Stevenson leads Wizards over Sixers

Returning from a left knee bruise, Caron Butler scored 21 points for Washington, which snapped a three-game losing streak and attained a one-half game edge over the Heat for the lead in the Southeast Division. Miami lost at Toronto Wednesday night.

Gilbert Arenas netted 20 points and Antawn Jamison added 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Wizards, who just lost the top spot in the division after Monday’s setback to the Utah Jazz in the finale of a five-game road trip.

"This was one of the toughest games to play this season, coming back from a long west coast road trip, and playing our first game at home," Washington coach Eddie Jordan said.

Andre Iguodala notched 26 points and 15 boards for Philadelphia, which is 10-5 over its last 15 games. Samuel Dalembert posted 24 points and nine boards for the Sixers. Andre Miller notched 16 points and seven assists, while Kyle Korver contributed 14 points off the bench.

"I was not even looking to score today," Dalembert said. "I was trying to rebound and pass the ball to get other guys involved."

With the Sixers trailing 105-103, Iguodala’s jump shot attempt rimmed out, and Jamison converted a pair of free throws on the other end for a two-possession game with 21.5 seconds on the clock.

Iguodala then took the inbound pass at the top of the key and crossed over his defender en route to an open dunk, courtesy of Korver’s high screen, with 14.7 seconds left. Butler immediately got fouled less than a second later and made both free throws for another four-point margin, 109-105.

Iguodala next came up short on a quick three from the left corner, but Korver grabbed the rebound and got the ball right back to him. From virtually the same spot on the floor, Iguodala drained the second try with 5.7 seconds to go for a one-point game.

Arenas was fouled 1.2 seconds later and converted both free throws. Washington had a foul to give and used it, giving the Sixers just 2.2 seconds with which to work, trailing by three.

Iguodala fought through a double team and could only get off an awkward three- point attempt, failing to draw any contact from either defender, as the Wizards held on for the win.

Antonio Daniels’ three-point play with 7:33 to go in the fourth put Washington ahead 97-82, but Philadelphia wasn’t finished. The Sixers scored seven straight to cut their deficit to single digits, 97-89, approaching the halfway point of the stanza.

Philly continued to rally by going on a 10-0 burst down the stretch and Korver’s trey with 2:07 left tied the score at 101.

The Sixers exploded out of the gate on an 18-8 run, finished by a Steven Hunter dunk with 4:41 remaining in the first quarter. Washington came alive down the stretch by going on a 7-0 spurt, snapped by a Louis Williams jumper with 11 ticks left for just a 25-22 deficit heading into the second.

After Jamison scored on a jumper and Stevenson on a layup in the opening two minutes of the second, the Sixers briefly reclaimed control. Iguodala converted a pair of free throws that sparked an 11-4 run, which put the Sixers ahead 40-32.

The Wizards responded by scoring the next 13 points, and Stevenson’s trey with 3:53 remaining put them ahead 45-40. They took a 52-49 margin into the locker room.

Philadelphia regrouped and opened the second half on a 10-3 burst, capped by a Rodney Carney jumper approaching the halfway point of the stanza for a 59-55 lead. With the score knotted at 69, Washington closed the third on a 11-4 run, though, as Darius Songaila’s bank shot with eight ticks left put the Wizards up 80-73 heading into the fourth.

Game Notes

Wednesday’s game between Philadelphia and Washington was the third and final meeting of the regular season. The Wizards swept the season series and have won five of seven and six of the last nine meetings...The Sixers have lost three straight and five of their last six in D.C.