Kyle Korver scored 20 points to help the Chicago Bulls beat the Indiana Pacers, 92-87, Wednesday and inch closer to the top overall seed in the NBA playoffs. The Bulls ended the game needing just a win over Cleveland or a loss by the San Antonio Spurs to clinch the league's top spot. Carlos Boozer scored 16 points, and Joakim Noah had 14 points and 14 rebounds for Chicago. Derrick Rose finished with 10 points in 27 minutes. Lance Stephenson scored a career-high 22 points in his first career start for Indiana, which rested Danny Granger and Leandro Barbosa with the No. 3 playoff spot in the Eastern Conference locked up. Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said injuries throughout the season had left his preferred starting unit of Rose, Richard Hamilton, Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah needing more playing time together. Some other playoff-bound teams were opting to rest their stars on the penultimate night of the lockout-shortened regular season. “We still need to find some rhythm with guys,” Thibodeau said. “They need some time together.” Deng played 33 minutes and Rose, who has been sidelined for 26 games, played 26 minutes and said he welcomed the opportunity. “I love playing games, getting my rhythm back,” Rose said. “I'm coming along, man. I'm very positive. My spirits are up.” Denver 106, Oklahoma City 101: Ty Lawson scored 25 points as the Nuggets beat the host Thunder. The Nuggets ensured they won't be the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. New York 99, LA Clippers 93: JR Smith scored 21 points, including a rally-stopping jumper with 31 seconds left, and the host Knicks held on to beat the Clippers. Philadelphia 90, Milwaukee 85: Evan Turner scored a career-high 29 points and the visiting 76ers got a win while resting some key players for the playoffs. Elton Brand, Andre Iguodala, Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young sat out for Philadelphia. Washington 96, Cleveland 85: John Wall had 21 points and 13 assists as the visiting Wizards won their fifth straight. Orlando 102, Charlotte 95: J.J. Redick had six three-pointers and scored a career-high 31 points as the host Magic handed the Bobcats their 22nd consecutive loss. The Magic snapped a three-game losing streak and secured the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference but lost forward Glen Davis to a sprained right ankle. San Antonio 110, Phoenix 106: San Antonio, with the top seed in the West locked up, opted to rest stars Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. “It's doesn't make any sense to play them,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told the San Antonio Express-News, saying the chance that San Antonio's playoff campaign could start as early as Saturday persuaded him to rest the trio. San Antonio still managed to beat Phoenix 110-106.
