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Wizards top Nets to snap six-game skid

Mar 20, 2011 - 10:43 PM Washington, DC (Sports Network) - John Wall led the way with 26 points, eight assists and six rebounds, as the Washington Wizards snapped a six-game losing streak with a 98-92 win over the New Jersey Nets at the Verizon Center.

Jordan Crawford finished with 21 points and JaVale McGee chipped in with 16 points and seven boards for Washington, which improved to 16-20 at home this season, but won for only the second time in its last 15 games overall.

Maurice Evans posted 15 points off the bench for the victors, who begin a five-game road trip on Tuesday in Portland.

"Good to get a win," Wall said. "You don't want to lose another game at home and then go on the road and have a tough five-game road trip. Hopefully this can give us some motivation going into Portland."

Brook Lopez had a team-best 21 points to go with 10 rebounds for the Nets, who dropped their third straight contest and are now a woeful 4-29 on the road. Anthony Morrow donated 19 points, while Kris Humphries turned in a double- double with 18 points and 17 boards.

Jordan Farmar dished out a career-high 17 assists and netted 10 points in defeat.

"I guess we just got complacent," Lopez said. "I definitely did a little and once we realized what was going on, it was a definitely too late."

Trailing by two, Evans hit a corner three to give Washington an 84-83 lead with 6:13 remaining in the fourth and start an 8-0 run. Yi Jianlian's turnaround jumper finished off the surge to make it an 89-83 game with 4:12 to play and the Wizards would hold on down the stretch.

Morrow scored 12 points in the opening quarter to help the Nets grab a 35-23 lead after 12 minutes and New Jersey maintained a healthy advantage throughout the second.

Farmar's layup approaching the midway point of the quarter put the Nets ahead by 15, 46-31, and they stretched their lead to 17 just 1:23 before the half.

Two free throws and a dunk by Wall closed out the scoring in the second, but Washington still trailed 56-43 heading into the locker room.

However, the third quarter was a different story, as McGee's dunk capped a 19-4 Washington run to close to within one, 63-62, with 3:50 left.

Then after Sasha Vujacic drained three free throws, Crawford finished off a string of seven in a row to put the Wizards up 69-66 with 1:33 to play and they would be in front 71-68 after three.

Game Notes

Nets guard Deron Williams sat out with a sprained right wrist and is expected to miss at least two more games...Earlier on Sunday, the Nets rewarded guard Sundiata Gaines with a multi-year contract. Gaines ended with two points and four rebounds...Washington was without leading scorer Nick Young, who missed his third straight game with a bruised left knee...The Wizards have won eight of the past 10 meetings between the teams.