Chicago, already assured of the top seed in the NBA’s Eastern Conference playoffs, used Derrick Rose and other key players in their 92-87 victory over playoff-bound Indiana.

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said injuries throughout the season had left his preferred starting unit of Rose, Richard Hamilton, Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah needing more playing time together.

Some other playoff-bound teams were opting to rest their stars on the penultimate night of the lockout-shortened regular season.

“We still need to find some rhythm with guys,” Thibodeau said. “They need some time together.”

Deng played 33 minutes and Rose, who has been sidelined for 26 games, played 26 minutes and said he welcomed the opportunity.

“I love playing games, getting my rhythm back,” Rose said. “I’m coming along, man. I’m very positive. My spirits are up.”

The Bulls lost to Miami in the Eastern Conference finals last season after posting the league’s best record.

Thibodeau, therefore, was low-key on the importance of holding the top seed in the East.

“It’s the next step along the way,” he said. “You try to put as many things in your favor as possible. It’s not the end-all. It doesn’t guarantee anything. But I think it also gives you your best chance.”

In New York, the Knicks held off the charging Los Angeles Clippers 99-93, denying the Clippers a chance to claim home court advantage over Memphis in the first round of the playoffs.

J.R. Smith came off the bench and scored 21 points with five assists for New York, who led 90-72 with eight minutes remaining but saw the Clippers storm back to slice the deficit to one point.

Carmelo Anthony scored 17 points and Steve Novak added 15 as half a dozen New York players scored in double figures.

But the Knicks still have work to do when the regular season concludes on Thursday.

Philadelphia’s 90-85 victory over Milwaukee meant the Knicks need a victory over hapless Charlotte on Thursday to secure seventh place in the Eastern Conference.

Orlando, led by J.J. Redick’s 31 points, downed Charlotte 102-95 on Wednesday to book the sixth seed in the East.

The Bobcats, meanwhile, fell to 7-58 and need to beat the Knicks on Thursday to avoid the worst record by winning percentage in league history.

Orlando close the regular season against Memphis on Thursday, and a Magic win would give the Clippers home court advantage in their opening round against the Grizzlies.

Denver’s 106-101 victory over Oklahoma City ensured the Nuggets will not be the eighth seeds in the West.

San Antonio, with the top seed in the West locked up, opted to rest stars Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.

“It’s doesn’t make any sense to play them,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told the San Antonio Express-News, saying the chance that San Antonio’s playoff campaign could start as early as Saturday persuaded him to rest the trio.

San Antonio still managed to beat Phoenix 110-106.

Barring an unlikely scenario that would include, among other results, the disintegrating Orlando Magic losing to the historically woeful Charlotte Bobcats at home, the New York Knicks will decide over the next couple of days whether they play the Miami Heat or Chicago Bulls in a first round NBA playoff series.

The Knicks will determine the seeding based on their last two games against the Los Angeles Clippers and those same seven-win Bobcats. And, by the way, how is it possible to not trip into a few more victories than seven over a 66-game schedule?

The raging discussion in the New York metropolitan area currently concerns opponent preference. Would it be more advantageous for the Knicks to take on the Bulls or the Heat? The answer, of course, is neither, but delirious fans – you know, the ones who are eternally blinded by dreams and unfounded optimism – seem to be split fairly evenly. Those lining up with a Heat preference are persuaded by the sheer delight of upsetting the Dream Team. The fans who consider the Bulls somewhat more vulnerable are taking the rational route. There’s a sense both sides are beating their chests to generate motivation and positive thinking that might affect the outcome.

Certainly, the Bulls argument makes slightly more sense because their best player, Derrick Rose, has been hobbled for so long, and the second option scorer, Rip Hamilton, has missed more than half the season with injury. The Knicks managed to defeat the Bulls once, on that magical Sunday a few weeks ago, when Carmelo Anthony yanked them to victory. Chicago missed foul shots at the end of the game that day to leave the door open. Otherwise, with and without Rose, the Bulls just pound the Knicks on the boards, a flaw not easily corrected considering the latter has only one legitimate banger in Tyson Chandler. The Bulls are one of those teams that seem to win games through utter will, regardless of how well or badly they might be playing.

The Knicks do not match up well with the Heat at all. Despite how euphoric it would be to topple this hated giant, there is absolutely no evidence it can happen. In fact, a Heat series might leave the Knicks winless in the playoffs for the second year in a row. The Knicks have no one to cover LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade is, of course, among the best players in the league.

Both have tremendous defenses to corral the Knick explosions that have been a trademark during their current hot streak. So then, the answer is moot. We are left with hope for a representative showing against somebody, and some self-respect when it’s all over. It’s hollow, but it’s all we have.

Glenn Vallach has been a New York Knick fan since the days of Howie Komives and Walt Bellamy, when he regularly boarded the IRT Subway at 180th Street in the Bronx for a trip to the Garden to see his heroes. Since the last championship in 1973, he has alternately yearned and suffered, hoped and lamented…he’s waited long enough.

Sources:

• Yahoo! Sports New York Knicks page
• Yahoo! Sports Chicago Bulls page
• Yahoo! Sports Miami Heat page
• Yahoo! Sports LeBron James page
• The Associated Press, Pavlovic rallies Celtics to 78-66 win over Heat

Derrick Rose scored 32 points and the Chicago Bulls sent the New York Knicks to their sixth straight loss, 104-99 on Monday night.  

Rose shot 12-of-29 from the floor and had six rebounds and seven assists as the Bulls earned their 10th win in 11 games.  

Taj Gibson had 15 points and a team-high 13 rebounds for Chicago, which outrebounded New York by 18. The Bulls entered the game leading the league in rebounding margin.  

Carmelo Anthony scored 21 points and Amare Stoudemire added 20 for the Knicks, but the two combined for just seven points in the fourth quarter.

Jeremy Lin had 15 points and eight assists for New York but shot just 4-of-11 from the floor and had little luck stopping Rose.

Carlos Boozer scored 15 points and Joakim Noah had 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls. Rookie Jimmy Butler played a key role with eight points in 29 minutes, making several big energy plays to excite the sellout crowd.  

The Bulls’ dominance on the boards led to the key basket of the game midway through the fourth quarter. With the shot clock expiring, Rose flipped up a long shot that bounced off the back of the rim, but Gibson chased down the rebound, bringing the United Center crowd to its feet.  

Then Rose cut behind Lin, who had turned his head, took a bounce pass from Noah and threw down a thunderous, one-handed dunk to put the Bulls ahead 91-84 with 6:01 to play.  

JUMP SHOTS: The Bulls were missing three players — All-Star forward Luol Deng (left wrist), starting guard Richard Hamilton (right shoulder) and backup point guard C.J. Watson (left ankle). The Bulls haven’t lost consecutive games since Feb. 5-7, 2011 — a franchise-record stretch of 75 games.