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© St. Petersburg Times, published April 12, 2003
TORONTO -- The Bucks are in the playoffs, but not because of an impressive performance.
Toni Kukoc scored 25, and Milwaukee clinched a playoff spot with a 105-103 victory Friday against Toronto, which dressed eight players and played without its two best, Vince Carter (left ankle) and Antonio Davis (strained groin).
"I really don't understand how we did it," Milwaukee coach George Karl said. "I really think Toronto probably played the better basketball game."
Toronto's Alvin Williams missed two chances to send it into overtime in the final 10 seconds. On the first, he was fouled by Gary Payton on a drive with 6.3 seconds left, but he made only one of two free throws to make it 104-103.
After Tim Thomas missed one of his free throws with 5.6 seconds left, Williams missed a layup. Jerome Williams rebounded and dunked, which would have tied the score. But it came after the buzzer. The officials used video replay, and the play stood.
"I blew it," Alvin Williams said. "We had an opportunity to win, and I blew it. When you're undermanned, you almost need to play a perfect game."
The Bucks, who were down by 10 early, broke a tie at 100 with 1:24 left when Payton blocked Alvin Williams' shot then fed Cassell for a layup. Kukoc made it a four-point lead on a layup.
WIZARDS 91, HEAT 87: Michael Jordan scored 25 for visiting Washington, which was eliminated from the playoff race with victories by Milwaukee and Orlando. But Jordan, who plans to retire at the end of the season, retained the all-time scoring average lead. He has averaged 30.2 to Wilt Chamberlain's 30.1.
JAZZ 95, MAVERICKS 92: Karl Malone had 23 points, nine rebounds and seven assists to hand visiting Dallas its season-high third consecutive loss. Andrei Kirilenko missed a free throw with 7.1 seconds left, giving Dallas a chance to tie. But Nick Van Exel dribbled the ball off his foot with Kirilenko defending him, and the Mavericks did not get off a final shot.
SPURS 94, SONICS 86: Host San Antonio held on for its 11th consecutive victory. The Sonics cut it to 86-82 on Brent Barry's alley-oop to Rashard Lewis with 2:31 left. But Manu Ginobili made four free throws, and Malik Rose and Tony Parker made two during the final 2 1/2 minutes.
HORNETS 93, PISTONS 89: Jamal Mashburn's only field goal of the fourth, a leaning, double-pump jumper as he was fouled with 21 seconds left, lifted host New Orleans. Mashburn's shot and ensuing free throw were his first points of the quarter and came with the Hornets down 89-88. He added two free throws with less than a second left and finished with 20 points, eight assists and eight rebounds.
GRIZZLIES 96, BLAZERS 93: Host Memphis rallied from a 20-point first-half deficit. Portland led 89-87 on a dunk by Arvydas Sabonis with just less than five minutes left. But Jason Williams responded with a 3-pointer. Memphis sealed it when Wesley Person grabbed a miss with about six seconds left and was fouled. He converted both free throws with 3.2 seconds left.
TIMBERWOLVES 106, CLIPPERS 90: Kevin Garnett had 24 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists for host Minnesota. The Wolves, who were 13-for-18 in the third, outscored Los Angeles 13-2 during the final three minutes to take an 85-65 lead. The Clippers cut it to 90-83 on Eric Piatkowski's layup with eight minutes left, but they didn't score again until 2:15 left.
BULLS 95, NETS 86: In their first start together, Jamal Crawford and Jay Williams combined for 33 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds for host Chicago. Crawford scored 19 and had seven assists and six rebounds. Williams, who missed part of the fourth to get stitches after taking an elbow from Kenyon Martin, had 14 points, seven assists and five rebounds. After Aaron Williams' hook shot gave New Jersey an 86-81 lead with 4:58 left, Jay Williams' 18-footer sparked a 13-0 run.
KNICKS 108, 76ERS 103: Allan Houston scored 25 and Howard Eisley 18 for host New York. Kenny Thomas had 15 points and 10 rebounds but had a shot blocked by Clarence Weatherspoon with 29 seconds left. Latrell Sprewell's two free throws moments later put New York up 102-96.
HAWKS 109, CAVALIERS 89: Six players scored during a 26-0 first-quarter run for Atlanta. Cleveland has lost 20 consecutive road games. Down 10-2, Theo Ratliff hit a jumper, and during the next eight minutes, Cleveland missed 12 consecutive shots and five free throws and had five turnovers.
KINGS 105, NUGGETS 103: Chris Webber scored 29 and made an acrobatic underhand shot with .9 seconds left for host Sacramento. Webber also had 10 rebounds and nine assists.
MIAMI -- The Heat retired Michael Jordan's No. 23 jersey before his final game in Miami.
The jersey, half red for the Bulls and half blue for the Wizards, was hung from the rafters, and coach Pat Riley said no Heat player will wear the number again.
It was the first jersey the Heat has retired in its 15-year history.
BULLS: John Paxson, who has been a player, assistant and broadcaster for the team, said he will meet with chairman Jerry Reinsdorf to interview for the team's general manager opening. Also, forward Tyson Chandler will miss the rest of the season with an inflamed esophagus.
CELTICS: The team plans to retire Cedric Maxwell's No. 31 early next season, making it the Celtics' 22nd retired number.
CLIPPERS: Forward Lamar Odom was scratched because of a sore left ankle. He is day to day.
JAZZ: Owner Larry Miller is upset with Karl Malone again, this time over a story suggesting he might play elsewhere next season.
Sports Illustrated reported this week that Malone's wife plans to go househunting in San Antonio and Los Angeles this June in preparation for a possible move. Malone will be a free agent this summer.
They have had spats before.
"I've put up with them. I'm not going to put up with them now. If he wants to get into a (public shouting) contest, let's go," Miller said. "To throw disruptive hand grenades is not right. It's not fair to his teammates. It's not fair to the coaches. It's not fair to the franchise. It's not fair to me."
WIZARDS: Guard Jerry Stackhouse sat out Friday because of tendinitis in his right knee.