Webber Propels Kings

For three quarters, the Sacramento Kings looked playoff-ready.

That’s all they needed to defeat the Washington Wizards, who took another step toward the NBA lottery.

Chris Webber had 28 points, nine rebounds and six assists against his old team, and the Kings held on for a 105-99 victory Wednesday night at Washington.

Sacramento, four games into a six-game trip, nearly blew a 19-point fourth-quarter lead. The victory reduced the Kings’ magic number to one to win the Pacific Division.

“We got a bit tired,” Coach Rick Adelman said. “Four games in five nights. It’s another good lesson. They got really aggressive and physical, and we have to respond to that.”

Jerry Stackhouse scored 27 points for Washington, which fell two games behind Milwaukee for the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Indiana 103, Cleveland 82 -- Al Harrington scored 24 points for the Pacers at Cleveland and teammate Ron Artest was up to his usual antics.

Artest, fined and suspended several times this season for bad behavior, shoved Ricky Davis out of bounds in the fourth quarter and was assessed a technical foul for arguing.

On Indiana’s next possession, Cavalier forward Jumaine Jones was given a technical and ejected. As Jones was leaving the court, Artest, apparently upset that someone had thrown something at him, directed an obscene gesture toward the crowd.

New Orleans 106, New Jersey 97 -- Jamal Mashburn scored 24 points at New Orleans and the Hornets clinched their fourth consecutive playoff spot.

New Orleans’ Baron Davis, who returned to the lineup March 11 after sitting out 20 games because of surgery on his left knee, twisted the knee and left late in the third quarter.

Minnesota 91, Seattle 86 -- Troy Hudson scored 31 points and Kevin Garnett added 20 at Minneapolis to help the Timberwolves end a three-game skid.

Minnesota gained ground on Portland for the fourth playoff spot in the Western Conference and home-court advantage in the first round.

San Antonio 105, Memphis 87 -- Tim Duncan had 33 points and 19 rebounds at Memphis, and the Spurs won their seventh in a row.

The Spurs led by 20 points six minutes into the fourth quarter.

Milwaukee 106, Houston 99 -- Sam Cassell scored 20 points and the host Bucks moved two games ahead of Washington for the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot.

Houston’s loss meant Portland clinched a Western Conference playoff berth. The Rockets are 1 1/2 games behind Phoenix for the West’s final playoff spot.

Philadelphia 108, Chicago 101 -- Allen Iverson had 24 points and a season-high 12 assists for the host 76ers, who are 20-5 since the All-Star break.

Boston 90, Miami 62 -- Paul Pierce scored 28 points at home for the Celtics, who held the Heat to its lowest-scoring game this season.

Toronto 89, Detroit 78 -- Vince Carter scored 18 points and the Raptors ended a seven-game road losing streak.

New York 83, Denver 75 -- Allan Houston had 27 points at Denver and the Knicks kept their slim playoff hopes alive.