NBA ROUNDUP : Rockets Let Playoff Spot Slip Away, 100-97

The Phoenix Suns did not want to be a statistic on the Houston Rockets’ drive to the playoffs.

The Suns, already ensured of the No. 4 playoff spot in the Western Conference playoffs, got 18 points from Jeff Hornacek and held off the Rockets for a 100-97 victory Sunday at Houston.

The Rockets could have clinched the No. 8 and final spot in the playoffs with a victory. Even after the loss, they still could have made the playoffs if the Clippers had beaten the Lakers. But the Lakers won in overtime, 109-108, to gain the final postseason berth.

The Rockets lost four of their final five games to end the regular season and clearly the pressure showed.

“It was a day when the lid was on the casket,” Rocket Coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. “Balls would be on the rim and come out. We missed little things and had lapses. It wasn’t a day to have a game like that.”

The Suns trailed through most of the game but charged from a 48-47 halftime deficit and took a 75-71 lead into the fourth quarter that grew to 94-83 with 3:38 to play, their biggest of the game.

“The Rockets were very tense,” said Phoenix guard Kevin Johnson, who scored 17 points. “I could tell they were really getting tight when the game got closer. You’d have to expect that because the game meant a lot more to them than it did to us.”

Hakeem Olajuwon, who scored 11 of Houston’s final 14 points, finished with 39 points, 16 rebounds and seven blocked shots.

Cleveland 112, Atlanta 108--Mark Price scored five of his 22 points in the final 9.6 seconds as the Cavaliers kept the Hawks out of the playoffs with the victory at Richfield, Ohio.

The Hawks needed to win to make the playoffs for a seventh consecutive year.

The Hawks’ loss gave Miami a playoff berth against Chicago. Cleveland had already wrapped up a first-round berth against New Jersey.

Utah 101, San Antonio 90--Karl Malone scored 34 points and the Jazz limited the Spurs to a season-low 14 points during the fourth quarter at San Antonio as they clinched home-court advantage through two rounds of the Western Conference playoffs.

The Jazz will play the Clippers during the first round. The Spurs will play Phoenix.

Golden State 108, Seattle 106--Tim Hardaway scored 29 points at Oakland as the Warriors set up a rematch between the two teams in the opening round of the playoffs.

Had the SuperSonics won, they would have played Utah, and the Warriors would have played San Antonio.

Chris Mullin left the game late in the third quarter after straining his right leg.

Chicago 103, Detroit 85--Michael Jordan scored 32 points at Chicago, but suffered a lower back strain that required 45 minutes of treatment in the trainer’s room after the game.

“I don’t foresee any problems, said Jordan, who finished with a 30-plus scoring average for his sixth consecutive NBA scoring title.

The Bulls, who open the playoffs against Miami, finished with a 67-15 record, the best overall in the NBA. The Bulls will have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.

The Pistons play New York during the first-round.

Minnesota 130, Charlotte 107--Tony Campbell scored 23 points at Minneapolis as the Timberwolves shot a franchise-record 57%, ending a seven-game losing streak.

Dallas 104, Denver 92--Mike Iuzzolino scored 21 points for the Mavericks at Denver in the season finale for both teams.