NEW YORK, (Reuters):STEPHEN JACKSON scored 31 points to help the Golden State Warriors claim the Western Conference's final playoff berth with a 120-98 road win over thePortland Trail Blazers, on Wednesday night.
The final-day victory put the Warriors into the playoffs for the first time in 13 seasons.
"Last day! Can you believe it?" Warriors coach Don Nelson said.
"Each one of these last games has been bigger and bigger," Nelson said of the Warriors' quest to make the playoffs.
"This was the biggest because if we win, we're in."
The Warriors will face the top-seeded Mavericks in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs in Dallas, on Sunday.
Final playoffs berth
Baron Davis had 12 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists for Golden State, who edged out the Los Angeles Clippers for the final playoffs berth.
Jason Richardson added 25 points and Al Harrington 24.
"It was crazy," Richardson said of the locker-room celebration after the win.
"Guys were laughing, having a good time, yelling at each other. It just felt amazing ... I don't think I will be able to sleep for about two days."
The Warriors took control of the game early, outscoring the Trail Blazers 41-26 in the first period and leading 64-46 at the half.
That gave fans in the San Francisco Bay area much to cheer about, and more than 4,000 sign-waving fans turned out at the Warriors' home arena in Oakland, California, to watch the game on a big screen.
"I've been rooting for the Warriors since 1986 and they've been doing the same old thing every year until now," fan Kareem Williams told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Travis Outlaw
The Trail Blazers, who finished 35 games behind Dallas, were led by Travis Outlaw with 36 points.
LeBron James' 24 points led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 109-96 home win over the Milwaukee Bucks that secured the Cavaliers the second seed in the Eastern Conference. They will play the Washington Wizards in the opening round of the playoffs.
Vince Carter had 24 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists as the New Jersey Nets posted a 106-97 home win over the Chicago Bulls. The win wrapped up the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference for the Nets, while costing the Bulls a chance at the number-two seed.
Kobe Bryant scored 34 points in a 117-104 road win over the Sacramento Kings that assured the Lakers the Western Conference's seventh seed in the playoffs.
Eddy Curry's tip-in with less than a second remaining lifted the New York Knicks to a 94-93 road win over the Charlotte Bobcats in Bernie Bickerstaff's final game as the Bobcats's coach. Curry had 28 points and Steve Francis 24 for the Knicks.
