Iverson, 76ers Alone in Final Playoff Spot

With their season on the line, the Philadelphia 76ers have played their best basketball.

Allen Iverson had 26 points and 15 assists and Kyle Korver scored 20 off the bench, helping the 76ers move into sole possession of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with a 105-97 victory over the Washington Wizards on Monday night at Philadelphia.

Stephen Hunter, playing for the injured Chris Webber, tied a career high with 20 points, and Andre Iguodala added 19 as the 76ers won their second straight game to move half a game ahead of Chicago for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

“We want to make the playoffs,” Hunter said. “We don’t care who we play, Detroit or Miami.”

Antawn Jamison scored a season-high 37 and Gilbert Arenas had 32 for Washington, which missed an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot.

The 76ers closed to within one game of Indiana and Milwaukee for sixth place in the East. Chicago holds the tiebreaker advantage.

“We are playing with a lot of confidence right now and we believe in each other more than ever,” Iverson said. “We are looking forward to trying to get in the playoffs and make something happen.”

Cleveland 103, New Orleans 101 -- LeBron James scored 32 points and made a jumper from the top of the key with 0.5 seconds left to lift the Cavaliers at Oklahoma City.

With Cleveland already securing the No. 4 spot in the East by winning 11 of its last 12, New Orleans had more at stake but the loss dropped the Hornets 3 1/2 games behind the Lakers and Sacramento, who are tied for seventh in the West.

Chris Paul had 22 points for New Orleans.

Utah 85, Houston 83 -- In a game in which Yao Ming broke his foot in the first quarter, the Jazz kept its slim playoff hopes alive behind Carlos Boozer’s 25 points at Salt Lake City.

Juwan Howard had 25 points for Houston, but his basket at the end of the game was ruled to be too late. Utah moved within 2 1/2 games of the final playoff spot in the West.

After Yao said his foot was kicked by Utah’s Mehmet Okur, it was stepped on by Andrei Kirilenko while Yao was under the basket. After being fouled on the putback, Yao rubbed his left foot. He left the game about a minute later.

Denver 110, Portland 98 -- Carmelo Anthony scored 28 points to lead the visiting Nuggets to their first division title since 1988.

Marcus Camby added 21 points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots. Ruben Patterson also scored 21 points after persuading Coach George Karl to let him start in his first trip to Portland since his Feb. 23 trade to Denver.

Voshon Lenard and Sebastian Telfair each had 21 points for Portland.

Indiana 101, New York 82 -- Stephen Jackson scored 28 points and Peja Stojakovic added 23 to help the host Pacers end the Knicks’ three-game winning streak and move into a tie for sixth in the Eastern Conference standings with Milwaukee.

Indiana had lost eight of 10 and fallen, 98-73, at Detroit on Sunday, but the Pacers held the Knicks to 38% shooting in the second half.

Jamal Crawford led the Knicks with 26 points and seven assists.

Orlando 105, Atlanta 88 -- Dwight Howard had 20 points, 16 rebounds and a career high-tying six assists to help the Magic win for the ninth time in 10 games to keep its slim playoff hopes alive at Orlando, Fla.

Orlando is 10th in the East, three games behind Philadelphia for the final playoff spot.

Al Harrington had 19 points for Atlanta.