OKLAHOMA City's James Harden scored a career-high 40 points, including making 5 of 8 3-pointers, to lead the Thunder to a 109-97 win over Phoenix yesterday that dealt a blow to the Suns' playoff hopes.

Kevin Durant added 29 points for the Thunder, who stayed half a game behind San Antonio in the fight for the top playoff seed in the Western Conference.

Phoenix's loss, coupled with Utah's' victory over Portland, moved the Jazz half a game above of the Suns for the West's eighth and final playoff spot.

Jared Dudley scored 21 points for Phoenix.

CELTICS 102, MAGIC 98

In Boston, Paul Pierce had 29 points and a career-high 14 assists as Boston held off Orlando and clinched at least a tie for the NBA Atlantic Division title.

Boston has a 3-1/2-game lead over New York. The Celtics have three games left, and the Knicks have four.

Division winners are guaranteed to be seeded no worse than fourth in the conference and would avoid Chicago or Miami in the first round of playoffs.

The Magic cut a 91-78 lead to 91-90 with 3:04 left. But they came no closer.

CLIPPERS 104, NUGGETS 98

In Denver, Kenyon Martin helped beat his old team with a tip-in and blocked shot in the final half-minute, leading Los Angeles past Denver.

Martin tipped in Chris Paul's missed jumper with 27 seconds left and the game tied, then blocked at the other end with 20 seconds remaining. After a timeout, Paul made two free throws to make it a four-point game.

The Nuggets got back within two with 16 seconds remaining, but Mo Williams replied with two free throws and Paul, who led the Clippers with 21 points, capped the game with an uncontested dunk.

MAVERICKS 117, ROCKETS 110

In Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki scored 21 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter, steering Dallas to a win over Houston, whose playoff ambitions took another hit.

Nowitzki sank two 3-pointers to trigger a 20-6 run that took the game away from the visitors.

The Rockets lost their fifth straight game, matching their longest losing skid of the season.

HEAT 96, RAPTORS 72

In Maiami, LeBron James scored 28 points before taking the fourth quarter off as a below-strength Miami warmed up for the playoffs with an easy win over Toronto.

James made 12 of his 15 shots for Miami, which also got 13 points from Mike Miller. The Heat played without Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, both given the night off, yet still pulled away in the second half.

James Johnson scored 18 points for the Raptors, who tied franchise-record low by scoring only 23 points in the second half.

Miami hosts Chicago today. The Bulls hold a 2-1/2-game lead over the Heat in the Eastern Conference standings.

SPURS 127, KINGS 102

In Sacramento, San Antonio made it five straight wins with victory at Sacramento.

Tiago Splitter and Gary Neal scored 17 points each for the Spurs, who used their reserves extensively all game, won in Sacramento for an eighth straight time and remained just ahead of Oklahoma City for top seed in the West.

Isaiah Thomas had 21 points and eight assists for the Kings, who have dropped eight of nine.

LAKERS 99, WARRIORS 87

In Oakland, Los Angeles bounced back from its heaviest loss of the season and beat Golden State.

A night after a 21-point defeat by San Antonio, the Lakers quickly got on top of the Warriors, taking a 17-point lead in the second quarter.

Andrew Bynum had 31 points and nine rebounds, and Pau Gasol recorded a triple-double of 22 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for Los Angeles.

Klay Thompson scored 17 points for Golden State.

JAZZ 112, TRAIL BLAZERS 91

In Portland, Devin Harris had 27 points, including a career-high six 3-pointers, as Utah continued to jockey for a playoff spot with a victory over Portland.

The Jazz, with just three games to play, are locked in a battle for the remaining playoff spots in the Western Conference with Houston, Phoenix, Dallas and Denver.

Gordon Hayward added 23 points for the Jazz, who led by as many as 31 points.

Wesley Matthews had 21 points for the Blazers.

HAWKS 116, PISTONS 84

In Atlanta, Tracy McGrady led six players in double figures as playoff-bound Atlanta built a 37-point lead in the first half on the way to a rout of Detroit.

With their highest-scoring half of the season, the Hawks were up 72-42 at the break in the first of five straight home games to close the regular season. Atlanta is battling with Boston and Orlando to be the final Eastern Conference team with home-court advantage.

GRIZZLIES 103, HORNETS 91

In Memphis, the hosts clinched a playoff berth with a win over New Orleans.

Rudy Gay scored 26 points and Mike Conley added 20 for the Grizzlies, who shot 51 percent.

Rookie Jerome Dyson led the Hornets with a career-high 24 points but could not prevent the team losing for the first time in five games.

KNICKS 104, NETS 95

In Newark, Carmelo Anthony scored 21 of his 33 points in the first quarter, setting up New York's win over New Jersey.

Continuing his impressive form run that has compensated for the absence of Amare Stoudemire and Jeremy Lin, Anthony hit his first six shots in the Knicks' last visit to its neighboring state. The Nets are relocating to Brooklyn next season.

Anthony surpassed 30 points for the third straight game. He shot 11 of 21, going 5 of 7 on 3-pointers.

BULLS 100, BOBCATS 68

In Charlotte, Chicago moved a step closer to securing the top seed in the East playoffs by thrashing woeful Charlotte.

Richard Hamilton scored 22 points in just 24 minutes for the Bulls, making his first seven shots, including four 3-pointers.

Despite playing without leading scorers Derrick Rose and Luol Deng, the Bulls shot 48 percent from the floor and connected on 9 of 19 shots from 3-point range.

Kemba Walker scored 16 points for the Bobcats, who've lost a franchise-record 18 straight games. If they lose their final five games they will finish with the worst winning percentage in NBA history.

76ERS 103, CAVALIERS 87

In Cleveland, Jrue Holiday made five 3-pointers and scored 19 of his 24 points in the third quarter as Philadelphia beat Cleveland and tightened its grip on a playoff spot.

Holiday made four of his 3s during a stunning 24-2 run when the Sixers blew open a tight game. Andre Iguodala added 19 points as Philadelphia snapped a three-game losing streak, and increased their lead over Milwaukee in the standings. However the Sixers play their final four on the road, including a game against the Bucks next week.

Cavaliers rookie Kyrie Irving scored 9 points in his first game back after missing nine straight with a sprained shoulder.

WIZARDS 121, BUCKS 112

In Washington, Jordan Crawford equaled a season-high with 32 points as Washington inflicted a damaging defeat on Milwaukee.

Despite being freshened by three days off, the Bucks lost and fell 2-1/2 games behind Philadelphia in the fight for the last playoff spot in the East.

John Wall had 14 points and 10 assists for the Wizards.

Monta Ellis had 31 points for Milwaukee.