Wire NBA

Twenty-four years after he won his first NBA game, Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman on Saturday night joined an exclusive club to which only seven other men belong, reaching his 1000th career victory with a tearful 107-101 victory over Detroit at Target Center.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.-Steve Nash, who has missed much of the past four games because of hip and hamstring issues, is expected to sit out Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Wilson Chandler scored 21 points in place of the injured Danilo Gallinari to help the Denver Nuggets beat the Houston Rockets 132-114 Saturday for their 20th consecutive win at home, matching a team record.

Corey Brewer and Wilson Chandler had 22 and 21 points, respectively, as the Denver Nuggets recorded their 20th straight home victory with a 132-114 decision over the Houston Rockets.

Tim Duncan filled the stat sheet with 31 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks, and the San Antonio Spurs held on for a 99-97 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.

Tim Duncan had 31 points and 14 rebounds to help the short-handed San Antonio Spurs escape with a 99-97 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night.

Monta Ellis had 22 points and nine assists, and the Milwaukee Bucks secured their first playoff berth in three seasons with a 100-83 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night.

Monta Ellis registered 22 points, nine assists and six steals to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 100-83 rout against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday.

LOS ANGELES-The indignity of losing the season series to the Los Angeles Clippers happened already. The Los Angeles Lakers need a win Sunday for more important reasons.

Luke Ridnour made three clutch free throws with less than 20 seconds to play, as the Minnesota Timberwolves held off the slumping Detroit Pistons, 107-101, on Saturday to give coach Rick Adelman his 1,000th career NBA victory.

The final seconds ticked down on Rick Adelman's 1,000th career victory, and a season's worth of hardship and heartache quickly evaporated. As his players surrounded him to celebrate, the 66-year-old basketball lifer quickly disengaged from the crowd, and everyone in the arena knew where he was headed.

Deron Williams had 32 points and six assists, and the Brooklyn Nets strengthened their hold on fourth place in the Eastern Conference by beating the Charlotte Bobcats 105-96 on Saturday night.

MIAMI - Turning 60 never gets old.

LeBron James returned to lineup for Miami and scored an efficient 27 points on 12-of-17 shooting, and the Heat dominated Philadelphia in the fourth quarter to take a 106-87 win on Saturday at American Airlines Arena.

Deron Williams scored 32 points and led the Brooklyn Nets to a 105-96 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Saturday.

LeBron James went through a series of tests before the game, all under the watchful eye of the Miami Heat training staff and some coaches.

John Wall scored a game-high 37 points on 16-of-25 shooting from the floor as the Washington Wizards won their ninth straight at home in convincing fashion by downing the Indiana Pacers, 104-85, on Saturday.

On a night when the Washington Wizards celebrated the 35th anniversary of the franchise's only championship, John Wall played like someone who might someday carry on that legacy, scoring 37 points in a display of speed and flair Saturday to lead the Washington Wizards to a 104-85 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

Ricky Rubio was mugged on a drive and there was no call. Toronto came away with the basketball, and Rubio rallied to steal it back. He was sitting on the floor, being clawed at, and you expected a frantic request for a timeout.

The Miami Heat will have reigning league MVP LeBron James back in the lineup on Saturday when the team takes on the Philadelphia 76ers.

So how will Doug Collins' third season as 76ers coach be evaluated when it mercifully draws its last breath 10 days from now in Indiana?

Former Sonics great Spencer Haywood will not be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame, which is contrary to a story in The Seattle Times.

Spencer Haywood, who won a landmark Supreme Court case to enter the NBA and waged public-relations battles in retirement to preserve his legacy, was not part of the next class to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The defense is a mess, and some of the in-game decisions have been questionable. The Cavaliers have blown far too many big leads in games they should've won, and coach Byron Scott has to take responsibility for all of it.

- Kyrie Irving is falling into a bad habit of embellishing his injuries, which are already lengthy and well-chronicled. Irving insinuated the other night that his sprained shoulder is still bothering him, but the Cavaliers have been extremely cautious in their handling of Irving's injuries and insist they would not be playing him if his shoulder still hurt - particularly with nothing left to play for this season.

There is the path of less resistance, one that would take the Heat through the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs, the winner of an Atlanta Hawks-Brooklyn Nets series in the second, and then whoever is left standing between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals.

San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker will miss Saturday's game against Atlanta because of a sore neck.

The Indiana Pacers aim to bounce back from a tough loss when they invade the Verizon Center Saturday in a showdown with the Washington Wizards.

The Miami Heat are approaching a franchise record in wins and look to move closer to that mark Saturday at home versus the Philadelphia 76ers from AmericanAirlines Arena.

The Brooklyn Nets still have the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race, but the lead is evaporating.

The Minnesota Timberwolves will try to continue their recent domination of the Detroit Pistons when the two clubs square off Saturday from the Target Center.

The San Antonio Spurs had a few days to think about their last loss and look to re-energize their chances for the West's top seed Saturday night versus the Atlanta Hawks.

Even though the Milwaukee Bucks have slipped down the stretch, they're still in control of their own playoff destiny.

The Denver Nuggets lost a vital piece to their puzzle, but must stay focused Saturday versus the Houston Rockets at the Pepsi Center.

LOS ANGELES-Steve Nash was in the building but not on the bench. Metta World Peace and Jordan Hill were on the bench but unable to play.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The end of this season is beginning to feel a lot like the end of Paul Westphal coaching era in Sacramento.

CHICAGO - With seven double-doubles in his previous eight games, Carlos Boozer has helped keep the Bulls relevant with starters Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Richard Hamilton out.

It seemed to good to be true when the Milwaukee Bucks limited the New York Knicks to 36 points in the first half.

The Golden State Warriors are one victory closer to securing a playoff spot after overcoming an 18-point deficit to win on the road Friday night.

LOS ANGELES - For all the drama and suspense Kobe Bryant has provided and experienced in his Lakers career, this is the first time he has navigated the excitement of trying to secure a tenuous playoff berth late in the regular season.

LOS ANGELES - When the day comes that Kobe Bryant's jersey is retired by the Lakers, it will go on the Staples Center wall as No. 24, not No. 8.

SEATTLE - Spencer Haywood, who won a landmark Supreme Court case to enter the NBA and waged public-relations battles in retirement to preserve his legacy, will soon join the greatest fraternity in basketball.

James Harden racked up 33 points with seven rebounds and six assists as the Houston Rockets won their fourth game in a row with a 116-98 decision over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday.

Kobe Bryant scored 24 points and had nine assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers continued their push for a playoff spot with an 86-84 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

James Harden had 33 points and the short-handed Houston Rockets edged closer to clinching a playoff spot with a 116-98 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.

PHOENIX-The Golden State Warriors are one victory closer to securing a playoff spot after overcoming an 18-point deficit to win on the road Friday night.

Kobe Bryant had 24 points and nine assists, Pau Gasol added 19 points, and the Los Angeles Lakers stayed in the final playoff position in the Western Conference with an 86-84 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.

MINNEAPOLIS - A Friday night crowd and the Timberwolves equipment manager came prepared for Rick Adelman's 1,000th NBA career coaching victory. Instead, Target Center patrons were reminded once again of their team's recent draft history in a 95-93 loss to Toronto.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Chris Bosh and the Heat's "expendables" - as Shane Battier playfully dubbed them - continued their playoffs-can't-get-here-soon-enough schedule stretch Friday, tormenting the Bobcats with a barrage of Mike Miller three-pointers and throttling Charlotte's woeful offense in the second half to draw closer to clinching the league's best record.