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Sunday, Apr. 15 1:00pm ET
Cavaliers earn season split with Wizards

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WASHINGTON (AP) – Andre Miller's third-quarter offense assured that another fourth-quarter rally by the Washington Wizards would be a moot point.

Miller scored 10 of his 20 points in the decisive third quarter and Robert Traylor tied a career high with 17 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Wizards 106-98 Sunday.

"We tried to come out a little more energetic in the third quarter," Miller said. "They really didn't get a run and I was able to get some easy baskets."

Cleveland also was helped by five technical fouls against the Wizards, all in the third quarter.

Cavaliers coach Randy Wittman was happy to see Miller take command at a time when the reeling Wizards were losing their composure.

"He directed the team as well as he's done all year," Wittman said. "He got us started and kept us going from an offensive standpoint."

Clarence Weatherspoon added 15 points for the Cavaliers, who have won two straight road games after losing a season-high 12 in a row on the road.

Courtney Alexander led the Wizards, who have lost seven of eight, with a career-high 30 points. Christian Laettner added 18.

Washington's Richard Hamilton tallied 10 points before being ejected by referee Tim Donaghy with 10:04 remaining in the game after drawing his second technical foul.

It was Hamilton's second ejection of the season and Alexander said that the technical fouls made it difficult for the Wizards to establish an offensive flow.

"We have to play through the referees' calls, whether they're good or bad calls. We kind of shot ourselves in the foot," Alexander said. "We need to focus more on our own task."

The Cavaliers, who split the four-game season series with Washington, avoided becoming the first team to lose three games to the Wizards this season by using a 14-2 run midway through the third quarter to break open a 58-58 tie.

Chris Mihm started the surge with a jumper from the right side before Miller scored six straight points on an uncontested layup through three Washington defenders and a pair of jumpers.

Late in the game, Washington went on a 12-0 run that cut the Cleveland lead to 106-98 with 2:19 left. Laettner and Alexander each tallied six points during the burst.

The Wizards started out 6-for-16 from the field and Cleveland took advantage, putting together a 13-4 run in the first quarter for a 22-17 lead.

But David Vanterpool scored five points in a 9-0 Washington burst for a 28-24 advantage early in the second period.

Traylor came off the Cavaliers' bench to score 10 points in the second quarter, with eight coming after the Wizards had taken a 40-35 lead.

Weatherspoon's basket with 3.6 seconds left in the period pulled Cleveland even at 52.

Wizards coach Leonard Hamilton was surprised at the strong play of Traylor in the middle. Traylor set a new career high with six of Cleveland's nine blocked shots.

"We hadn't expected Traylor to be so effective inside," Hamilton said.

Game notes
The Easter matinee drew 11,668. ... Cavaliers G Bimbo Coles suffered a sprained right thumb in the first quarter and did not return. ... Wizards C Jahidi White missed the game with a strained right Achilles' tendon.

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RECAPS
Philadelphia 89
New York 82

Boston 95
New Jersey 88

Cleveland 106
Washington 98

Orlando 90
Miami 73

Indiana 93
Chicago 86

Minnesota 107
Utah 100

Phoenix 88
Sacramento 86

LA Lakers 105
Portland 100

Charlotte 99
Detroit 90

Dallas 107
Seattle 99


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