Seattle's SuperSonics are thinking ahead - way ahead.
After beating Houston 112-97 Tuesday night to take the honor of owning the highest winning percentage in the NBA this season from the Rockets, the Sonics were thinking about the playoffs that begin in April.Seattle would like nothing better than to finish with the league's best regular-season record, thus assuring itself of the home-court advantage all through postseason play.
"I wouldn't want to play the seventh game of the Western Conference finals in Houston," said Seattle's Ricky Pierce, who scored 25 points in helping the Sonics to a 21-3 season record and an .875 percentage.
The Rockets, who have lost three of their last four games, slipped to 23-4 and .852.
"We're both among the elite teams in the league," said Gary Payton, who also scored 25 points for Seattle, now 13-1 at home. "People were saying we hadn't won a big game. Now we've won a big game. We're right there with the Rockets."
Nets 97, Knicks 95
Derrick Coleman and Kenny Anderson scored nine points during a late 10-0 run that helped New Jersey snap its eight-game road losing streak.
The Knicks, whose six-game winning streak at Madison Square Garden ended, nearly overcame a four-point deficit in the final 11 seconds.
Spurs 84, Heat 76
Sleepy Floyd woke up the lethargic San Antonio offense with 15 fourth-quarter points as the Spurs beat Miami.
Floyd, who totaled 19 points, scored nine during the Spurs' 11-4 run that opened the fourth quarter, giving them a 66-60 lead at the 9:01 mark. The Heat was never able to get closer than four points the rest of the way.
Hawks 119, Pistons 101
Mookie Blaylock scored 19 points and Duane Ferrell, playing in place of the injured Dominique Wilkins, scored 18 as Atlanta bounced back from two straight losses with the win over Detroit.
Ferrell and Blaylock, who also had 12 assists, were among six Atlanta players in double figures as the Hawks got their 11th win in 12 home games this year and 17th of their last 20 overall.
Cavaliers 127, Hornets 115, OT
Gerald Wilkins scored 29 points, including a key 3-pointer in overtime, as Cleveland beat Charlotte for its fifth straight win.
The Hornets, without Larry Johnson, out for the game with a strained back, also lost Alonzo Mourning to fouls late in the fourth quarter. Cleveland then dominated the extra period 16-4 as Charlotte remained winless in 12 trips to the Richfield Coliseum.
Nuggets 97, Mavericks 85
Bryant Stith scored 21 points, including all 15 of his free throw attempts, as Denver downed Dallas, extending the worst home start in NBA history to 13 straight losses.
The Mavericks (2-24) had snapped their league record-tying 20-game losing streak Thursday with a 93-89 victory at Minnesota, but Dallas' woes at Reunion Arena continued Tuesday night.
76ers 107, Warriors 90
Clarence Weatherspoon scored 16 of his 22 points as Philadelphia jumped out to a 20-point halftime lead, sparking the 76ers in the romp over Golden State.
The Warriors fell behind by 10 points in the first six minutes of the game and never got closer in the rout. They missed 18 of their first 21 shots.