New York Knicks’ Tim Hardaway Jr. (5) reacts after making a three-point basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers Monday, March 10, 2014, in New York. AP
NEW YORK — The New York Knicks defeated Philadelphia 123-110 on Monday to send the 76ers to their 17th straight loss, while the Miami Heat edged the Washington Wizards to clinch an NBA playoff spot.
Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 28 points for the Knicks, Amare Stoudemire added 23 points, and J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony each had 22 as New York won its fourth game in a row.
Michael Carter-Williams recorded a triple-double with 23 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, while Tony Wroten also had 23 points for the struggling 76ers.
Dwyane Wade scored 13 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter and LeBron James led all scorers with 23 points and Chris Bosh added 22 for the for the Heat, who ended a three-game losing streak and moved within one game of Indiana in the race for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Bradley Beal scored 18 points, Martell Webster added 17 and Drew Gooden scored 15 for the Wizards.
Los Angeles power forward Blake Griffin scored 22 of his 37 points in the first quarter and made 14 of 16 shots before fouling out as the Clippers won their eighth straight game 112-105 over the Phoenix Suns.
Darren Collison scored 20 points and Chris Paul added 17 points and 11 assists for the Pacific Division leaders, who were 55.1 percent from the field and improved to 23-1 when shooting at least 50 percent.
Goran Dragic had 23 points and five assists during a foul-plagued 33 minutes for the Suns.
At Charlotte, North Carolina, Al Jefferson scored 26 points and Kemba Walker added 24 as the Bobcats beat the Denver Nuggets 105-98 for their seventh straight home win.
Jefferson made 10 of his first 14 field-goal attempts and also had a game-high 12 rebounds. Walker added seven assists for the Bobcats, who also received a big boost from Gary Neal off the bench. Neal made his first six field-goal tries, including three 3-pointers, and ended up with 19 points.
Ty Lawson scored 24 points to lead the Nuggets.
The Milwaukee Bucks downed the Orlando Magic 105-98 after Brandon Knight scored 24 points and sparked Milwaukee’s rousing rally from an 18-point deficit with a dunk, while the Brooklyn Nets edged the Toronto Raptors 101-97. The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Utah Jazz 112-110.
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