Nuggets Earn a Playoff Spot

Carmelo Anthony scored 11 of his 32 points during a 15-4 third-quarter run and Andre Miller had 16 assists, helping the Nuggets clinch consecutive playoff appearances for the first time in a decade with a 122-106 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Monday night at Denver.

Eight games under .500 when George Karl took over as coach, the Nuggets have matched a season-high with eight victories in a row and have won 22 of 24 overall to stay within half a game of Houston for sixth in the Western Conference.

Denver also won its ninth in a row at home.

Detroit 85, Chicago 84 -- Chauncey Billups scored 28 points, including the game-winning basket with 8.2 seconds left in overtime, to help the Pistons clinch the Central Division.

Billups had seven points in overtime to lead a Detroit comeback after Chicago scored the first eight points. The Bulls had one final chance but Ben Gordon missed a 23-footer at the buzzer.

Dallas 110, Memphis 89 -- Josh Howard scored 23 points to help the Mavericks win their eighth in a row at home and spoil the Grizzlies’ first chance to clinch a playoff spot.

Washington 119, Milwaukee 112 -- Two nights after scoring a career-high 44 points and declaring “I’m not Steve Nash,” Gilbert Arenas took two shots in the first quarter, none in the middle two quarters and nine overall but had 13 assists to help the host Wizards end a five-game slide.

Arenas, who played a similar game last season, finished with eight points -- all in the fourth quarter. Antawn Jamison led the way with 32 points.

Indiana 94, Toronto 90 -- Reggie Miller scored 19 points to pass Jerry West for 12th on the all-time scoring list, helping the Pacers move within one victory of clinching a playoff spot at Toronto. Miller, retiring after the season, has 25,201 points, nine more than West.

Houston 90, Seattle 78 -- Tracy McGrady scored 38 points at Seattle, and the Rockets kept the SuperSonics from clinching the Northwest Division for the fifth game in a row. Houston also moved within one game of fifth-place Sacramento.

Cleveland 114, Orlando 106 -- LeBron James had 33 points to help the visiting Cavaliers take a half-game lead over idle Philadelphia for seventh in the Eastern Conference. The Magic fell 4 1/2 games behind the 76ers for the final playoff spot.

Charlotte 110, Atlanta 85 -- The Bobcats ended an eight-game losing streak in overtime at Atlanta in a matchup of Southeast Division rivals with the worst records in the league.

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Philadelphia’s Allen Iverson sat out Monday’s practice and could sit out tonight’s home game against Boston because of sprained thumbs. Iverson sat out Saturday’s game at Washington after being injured Friday against Cleveland. ... Dallas’ Jerry Stackhouse and Utah’s Kirk Snyder were suspended for one game each by the NBA for the on-court pushing, shoving and arguing that continued in a hallway after Saturday’s game.