EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) – With Allen Iverson conspicuously absent again, the Philadelphia 76ers were eliminated from playoff contention Sunday with an 89-75 loss to the New Jersey Nets.

The idle Boston Celtics clinched the Eastern Conference’s last remaining playoff spot, setting up a first-round series against the NBA-leading Indiana Pacers.

The loss ended Philadelphia’s five-year run of postseason appearances, including a trip to the NBA Finals in 2001. The 76ers will soon begin an offseason of uncertainty, with no guarantees that Iverson, interim coach Chris Ford or general manager Billy King will return.
Suns 89, Grizzlies 83
PHOENIX – Amare Stoudemire scored 23 of his 29 points in the first half and the Phoenix Suns handed the undermanned Memphis Grizzlies their fourth loss in five games, 89-83 Sunday night.

Leandro Barbosa added 17 points for the Suns, who are 16-2 at home against Memphis. Joe Johnson scored 15, and Shawn Marion and Casey Jacobsen had 10 apiece. Antonio McDyess contributed 13 rebounds and Marion had 10 boards.
Kings 102, Lakers 85
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Lakers were the perfect wake-up call for the Sacramento Kings – though Kobe Bryant helped out by sleeping through the first half.

Chris Webber had 25 points and 12 rebounds, Doug Christie added 21 points to his superb defense and the Kings halted their late-season skid with a 102-85 victory over their archrivals Sunday.

Mike Bibby had 15 points and eight assists for Sacramento (55-25), which took a one-game lead over the Lakers (54-26) in the Pacific Division with two to play by winning for just the fourth time in 10 games.

The Kings were dominating, playing with more desperation and passion than they’ve shown during the last seven weeks.
Bulls 114, Raptors 108
TORONTO – Jamal Crawford scored a career-high 50 points to lift the Chicago Bulls past the Toronto Raptors 114-108 in overtime Sunday afternoon.

Crawford became the fourth person to score at least 50 points this season, joining Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson and Rashard Lewis.

Crawford had 24 points in the fourth quarter, including 16 straight as Chicago rallied to take the lead. His previous best was 42 points Dec. 27 against Washington.
Warriors 108, Mavs 107
OAKLAND, Calif. – Jason Richardson had 24 points and 11 rebounds and the Golden State Warriors rallied in the final five minutes to end a 20-game losing streak to Dallas, defeating the Mavericks 108-107 on Sunday.

Cliff Robinson scored five straight points to give Golden State its first lead of the game, 103-101 with 3:46 to play, then Speedy Claxton made a lay-in. Brian Cardinal grabbed several key rebounds during the late series, secured a jump ball and had an assist.

The Mavericks inbounded the ball at midcourt with 20.8 seconds left, but missed several chances to win, including Antoine Walker’s 3-point try that bounced off the rim.

Dirk Nowitzki had 29 points and 14 rebounds for the playoff-bound Mavs, who remained tied with Memphis for the fifth seed in the West.

Marquis Daniels had 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists for Dallas, which hadn’t lost to Golden State since April 10, 1999.

The Warriors, who will miss the playoffs for the 10th straight season, got 19 points and nine assists from Claxton, 17 points and eight boards from Cardinal and 16 points from Troy Murphy before he left with an apparent back injury. Golden State had lost 21 of 23 to the Mavericks, including nine straight at home.

Claxton hit Richardson with a picture perfect alley-oop pass from beyond midcourt to pull the Warriors within 93-91 with 7:50 to play.

With 6:33 left, Mavericks center Shawn Bradley was whistled for a technical foul following a hard foul on Murphy. Murphy was driving the lane when Bradley came down hard on him. Murphy landed on his back and scooted to the base of the basket support, where he sat spitting up blood for several minutes before staying in the game.

Following Cardinal’s technical foul shot, Murphy converted two free throws to make it 95-94. He then left the game and went for X-rays on his back.

The Mavericks have lost two straight following a six-game winning streak.

Michael Finley, Dallas’ second-leading scorer, missed his second straight game because of back spasms. His replacement in the starting lineup, Josh Howard, did not play in the second half because of a sore right hamstring. He had five points in 17 minutes.

Golden State started the game 1-for-9 and shot 38 percent in the first quarter, but stayed within 56-49 at halftime against a Mavericks lineup that shot 45.7 percent in the first half and led by as many as 10.

Notes: Claxton has been bothered by a right groin strain and asked to be taken out early in the second quarter. He quickly returned. … Golden State G Avery Johnson received the franchise’s foundation award, given each season to the player who best exemplifies the spirit of community service. … Robinson is the only Warriors player to appear in all 80 games. … Former Warriors F Antawn Jamison, who was greeted with a smattering of boos during pregame introductions, threw up an airball from about 15 feet late in the second quarter. He sprained his right ankle with 20 seconds left, but stayed in and finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.

AP-ES-04-11-04 2340EDT