canihavu
04-11-2009, 05:35 AM
Butler, Wizards edge Raptors
TORONTO (AP)—Caron Butler made a jumper at the buzzer to give the Washington Wizards a 100-98 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night.
Antawn Jamison had 24 points and 12 rebounds and Butler added 21 points for the Wizards, who nearly blew a six-point lead in the final minute.
Before the game, Toronto coach Jay Triano called Butler and Jamison “the best forward duo in the NBA as far as putting points up.”
The duo started slow, shooting 3-for-13 in the first half, but combined for 36 second-half points as the Wizards won for just the third time in their past 13 games.
A 3-pointer by Toronto’s Jose Calderon cut Washington’s lead to 88-87 with 3:30 left, but Jamison and Butler each made three-point plays on either side of a Chris Bosh free throw to give the Wizards a 94-88 edge with 1:41 remaining.
Washington led 96-90 with 47 seconds to go after a reverse layup by Juan Dixon but Jason Kapono made back-to-back 3-pointers from the corner, the second after a Washington turnover at midcourt, tying it at 96-all with 28 seconds remaining.
Dixon made a jumper and Calderon made a layup, giving the Wizards the ball with 16 seconds left. Butler sent defender Shawn Marion the wrong way with a pull-up drive, making a jumper from the elbow as the buzzer sounded to give Washington the win.
Toronto Raptors forward Chris Bosh, left, blocks Washington Wizards forward Brendan Haywood, right, during first half of an NBA basketball game in Toronto on Friday, April 10, 2009.
Toronto Raptors forward Chris …
AP - Apr 10, 9:32 pm EDT
Brendan Haywood had 15 points for the Wizards, with Dominic McGuire adding eight points and 11 rebounds.
Chris Bosh had 21 points and 10 rebounds for Toronto, and Kapono added 20. Calderon had 15 points and 11 assists.
The victory means Washington can do no worse than match the worst record in team history. The Wizards, who have two games remaining, went 19-63 in the 2000-2001 season.
Raptors center Andrea Bargnani, who missed Wednesday’s loss at Indiana with a sore left heel, returned to the starting lineup and scored nine points.
Toronto never trailed in the first half, leading 20-16 after the first and 41-37 at the half, but couldn’t hold on through the third.
Jamison had five points in the first half and Butler didn’t score his first basket until a layup with 1:29 left in the second. But the pair came alive in the third, with Jamison scoring 11 and Butler adding eight as the Wizards took a 66-63 lead into the final quarter.
Notes
Washington guard Gilbert Arenas dressed but missed his third straight game, resting his surgically repaired left knee. Coach Ed Tapscott said Arenas could play Monday when the Wizards host the Raptors. … Former Raptors guard Alvin Williams, whose career was cut short by knee problems, watched from a courtside seat.
TORONTO (AP)—Caron Butler made a jumper at the buzzer to give the Washington Wizards a 100-98 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night.
Antawn Jamison had 24 points and 12 rebounds and Butler added 21 points for the Wizards, who nearly blew a six-point lead in the final minute.
Before the game, Toronto coach Jay Triano called Butler and Jamison “the best forward duo in the NBA as far as putting points up.”
The duo started slow, shooting 3-for-13 in the first half, but combined for 36 second-half points as the Wizards won for just the third time in their past 13 games.
A 3-pointer by Toronto’s Jose Calderon cut Washington’s lead to 88-87 with 3:30 left, but Jamison and Butler each made three-point plays on either side of a Chris Bosh free throw to give the Wizards a 94-88 edge with 1:41 remaining.
Washington led 96-90 with 47 seconds to go after a reverse layup by Juan Dixon but Jason Kapono made back-to-back 3-pointers from the corner, the second after a Washington turnover at midcourt, tying it at 96-all with 28 seconds remaining.
Dixon made a jumper and Calderon made a layup, giving the Wizards the ball with 16 seconds left. Butler sent defender Shawn Marion the wrong way with a pull-up drive, making a jumper from the elbow as the buzzer sounded to give Washington the win.
Toronto Raptors forward Chris Bosh, left, blocks Washington Wizards forward Brendan Haywood, right, during first half of an NBA basketball game in Toronto on Friday, April 10, 2009.
Toronto Raptors forward Chris …
AP - Apr 10, 9:32 pm EDT
Brendan Haywood had 15 points for the Wizards, with Dominic McGuire adding eight points and 11 rebounds.
Chris Bosh had 21 points and 10 rebounds for Toronto, and Kapono added 20. Calderon had 15 points and 11 assists.
The victory means Washington can do no worse than match the worst record in team history. The Wizards, who have two games remaining, went 19-63 in the 2000-2001 season.
Raptors center Andrea Bargnani, who missed Wednesday’s loss at Indiana with a sore left heel, returned to the starting lineup and scored nine points.
Toronto never trailed in the first half, leading 20-16 after the first and 41-37 at the half, but couldn’t hold on through the third.
Jamison had five points in the first half and Butler didn’t score his first basket until a layup with 1:29 left in the second. But the pair came alive in the third, with Jamison scoring 11 and Butler adding eight as the Wizards took a 66-63 lead into the final quarter.
Notes
Washington guard Gilbert Arenas dressed but missed his third straight game, resting his surgically repaired left knee. Coach Ed Tapscott said Arenas could play Monday when the Wizards host the Raptors. … Former Raptors guard Alvin Williams, whose career was cut short by knee problems, watched from a courtside seat.