Heat top Wizards to clinch playoff berth

Miami Heat center Chris Bosh (right) drives to the basket against Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat in the second half at American Airlines Arena on Monday.AFP/New YorkThe Miami Heat clinched a playoff spot and snapped a three-game losing skid by beating the Washington Wizards 99-90 behind a 23-point performance from LeBron James on Monday night. Dwyane Wade scored 13 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter in front of a crowd of 19,657 at the AmericanAirlines Arena. “This was a game that showed some growth,” said Miami coach Erik Spoelstra. James also tallied eight assists and seven rebounds, while Chris Bosh added 22 points and seven rebounds for the Heat, who haven’t lost four in a row since a five-game losing streak in 2011. Spoelstra was especially pleased to see James back in form after a couple of off nights for the 2013 playoff MVP. “He takes it to heart,” Spoelstra said, “and I love to see that leadership. “I felt good about this game the minute LeBron walked into the gym.” Miami now trails the Indiana Pacers by just one game for first place in the Eastern Conference standings. Bradley Beal scored 18 points, Martell Webster scored 17 and Marcin Gortat finished with 14 points and 18 rebounds for the Wizards, who have won eight of their last 10 games. The Heat are back on track at home after losing all three games on a recent road trip to Houston, San Antonio and Chicago. Washington led 84-83 following Drew Gooden’s layup just past the halfway mark of the fourth, but Wade answered with a three-point play to key a 12-0 run from the Heat. Bosh buried a three-pointer in the burst before Wade capped it with a layup for a 95-84 lead with just over three minutes left in the fourth. Miami held Washington to just a couple of field goals the rest of the way to secure the victory. The Heat are now 25-4 at home and are unbeaten in their last six at the AmericanAirlines Arena. The Wizards had their five game road win streak snapped and next face Charlotte and Orlando.Elsewhere, the New York Knicks won their fourth straight game to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, turning back the Philadelphia 76ers with a 123-110 verdict. Amar’e Stoudemire matched his season best with 23 points, and rookie guard Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 28 points for New York (25-40), which started the night two games behind Atlanta for the eighth and final berth in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Michael Carter-Williams registered a triple-double, scoring 23 points with 13 rebounds and 10 assists for Philadelphia (15-48), which has lost 17 straight games, its longest losing streak since a franchise-high 20-game span in 1973. An ailing Paul Pierce buried a three-pointer with 1:14 left in the fourth quarter to help lift the Nets to a 101-97 win over the Toronto Raptors. Pierce, who left Sunday’s win over the Kings with a bruised shoulder and was not expected to play on Monday, knocked down a three-pointer with two seconds left on the shot clock to give the Nets a 97-94 lead. Brooklyn (32-30) stretched its season-high home winning streak to eight games while the Raptors (35-27) had their three-game win streak snapped despite 21 points, eight rebounds and seven assists from Kyle Lowrie. Al Jefferson had 26 points and 13 rebounds, guard Kemba Walker scored 24 points, and newly acquired guard Gary Neal scored 19 as the Charlotte Bobcats beat the Denver Nuggets 105-98. The Bobcats led by 12 points in the first half and 14 in the second as they matched a franchise record by winning their seventh straight at home. They are now 30-34 and comfortably in seventh spot in the Eastern Conference standings. The Nuggets fell to 27-36 and lost for the eighth time in their last 10 games. Point guard Brandon Knight scored nine of his 24 points in the fourth quarter, and forward Khris Middleton hit three three-pointers in the final period as the Bucks rallied for a 105-98 victory over the Orlando Magic. Middleton finished with 21 points for the Bucks (13-50), who snapped a three-game losing streak. Orlando (19-46) made seven of 16 three-pointers through the first three quarters but missed five of seven long-distance attempts in the fourth. Clippers forward Blake Griffin scored 37 points and got into a fourth-quarter skirmish with Suns guard P.J. Tucker in Los Angeles’ 112-105 victory over Phoenix. Griffin and Tucker got into a scuffle with 5:28 left. The two got tangled up on the floor under the Clippers’ basket, and Tucker appeared to punch Griffin before players from both teams intervened. Tucker was ejected. The Clippers (45-20) won their eighth in a row and beat the Suns for the second time in the past week. The Suns (36-27), who lost to the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night, fell for the second time in as many nights.