NBA Roundup | Gasol will sit as Rockets get test for 22nd in row

HOUSTON — Even the Houston Rockets acknowledge they've had some good luck during their 21-game winning streak. They are getting more heading into their biggest regular-season game in years.

Pau Gasol will sit out with a sprained left ankle when the Rockets play the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday for first place in the Western Conference. Gasol was injured in Friday's loss to New Orleans and left the arena on crutches.

X-rays were negative, but the Lakers said the 7-foot Gasol will miss at least the next three games. Gasol has averaged 19 points and eight rebounds since coming to Los Angeles from Memphis.

"Obviously, we can't run as many low-post opportunities as we had when Pau was here," Kobe Bryant said after practice on Saturday. "We've got to change it up."

Earlier in the Rockets' streak, now the second-longest in NBA history, they got to play New Orleans without David West (sprained ankle) and Dallas without Dirk Nowitzki (one-game suspension). They've also beaten 12 opponents with losing records.

The Rockets aren't apologizing for anything.

"I take solace in the fact that we are the luckiest team in, maybe, the history of NBA basketball," Rockets forward Shane Battier said. "If that's our distinction, that's fine by us."

Of course, Houston has been playing without Yao Ming, sidelined with a stress fracture in his left foot on Feb. 26. That hasn't mattered yet — the Rockets have won nine straight games without him. Houston has also won its last four games without rookie forward Carl Landry, who provided valuable scoring and rebounding when Yao first got hurt. Landry has a bruised right knee and won't play Sunday, either.

The Rockets still have won 30 of their last 33 games, vaulting from the No. 10 spot in the West to a tie for first in just over two months.

Magic clinches playoff berth

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Magic got the first order of business out of the way, clinching a playoff berth on Saturday night with a 122-111 victory against the Indiana Pacers at Amway Arena.

Next up on the Magic's to-do list: secure a high postseason seeding and win as many games as possible. Oh, and one more thing — and this is at coach Stan Van Gundy's request, er, demand: Please, take care of the basketball.

The Magic (44-24) moved to 20 games over .500 and beat the Pacers despite committing 22 turnovers that accounted for 25 Pacers' points. Hedo Turkoglu led Orlando with 27 points on 13-of-23 shooting. Rashard Lewis had 22 points, Mo Evans 19 and Dwight Howard had 18 points and 12 rebounds. Danny Granger led Indiana with 27 points.

The Chicago Bulls' loss to the Philadelphia 76ers left the Magic in a position to become the third NBA team to clinch a spot. The club will make its second consecutive postseason appearance. The Magic was swept in the first round by the Detroit Pistons last season, but figures to draw a more favorable seed. Orlando is currently six games ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers — whom they faced Monday night at home — for the No. 3 seed.

Arenas close to return

WASHINGTON — The Washington Wizards have waited nearly four months for Gilbert Arenas.

Now, he says the wait might be nearly over. Arenas, the Wizards' guard who underwent surgery on his left knee on Nov. 21, has been practicing with the team since March 4.

Arenas, who's participated in four practices, says he's going to get an MRI on Tuesday — "just to make sure nothing's wrong."

If he's given clearance by team doctors, "then, I guess that means I'll play," he said.

Arenas' brief comments, before Washington's game on Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers, came as a surprise to coach Eddie Jordan.

"All right, we'll see how it goes. I haven't had any updates on him yet," Jordan said. "That's for me to find out sooner rather than later. That's not for me to know right now."

Allen sits out for Celtics

MILWAUKEE — Boston guard and former Sonic Ray Allen sat out Saturday night's game in Milwaukee, one night after hurting his left heel.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said Allen could play again as early as Monday's game at San Antonio.

"It's nothing serious," Rivers said. "It's just a bruise in his heel, and we want it to go away. So the best way is rest."

Allen was injured when he slipped and fell in the first quarter of Friday night's home loss to Utah and did not return. He traveled with the team to Milwaukee.