Kings Help Themselves With Victory Over Suns

Mitch Richmond had 32 points, including two free throws with two seconds left, as the Sacramento Kings reduced their magic number for the playoffs to one with a 103-102 victory Wednesday night over the Phoenix Suns at Sacramento.

The Kings, on the verge of making the NBA playoffs for the first time in a decade, used a 25-9 third-quarter run to overcome an 18-point deficit against the injury-riddled Suns.

Sacramento also kept alive a chance of catching Phoenix for the seventh spot in the West. The Kings would have to win their two remaining games and the Suns would have to lose their last two for Sacramento to finish seventh.

Charles Barkley (strained right calf), John Williams (sprained right wrist) and Joe Kleine (fainting spells) skipped the trip for Phoenix, which has lost five of seven.

Philadelphia 90, Miami 86--Vernon Maxwell scored 31 points and the 76ers outscored the Heat, 28-21, in the final period at Philadelphia.

The loss was a setback in Miami’s bid for the eighth playoff position in the Eastern Conference. The Heat is 41-39, while Charlotte is 40-39.

Clarence Weatherspoon added 25 points for the 76ers, who had lost three straight and 15 of 18.

Seattle 96, Portland 90--Hersey Hawkins scored 20 points, including a three-point basket with 2:40 left, and Gary Payton added 17 points and 10 assists at Seattle, as the SuperSonics tied a franchise record with their 63rd victory.

Clifford Robinson scored 21 points to lead the Trail Blazers, who played without Rod Strickland, their starting point guard who did not make the trip because of a sore left groin.

Golden State 109, Minnesota 103--Latrell Sprewell scored 31 points, one short of his season high, and Joe Smith and Jerome Kersey each had double-doubles to keep the Warriors in the Western Conference playoff race at Minneapolis.

New Jersey 107, Toronto 95--P.J. Brown scored a career-high 30 points and the Nets ended a seven-game losing streak with a victory at East Rutherford, N.J.

Boston 121, Washington 106--Despite a career-high 40 points from Juwan Howard, the Bullets were eliminated from postseason play when Todd Day scored 23 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Celtics at Landover, Md.

Detroit 102, Indiana 93--Allan Houston scored 31 points to lead the Pistons to a victory over the Pacers at Auburn Hills, Mich.