SCOREBOARD
Tuesday, April 10
New York at Chicago (8:30 p.m. EDT). The Bulls have the best home record (29-10) in the Eastern Conference.
STARS
Monday
– Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets, scored 33 points to give Denver sole possession of sixth place in the Western Conference with a 115-111 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
– Yao Ming, Rockets, scored 31 points in Houston’s 95-90 win over Seattle.
– Tony Parker, Spurs, scored 30 points and San Antonio beat Portland 112-96.
FIFTY: STILL NIFTY
Detroit beat New York 91-83 Monday night for its 50th win of the season. The Pistons have won 50 games in a franchise-record six straight seasons, one more than a stretch from 1986-91.
DONE AND DONE
Dallas ensured itself the NBA’s best record with five games to go, beating the Los Angeles Clippers 96-86 Monday night.
LUCKY SEVEN
Seven Raptors scored in double-figures to help Toronto rally and beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 111-100 on Monday night. Jose Calderon scored 11 of his 12 points in the fourth for the Raptors, who overcame a nine-point deficit in the final quarter to stretch their winning streak to four.
JOCKEYING FOR POSITION
San Antonio refocused after nearly blowing a 16-point lead and beat Portland 112-96 Monday night to move to within two games of idle Phoenix for the second seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Each team has five games remaining in the regular season. … Houston beat Seattle 95-90 to move past Utah into fourth place in the Western Conference standings. Utah lost at Golden State 126-102.
NOT AN ILLUSION
Orlando equaled its best shooting performance of the season on Monday night, making 62.5 percent from the floor in a 117-94 victory over Milwaukee.
SPEAKING
“I told them if I see them on the plane, I’ll fine them,” Dallas coach Avery Johnson on stars Dirk Nowitzki and Jerry Stackhouse, whom he announced would not be joining the club on a road trip to Minnesota after the Mavericks sealed home-court throughout the playoffs by beating the Clippers 96-86 Monday night.