Washington, DC (My Sportsbook) - Caron Butler returned from the flu to score 35 points -- 17 in the fourth quarter and the game-winning jumper at the buzzer -- leading the
Washington Wizards over the
Indiana Pacers, 119-117, at Verizon Center.
Butler had missed the previous two games and added 13 rebounds and the final 15 points for the Wizards, who had lost three straight and eight of nine. Antawn Jamison tallied 34 points, while Nick Young had 20 in the victory.
"Coach was feeding the hot hand at the time, and my teammates were doing a great job of setting picks and riding the momentum," Butler said. "We did a good job of executing the offense and putting me in great situations."
Darius Songaila added 13 points for Washington.
Danny Granger scored a team-high 29 points for Indiana, which has lost four of five overall. T.J. Ford recorded 23 points and seven assists, while Troy Murphy had 18 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.
"Anytime the game is close, you give a team an opportunity to win, it's anybody's ball game," Ford said. "Caron (Butler) came up big for them tonight, Nick Young came off the bench and gave them a spark. We didn't take care of business."
Jarrett Jack contributed 16 points, while Brandon Rush had 11 for Indiana.
Indiana held a 94-92 edge to start the fourth, and Jack scored the team's first eight points to make it a 102-95 contest with nine minutes to go.
Four straight Wizards points made it a 110-107 game on Butler's basket with 3:12 left, and Butler drained another jumper to make it 112-111 with 1:32 on the clock.
Granger answered with a jumper of his own, but Butler tied the game with a three at the one-minute mark.
After Rush missed on a three, the Wizards went back to Butler, who drained another three with 20.9 seconds left to give the hosts a 117-114 lead.
Granger promptly tied the game with a three with 15.3 seconds to go, but Washington again went to Butler, who won the game at the buzzer with a step- back jumper over Granger.
Murphy and Granger combined for 23 points in the first quarter, as Indiana held a 37-29 edge heading to the second.
The Pacers led, 63-61, at halftime.
Washington forged ahead and led by as much as seven in the third quarter, but Indiana recovered and scored six of the period's last eight points to take a 94-92 lead to the fourth.
Game Notes
The season series is tied, 1-1...The Pacers dropped to a dreadful 6-21 on the road, while Washington is 8-19 at home...Indiana has now dropped eight straight on the road...Washington closed out its five-game homestand with a 2-3 mark.
