James worried about Cavs

Although the Cleveland Cavaliers clinched a spot in the playoffs Saturday night, LeBron James wasn't in the mood to celebrate.

In fact, the superstar acknowledged being concerned because his team is banged up with just nine games left in the regular season.

Richard Hamilton returned to Detroit's lineup and scored 14 points, leading the host Pistons to an 85-71 win over the injury-riddled Cavs.

"It's been really frustrating," James said. "Our team is based on consistency and trying to get momentum and it's hard to do that when you have guys coming in and coming out.

"We know it's part of the game, but it's happening to us at the wrong part of the season."

The Cavs locked up a spot in the postseason because New Jersey lost at home to Phoenix.

Ben Wallace, in his first game at The Palace since joining the Cavs, was back on the court after missing two-plus games with back spasms. But he didn't last long, needing help to go to the locker room early in the third quarter after his back injury flared up.

"You want to get better and it's tough when you can't practice much," said James, who had a lackluster night with 13 points on 4-for-17 shooting with 5 assists and 5 turnovers.

Daniel Gibson was healthy enough to play for the first time since Feb. 20, when he sprained his left ankle. He scored only 1 point in 18 minutes. The Cavs chose to rest guard Delonte West, who has been slowed by left ankle tendinitis.

"I thought I could go to (West), but as the game went on, I decided there was no reason to risk it," Cavs coach Mike Brown said. "We already had one guy (Gibson) limping out there."

Suns 110, Nets 104: Amare Stoudemire had 33 points and 15 rebounds, and Phoenix beat host New Jersey to move into a first-place tie with Los Angeles in the Pacific Division.

Leandro Barbosa added 21 points, Shaquille O'Neal had 17 points and 7 rebounds, and Steve Nash added 10 points and 11 assists as the Suns won their second game in two nights and their ninth in 11 games.

Vince Carter had 30 points to lead the Nets, who lost for the second straight night to fall 2 games behind Atlanta in the race for the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. New Jersey has eight games left, two less than the Hawks.

Nuggets 119, Warriors 112: Kenyon Martin scored a season-high 30 points, and host Denver surged past Golden State in the wild Western Conference playoff race. Martin also pulled down 11 rebounds, and J.R. Smith added 20 points off the bench, helping the Nuggets stave off a furious rally by the Warriors in the closing minutes.

The Nuggets moved a half-game ahead of the Warriors for the eighth and final playoff spot and pulled with a half-game of sliding Dallas for seventh place. The Mavericks visit the Warriors tonight.

Carmelo Anthony scored 25 for Denver on 11-for-16 shooting, but his fellow all-star starter, Allen Iverson, went 4-for-20 from the field for 14 points.