NBA ROUNDUP : Victory Over Bullets Moves Heat Closer to Playoff Spot

It was only the 10th road victory this season, but it may have been the biggest win in the four-year history of the Miami Heat.

Rony Seikaly and Glen Rice played key roles Friday night at Landover, Md., in a 108-93 victory over the Washington Bullets that gave a lift to the Heat’s playoff chances.

Seikaly had 24 points, including 14 of 15 from the free-throw line, and Rice, who made three three-point baskets, had 22 points.

The Heat, which has won two in a row, moved to within half a game of the Atlanta Hawks in the battle for the eighth and final playoff berth in the East.

The Heat (36-42) has an easier schedule down the stretch. Atlanta (36-41) has five games to play, including a home-and-home series with the Chicago Bulls. Tonight, the Hawks play the hot New Jersey Nets, and also will play the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks, the teams with the second- and third-best records in the East.

The Heat, meanwhile, plays three of its final games at home. It plays the Orlando Magic tonight, then the Nets and Milwaukee Bucks at home before finishing at Boston on April 19.

“I think we stepped it up a bit,” Coach Kevin Loughery said. “The guys obviously realized the importance of this one. Of course, it doesn’t mean much if we don’t win tomorrow night.”

The Heat, for the first time, swept the five games with the Bullets. For the final meeting, Pervis Ellison, who has missed 12 games, returned, but he wasn’t enough.

Boston 109, Milwaukee 100--The Celtics made it possible for Larry Bird to give his aching back some more rest with an easy victory at Boston.

Kevin McHale came off the bench to score 26 points and grab eight rebounds and the Celtics kept the pressure on New York by winning their fourth in a row, all without Bird.

The Celtics, who trail the Knicks by two games with four to play in the Atlantic Division, have won their last 16 at home.

The Bucks, eliminated from the playoffs earlier in the week, tied their club record by losing their 11th in a row.

New York 115, Philadelphia 99--Patrick Ewing had 20 points and 15 rebounds at New York and the Knicks put an end to their brief skid. The Knicks had lost three in a row.

By winning three of their last four, the Knicks can clinch the division. If the teams tie, Boston, by winning the season’s series, would be the division winner.

Charles Barkley, who made only three of 12 shots, had 13 points and suffered a jammed finger.

Detroit 125, Charlotte 106--While the Celtics are fighting for first, the Pistons are trying to sneak past them to gain the home court for the first round of the playoffs.

Joe Dumars had 32 points at Auburn Hills, Mich., to lead the Pistons to their fourth victory in a row.

Chicago 108, Indiana 96--The Pacers gave the Bulls a battle at Indianapolis, but in the end the Bulls simply gave the ball to Michael Jordan.

The Pacers trailed, 91-88, with seven minutes to play when Jordan scored nine consecutive points, and the Pacers were finished.

Reggie Miller had 26 points for the Pacers, embroiled in a battle for one of the final three playoff spots in the East. With four games to play, the Pacers are sixth, half a game ahead of New Jersey, 1 1/2 ahead of Atlanta and two ahead of Miami. Eight teams qualify for postseason play.

New Jersey 110, Cleveland 86--The Nets took advantage of the absence of center Brad Daugherty to inch closer to a playoff spot.

Daugherty was left home because of a sore back and the Nets took control of the boards at East Rutherford, N.J., for an easy victory.

Drazen Petrovic, hitting four of five three-pointers, led the attack and the Nets, winning for the sixth time in the last seven games, outrebounded the Cavaliers, 79-45.

The victory gave the Nets a one-game lead over Atlanta in the battle for seventh place and a playoff spot for the first time since 1986.

Portland 113, Seattle 106--Terry Porter had 27 points at Portland to lead the Trail Blazers.

The loss cut the SuperSonics’ lead in the battle for sixth place in the West to 1 1/2 games over the Clippers.