RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Houston's Steve Francis has shown that he is capable of playing at an all-star level, Sunday, Mitch Richmond showed Francis and the Rockets how to play like a perennial all-star.

	Washington's Isaac Austin, left, blocks a shot by Houston's Carl Rogers.

"It was a Steve Francis welcome home party," said Washington's Laron Profit, Francis' teammate at Maryland. "We got the win, which is what we wanted. He got to play in front of his family and friends, which is what he wanted."

The Wizards took the lead for good when they scored the final seven points of the first half and the first nine of the third quarter to take a 58-42 lead two minutes into the second half. The win was the Wizards' fourth in five games. The only loss was 105-89 to the Rockets on Thursday night.

"We got more aggressive in the third quarter," Wizards coach Gar Heard said. "We didn't let them do what they wanted."

Washington was outscored 29-17 in the fourth quarter Thursday night, but Sunday the Wizards pushed the lead to as much as 22 in the final quarter, with the help of 13 second-half points by White.

Walt Williams, who also played at Maryland, tried to spark a Houston comeback with 20 points off the bench.