Tue. 4/4 Knicks @ Wizards - Postgame & Comments

Preview: New York (19-53) at Washington (37-35) 7:00 pm EDT

WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- The Washington Wizards look to maintain their playoff position when they host the hapless New York Knicks on Tuesday.

Washington owns a one-half game lead over Milwaukee (37-36) for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Wizards and Bucks meet twice in the final nine games of the season.

After winning three of the first four games of their season-high six-game road trip, the Wizards lost the last two against Houston on Friday and San Antonio on Saturday.

Gilbert Arenas scored 31 points, Antawn Jamison added 26 and Caron Butler chipped in 21 for the Wizards in the 106-99 loss against the Spurs (57-16), who have the best record in the Western Conference.

The Knicks dropped their eighth straight game Sunday, a 114-95 loss at Philadelphia in the final of a home-and-home set. Jamal Crawford scored 23 points and Steve Francis added 18 for New York, which owns the worst record in the NBA.

Knicks star Stephon Marbury did not play because of the strained left patella tendon that he suffered in Friday's home loss to the 76ers.

In the last meeting between Washington and New York, Arenas scored 46 points, two shy of his career high, in just three quarters as the Wizards rolled to a 110-89 win here on February 26.

Reca:WASHINGTON, April 4 (Ticker) -- Gilbert Arenas simply played the role of a traditional point guard.

Arenas had 11 of his season-high 13 assists in the first half and Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler scored 18 points apiece as the Washington Wizards cruised to a 105-90 victory over the New York Knicks, who lost their ninth straight game.

Washington (38-35) moved 1 1/2 games ahead of Milwaukee for fifth place in the Eastern Conference. The 6-4 Arenas entered the contest as the fourth leading scorer (29.1) in the NBA. On Tuesday, Arenas elected to set up his teammates and scored just 13 points.

"New York is a team that is not playing well and we didn't play down to their level," Wizards coach Eddie Jordan said. "I thought we played very well, especially Gilbert with how he got his teammates involved early."

"I tell Gilbert when the game starts, 'Start off the game aggressive because it makes us a better basketball team,'" Wizards guard Antonio Daniels said of his backcourt mate. "Tonight he was very aggressive; not just in looking for his own shots but setting up other guys as well. When he comes out and controls the tempo like he did tonight, it makes us a much better team."

Arenas scored 46 points against the Knicks in the previous meeting between the teams on February 26.

Arenas had assists on five of the Wizards' first six baskets - the last being Butler's jumper for a quick 14-4 lead. Washington held a 30-19 lead after the first quarter and extended it to 61-39 at the half.

"He draws a lot of attention, so whenever he has the ball, whether it is in transition or on an isolation play, he draws two and three defenders and guys become open," Butler said. "He did a good job of just picking them apart."

Washington shot 59 percent (23-of-39) in the opening half.

Arenas also tied a season high with six steals for the Wizards, who had six players score in double figures.

"We played a team game," Arenas said. "We said we were going to make sure we did that for the last 10 (games of the regular season). One is down. Now we've got nine more to make our statement in this playoff run."

Butler grabbed eight rebounds and handed out six assists and Jamison made 8-of-14 shots.

Jackie Butler scored a career-high 22 points and Steve Francis added 15 for the Knicks (19-54), who trailed by as many as 31 points.

"I think a lot of the players don't realize that you only have one basketball career and it doesn't last as long as you think," Francis said. "The money might be there, but actually being out there on the court, that (stuff) doesn't last. And until people realize that and realize that you have to help each other and not be so selfish and worry about how many points you score, we're going to be stuck in the same position, same place."

Knicks coach Larry Brown also said he never recalls having a team struggle this badly.

"That was way up there with one of the worst I think we've been around," said Brown, whose team matched a season high with 28 turnovers. "They came in with so much more energy it was like the varsity against the jayvee.

"You've got to keep trying. Somehow you've got to find five guys who care enough to compete. I hate to say that because you take away from Arenas and Jeffries and Thomas and Daniels and Butler and Jamison and what they did, but you've got to hope you have enough pride to compete. I never in my life thought I'd be in a position where you're begging guys to play.