No matter how many Game 7s the San Antonio Spurs play in the NBA playoffs, they will all be at the Alamodome.
The Spurs clinched the best record in the league Thursday night with a 112-111 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. They are a franchise-best 60-20 with two games remaining."It was a special way to win our 60th," Spurs coach Bob Hill said. "It guarantees us the best record in the league. Now the real season begins."
The playoffs can start on such an up note because Sean Elliott made two free throws with 0.5 seconds to play to beat the Mavericks on the road.
Dallas coach Dick Motta thought there wasn't a foul on the play, but all his arguing got him was an the extra half-second on the clock. It wasn't enough.
"When a team executes and you play hard, you get a call like that," Hill said. "I don't know if he was fouled or not, but these things all average out."
David Robinson had 36 points and 13 rebounds for the Spurs, while Elliott finished with 17 points.
Jason Kidd had his fourth triple-double in a 10-game span for Dallas, which finished the season with 19 home victories, an improvement of 12 over last year.
"I don't think (the loss) leaves a bitter taste," said Kidd, who had 10 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds.
"I think it's exciting. It makes the fans want to come back for more."
Dallas took its last lead, 111-110, with 1.6 seconds left on a putback by George McCloud. Following a timeout, Elliott took the inbounds pass from Doc Rivers about five feet from the basket. As he went up, Jamal Mashburn slapped the ball away, but his forearm grazed Elliott's head.
Avery Johnson, who had six points down the stretch, finished with 22 points and 11 assists for the Spurs.
Dennis Rodman, the league's leading rebounder, played only nine minutes, finishing with four rebounds, four points, two personal fouls and a technical.
Hill said there was a reason why Rodman played so little.
"Because he wasn't playing," Hill said. "Guys who don't play, sit down. He wasn't here. If he doesn't want to play hard, we've got other guys who will."
Roy Tarpley scored 25 points for the Mavericks, including their first seven points of the final quarter to tie it at 87. His layup with 1:41 left gave the Mavericks a 107-106 lead.
Knicks 91, Hornets 86
The Knicks' road victory clinched the second-best record in the Eastern Conference for them and gave Indiana the Central Division title. The Hornets, who were chasing the Pacers, will be the fourth seed in the East and play the Chicago Bulls in the first round.
New York didn't have starters Patrick Ewing, who strained his left hamstring, and Derek Harper, who has a sore right ankle, for much of the game, but still managed to rally from a 76-64 deficit with 8:57 to play. The Knicks took the lead for good on Charles Oakley's three-point play with 20 seconds left.
Ewing finished with four points in 19 minutes, while Harper played 11 minutes and did not score.
Bulls 120, Pistons 105
Michael Jordan had 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in 27 minutes, but he still missed more shots than he made for the seventh time in seven home games at the new United Center since coming out of retirement.
Scottie Pippen led the Bulls with 20 points and nine assists, and rookie Dickey Simpkins had a career-high 16 points.
Terry Mills scored 26 points and Grant Hill had 20 points and 15 rebounds for the Pistons, who have lost six of seven.
Trail Blazers 111, Lakers 97
Portland locked up the seventh spot in the West as Rod Strickland had 19 points and 12 assists and the Blazers beat the Lakers at Portland for the sixth straight time.
Los Angeles, losers of six of its last seven, hasn't beaten the Blazers in Portland since Nov. 27, 1992. Despite the loss, the Lakers wrapped up the conference's No. 5 playoff spot because Houston lost.
Cedric Ceballos had seven 3-pointers and 36 points for the Lakers.
SuperSonics 111, Rockets 101
Gary Payton, playing in his fourth straight game with a bothersome broken ring finger on his left hand, scored 25 points to lead Seattle to the four-game season series sweep.
Hakeem Olajuwon topped the visiting Rockets, who led by 12 twice in the first half, with 26 points, while Clyde Drexler and Vernon Maxwell had 17 each.
Shawn Kemp sustained a right thigh contusion, but still managed eight points and 13 rebounds.
Kings 112, Warriors 98
Sacramento kept its playoff hopes alive with the road victory behind 30 points from Mitch Richmond and 21 from Brian Grant.
The win moved the Kings within one game of idle Denver in the battle for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. Each has two games remaining, with the Kings playing at Denver on Sunday.