• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Crawford, Wizards down Bucks

Apr 19, 2012 - 6:44 AM Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Jordan Crawford tied a season-high with 32 points on Wednesday and the Wizards defeated the playoff-hopeful Bucks, 121-112.

Nene returned to the lineup after a 10-game absence and scored 14 points in the win. John Wall had 14 points and 10 assists and Kevin Seraphin also scored 14 for the Wizards, who were coming off of Monday's victory over the Bulls.

"We want to be in the hunt, there's no question about that, but we're not, let's cause some grief at least coming down the stretch," Washington head coach Randy Wittman said of his team playing spoiler in the final few games of the season.

The Bucks, losers of four of their last five, fell 2 1/2 games behind eighth- place Philadelphia for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. The 76ers beat the Cavaliers on Wednesday.

Monta Ellis had 31 points and six assists in the setback, Brandon Jennings scored 25 and Drew Gooden finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds.

"Hopefully we bounce back from this one and keep it pushing all of the way until the end," Ellis said.

Nene's layup early in the fourth had Washington up 99-87 -- marking the largest lead of the game for either team. But the Bucks responded with a 9-1 run, getting four points from Jennings, to cut their deficit to four, 100-96.

They pulled within three, 112-109, on Jennings' corner three with 1:14 left, but Crawford answered with a deep trey late in the shot clock and Milwaukee failed to get closer than five the rest of the way.

The Bucks were up 62-60 after a back-and-forth first half, but the Wizards grabbed control in the third, getting eight points from Seraphin and going up 77-68 before taking an 88-81 lead into the fourth.

Game Notes

The Wizards had lost their previous four games against the Bucks...Nene, who was acquired from the Nuggets as part of a three-team trade in March, had missed the previous 10 games due to left plantar fasciitis.