Spurs Lock Up Best Record

Tim Duncan didn’t want to be congratulated after the San Antonio Spurs clinched the top playoff seeding in the Western Conference and a third consecutive Midwest Division title Monday night.

“It is nice, but I think we’re going to go out and try to win this thing,” Duncan said after scoring 21 points in a 91-83 victory over the Utah Jazz at Salt Lake City.

Winning for the 12th time in 13 games and beating the Jazz for the 13th time in a row, the Spurs made sure Wednesday’s home game against Dallas won’t matter. Dallas, which opened the season 14-0 but has struggled lately, can still tie the Spurs by winning at San Antonio, but the Spurs hold the tiebreaker with a better conference record.

Tony Parker scored 25 and Emanuel Ginobili scored 14, including a three-point basket that ended the Jazz’s final comeback attempt.

“I’m proud of the team, but it’s just beginning,” Parker said. “We’re going to make a run for it. Our goal is not to win the conference or get the No. 1 seed, it’s to win the championship.”

Karl Malone had 20 points for Utah, which will be the No. 7-seeded team in the West and begin the playoffs this weekend at Sacramento.

Detroit 89, Cleveland 88 -- The Pistons clinched the No. 1 seeding in the Eastern Conference, escaping with a victory when the Cavaliers’ Smush Parker’s dunk attempt bounced off the rim as time expired at Auburn Hills, Mich.

New Jersey could still tie Detroit in the standings but the Pistons own the tiebreaker.

Rick Carlisle became the second coach in NBA history to win 50 games and division titles in each of his first two seasons. Pat Riley did it with the 1981-82 and ‘82-83 Lakers.

Corliss Williamson led the Pistons with 18 points, including nine in the fourth quarter. Ricky Davis had 25 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds for Cleveland, which has lost 21 in a row on the road.

Dallas 109, Seattle 106 -- Dirk Nowitzki had 39 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists as the Mavericks won their regular-season finale at Dallas but lost their chance at the Midwest Division title and the best record in the NBA.

The Mavericks’ division hopes ended about a half-hour after their game when San Antonio beat Utah, clinching the division title and top seeding in the playoffs and locking the Mavericks into the third spot.

The SuperSonics’ Ray Allen had 35 points in a game in which teammate Rashard Lewis was ejected for arguing with officials. Dallas Coach Don Nelson was ejected for the same reason.

Dallas’ Michael Finley returned from a 13-game injury absence and had two points on one-of-seven shooting.

New Orleans 87, New Jersey 74 -- Baron Davis scored 19 points and the Hornets limited the Nets to 11 fourth-quarter points in keeping them from clinching a second straight Atlantic Division title at East Rutherford, N.J.

Keeping alive their hopes for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, New Orleans (46-35) is a half-game behind Indiana (46-34) and could catch Philadelphia (47-33) if the 76ers lose both of their remaining games and the Hornets defeat Atlanta in their regular-season finale Wednesday.

Kenyon Martin had 23 points and 15 rebounds for the Nets, who can still win the division with a victory at Indiana on Wednesday or a loss by the 76ers in one of their final two games.

Atlanta 100, Orlando 84 -- Jason Terry, playing perhaps his final game for Atlanta, scored 23 points as the host Hawks extended their winning streak to a season-high four games.

Terry, in the last year of his contract, says he’d like to return to the Hawks but the team is poised for a major shakeup after missing the playoffs for the fourth season in a row.

Tracy McGrady had 22 points for Orlando, which clinched the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs.