Nets aim to halt Wizards’ winning run

Washington opened the stretch with Wednesday’s 117-91 victory over Indiana, then put fourth a furious fourth-quarter rally to post a 116-111 win over Milwaukee on Friday.

Gilbert Arenas had 29 points, 11 assists and five rebounds to lead the Wizards, who erased a late nine-point deficit and won for the third time in four outings. Antawn Jamison added 24 points and Caron Butler compiled 14 points and 10 rebounds in the triumph.

The Nets have alternated wins and losses over their first four games of the 2006-07 campaign. Their latest effort was a setback to defending world champion Miami on Friday, as Dwyane Wade poured in a season-high 34 points and dished out 10 assists to lead the Heat to a 113-106 decision at Continental Airlines Arena.

Vince Carter amassed 33 points for New Jersey and scored the 13,000th of his career during the third quarter. Richard Jefferson had 16 points before leaving in the third period with a sprained left ankle, while Antoine Wright also netted 16 in the loss, the Nets’ second in three games.

Jefferson has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 sprain, which will likely sideline the star swingman for at least a month.

This will be only New Jersey’s second road contest of the young season. The Nets also lost to the Heat in Miami back on November 3.

New Jersey won two of three from Washington last year and has taken 13 of the last 18 meetings between the teams. However, the Nets have dropped three of their last four to the Wizards as the road club.