Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) shoots against Milwaukee Bucks center Miles Plumlee (21) during the second quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Picture: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
DPA/Los Angeles
The Chicago Bull welcomed back star guard Derrick Rose after missing 20 games following knee surgery but the Orlando Magic spoiled his return.
Victor Oladipo scored 23 points, including the tie-breaking layup with 1.5 seconds left Wednesday, sending the Magic to a dramatic 105-103 home-court victory over the Bulls.
With the game knotted at 103-apiece, Oladipo drove the lane past Jimmy Butler and hit the acrobatic difference-maker over the late-arriving Joakim Noah.
The Bulls had a shot to knot it but Mike Dunleavy’s lob pass at the rim intended for big man Pau Gasol sailed out of bounds with Oladipo defending.
“There’s no playoff but we’re trying to treat every game like a playoff game,” Oladipo said. “There are teams that we’re playing that are playoff seeds, but we’re trying to get better too.”
Nikola Vucevic netted 22 points while rookie Elfrid Payton added 17 with nine assists and nine rebounds in Orlando’s (25-53), third straight victory.
In his first action since February 23, former league MVP Rose finished with nine points on 3-of-9 shooting with two assists and four turnovers in a restricted 19 minutes 24 seconds but sat out the fourth quarter.
“I felt good, there was no discomfort at all, so that’s a good sign,” said Rose, who had arthroscopic surgery on Feb. 27. “We’ll see how it feels tomorrow and look to give it a go (against Miami)”
“He’s been out a long time, so he’s got to get that rhythm,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said of his floor leader. “The more he plays the better he’ll be.”
Butler had 19 points, Gasol and Montenegrin Nikola Mirotec added 15 apiece for Chicago (46-32) which dropped into the fourth playoff seed in the East.
“Bad loss because it’s a game that we needed,” the Spaniard Gasol said. “It’s a game that we should’ve wanted a hundred million times more than they did. And they took it. It’s troubling.”
Elsewhere: San Antonio Spurs 110, Houston Rockets 98: Frenchman Tony Parker scored 27 points, and the visiting Spurs (53-26) rolled the Rockets for their ninth straight victory
The reigning NBA Champs moved one-half game behind Houston and Memphis for the Southwest Division lead and the second seed in the West behind Golden State.
Jason Terry topped Houston (53-25) with 22 points while James Harden was held to just 16.
•Memphis Grizzlies 110, New Orleans Pelicans 74: Zach Randolph had 15 points with 13 rebounds, and the Grizzlies (53-25) dropped the visiting Pelicans (42-36) into a tie with Oklahoma City for the eghth and final playoff spot in the West.
•Atlanta Hawks 114, Brooklyn Nets 111: Al Horford scored 24, including the go-ahead dunk with 19 seconds remaining, and the East-best Hawks (59-19) sent the host Nets (36-42) into a tie with Boston for the seventh-playoff spot despite Brook Lopez’ game-high 26.
•Boston Celtics 113, Detroit Pistons 103: Isaiah Thomas tossed in a season-high 34 points and visiting Celtics (36-42) eliminated the Pistons (30-48) from playoff contention, while moving into a tie with Brooklyn for the seventh playoff seed in the East.
•Indiana Pacers 102, New York Knicks 86: George Hill scord 20 points, and the visiting Pacers (35-43) spanked the league-worst Knicks (15-63) to move one-game behind Boston and Brooklyn for the final playoff spot in the East.
•Cleveland Cavaliers 104, Milwaukee Bucks 99: Kyrie Irving scored 27 points, while LeBron James had 10 of his 21 in the final frame, including a key triple with 14 seconds left, and the visiting Cavs (51-27) beat the Bucks to clinch the Central Division and the No. 2 playoff seed in the East.
Michael Carter-Williams scored 30 points for Milwaukee (38-40) which remains the sixth playoff seed in the East.
•Toronto Raptors 93, Charlotte Hornets 74: DeMar DeRozan scored 18 points, and the Atlantic Division Champ Raptors (46-32) took over the third playoff seed in the East after squashing the host Hornets (33-45).
•Washington Wizards 119, Philadelphia 76ers 90: Bradley Beal scored 21 points, and the Wizards - the fifth playoff seed in the East - shot a franchise-record 65.3 per cent from the field to route the visiting Sixers.
