nba roundup \ Sunday’s other games

Heat 122, Knicks 105

MIAMI — Dwyane Wade had one more argument for MVP voters: the second-best scoring show in Miami Heat history. Wade scored 55 points, one shy of the franchise record, and the Heat wrapped up the No. 5 spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Miami will play fourth-seeded Atlanta in the first round of the playoffs. Wade shot 19-for-30 from the field, set a career high with six 3-pointers, and nearly topped Glen Rice’s record of 56 points before leaving with 1:06 remaining. Michael Beasley finished with 28 points and 16 rebounds for the Heat, who also got 15 points from Mario Chalmers. Al Harrington and Tyson Chandler each scored 21 points for New York. Quentin Richardson finished with 14 and David Lee had an 11-point, 11-rebound night for the Knicks. Wade scored for the final time with 5:31 remaining. Only then did the Knicks figure out how to stop him, well after it was too late. Wade’s MVP candidacy is so important to the Heat that the franchise took the step — rare for them — of campaigning for the award. Last week, the team sent out a promotional DVD to postseason award voters. Now, it’s already outdated. This might have been the best show of the season. He was diving on the floor for loose balls, finished with nine rebounds, and dominated the Knicks in Miami for the second time this season. It was the 11th 50-point game in the NBA this season, the third by Wade — matching Cleveland’s LeBron James for the league’s high — and the third against the Knicks. Kobe Bryant got the NBA season-best point total with 61 in Madison Square Garden on Feb. 2.

Hornets 102, Mavericks 92

NEW ORLEANS — Chris Paul narrowly missed his seventh triple-double with 31 points, 17 assists and nine rebounds, and the Hornets earned a split in a key late season home-and-home series. David West scored 31 points to help New Orleans (49-31) move a game ahead of Dallas for the sixth playoff seed in the Western Conference. Each team has two games left. Dirk Nowitzki had 29 points and 14 rebounds for the Mavericks, who had pulled even with New Orleans on Friday by beating the Hornets in Dallas. Josh Howard added 15 points for the Mavericks The game was tied at 83 after Jason Kidd’s 3-pointer with 4:11 to go before the Hornets slowly began to pull away on West’s tough turnaround fade from the baseline. Paul then found Butler for a fast-break layup as he was fouled by Kidd, giving New Orleans a 91-86 lead..

Raptors 111, 76ers 104

TORONTO — Chris Bosh scored 22 points, Jose Calderon had 11 points and 11 assists, and the Raptors beat Philadelphia, handing the 76ers their season-high fifth straight loss. Anthony Parker scored 18 points, Andrea Bargnani had 17 and Shawn Marion had 14 for the Raptors, who won for the first time in five games. Louis Williams had 23 points and Andre Igoudala had 21 for the 76ers, with Samuel Dalembert adding 18 points and 12 rebounds.

Associated Press