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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) – On a night when Stephon Marbury's
head blocked his own dunk attempt, the New Jersey Nets could afford
to do a lot of laughing.
|  | | The Nets' Aaron Williams, left, blocks a fourth-quarter shot by Courtney Alexander. |
It's one of the advantages of playing the Washington Wizards.
Marbury scored 20 points and lost two more on the amazing
almost-a-dunk play in the third quarter in leading the Nets to a
101-91 win over the revamped Wizards on Sunday night.
"It hit my head," Marbury said sheepishly when asked about the
attempted dunk that everyone was still talking about after the Nets
sent the Wizards to their fourth straight loss and 10th in 11
games.
"I've seen it happen before," he added. "Michael Jordan did
it, but they counted it. I guess that's the new rule."
Marbury's highlight reel play came with the Nets leading 71-51
with 5:40 left in the quarter. The 6-foot-2, All-Star point guard
drove from the left wing, got a step on the defense and made a
one-handed slam. The ball hit his head after it went through the
net and bounded up and out of the basket.
Referee Ron Garretson ruled offensive interference and nullified
the basket.
"I've never seen that happen before," 14-year veteran Johnny
Newman of the Nets said. "He must have a big head. But it was a
great dunk."
Even after the loss, Wizards guard Richard Hamilton laughed when
the play was mentioned.
"It's crazy," said Hamilton, who had 15 points. "For a guy
that little to explode the way he does. He finds a way to get up
there."
Marbury's almost-a-dunk dunk wasn't the only one that had the
Nets laughing. Rookie Soumaila Samake picked up a technical foul
for hanging on the rim on a dunk in the final minute.
"I'm going to pay his fine," Marbury said with a broad smile.
"I've got to look out for him."
Keith Van Horn added 21 points as the Nets won their third
straight at home.
Mitch Richmond had 21 for Washington, which has lost three
straight since making an eight-player deal with Dallas on Thursday,
the NBA's trade deadline. Christian Laettner, who was acquired from
the Mavericks, added 19 points and 10 rebounds.
The Nets, who shot 49 percent from the field, never trailed
after outscoring the Wizards 27-13 in the second quarter of a game
that pitted the worst teams in the Atlantic Division. Washington
hit 4-of-23 shots in the period as a three-point lead turned into a
52-41 halftime deficit.
New Jersey blew the game open with a 17-6 early third-quarter
spurt that featured five points apiece by Marbury and Kenyon
Martin, who finished with 12 points.
With Marbury sitting on the bench the entire fourth quarter, New
Jersey led by as many as 23 points. The 10-point final margin was
the closest Washington got.
Marbury, who sprained his left ankle in a loss at Miami on
Saturday night, hit 9-of-13 shots from the field.
"Last night was a tough loss," Marbury said. "We had to come
out and establish ourselves early."
Game notes
Nets forward Jamie Feick missed his second straight game
with an inflamed left Achilles. ... Nets assistant coach Mike
O'Koren missed the game with an ear infection. ... Wizards coach
Leonard Hamilton picked up a technical with 1:53 left in the third
quarter for arguing a foul call against Laettner. ... Samake
stopped in the press room to eat less than 90 minutes before the
game. ... Courtney Alexander, one of the Wizards' newcomers, missed
all of his 11 shots from the field. ... New Jersey is 3-0 against
the Wizards.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Washington Clubhouse
New Jersey Clubhouse
RECAPS
New York 88
Sacramento 86
Indiana 110
Minnesota 100
Phoenix 90
Utah 80
LA Lakers 106
Orlando 100
Milwaukee 122
Golden State 95
Cleveland 101
Detroit 94
New Jersey 101
Washington 91
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