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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
WASHINGTON (AP) -- For a change, the Washington Wizards were able to reflect on a lopsided win, not a lost opportunity.
Mitch Richmond scored 26 points and Jahidi White had 18 points
and 11 rebounds as the Wizards snapped a season-high seven-game
losing streak Tuesday night by routing the Milwaukee Bucks 126-101.
|  | | Washington's Rod Strickland drives between the Bucks' Ray Allen and Glenn Robinson and draws the foul. |
"You sleep better and you wake up energized and ready to go,"
Richmond said. "Hopefully we get to savor some of that."
Washington, which returned home after opening the second half of
the season with four straight road losses, is 2-8 under interim
coach Darrell Walker.
"I'm not saying we're going to score 120-something points every
night, but the effort was outstanding from beginning to end,"
Walker said.
It had to be, he pointed out.
"Help is not coming," Walker added. "It's only us. We're
going to win together or lose together."
Ray Allen had 17 points for Milwaukee, which has lost three
straight and five of six. Glenn Robinson added 15 points and Ervin
Johnson had 11 points and 12 rebounds.
The Bucks, who have not had a winning road record since 1985,
missed a chance to reach .500 in their 28th road game of the year.
Milwaukee also blew an opportunity to move within a half-game of
third-place Toronto in the Central Division.
"This should show us what we're made of if we can play through
this. ... They got off to such a good start it was hard for us to
get back in it," Robinson said.
Washington had dropped three straight to the Bucks, including a
double-overtime loss in Milwaukee on Jan. 8. The Wizards got 18
points from Tracy Murray, 15 from Aaron Williams and 14 from Rod
Strickland.
"It was a great offensive explosion, but a great defensive
effort, too," Walker said. "You wonder why we can't play like
that all the time."
The Wizards converted 26 of 41 attempts from the field en route
to a 72-45 lead at halftime, their highest-scoring first half of
the season.
Richmond had seven points during a 14-4 run over 3:03 midway
through the first quarter. Strickland's layup with 2:43 left in the
second quarter capped a 13-2 burst that gave the Wizards a 63-37
cushion.
The Bucks trailed by as many as 29, that after a fadeaway jumper
by Richmond 1:09 into the third quarter. An 8-0 Milwaukee run
shortly thereafter could only trim the lead to 76-55.
"It looked like we weren't even into it," Robinson said. "We
were just ready to get the game over with."
Game notes
When Wizards mascot G Whiz held up a "Spice Girls Fan
Club" placard near the Bucks' huddle during a first-quarter
timeout, Milwaukee's Tim Thomas tried to snatch it out of the furry
creature's paw. ... Richmond entered the game in a 1-for-12 slump
from 3-point range, then hit four straight. ... Washington forward Michael Smith left the game in the third quarter with an injured
right elbow. ... Milwaukee rookie guard Rafer Alston played a
career-high 15 minutes.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Milwaukee Clubhouse
Washington Clubhouse
RECAPS
Washington 126
Milwaukee 101
LA Lakers 97
New Jersey 89
Charlotte 102
Houston 97
Minnesota 112
Golden State 89
Vancouver 85
Chicago 81
Phoenix 86
Denver 67
Seattle 127
Orlando 91
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