Celtics Avoid 0-for-Atlantic Season

Boston Coach M.L. Carr said last month that it was just a matter of time before the Celtics got their first Atlantic Division victory of the season. He knew his team had one more game with the woeful Philadelphia 76ers.

But even then, it didn’t come easy for Boston, which almost let a 25-point lead slip away before holding on for a 119-113 victory Friday night at Boston that avoided one more blight on the worst season in Celtic history.

Had they lost, the Celtics would have been the first team in NBA history to go the season without defeating a division foe. As it is, they finish their division schedule 1-23.

“I told you guys last time I was here that we’d take care of that,” Carr said. “It wouldn’t have been the end of the world. I never made a big deal of it.”

David Wesley led the Celtics with 28 points, but rookie Antoine Walker was the difference down the stretch.

Walker scored seven of his nine fourth-quarter points after the 76ers, who trailed by 25 points in the third quarter, closed the gap to four with 4:09 left. Walker finished with 23 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists,

Washington 104, Orlando 93--The Bullets stretched their home winning streak to eight games by defeating the Magic at Landover, Md., but will have to defeat Cleveland on the road Sunday to end their eight-year playoff drought.

Rod Strickland had 27 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for the Bullets, who needed a victory and a Cleveland loss at Detroit to clinch the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Cleveland 82, Detroit 75--Terrell Brandon had 23 points and seven assists as the Cavaliers kept their playoff hopes alive with the victory at Auburn Hills, Mich.

Cleveland trails Washington by one game for the final playoff berth in the East.

New Jersey 86, Miami 74--Kendall Gill scored 24 points and the Nets shut down the Heat in the fourth quarter en route to the victory at Miami.

The Nets also got 21 points and nine assists from Jim Jackson and 20 points from Kerry Kittles.

Minnesota 122, Milwaukee 112--Stephon Marbury tied a team record with 17 assists, leading the Timberwolves over the Bucks in Minnesota’s final regular-season home game.

Marbury also finished with 17 points as the playoff-bound Timberwolves had their highest-scoring game of the season and ended a three-game home losing streak.

New York 97, Indiana 89--The Knicks clinched home-court advantage for at least the first round of the playoffs with the victory at New York.

The victory set up a showdown tonight between the Knicks and the Bulls, with plenty at stake for both teams. Chicago will be going for an unprecedented second consecutive 70-win season, and New York will be playing for the No. 3 spot in the East and a probable first-round matchup against slumping Detroit.

Phoenix 106, San Antonio 95--Cedric Ceballos scored 22 points and the Suns dominated the second half to defeat the Spurs at San Antonio.

Rex Chapman added 21 points for Phoenix, which outscored San Antonio, 65-40, in the second half. Kevin Johnson had 16 assists for the Suns.

San Antonio, which tied a team record with its 61st loss of the season, was led by Will Perdue with 16 points. Cory Alexander added 14 for the Spurs.

Toronto 108, Charlotte 100--Damon Stoudamire fueled a third-quarter burst that helped the Raptors to the victory.

Toronto’s first victory at Charlotte in four tries ended the Hornets’ franchise-record winning streak at nine games.

Houston 112, Dallas 102--Charles Barkley scored seven consecutive points in overtime as the Rockets won at Houston.

The Rockets can clinch the No. 2 playoff spot in the Western Conference by defeating the San Antonio Spurs in Sunday’s regular-season finale.

Clyde Drexler led the Rockets with 27 points and Matt Maloney added 24, including six of 11 from three-point range. Barkley had 18 rebounds.