CLEVELAND -- The Nets lounged their way into the NBA playoffs. Brooklyn coach Jason Kidd sat his starters for the season finale and the Nets wound up with the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs following a 114-85 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. Although the Nets could have clinched the No. 5 spot with a win, Kidd elected to rest Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Joe Johnson, Deron Williams and Shaun Livingston, who spent the night on the bench as the worlds highest-paid cheerleading squad. Kidd also limited the minutes of key reserves and used only seven players. Brooklyns loss, coupled with Washingtons win at Boston, dropped the Nets into the sixth slot because they lost the tiebreaker with the Wizards. Brooklyn will begin the post-season at Toronto on Saturday. The Nets and Raptors split their four games during the season. "I like right where we are," Kidd said. "A good place. Weve been playing some pretty good basketball of late. Weve rested and guys have gotten their work in at the same time of healing some of the injuries theyve had -- some nicks and bruises healed. Now its time to figure out a way to win a game on the road." Tyler Zeller scored 22 points with 11 rebounds and Dion Waiters scored 19 for the Cavaliers, who finished a disappointing 33-49 in coach Mike Browns first season back and missed the playoffs for the fourth straight year. All-Star Kyrie Irving scored 15 and afterward addressed the likelihood hell be offered a contract extension by the club this summer. "If they do offer me, that it would be exciting and Ill make the best decision for me and my family," Irving said. "Thats what its going to boil down to for myself. Ive been a part of this and I want to continue to be part of this. Were making strides in the right direction, especially in this organization and I want to be part of something special in Cleveland. "If they do, I dont have a definitive answer to that right now, but it will be something special." Marcus Thornton and Andray Blatche scored 20 apiece for Brooklyn. Before the game, a defensive Kidd dismissed the notion the Nets were "tanking" down the stretch so they wouldnt have to play Chicago in the first round. Brooklyn lost to the Bulls in the first round last year. Kidd started Thornton, Blatche, Jorge Gutierrez, Marquis Teague and Jason Collins -- a group that had made a combined seven starts. It was the first start with Brooklyn for Collins, the leagues first openly gay player. Afterward, Kidd said hes not concerned about the Nets losing four of five heading into the playoffs. "Its the playoffs," he said. "Its a new season. Everybodys zero and zero. Its the first one to four." The Cavaliers showed better effort than in recent losses to Milwaukee and Boston, uninspired performances that brought Browns future into question. The Cavs endured injuries, inconsistency and the firing of general manager Chris Grant, dismissed one day after an embarrassing loss to a Lakers team that finished the game with just five players. Brown expects to meet with owner Dan Gilbert in the next few days to discuss what went wrong and what will happen next. "Dan gave me this opportunity," Brown said. "I wouldnt be sitting in this seat without him. Its his team and whatever decision he makes with anything Im going to support." Also, Gilbert has to decide whether to retain interim GM David Griffin. Gilbert had promised his team would not be back in the draft lottery, but the Cavs will once again be hoping for the lucky bounce of some pingpong balls to improve their draft position. There were a few positives in Clevelands finale. Rookie Anthony Bennett, the No. 1 overall pick last year, played for the first time since March 8 and had an impressive dunk. Also, rookie Carrick Felix returned after missing 38 games with a broken kneecap. NOTES: The Nets ended 2013 at 10-21, but went 34-17 the rest of the way. ... Before tip-off, Cavs F Luol Deng was presented with the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award, given annually by the Pro Basketball Writers Association for exemplary community service. Deng missed Clevelands last three games with a sore back. Hes an unrestricted free agent and unlikely to return. ... Deron Williams averaged 14.3 points, his lowest since his rookie season (10.8) in 2005-06. ... Several Browns players, including Pro Bowlers Joe Thomas, Josh Gordon, Joe Haden and Jordan Cameron attended the game. Air Max 97 Wholesale China . Coming off a 6-0 drubbing at Chelsea on Saturday, Arsenal endured another demoralizing result after rallying for a 2-1 lead -- only to concede a fluke equalizer. Fake Air Max 720 . -- Wichita State is all alone in the record book. http://www.wholesalenikeshoesclearance.c...ving-shoes.html. Louis Cardinals for the National League Wild Card, are in the drivers seat as they open the final series of the regular season, but they face a large task in the form of the Philadelphia Phillies. Wholesale Nike Shoes China . The post-season, Pierce said repeatedly, is no time to panic. And the Heat, apparently, are nothing to fear. Cheap Air Max 97 Wholesale . City has reached new heights under manager Manuel Pellegrini as they transition from big spending/immediate impact to perennial contender. Yaya Toures seeming discontent Tuesday may complicate that, as does the little issue of Financial Fair Play.MINNEAPOLIS -- Adrian Peterson would have been forgiven for sitting this one out. Two days earlier, Petersons 2-year-old son was killed in an alleged case of child abuse in Sioux Falls, S.D. The alleged assailant is in jail, and Peterson rushed to the hospital Thursday to see the child before vowing to play against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Even after his Minnesota Vikings were thumped 35-10 by the Panthers and booed off the field by their home crowd, Peterson said he never wavered in his decision to play. "I was set on it," said Peterson, who was held to 62 yards on 10 carries. "I just look at things and I dont ask people to understand my mindset and how I think. Anything bad, I try to take good from it. Thats the way I approach life in all situations. I never thought about not playing. It was all about just going out there and praying that I have the strength to get through and help my team. That was my focus." Fans held signs that read "Stay Strong 28" and "Prayers for Adrian," and several teammates offered hugs and well wishes before the game for their MVP. "I just prayed and asked God to give me the strength just to get through the game, just play and focus," Peterson said. "And for the most part, I did. It was a terrible way to lose, but we can learn from this, make some corrections and get back on track." The Vikings (1-4) delivered as flat of a performance as theyve had in recent memory to fall even further back in the muddled NFC playoff picture. Matt Cassel was intercepted twice, the defence was burned for big play after big play and the Vikings trailed 28-3 with 6 minutes left in the third quarter to send fans heading for the exits. The stout Carolina defence made things tough for Peterson. He was able to rip off one run of 31 yards, but was bottled up for the rest of the afternoon and was held to his lowest yardage output since Week 2 last season.dddddddddddd Peterson declined to discuss the relationship he had with the boy, who lived with his mother in Sioux Falls. The mothers boyfriend, Joseph Patterson, is charged with aggravated assault and aggravated battery. "Can we focus on football? Im not really trying to get into details on that," Peterson said. "We just got blown out by (25) points. So lets focus on football and what the Minnesota Vikings can do to get better." Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said he thought his star running back handled himself well during the trying circumstances. "Its a difficult, difficult situation and there are a lot of people trying to support him within in the organization, his teammates as well," Frazier said. Panthers safety Mike Mitchell, who had two interceptions and a sack, sought out Peterson during the game to offer some words of encouragement. Mitchell said he mentioned to the deeply religious Peterson the Bible verse Jeremiah 29:11 about God providing hope for the future. "I told him that to keep that in his heart as he continues to take this challenge going forward," Mitchell said. Peterson said he is leaning on his teammates and family to help him through, and he will continue to look to the football field as a shelter, as he has throughout his life during the toughest of times. And the Vikings will have to lean on Peterson if they hope to get things turned around before its too late. "In life situations, and in football, youve got to continue to believe," Peterson said. "Weve got to get everyone with that same mindset, to believe no matter what the circumstances. Were 1-4. Weve got to believe and have faith that were going to be able to turn it around and accomplish our goals. Thats the way I think. We just have to get everyone thinking the same way." ' ' '