• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Arenas scores 54 points as Wizards end Suns' 15-game run

Dec 23, 2006 - 8:21 AM PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Gilbert Arenas nearly ended this road trip the way he started it.

Arenas netted 54 points, including six 3-pointers, as the Washington Wizards snapped the Phoenix Suns' league-high 15-game winning streak with an exhilarating 144-139 overtime victory.

Caron Butler scored 34 points, including 10 points in the extra session, and grabbed 10 rebounds and DeShawn Stevenson added 18 for the Wizards, who shot 54 percent (54-of-101) overall.

Two-time MVP Steve Nash tied his career high with 42 points and handed out 12 assists and Shawn Marion collected 28 and 13 rebounds for the weary Suns, who lost for the first time since November 18, a 120-117 overtime defeat to the Utah Jazz.

Stuck in Denver after Wednesday's game with the Nuggets was postponed because of a blizzard, Phoenix did not arrive home until Friday.

"It (being stuck in Denver) is very frustrating," Nash said. "Not only to have to come in the day of the game and come straight to the arena, but it was frustrating that we didn't play in Denver. We were there and ready go. I don't know whose decision that was but we were there, the refs were there and that was disappointing.

"Having to wait there and come back didn't do us any favors but I don't want to diminish the game they (Wizards) had, but we had a lot to overcome to keep the streak alive."

Last Sunday, Arenas dropped a franchise-record and career-high 60 points on the Los Angeles Lakers in a 147-141 extra-session win. The 24-year-old guard nearly came full circle Friday.

After Butler converted a tough layup for a 136-134 edge with 64 seconds left in overtime, Arenas banked in a 3-pointer, extending the margin to five.

"I didn't call bank on that last three I shot but I knew it was going in," Arenas said. "I was feeling it and I knew the shot was good."

"Gilbert is obviously our go-to guy but Caron stepped up and made some big key baskets," Wizards coach Eddie Jordan said.

The Wizards sank 5-of-6 foul shots down the stretch to once again end another league-best winning streak. Washington ended Dallas' 12-game run, the league's second-longest winning streak this season, on December 4. The Wizards became the fourth team all-time to end a pair of winning streaks of at least 12 games or more in a season.

"That (ending the two longest streaks) just shows you how talented we are," Butler said. "I think we are there with the top teams and we showed that we can play with the elite teams and we feel that we are one of the top teams."

The Suns crawled back from a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit and took a 106-105 lead with 6 1/2 minutes left when Amare Stoudemire capped a 10-2 run with a dunk.

Following a see-saw battle the rest of the way, Arenas drew Washington even with 20 seconds left in regulation by converting a three-point play on a scooping layup.

"He (Arenas) is our go-to guy and he has delivered those type of plays," Jordan said. "He can drive, get the bump and finish then he got the free throw."

Arenas made 21-of-37 shots and added four assists and three rebounds for Washington, which concluded its road trek with a 3-1 mark.

On the ensuing possession, Nash missed a 3-pointer and Marion and Stoudemire missed follow shots as time expired.

"It was a great game," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "Gilbert was incredible. We had our shot at it but just didn't bring it home in regulation."