Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Caron Butler exploded for 33 points as the Washington Wizards dominated the Seattle SuperSonics, earning a 108-86 victory.
Antawn Jamison notched a double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Wizards, who won their second consecutive game. DeShawn Stevenson added 13 points, while Brendan Haywood scored 10 points and grabbed nine boards. Antonio Daniels dished out 10 assists to go with 13 points, as Washington had all five of its starters score in double-figures.
Kevin Durant had 19 points for the Sonics, as the team dropped its third straight and fifth of its last six contests. Wally Szczerbiak contributed 18 points off the bench. Nick Collison pulled down 17 rebounds while scoring 13 points, and Seattle dropped to 4-13 as the visitor this season.
In the fourth, the Wizards wasted no time putting the game out of reach, opening the period with a 14-2 burst. Darius Songalia stroked a jump hook with 7:41 to go, pushing the Washington lead to 92-71.
The Wizards forced 22 turnovers, which translated into 27 points, as they improved to 10-7 as the host this year.
"(As the) game went along, we had to get tougher, play better, and make things happen," explained Wizards head coach Eddie Jordan. "We were not executing well enough, so we had to buckle down and play at a high level of basketball. That is what turned the game around; the combination of our intensity and their youth made it possible."
Washington broke open a 5-5 tie in the opening quarter with an 11-2 run. Daniels was fouled on a successful layup, and proceeded to knock down the free throw to finish the Wizards' scoring streak. With 5:53 to play in the first, Washington took a 16-7 lead.
The Wizards extended the advantage, closing out the quarter with another 11-2 burst. With time winding down, Daniels drove the lane and found Haywood in the low post with a no-look pass. Haywood quickly dumped it in, barely beating the buzzer. The bucket put Washington on top 31-17 heading into the second period.
Seattle sprung to life in the second, using a 19-6 run to climb back to within a point of the Wizards. Szczerbiak highlighted the streak with 11 points, including three baskets from beyond-the-arc. The Sonics trailed 43-42 with 3:09 left in the half.
"(The Wizards) are a good team," commented Szczerbiak. "We got stuck on offense and kept turning the ball over. They picked up their defense and you have to give them credit for it. They were playing on their home floor. You have to execute better when you are on the road."
A pair of free throws by Butler sent the teams to the locker rooms, as Washington maintained a 52-46 advantage.
The squads traded blows in the third quarter, but when the buzzer sounded, the Wizards added to their lead, edging the Sonics 26-23 in the period. Daniels nailed a layup with 39 seconds remaining, and Washington went ahead 78-69 entering the final quarter of play.
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