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After an awful
start to March, the Portland Trail Blazers have an opportunity to take sole
posession of the Western Conference's final playoff spot when they take on the
short-handed New York Knicks.
Portland moved into a tie for eighth place in the West after the Utah Jazz lost
91-84 to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.
Portland looked like it was going to miss the playoffs for the first time in 22 seasons, starting the month on a five-game losing streak. The Blazers, though, have gone 8-3 in their last 11 games.
``You can't beat this race for the playoffs,'' said Portland center Theo Ratliff, who had a season-high 18 points in a 115-108 win overtime win over the Seattle SuperSonics on Saturday. ``You can't ask for anything better than this because everybody is playing at a high level right now.''
Zach Randolph had 25 points and nine rebounds, while Ratliff added nine rebounds and six blocks.
The Blazers signed 6-foot-7 swingman Desmond Ferguson to a 10-day contract Friday,
and placed guard Omar Cook on the injured list. Ferguson most recently played
for the Rockford Lightning of the CBA.
New York, which is in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, was without three key players in a 100-85 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Saturday.
The Knicks were down to just nine healthy players with Allan Houston (left quadriceps), Penny Hardaway (groin) and Tim Thomas (groin) all sidelined. Their status for Monday's game is uncertain.
``We've got guys out there playing more minutes than they normally play, and who aren't used to playing together,'' Knicks coach Lenny Wilkens said. ``That's asking a lot, but I want them to learn from it.''
DerMarr Johnson led the Knicks with 17, and Vin Baker added 16, his highest point total since joining New York. DerMarr Johnson started for the first time since the 2001-02 season, when he played for the Atlanta Hawks.
``Every game is like a playoff game right now, because this is coming down to the wire in the last few games,'' Baker said. ``We just have to get ready to play and really push it and get the seventh or eighth spot in the East.''
STANDINGS (through March 27): Trail Blazers - 3rd place, 14 GB, Pacific Division. Knicks - 3rd place, 9 GB, Atlantic Division.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Trail Blazers - F Darius Miles, F Randolph, C Ratliff, G Derek Anderson, G Damon Stoudamire. Knicks - F Shandon Anderson, F Kurt Thomas, C Nazr Mohammed, G Johnson, G Stephon Marbury.
TEAM LEADERS: Trail Blazers - Randolph, 20.2 ppg and 10.6 rpg; Stoudamire, 6.2 apg. Knicks - Marbury, 20.8 ppg and 9 apg; K. Thomas, 8.3 rpg.
SEASON SERIES: Trail Blazers, 1-0.
LAST MEETING: Dec. 5; Trail Blazers, 88-81. At Portland, Ore., Randolph scored 22 points and pulled down nine rebounds to lead the Blazers.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Trail Blazers - 13-22 on the road; Knicks - 21-17 at home.
INJURIES: Trail Blazers - G Cook (quadriceps); C Vladimir Stepania (knee); F Travis Outlaw (knee). Knicks - C Cezary Trybanski (knee); G Frank Williams (groin); C Dikembe Mutombo (abdomen); G Hardaway (groin); G Houston (quadriceps); F Thomas (groin).