Playoff Chase Ends for Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves spent a week on the brink of playoff elimination.

Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis ended the suspense.

Allen scored 34 points and Lewis had 28 to lead the Seattle SuperSonics to a 109-94 victory Sunday at Minneapolis, eliminating the Timberwolves from the playoff race and giving Memphis the final Western Conference spot.

“We were victims of our own success,” said Kevin Garnett of the Timberwolves, who were the top-seeded team in the West last season and lost to the Lakers in the Western Conference finals. “I’m kind of frustrated right now, so I don’t like to answer from the heart at this point. It’s been a hard year.”

Meanwhile, forward Wally Szczerbiak all but demanded to be a starter next season and said he wouldn’t mind being traded.

New Jersey 104, Philadelphia 83 -- Vince Carter had 43 points, and Jason Kidd finished with 11 points, 16 assists and 10 rebounds to help the Nets take control of their playoff destiny at East Rutherford, N.J., and prevent the 76ers from clinching a postseason berth.

New Jersey moved into a tie with eighth-place Cleveland (40-40), one game behind Philadelphia (41-39) in the race for the final two Eastern Conference playoff spots. Each team has two games left.

The 76ers can clinch one of the berths with a win or a Nets’ or Cleveland loss. Philadelphia plays at home against Milwaukee and Atlanta.

New Jersey, which holds the tiebreaker over Cleveland and Philadelphia, can earn a postseason berth with wins at home Tuesday against Washington and at Boston on Wednesday.

The Cavaliers need a loss or losses by the Nets and 76ers but must win at home against Boston and at Toronto to capitalize on it.

Detroit 90, Cleveland 87 -- LeBron James scored 37 points while making only 12 of 35 shots, and his visiting Cavaliers suffered their third loss in a row, this time to the Pistons, who won their season-high 10th in a row. The Pistons’ Rasheed Wallace left because of a hamstring injury.

Boston 103, Toronto 98 -- Paul Pierce had 25 points and 11 rebounds at Toronto to lead the Celtics to their first Atlantic Division title in 13 years.

Washington 106, Charlotte 104 -- Antawn Jamison grabbed a loose ball and laid it in with 1.3 seconds left to complete the Wizards’ comeback from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit at Washington.

Atlanta 139, New York 135 -- Tyronn Lue had 32 points in an overtime win at New York.

Portland 100, Utah 82 -- Ruben Patterson had 23 points in a victory at Portland, Ore.