Cavaliers' rally comes up short
3/4/2012WASHINGTON -- Jordan Crawford scored 31 points, and John Wall added 24 to lead the Washington Wizards to a 101-98 victory over the Cavaliers on Saturday night.
Antawn Jamison scored 29 in his return to Washington but missed a 3-point attempt to tie the game with 35 seconds to play. It was Jamison's first appearance in the Verizon Center since being traded from the Wizards to Cleveland in February, 2010.
JaVale McGee had nine points and 12 rebounds for Washington, which snapped a six-game losing streak.
Kyrie Irving scored 20 points, 12 in the fourth quarter, and Ryan Hollins had 15 for the Cavaliers, who lost their fifth straight.
The Wizards held an 82-81 lead with about seven minutes to play. Crawford then spurred them on a 14-5 run that gave Washington a 96-86 lead with 3:45 left. Crawford scored 10 points during the run, including two 3-pointers.
Irving led a furious Cleveland rally down the stretch, scoring eight of the Cavaliers' nine points in the final 2 1/2 minutes.
Irving's layup with about a minute left cut Washington's lead to 100-97. Jamison had a chance to tie it on Cleveland's next possession, but his 3-pointer was off target.
Cleveland was still down three when Irving went to the line with seven seconds left. Irving made the first free throw but missed the second, and McGee came down with the rebound.
After Wall made one of two free throws, Anthony Parker missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Jamison scored 15 points in the first quarter, and Cleveland led 33-24 after one. The 33 points were the most Cleveland has scored in any opening quarter this season.
The Cavaliers led by as many as 10 in the second quarter, but Washington came back with a 15-4 run to erase the deficit midway through the quarter.
Cleveland led 55-50 at halftime, but the teams stayed close most of the third. Wall ended the quarter by going the length of the court in 3.9 seconds for a buzzer-beating layup to tie the game at 78.
NOTES: Washington F Andray Blatche played for the first time since straining his left calf Jan. 28. He had one point, nine rebounds, and five assists in 22 minutes. ... Crawford tied his career high with five 3-pointers. ... Irving was back in the starting lineup a day after resting with an illness. ... Hollins made his first start of the season.