AP News, December 7th, 2006
Gilbert Arenas scored 38 points, and the Washington Wizards used a sizzling performance from 3-point range to beat the New York Knicks 113-102 Wednesday night for their first road victory of the season.
In a complete turnaround from their last visit to New York, the Wizards went 14-of-20 from behind the arc, tying the franchise record and matching an NBA season high for makes. In a 102-82 loss at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 15, the Wizards tied an NBA record for futility by misfiring on all 15 3-point attempts.
Arenas and Antawn Jamison combined to go 0-for-11 that night, but each made six Wednesday.
Jamison added a season-high 33 points for Washington, playing for the first time since snapping Dallas' 12-game winning streak on Monday. Though only 1-8 on the road, the Wizards have won four of five overall.
Eddy Curry scored 22 points for the Knicks, extending his streak of 20-point games to eight. New York put all five starters in double figures but was dreadful on the other end.
The Knicks fell to 2-8 at home with their second loss in three games on a season-high, six-game homestand.
Arenas scored 24 points _ two more than he had in the entire previous game at New York _ during Washington's season-best 66-point first half. He had 12 points in the first quarter, when the Wizards shot 67 percent, and his 3-pointer with 3.5 seconds left in the period gave Washington a 35-31 lead.
The Wizards pulled away late in half when Arenas had a five-point possession. He missed the free throw after he was fouled making a basket, but Jamison grabbed the rebound. The Wizards got the ball back to Arenas, who made a 3-pointer for a 62-51 lead with 2:24 to go.
The Wizards went 5-of-6 from beyond the arc in the second quarter and led 66-55 at halftime, with the Knicks walking off to a smattering of boos. The boos got a lot louder shortly after the break, when Jamison's 3 made it 76-59 a little more than 2 minutes into the second half.
Washington opened a 21-point bulge on another 3 by Arenas with just under 4 1/2 minutes left in the period, but the Knicks charged back _ the Wizards don't play much defense, either. Jamal Crawford's drive capped a 13-1 spurt and made it 93-84 with 53 seconds to go. The Wizards led 99-85 entering the fourth and were never threatened.
Notes:@ Washington's victory left the Clippers (0-6) as the NBA's only winless road team. ... The Wizards came in with a 7-10 record, which would have been tied for the Atlantic Division lead. Instead, they were six games back of East-leading Orlando in the Southeast. ... Wizards coach Eddie Jordan said C-F Michael Ruffin (sprained right foot) could miss at least a week.
