NBA ROUNDUP Tuesday's playoff games

Kings 83, Mavericks 79
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- When the NBA's two best offenses sputtered and stalled, the Sacramento Kings grinded out another victory. Chris Webber got his first playoff triple-double and Brad Miller hit the go-ahead shot with 34 seconds left, leading the Kings in Game 2 of their first-round series. Webber had 19 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists while Mike Bibby scored 10 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter for the Kings, who took a 2-0 lead in a playoff series for just the second time since moving to Sacramento. But the Kings were barely tougher than Dallas on a night when no baskets came easy for the league's highest-scoring offenses. Sacramento couldn't breathe easily until Peja Stojakovic knocked the ball out of Michael Finley's hands with 11 seconds left, setting up two clinching free throws by Doug Christie. Game 3 is Saturday in Dallas, where the Kings have lost five straight games dating to last season's playoffs. Dirk Nowitzki had 28 points and 10 rebounds for the Mavericks, who got just one field goal in the final three minutes. Steve Nash missed an open 3-pointer with 19 seconds left, and Finley made the last of Dallas' 14 turnovers. Rookie Marquis Daniels tied it twice for Dallas with free throws in the final 90 seconds, but Miller hit an open jumper from the left wing. Nash missed his 3-pointer, but Webber missed two free throws with 19.6 seconds left.
Pacers 103, Celtics 90
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Pacers proved they're more than Ron Artest and Jermaine O'Neal. A group of reserves rescued the Pacers with an 21-3 run spanning the third and fourth quarters in a win over the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series. With an erratic O'Neal watching from the bench and Artest watching from home because of a suspension, Austin Croshere and Jonathan Bender ignited a lifeless Pacers team late in the third quarter. Indiana leads the series 2-0; it moves to Boston for Game 3 on Friday night. Paul Pierce led the Celtics with 27 points, but again struggled from the field despite the absence of Artest, the NBA's defensive player of the year.
Nets 99, Knicks 81
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The mismatch of the Knicks-Nets series stuck to form, New Jersey showing its superiority over an outmatched and banged-up opponent. The Nets opened a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, which resumes Thursday night at New York. The Knicks weren't as docile as in the series opener when there was no response after Tim Thomas was flagrantly fouled and injured, but they didn't put up all that much of a fight, either. Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin led the way as the Nets took control in the second quarter. New Jersey led by as many as 22 points in defeating the Knicks for the 14th time in their last 16 meetings. Martin led New Jersey with 22 points and 16 rebounds.
-- Associated Press
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