Jamal Crawford drops 28 on Washington, Golden State downs
Wizards 119-98
OAKLAND
Jamal Crawford had 28 points and eight assists, and Stephen Jackson added 26 points in the Golden State Warriors’ third win in four home games, 119-98 over the Washington Wizards on Monday.
Corey Maggette scored 16 points for the Warriors, who had won three of four just once previously in their disappointing season. Golden State comfortably held off the Wizards, hitting 13 3-pointers and making 53 percent of its shots against Washington’s sketchy defense.
Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison and Andray Blatche scored 22 points apiece for the Wizards, who lost for the seventh time in eight games.
Washington snapped a six-game skid against New York on Friday, but opened a four-game West Coast trip with another listless performance by the Eastern Conference’s worst team. The Wizards have lost three straight in Oakland.
In a rare matinee game at Oracle Arena, Golden State jumped to a 15-point lead in the third quarter with eight points from Kelenna Azubuike, who finished with 17. Butler’s nine points in the period pulled the Wizards close heading to the fourth, but the Warriors steadily stayed ahead with layups and open jumpers.
Anthony Morrow added 11 points for Golden State, and Andris Biedrins had 15 rebounds. Crawford hit four 3-pointers, with Jackson and Azubuike adding three apiece – mostly with no hands in their faces.
While Golden State thrived outside, the Wizards missed plenty of open shots against the Warriors’ similarly unimpressive D. Butler, Mike James and improving reserve Nick Young were a combined 4-for-14 on 3-pointers.
Even with serious injury problems, Golden State has put its game together since returning from a brutal four-week travel stretch in mid-January. With Jackson returning to the lineup last Friday, Golden State already has three wins on a seven-game homestand that still includes visits from lowly Oklahoma City and the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Warriors could get their first three-game winning streak of the season Wednesday against the Thunder. Golden State improved to 9-9 in Oakland, although it doesn’t make up for that 4-20 road record.
Golden State also made up for a humiliating 124-100 loss to Washington on Nov. 25. That victory was the first for Wizards coach Ed Tapscott, who took over the club one day earlier.
Washington dropped to 2-17 on the road, losing six straight.
Notes:
Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia, a Bay Area native, attended the game. … Golden State played without G C.J. Watson, who has turf toe, the Warriors claimed. Marco Belinelli, Brandan Wright and Monta Ellis still are out of Golden State’s lineup with injuries. … Jamison and injured Wizards G Gilbert Arenas both left the Warriors in the summer of 2003.
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Story by Greg Beacham, AP Sports Writer
