Wizards end road winless streak at 25

[February 14, 2011]  CLEVELAND (AP) -- The Wizards traveled to the right place for a road win.

Nick Young scored 31 points, John Wall had 19 points and 14 assists and Washington snapped its 25-game road winless streak with a 115-100 win Sunday night over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who reverted to their losing ways one game after ending their record skid.

The Wizards opened a 25-point lead in the third quarter, survived a Cleveland comeback and got their first road win since April 9 at Boston.

Antawn Jamison scored 21 and J.J. Hickson added 16 and 13 rebounds for the Cavs, who stopped their losing streak at 26 on Friday night against the Los Angeles Clippers but failed to post back-to-back wins for the second time this season.

Washington finished four losses shy of matching the league's longest losing streak to start a season, 29 in a row by the 1992-93 Dallas Mavericks.

Blown out and embarrassed in a 118-94 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, the Wizards came out focused on getting a win outside D.C.'s city limits. They started 9 of 11 from the field and opened a 17-point lead in the first quarter on Young's second straight three-point play.

The Wizards pushed their lead to 22 in the first half, outrunning and outhustling the flat-footed Cavs, who have now dropped 37 of 39 in a gloomy season. Cleveland coach Byron Scott wasn't happy with his club's effort and he let them know it during a timeout.

About the only thing that didn't go Washington's way in the first half was when Wall missed a breakaway, left-handed dunk, a blooper likely to be looped on highlight reels. But he more than made up for it with nine first-half assists, and a supersonic end-to-end dash for a layup in the final seconds that gave the Wizards a 68-46 halftime lead.

The Cavs simply watched Wall's vapor tail and they didn't offer much resistance in the third as the Wizards pushed their lead to 95-70 on Young's third straight made jumper. Washington came in averaging 96.7 points per game, but the Wizards topped 100 points when Josh Howard, playing for the first time since Jan. 5 because of a sore knee, hit a 3-pointer with 8:03 remaining.

Cleveland got as close as 11 on Jamario Moon's 3-pointer, but the Wizards got two easy baskets inside by Andray Blatche to open some breathing room.

After the clock expired, Wall lifted his arms in triumph and the Wizards shared some hugs and high-fives before heading to the locker room, where they could finally pack their bags while smiling.

With point guard Mo Williams back in the starting lineup and forward Leon Powe active, the Cavaliers entered as healthy as they've been in weeks. They didn't leave it that way, though.

Guard Daniel Gibson didn't play in the second half because of a strained quadriceps muscle. It's not clear when Gibson got hurt. He came out for warmups at halftime before going to the locker room accompanied by trainer Max Benton, who has been busy this season treating the Cavs.

NOTES: Howard scored 16 points in 26 minutes. ... If not for Hickson's block on Baron Davis to end regulation on Friday, the Cavs' epic losing streak would still be going. The Clippers wanted goaltending on the play. So, coach Scott, was the block legal? "No comment," he said, laughing. "It was really, really close." ... Powe, sidelined since Jan. 7 after undergoing knee surgery, dressed but didn't play. ... Jamison was facing his former team for the first time, and he warmly greeted each of the Wizards coaches before tip-off.

[Associated Press; By TOM WITHERS]

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