-Point goals-San Antonio 8-17 (Person 5-8, Elliott 1-2, Rivers 1-2, Del Negro 1-4, Johnson 0-1), Portland 5-12 (C.Robinson 2-3, J.Robinson 2-3, McKie 1-4, Sabonis 0-1, Strickland 0-1). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-San Antonio 40 (D.Robinson 13), Portland 60 (Dudley 11). Assists-San Antonio 20 (Johnson 14), Portland 30 (Strickland 12). Total fouls-San Antonio 24, Portland 26. Technicals-San Antonio coach Hill 2, Rivers, Perdue 2, San Antonio illegal defense, C.Robinson. Flagrant foul-Rivers. Ejections-San Antonio coach Hill, Perdue. A-21,401 (21,401).

Around the league

Injured Celtics forward Dino Radja won’t be seen on the floor again until the Atlanta Olympics, with Croatia. When asked about the team’s goals, Radja said, “A gold medal? Definitely not. But if we get the silver, it will shine as brightly as the gold.”