Nets Make History With Clincher

In less than one year, the New Jersey Nets have gone from one of the NBA’s perennial doormats to a division champion.

The Nets won their first division title since joining the NBA in 1976 by riding another strong performance by Jason Kidd to a 101-88 victory over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night at East Rutherford, N.J.

Kidd had 21 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds.

“This is very exciting,” said General Manager Rod Thorn, who has transformed a team that won 26 games a year ago into one of the best in the league. “It’s a lot better feeling than at this time last year when we were not competitive. Going into every game, knowing we have a chance to win, is a big step for us.”

And the Atlantic Division title isn’t all the Nets can capture. The Nets’ 50th victory--the most they have won in an NBA season--also cut their magic number for clinching the best record in the Eastern Conference to three.

Any combination of either three Net wins in their final four games or Detroit losses in its last five would clinch the conference’s No. 1 seed in the playoffs.

Only one year ago, New Jersey posted a 26-56 record in Byron Scott’s rookie season as coach, continuing a trend in which the two-time former ABA champions finished near to the bottom of the league.

Dallas 108, Portland 96--Michael Finley scored 27 points and Nick Van Exel added 21 at Dallas as the Mavericks, playing without Dirk Nowitzki, avenged one of their most embarrassing losses of the season.

The Trail Blazers went down fighting, though. Scottie Pippen was ejected with 2:11 left for throwing a punch at Van Exel, Rasheed Wallace was tossed with 58 seconds left in the third quarter for his second technical foul--both for arguing with officials--and Bonzi Wells got a flagrant foul in the first quarter that helped Dallas go ahead for good.

The Mavericks stretched their lead in the Midwest Division to a game over the San Antonio Spurs despite Nowitzki, their top scorer and rebounder, watching because of a sprained left ankle.

The Trail Blazers lost for the fifth time in seven games and did not resemble the team that beat Dallas, 132-106, on March 14.

Portland trailed, 79-76, after a layup by Ruben Patterson when Wallace said something to an official and picked up his second technical, an automatic ejection.

Bonzi Wells led Portland with 26 points.

Sacramento 122, Minnesota 103--Chris Webber scored 30 points and Peja Stojakovic added 23 at Sacramento as the Kings won their ninth in a row.

Sacramento’s magic number for clinching home-court advantage throughout the playoffs was reduced to two.

Kevin Garnett had 15 points for Minnesota, which remained two games ahead of Portland for the fifth playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Orlando 108, New York 97--Patrick Ewing got a rare start, made the game’s first basket and went out a winner in what might have been his final game at Madison Square Garden as the Magic clinched a playoff berth.

Orlando moved two games ahead of the Charlotte Hornets in the race for fourth in the East and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Troy Hudson led the Magic with 29 points. Allan Houston scored 26 for the Knicks.

Toronto 84, Charlotte 80--Antonio Davis scored 24 points at Toronto as the Raptors extended their franchise-record winning streak to nine games.

The Raptors opened a two-game lead over the idle Indiana Pacers for the final Eastern Conference playoff berth.

Jamal Mashburn scored 21 points for Charlotte.

Philadelphia 92, Milwaukee 90--Dikembe Mutombo scored 10 of his 22 points in a three-minute stretch late in the fourth quarter to lead the 76ers past the Bucks at Milwaukee.

Milwaukee’s Tim Thomas missed a game-tying jumper at the buzzer.

Sam Cassell scored 19 for the Bucks.

Phoenix 99, Seattle 92--Stephon Marbury had 27 points, including a three-point play in the final minute, as the Suns ended a four-game losing streak with a victory at Phoenix.

Miami 120, Houston 117--Eddie Jones scored 26 points to help the Heat keep its slim playoff hopes alive with a double-overtime victory at Miami.

The only way Miami can salvage the playoffs is to win its remaining games and for Milwaukee to lose the rest of the way.

Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley scored 35 and 30 points, respectively, for Houston.

Memphis 97, Denver 86--Stromile Swift scored 20 points as the Grizzlies won despite not scoring a field goal in the final seven minutes at Memphis, Tenn.

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Minnesota center Marc Jackson was suspended without pay for one game by the NBA for his flagrant foul against Golden State’s Bob Sura on Monday.