Washington, DC (SportsNetwork.com) - John Wall scored 33 points with six assists and the Washington Wizards finished the game on a 9-0 run to top the surging Brooklyn Nets, 101-94, on Saturday from Verizon Center.
Trailing 94-92 with just over four minutes to play, Drew Gooden started the Washington spurt with a driving finger roll. Gooden then potted a 3-pointer, his second of the season, which proved to be the game-winner. Wall's lefty slam with 29 seconds left put an exclamation mark on the triumph.
Gooden posted season highs of 21 points and nine rebounds off the bench, while Bradley Beal donated 15 points and five assists for Washington, which has won 10-of-13 tilts dating back to Feb. 19.
"Once I see a couple going in I feel like I can't miss," Gooden said. "Tonight the ball was definitely on my side and it dropped for me tonight."
The Nets, who entered the contest having won seven of eight, missed their final eight field goal attempts down the stretch, allowing Washington to complete a three-game season sweep.
Marcus Thornton led the way with 19 points in a reserve role, while Joe Johnson and Paul Pierce netted 16 and 15 points, respectively, in defeat. Deron Williams chipped in 14 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
Brooklyn led 79-72 through three quarters and it owned a 10-point margin 11 seconds into the fourth on Thornton's 3-pointer. The Wizards briefly jumped in front after three straight Gooden buckets, the last of which came at 7:19, but another Thornton 3-ball restored the Nets' advantage.
Brooklyn's final points came at 4:02 on a pair of Pierce free throws.
Earlier, the Nets led 26-19 after the first quarter and 57-48 at intermission. They shot 55 percent over the first 24 minutes but just 38.7 percent in the second half.
"We never could give them that big hit," Pierce said. "And they kept grinding, kept grinding, and got back in the game."
Game Notes
Washington outscored Brooklyn 17-9 in transition ... Brooklyn hit 11-of-21 from the arc and held the Wizards to just 8-of-26 ... Washington shot 21-of-25 from the stripe ... Both teams had 13 turnovers ... The Wizards start a four- game Western Conference road trip in Sacramento on Tuesday.
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