WASHINGTON – Andray Blatche tied a career high with 36 points and had a career-best 19 rebounds, Jordan Crawford added 21 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, and the Washington Wizards beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-107 on Friday night.
The Wizards played without John Wall, who was suspended for one game due to his part in a scuffle against Miami earlier this week.
Blatche's outstanding performance came in his second game back after missing 10 with a sprained right shoulder. He keyed a 14-0 run early in the third quarter that gave Washington a 68-61 lead.
By halftime, Blatche had 22 points and 12 rebounds — 11 offensive — as Cleveland held a 57-52 lead. Blatche set a franchise record with 16 offensive rebounds.
The Cavaliers closed to 83-82 at the end of the third quarter, but Washington ran off 11 straight points early in the fourth for a 96-84 lead. JaVale McGee, who had 25 points, scored six points in the run.
Crawford had 15 points and nine rebounds in the second half for the Wizards, who lost 18 of their previous 21 games.
Ramon Sessions scored 26 points for the Cavs. J.J. Hickson had 21 points and 10 rebounds.
Washington and the Cavaliers are a combined 34-116. Cleveland has a league-low 15 wins, picking up its biggest of the season on Tuesday by beating LeBron James and the Heat at home.
In February, the Wizards scored their first road win of the season in Cleveland after 25 losses, and finally won their second last Monday in Utah.
Washington coach Flip Saunders said he hoped Wall wouldn't be suspended, and pointed out that the Heat's Zydrunas Ilgauskas elbowed Wall three times.
"We were hoping that he wouldn't because of the mitigating circumstances," Saunders said. "Any time when you're playing and a guy gives you three elbows, you're going to respond.
"The rule is pretty black and white. If you throw a punch, you lose a game."
Wall and the rest of the NBA will learn from this experience, Saunders said.
"Next year, they'll know that they just can't go out there and punk him. He's got to learn in that kind of situation, there's something called a push," Saunders said.
NOTES: Cleveland F Antawn Jamison, who hasn't played since Feb. 27 with a broken little finger on his left hand, won't play the rest of the season. Jamison was traded to the Cavaliers from the Wizards in Feb. 2010, and missed both of Cleveland's games in Washington this season. After the trade, Jamison hoped that he would get to play with a winning team, but after James left the Cavaliers last season, they've lost consistently. With one season left on his contract, Jamison said he won't demand a trade. "I've never been a guy who says: 'Trade me,'" Jamison said. "I just want to win. I would never go and say: 'get me out of here.'" ... Cleveland played without F Samardo Samuels (sprained right wrist). ... The Wizards started their 28th different lineup.
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