NBA Game Summary - Memphis at Washington

02.23.2005

Washington, DC (Basketball News) - Gilbert Arenas had 30 points, 10 rebounds and six assists to lead the Washington Wizards to a 93-83 win over the Memphis Grizzlies at the MCI Center.

Antawn Jamison added 27 points and 10 rebounds for the Wizards, who ended a three-game slide. Arenas and Jamison, the only two Wizard players in double- digit scoring, sparked a pair of second-half runs that allowed the club to win for the fifth straight time at home.

"That is a responsibility they know they have," said Washington head coach Eddie Jordan on Arenas and Jamison. "They have to carry us. There are no nights off for them."

Mike Miller led five Memphis players in double-figures with 16 points as the Grizzlies went 0-3 on a three-game road trip. Shane Battier and Brian Cardinal each added 14 points for Memphis, which lost for just the fifth time in 13 outings.

The Wizards began to build a lead in the third quarter. Trailing 44-42 at the break and 47-42 after Jason Williams hit a three-pointer in the early stages of the second half, Arenas and Jamison sparked a 17-3 burst for Washington.

Arenas had nine points and Jamison four during the run, which was capped by an Arenas jumper with six minutes remaining in the period to give the Wizards a 59-50 advantage.

Later, Washington scored the final seven points of the quarter to grab a 72-61 cushion going into the fourth. Steve Blake’s three-pointer with 12 seconds left in the frame staked the Wizards to their first double-digit lead of the game.

Washington continued to pour it on the in the fourth, scoring 11 of the first 14 points of the frame to grab an 83-64 advantage. Jamison scored six of those 11 points during the run, which was 18-3 dating back to the third quarter.

Memphis never got closer than 10 points the rest of the way.

"The game was simple - it came down to the third quarter," said Memphis head coach Mike Fratello. "We had five turnovers at halftime, in the third quarter I think we had six or seven. To me that was the whole game, we turned the ball over and we did not get shots at the basket."

Prior to the game, the Wizards activated guard Larry Hughes and center Kwame Brown off the injured list. Hughes, who has been out with a thumb fracture since January 15, did not play and is expected back for Friday’s game in Chicago.

Brown had two points, two rebounds, three assists and two fouls in 10 minutes of action. He had been out with a right ankle injury.

To make room on the roster, Washington placed guard Juan Dixon (right ankle sprain) and center Peter John Ramos (right plantar fasciitis) on the injured list...Arenas shot 8-of-20 from the floor and 13-of-13 from the free throw line...Washington shot 43 percent for the game...Memphis shot 35 percent from the floor, including 8-of-31 from three...The Wizards hit 32-of-38 free throws...The Grizzlies went just 19-of-24 from the line...Williams and Jake Tsakalidis each had 10 points to round out the Grizzlies’ double-figure scorers.

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