Prolific Suns Clinch League’s Best Record

The Suns clinched home-court advantage throughout the playoffs before the first quarter against Denver ended on Monday night, then went on to beat the Nuggets, 128-114, at Phoenix.

Joe Johnson scored 18 of his 26 points in a season-high 44-point first quarter that showcased the Suns at their high-flying best. Phoenix shot 71% (17 for 24) in the quarter to take a 19-point lead. The Suns’ 75 first-half points were also a season high.

The Nuggets didn’t get closer than 12 points again, and that came in the final minute of the Suns’ fifth consecutive victory.

Amare Stoudemire scored 26 points, Shawn Marion had 18 and Quentin Richardson 16 in the Suns’ 62nd victory of the season, tying the franchise record set by the 1992-93 team that made it to the NBA Finals. Steve Nash had eight points and 13 assists, eight in the first quarter.

Nash and Marion sat out the fourth quarter for the second game in a row. Stoudemire left with 10 minutes to play and Johnson with 8 1/2 to go.

Carmelo Anthony had 33 points for the Nuggets.

The loss cemented Denver in the No. 7 spot in the Western Conference and a first-round series against San Antonio. Phoenix plays Memphis in the first round.

With about two minutes left in the first quarter, Phoenix Coach Mike D’Antoni asked reporters on press row how the San Antonio-Memphis game came out. When told Memphis had won, giving the Suns the league’s best record, he smiled and said, “I guess I can go sit down now.”

Philadelphia 122, Milwaukee 106 -- Allen Iverson finished with 39 points and 12 assists at Philadelphia to help put the 76ers back in the playoffs for the first time in two years, and a date with their former coach could be next.

The 76ers raced to a 22-point lead and won for the seventh time in nine games and 10th in the last 15 -- a strong finish for a team that seemed headed toward the lottery about six weeks ago. Philadelphia (42-39) can finish, sixth, seventh or eighth in the Eastern Conference, depending on how Cleveland and New Jersey fare in their final two games.

Philadelphia would play former coach Larry Brown’s second-seeded and defending champion Detroit Pistons, if the 76ers stayed seventh in the standings.

Memphis 94, San Antonio 92 -- Mike Miller scored 28 points, including the game-winning 22-footer at the buzzer, in the Grizzlies’ victory at Memphis, Tenn.

Glenn Robinson had 23 points on nine-for-11 shooting for the Spurs, who played without point guard Tony Parker (stomach virus).

Utah 92, Sacramento 82 -- Matt Harpring had 24 points and 13 rebounds at Salt Lake City to help the Jazz beat the Kings at home for the first time since April 19, 2000.

Sacramento, which lost out on a chance at fifth in the Western Conference when Houston beat the Clippers, will finish sixth or seventh.

Orlando 92, Indiana 88 -- Steve Francis had 24 points at Orlando, Fla., to help the Magic end a seven-game losing streak. The Pacers stayed sixth in the East, one game in front of the 76ers.

Minnesota 102, New Orleans 99 -- Wally Szczerbiak scored 18 points at New Orleans to help hand the Hornets their eighth loss in a row. The loss guaranteed the Hornets (18-63) could do no better than tie the franchise’s all-time worst record of 19-63, set in the 1989-90 season.