* Chicago’s magic number is one
* Depleted Heat stunned by Wizards
* Nuggets clinch West playoff spot
(Adds quotes, details)
April 21 (Reuters) – Derrick Rose returned to the lineup to
help Chicago Bulls beat the Dallas Mavericks 93-83 on Saturday
and increase their lead over the Miami Heat in the race for the
Eastern Conference’s top seed.
Rose, who had missed three games with a foot/ankle injury
contributed 11 points and eight assists as the Bulls took a
two-and-a-half game lead over the Heat with two games left in
their schedule.
A win by the Bulls in either of their games or a loss by
Miami, who have three games remaining, would give the top seed
to Chicago.
“We’re not worried about no other team,” Rose told
reporters. “We’re just trying to win every game.”
The Heat were surprised 86-84 by the Washington Wizards on a
last-second field goal.
Miami rested LeBron James and Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade
left after three minutes with a dislocated left index finger.
In Chicago, Loul Deng scored 22 points and Richard Hamilton
19 for the Bulls, who held defending champion Dallas to just
eight points in the first quarter.
“They are a tough team to put the ball in the basket
against,” Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said of the Bulls’ first
quarter defense.
Dirk Nowitzki scored 17 points for Dallas. Rodrigue Beaubois
added 16 as he started for Jason Kidd, who along with Jason
Terry sat out the game to rest as the Texan side prepare for the
playoffs.
Elsewhere, the Denver Nuggets clinched a Western Conference
playoff spot with a 118-107 road victory over the Phoenix Suns.
Ty Lawson sparked the Nuggets with 29 points, making all
five three-point attempts, and 10 assists.
Shannon Brown topped Phoenix with 28 points and Steve Nash
collected 13 assists to pass Oscar Robertson for fifth place on
the NBA all-time list.
For the Suns to make the postseason, they must win at Utah
on Tuesday and defeat the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.
Philadelphia’s playoff hopes got a big boost with a 109-106
overtime win over the playoff bound Indiana Pacers.
One more win would clinch a postseason spot in the East for
the 76ers, who snapped a seven-game Indiana winning streak.
(Reporting By Gene Cherry in Salvo North Carolina; Editing by
Greg Stutchbury)
