Spurs Clinch Top Seeding in West

Home-court advantage and some rested players could mean a lot when the playoffs start.

The defending champion San Antonio Spurs got both Monday night.

Manu Ginobili scored 18 points and Tim Duncan added 16 to help the Spurs clinch the Southwest Division title and the best record in the Western Conference with a 115-82 victory over the Utah Jazz at San Antonio.

The Spurs earned the No. 1 seeding and home-court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs.

“It’s great to get [home court] wrapped up,” Duncan said. “I’m feeling good right now -- feeling healthy. I think we all feel pretty good right now, and that’s the main thing.”

San Antonio (62-19) took a 19-point lead into the fourth quarter and led by as many as 36 points.

San Antonio can’t catch Detroit for the best record in the league, but the Spurs can break the franchise record for single-season victories by beating Houston in the final regular-season game Wednesday.

The 1994-95 team won 62 games.

Chicago 116, Orlando 112 -- Kirk Hinrich had 26 points and 10 assists and Andres Nocioni scored 24 to help the visiting Bulls win their fifth in a row in overtime and retain a shot at the fifth seed in the East. They are currently eighth.

Hedo Turkoglu had 32 points and Dwight Howard added 22 points and 14 rebounds for Orlando, which saw its eight-game winning streak end.

Indiana 120, Toronto 95 -- Peja Stojakovic scored 27 points and the Pacers led by as many as 37 points in ending a nine-game road losing streak while trying to improve their seeding in the Eastern Conference.

They are currently seventh.

Morris Peterson scored 27 points for the Raptors, who were booed off the court at the final buzzer in the 11th loss in their last 12 games.

Cleveland 93, Boston 88 -- Larry Hughes had 21 points, six assists and five steals to help the Cavaliers overcome the absence of LeBron James at Boston to sweep the season series from the Celtics for the first time.

Both teams were playing without their best players. James was a late scratch because of a sprained left ankle and Boston forward Paul Pierce missed his second consecutive game because of a sore left elbow.

Tony Allen scored a career-high 23 points, but was three of 11 from the free-throw line for Boston, which lost its fifth straight game.

Milwaukee 113, Detroit 93 -- Michael Redd and Bobby Simmons each scored 19 points to help the visiting Bucks move up in the playoff standings by beating the Pistons, who rested starters Rasheed Wallace and Richard Hamilton.

The victory left Milwaukee sixth in the Eastern Conference but gives them a shot at fifth in their regular-season finale tonight at Washington.

The loss mean little for the Pistons, who have clinched home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.

Charlotte 98, New York 91 -- Raymond Felton had 16 points and a season-high 14 assists at New York to send the Knicks to a franchise-record tying 59th loss. Charlotte won its third straight and improved to 5-3 in April, clinching the first winning month in franchise history. The Bobcats also completed their first season sweep of an East team.

Besides matching the 1962-63 and 1985-86 teams with 59 losses, the loss guaranteed the Knicks will finish alone in last place in the East.

Phoenix 115, New Orleans 78 -- Leandro Barbosa scored 21 points and the Suns set a season high with 20 three-pointers in winning their regular-season home finale.

Raja Bell made five of nine three-pointers, Barbosa made four of four and Steve Nash made all three of his as the Suns finished 20 of 34 from behind the arc.

Houston 86, Denver 83 -- Juwan Howard had a season-high 31 points and the Rockets handed the playoff-bound Nuggets their third straight loss by scoring the final 11 points as Denver’s Carmelo Anthony and Andre Miller sat out the fourth quarter.

The Nuggets left the court to full-throated booing from their fans on “Fan Appreciation Night.”

Golden State 93, Portland 79 -- Mike Dunleavy scored 14 of his 20 points in the second half at Oakland to help the Warriors sweep the season series against the Trail Blazers for the first time. Portland also lost its 16th straight road game.