Kings Clinch Playoff Berth

The Sacramento Kings clinched their second playoff spot in 13 years Monday night as Vlade Divac had 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists in a 112-104 victory over the Nuggets at Denver.

Reserve Predrag Stojakovic scored 17 points and Scot Pollard had 10 rebounds and matched a career-high with 16 points for the Kings, who hadn’t been in the playoffs since 1995-96. Sacramento (26-23) needed a win in its last two games or a loss by idle Seattle (23-25) to reach the playoffs.

The Kings didn’t figure to clinch with Chris Webber out because of back spasms. But Pollard was a pleasant surprise.

“I was concerned about [Webber] not being here after the big win last night against Phoenix,” Sacramento Coach Rick Adelman said. “Scot Pollard has been a real find for us. I hadn’t played him very much, but when Chris went down before in a game against Utah, he came in and played well, as he did tonight.”

Denver, paced by Chauncey Billups’ 26 points, lost its sixth in a row.

New York 95, Boston 88--The Knicks finally qualified for the playoffs, and they couldn’t have been unhappier.

Upset at blowing several double-digit leads, bitter about the way the crowd treated Patrick Ewing and acting more grumpy than elated, the Knicks locked up a playoff berth by defeating the Celtics at Madison Square Garden.

“It was disappointing to me that every time [Ewing] shot the ball there were some murmurs in the crowd. You know, this guy, ever since he got here, has laid it on the line. And he was dominant tonight,” Coach Jeff Van Gundy said after Ewing, restricted by a sore Achilles’ tendon, scored 27 points and grabbed a season-high 19 rebounds.

“I don’t care what [the crowd] thinks. I don’t care what any of you all think,” Ewing said. “Everybody can moan, you all can write about my runners, but I don’t care. I’m me, and I’m going to be me.”

Washington 113, New Jersey 102--In a rare run-and-gun game for this truncated season, Rod Strickland had 24 points and 13 assists and Mitch Richmond added 24 points as the Wizards won at home in a mop-up game with the Nets.

Net point guard Stephon Marbury scored 37 points.

Detroit 115, Chicago 71--Playing in Michael Jordan’s old stomping grounds, Grant Hill looked too familiar, scoring 14 of his 22 points in a spectacular third quarter as the Pistons routed the Bulls. It was the sixth straight victory for Detroit, 1 1/2 games behind idle Atlanta for the fourth playoff spot.

Golden State 91, Vancouver 83--Donyell Marshall scored 18 points and Terry Cummings scored 18 off the bench as the Warriors beat the Grizzlies at Vancouver, Canada.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim scored 20 points for the Grizzlies, who lost their sixth straight.