Wizards rout Knicks to take command of fifth spot

Etan Thomas, Jared Jeffries and Gilbert Arenas each scored 13 points for the Wizards, who snapped a two-game losing streak. Antonio Daniels added 12 points and Arenas also dished out 13 assists for Washington, which widened its lead to 1 1/2 games over Milwaukee for fifth place in the Eastern Conference.

Jackie Butler scored a season-high 22 points for the Knicks, who suffered their ninth straight loss. Steve Francis scored 15 points and Jamal Crawford added 14 points, but the Knicks committed a season-high 28 turnovers.

The Knicks managed to outscore the Wizards by seven points in the fourth quarter, but the Wizards’ 22-point halftime lead was insurmountable.

Washington got things started with a 10-0 run, capped by a Thomas jam with 7:55 left in the opening quarter to go up 12-2, and led 30-19 heading into the second quarter.

Washington added 11 points to its lead in the second stanza, in which it closed with a 12-2 run, snapped by a Qyntel Woods jumper at the buzzer. The Wizards led 61-39 at halftime.

Both teams scored 24 points in the third quarter, as Washington led 85-63 heading into the final period.

Game Notes

Washington won the season series, 3-1...New York, on pace for the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft, has lost five in a row on the road and is 6-30 outside Madison Square Garden this season...Arenas had six steals.