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Mike Miller Leads Charge To Lift Wizards Over T-Wolves, 108-99
Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Mike Miller made all five of his three-point attempts, including three during a late fourth-quarter run, to finish with 17 points and spark the suddenly rebuilding Wizards to a 108-99 victory over Minnesota.
Just five months ago, Washington came into the campaign hoping to lean on a trio of healthy scoring threats who were primed to get the club back to the playoffs. On Wednesday, none of those players were in a Wizards uniform.
A slow start to the season and the indefinite suspension of point guard Gilbert Arenas in January persuaded Washington's front office into dealing the other two cogs in the triumvirate. First, it was Caron Butler getting sent to Dallas in a seven-player trade last Saturday, and Wednesday, forward Antawn Jamison was reportedly shipped to Cleveland in a three-player swap.
Jamison did not dress for the game in anticipation of the move, but the Wizards nevertheless won for the fourth time in their last seven games.
Andray Blatche picked up the slack with a career-high 33 points to go with 13 rebounds, while Josh Howard, who was acquired in the Butler deal over the weekend, chipped in 14 points off the bench for the victors.
Al Jefferson had 18 points and seven rebounds for Minnesota, which received a 13-point, 13-rebound effort from Kevin Love. Ryan Gomes and Jonny Flynn added 16 and 15 points, respectively, in the Timberwolves' fourth straight loss.
Washington was up 11 heading to the fourth, but the T-Wolves opened the frame on a 16-1 run, taking a 91-87 lead on Ramon Sessions' jumper near the midway point.
Blatche and JaVale McGee answered with a pair of buckets to tie it, and Miller hit a trio of three pointers in a four-possession stretch for Washington, the last yielding a 102-93 cushion with 2:42 on the clock.
It was at least a three-possession contest the rest of the way.
Minnesota scored the first eight points of the game, though Blatche’s 13 first-quarter points kept the Wizards within 31-25 after 12 minutes of play.
Washington, down 54-52 at the break, took its first lead, 56-55, on Blatche’s mid-range jumper 92 seconds into the third frame. Howard later capped a 10-0 run with a jumper, and his steal and dunk gave the Wizards an 86-75 lead heading to the fourth.
According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer Wednesday, the Wizards are sending Jamison to Cleveland and Drew Gooden to the Los Angeles Clippers, in exchange for center Zydrunas Ilgauskas from the Cavaliers and forwards Al Thornton and Brian Skinner from Los Angeles, which would also receive Cleveland's 2010 first-round pick. The Wizards would also receive the draft rights to Emil Preldzic from Cleveland...In the trade last week, Washington also gave up center Brendan Haywood while receiving Gooden, James Singleton and Quinton Ross. Singleton had six points and seven rebounds Wednesday, while Ross ended with three points...McGee logged a season-highs of 14 points and 11 rebounds for Washington, which has beaten the T-Wolves five straight times at the Verizon Center.
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