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Arenas leads Wizards into Golden State

Mar 23, 2007 - 5:07 PM Washington (37-29) at Golden State (32-37) 10:30 pm EDT

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) - Washington Wizards All-Star guard Gilbert Arenas has a flair for late-game heroics that the Golden State Warriors know all too well.

Arenas leads the Wizards against the playoff-hungry Warriors on Friday in a return engagement of their wild meeting in Washington earlier this month.

On March 4, the Wizards trailed to Warriors by two points when Arenas - who began his career with Golden State - drove to the basket and was fouled as time expired. Warriors coach Don Nelson argued the call and was given a technical foul. Arenas made all three free throws to give Washington a 107-106 win.

Arenas was up to his old tricks Wednesday in Seattle as he scored 42 points, including an extremly difficult running scoop bank shot at the buzzer that gave the Wizards a 108-106 win and allowed them to hold onto first place in the Southeast Division.

Washington improved to 8-1 this season in games where Arenas scores at least 40 points. He also has picked on his former team, averaging 39 points in the last three meetings.

Arenas could have some unexpected help from fellow All-Star Caron Butler. The forward has missed the last three games with a knee injury but has re-joined the team and could make his return against the Warriors.

Golden State has not made the playoffs since 1994, the longest current drought of any team. It is a five-team race for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, one-half game behind the Los Angeles Clippers (32-36).

The Warriors are coming off Tuesday's 104-100 loss at Utah, their first with Baron Davis in the lineup since he returned from a knee injury that forced him to miss 13 contests.

Davis came back March 5 and sparked a three-game winning streak. He sat out a loss to Portland but returned and triggered another three-game run. Since his return, he is averaging 19.3 points and 5.7 assists.