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Sunday, Feb. 25 8:00pm ET
Marbury's nullified dunk a rarity

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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.

Aaron Williams
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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