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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
WASHINGTON (AP) – Andre Miller's third-quarter offense assured
that another fourth-quarter rally by the Washington Wizards would
be a moot point.
Miller scored 10 of his 20 points in the decisive third quarter
and Robert Traylor tied a career high with 17 points as the
Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Wizards 106-98 Sunday.
"We tried to come out a little more energetic in the third
quarter," Miller said. "They really didn't get a run and I was
able to get some easy baskets."
Cleveland also was helped by five technical fouls against the
Wizards, all in the third quarter.
Cavaliers coach Randy Wittman was happy to see Miller take
command at a time when the reeling Wizards were losing their
composure.
"He directed the team as well as he's done all year," Wittman
said. "He got us started and kept us going from an offensive
standpoint."
Clarence Weatherspoon added 15 points for the Cavaliers, who
have won two straight road games after losing a season-high 12 in a
row on the road.
Courtney Alexander led the Wizards, who have lost seven of
eight, with a career-high 30 points. Christian Laettner added 18.
Washington's Richard Hamilton tallied 10 points before being
ejected by referee Tim Donaghy with 10:04 remaining in the game
after drawing his second technical foul.
It was Hamilton's second ejection of the season and Alexander
said that the technical fouls made it difficult for the Wizards to
establish an offensive flow.
"We have to play through the referees' calls, whether they're
good or bad calls. We kind of shot ourselves in the foot,"
Alexander said. "We need to focus more on our own task."
The Cavaliers, who split the four-game season series with
Washington, avoided becoming the first team to lose three games to
the Wizards this season by using a 14-2 run midway through the
third quarter to break open a 58-58 tie.
Chris Mihm started the surge with a jumper from the right side
before Miller scored six straight points on an uncontested layup
through three Washington defenders and a pair of jumpers.
Late in the game, Washington went on a 12-0 run that cut the
Cleveland lead to 106-98 with 2:19 left. Laettner and Alexander
each tallied six points during the burst.
The Wizards started out 6-for-16 from the field and Cleveland
took advantage, putting together a 13-4 run in the first quarter
for a 22-17 lead.
But David Vanterpool scored five points in a 9-0 Washington
burst for a 28-24 advantage early in the second period.
Traylor came off the Cavaliers' bench to score 10 points in the
second quarter, with eight coming after the Wizards had taken a
40-35 lead.
Weatherspoon's basket with 3.6 seconds left in the period pulled
Cleveland even at 52.
Wizards coach Leonard Hamilton was surprised at the strong play
of Traylor in the middle. Traylor set a new career high with six of
Cleveland's nine blocked shots.
"We hadn't expected Traylor to be so effective inside,"
Hamilton said.
Game notes
The Easter matinee drew 11,668. ... Cavaliers G Bimbo Coles
suffered a sprained right thumb in the first quarter and did not
return. ... Wizards C Jahidi White missed the game with a strained
right Achilles' tendon.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Cleveland Clubhouse
Washington Clubhouse
RECAPS
Philadelphia 89
New York 82
Boston 95
New Jersey 88
Cleveland 106
Washington 98
Orlando 90
Miami 73
Indiana 93
Chicago 86
Minnesota 107
Utah 100
Phoenix 88
Sacramento 86
LA Lakers 105
Portland 100
Charlotte 99
Detroit 90
Dallas 107
Seattle 99
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