Associated Press
Associated Press
DENVER — Kenyon Martin spent seven seasons patrolling the paint in Denver. He gave the Pepsi Center crowd something else to remember him by Wednesday night.
Martin helped beat his old team with a tip-in and blocked shot in the final half-minute, leading the Los Angeles Clippers past the Nuggets 104-98 in a crucial game between teams jockeying for playoff position.
“It’s about winning basketball,” Martin said. “Just never quit playing no matter what the situation is, always put yourself in a position to make plays. Just trying to get a ‘W.’ We’re fighting for playoff position. We did an excellent job as a unit just staying with it.”
Martin, especially. He tipped in Chris Paul’s missed jumper with 27 seconds left and the game tied at 96.
“That was my only rebound tonight,” said Martin, who logged 30 minutes. “So, it was perfect timing.”
He wasn’t finished.
Martin hustled back down court and blocked Ty Lawson at the other end with 20 seconds remaining.
After a timeout, Paul drew what the Nuggets thought was a phantom foul and made two free throws with 18.3 seconds left to make it a four-point game.
The Nuggets got back within two on Lawson’s free throws with 16 seconds left, but Mo Williams, who scored 19 points and came up huge in the fourth quarter, replied with two free throws and Paul capped the game with an uncontested dunk to finish with 24 points.
Martin wasn’t exactly welcomed back by the crowd that used to cheer his every move.
“It’s cool, whatever. It’s about winning, it’s not about anything else,” Martin said. “They are cheering for their team, which I expect them to do. I had a good seven years here and they cheered for me every time I was here. I was here for a long time, played a lot of winning basketball, made the playoffs seven years, seven out of seven.”
Martin and the Nuggets went their separate ways after last season. Martin played in China briefly during the NBA lockout, then signed a one-year deal with the Clippers, whose coach, Vinny Del Negro, is now enjoying the many things the veteran forward brings to his lineup.
“He has instincts for the ball with his athleticism and quickness. He can read situations because he has that experience,” Del Negro said. “He made a big tip-in, had a big block. He helps us anchor our defense because he can switch out at the end of games and guard guards, 2s, 3s and you don’t have to double at all with him. He just gives you more versatility.”
And game-winning plays in crunch time.
That it was Martin who beat them made this loss all the more painful for the Nuggets, who are 1 games ahead of eighth-place Utah.
“He made some big plays down the stretch,” guard Arron Afflalo said. “You hate to single out one singular play as to why you lose a basketball game, but the rebound and the block were huge for them.”
With their 13th win in 15 games, the Clippers kept pressure on the Lakers as the two L.A. teams took their fight for first place in the Pacific Division down to the wire.
Despite 24 points from Lawson, the Nuggets lost at home for the first time since March 19, and slipped into seventh place in the West, a half-game behind Dallas, which beat Houston 117-110 on Wednesday.
The Nuggets have four games left, three on the road, as they try to secure their ninth straight trip to the playoffs.
“We’re going to have to win a couple more games,” Denver coach George Karl said.
The Clippers matched their season-high with 14 3-pointers, including four each from Caron Butler and Williams and three from Nick Young.
Two of Williams’ 3s came during a 10-0 run the Clippers used to turn an 87-82 deficit into a 92-87 lead.
Williams’ most impressive 3-pointer came with the Clippers clinging to a 92-89 lead. Paul lost the handle on the ball with the shot clock winding down, Williams scooped it up and let loose an off-balance prayer that swished as the buzzer went off, giving the Clippers a six-point lead with 3 minutes left.
KNICKS 104, NETS 95
NEWARK, N.J. — Carmelo Anthony scored 21 of his 33 points in the first quarter, and the Knicks won in their last trip to New Jersey. The Nets move to Brooklyn next season.
CELTICS 102, MAGIC 98
BOSTON — Paul Pierce had 29 points and a career-high 14 assists and the Celtics clinched the Atlantic Division title.
HEAT 96, RAPTORS 72
MIAMI — LeBron James scored 28 points before taking the fourth quarter off, Mike Miller added 13 points and the Heat continued tuning up for the postseason.
HAWKS 116, PISTONS 84
ATLANTA — Tracy McGrady led six players in double figures and the playoff-bound Hawks had their highest-scoring half of the season, leading 72-42 at the break.
WIZARDS 121, BUCKS 112
WASHINGTON — Jordan Crawford equaled a season-high with 32 points, and John Wall had 14 points and 10 assists as the Wizards dealt the Bucks a crucial defeat in their attempt for the final playoff spot in the East.
76ERS 103, CAVALIERS 87
CLEVELAND — Jrue Holiday made five 3-pointers and scored 19 of his 24 points in the third quarter as the 76ers kept their hold on a playoff spot.
GRIZZLIES 103, HORNETS 91
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Rudy Gay scored 26 points and Mike Conley added 20 as the Grizzlies clinched a playoff berth for the second straight season.
BULLS 100, BOBCATS 68
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Richard Hamilton scored 22 points in just 24 minutes as the Bulls took a step closer to wrapping up the No. 1 seed in the East.
MAVS 117, ROCKETS 110
DALLAS — Dirk Nowitzki scored 21 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter and the Mavericks rallied to victory over the Rockets, whose playoff hopes took another blow.
JAZZ 112, BLAZERS 91
PORTLAND, Ore. — Devin Harris had 27 points, including a career-high six 3-pointers, and the Jazz moved a half-game ahead of the Suns for the West’s eighth and final playoff spot.
THUNDER 109, SUNS 97
PHOENIX — James Harden scored a career-high 40 points, including making 5 of 8 3-pointers, and the Thunder dealt Phoenix a blow in its scramble to make the playoffs.
SPURS 127, KINGS 102
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Tiago Splitter and Gary Neal scored 17 points each, leading the Spurs their fifth straight win.