|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME FLOW
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Without their leading scorer in the lineup,
the Washington Wizards had to rely on Richard Hamilton.
Hamilton proved more than up to the task, making up for the
absence of Mitch Richmond by scoring a career-high 40 points to
lead Washington to a 103-96 victory over the Detroit Pistons on
Wednesday night.
It was the first time a Wizards player scored 40 points in a
game since Tracy Murray had 50 at Golden State on Feb. 10, 1998.
"I just felt good," Hamilton said. "The guys gave me a whole
lot of wide-open shots, and I just took advantage of it."
Richmond, the Wizards' leading scorer, did not play because of a
sprained right knee.
After losing six in a row at home, the Wizards have now won
back-to-back home games. It's just the third time this season the
Wizards have had a winning streak.
Jerry Stackhouse scored 38 points for Detroit, which failed in
its attempt to win three consecutive games for the first time in more
than three months. Ben Wallace had 12 points and 13 rebounds for
his ninth double-double of the season. Corliss Williamson added 16
points.
Hamilton scored 24 of his 40 points in the first half and
accounted for 10 of Washington's points during a 23-3 run late in
the second quarter that put the Wizards ahead 48-33. He finished
with a career-high 15 field goals.
"He had the hot hand and his teammates kept feeding him,"
Washington coach Leonard Hamilton said.
Washington shot 63 percent in the first half and 53 percent for
the game. The Wizards also outrebounded Detroit, 53-31. Jahidi
White, who sprained his right ankle in the first quarter but played
the entire game, tied his career high with 16 rebounds.
The Pistons blew an 11-point first-quarter lead by going
scoreless for more than six minutes during the second quarter.
Detroit scored just 14 points in the second quarter.
"This was a game that we needed, and it just didn't happen,"
Stackhouse said. "The other team shot the ball extremely well. It
was an up-and-down game and they were able to get into their
comfort zone and had a lot of guys play well."
Game notes
Richmond injured the knee in the Wizards' 107-101 victory
over the New Jersey Nets on March 13. Courtney Alexander made his
first start for Washington since being acquired in an eight-player
deal with the Dallas Mavericks on Feb. 22. He scored 15 points and
tied a career high with seven rebounds. ... Washington guard David
Vanterpool, who signed a 10-day contract with the team March 5
after starting point guard Chris Whitney went on the injured list,
played 12 minutes and had four assists. ... Fifty new American
citizens were sworn in at halftime of the game. The naturalization
ceremony was sponsored by the Wizards and the Washington Chapter of
the American Jewish Committee.
 Send this story to a friend
|
|
ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Detroit Clubhouse
Washington Clubhouse
RECAPS
Washington 103
Detroit 96
Charlotte 100
Vancouver 95
Orlando 97
Cleveland 87
Miami 114
Sacramento 104
San Antonio 106
Minnesota 100
Philadelphia 85
Chicago 67
Denver 95
Indiana 83
Phoenix 84
Portland 79
Utah 102
Golden State 83
|
