Wizards dent Bucks' hopes; Anthony leads Knicks to win

   Jordan Crawford equaled a season-high with 32 points, and John Wall had 14 points and 10 assists Wednesday night as the Wizards dealt a crippling blow to the Milwakee Bucks' attempt to make the final playff spot in the Eastern Conference with a 121-112 defeat in Washington.

Milwaukee began the day 11/2 games behind the 76ers for eighth place in the East, but lost a game as the Sixers won in Cleveland.

Monta Ellis had 31 points for Milwaukee, which has lost four of five.

Carmelo Anthony hit his first six shots and scored 21 of his 33 points in the first quarter, as the New York Knicks beat the Nets, 104-95, in their last trip to New Jersey. The Nets will move to Brooklyn next season.

LeBron James scored 28 points before taking the fourth quarter off as Miami continued tuning up for the postseason by beating visiting Toronto, 96-72.

Miami meets Chicago at home Thursday night. The Bulls (47-15) hold a 2 1/2-game lead over the Heat (44-17) in the Eastern Conference.

Tracy McGrady led six players into double figures and playoff-bound Atlanta built a 37-point lead in the first half on the way to a 116-84 rout of visiting Detroit.

Atlanta is battling with Boston and Orlando to be the final Eastern Conference team with home-court advantage.

Richard Hamilton scored 22 points in just 24 minutes as Chicago took a step closer to wrapping up the No. 1 seed in the East with a 100-68 rout of the dreadful Bobcats in Charlotte.

Meanwhile, the frustration of losing has started to boil over for the Bobcats. A team executive confirmed there was an altercation Sunday night in the locker room between coach Paul Silas and forward Tyrus Thomas.

- Associated Press