Arenas, Wizards Beat Jazz at Buzzer

Gilbert Arenas had a feeling he was going to have a big day. He just didn't know how big. Arenas made a 3-pointer at the buzzer to cap a 51-point performance in the Washington Wizards' 114-111

Tuesday, January 16th 2007, 6:23 am

By: News On 6

Gilbert Arenas had a feeling he was going to have a big day. He just didn't know how big. Arenas made a 3-pointer at the buzzer to cap a 51-point performance in the Washington Wizards' 114-111 victory over the Utah Jazz on Monday night.

``I'm going for the gusto,'' Arenas said. ``I'm going for that winner. The funny part is I was sitting right here before the game and I told DeShawn (Stevenson): 'I feel like 37 and the game-winner tonight.' So when I told him after the game: 'What did I say?' He just started laughing and said: 'Man, you were right.'''

The 51 points matched the Verizon Center record set by Michael Jordan against the Charlotte Hornets on Dec. 29, 2001.

It was the seventh time this season Arenas scored 40 or more points.

He left the court to a chorus of ``M-V-P! M-V-P!''

``MVP? That trophy is given out at the end of the year,'' Arenas said. ``This is (37) games into the season so you can't do too much about it.

``Right now, Steve Nash is above everybody. You have to really do something dramatic in this league. If Kobe averages 35 with an 81 and he didn't get it, you have to do something else in this league to overtake what Steve Nash has done.''

In other games on Monday it was: L.A. Lakers 124, Miami 118; Phoenix 137, Memphis 122; New York 102, Sacramento 97; Milwaukee 99, Charlotte 91; New Jersey 105, Indiana 95; Minnesota 94, Detroit 90; Golden State 108, L.A. Clippers 93; Chicago 99; San Antonio 87; Toronto 104, Philadelphia 86; and Atlanta 100, Boston 96.

Arenas provided plenty of drama in the final 2:09 of a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day matinee by converting three 3-pointers and three free throws to eclipse the 50-point mark for the third time this season. He shot 14-for-29 from the field, including 7-for-12 on 3-pointers, and 16-for-17 at the free-throw line. He also had five assists and committed only one turnover in 41 minutes.

``I felt like I was in a win-win situation, go to OT or make the shot,'' Arenas said. ``I was on fire the last three minutes of the game so there was no point of going in and trying to create two points. Once I felt the ball come out of my hands, I knew it was going in. It had great arc and it was lined up with the rim, so I started celebrating pre-make. I put my hands up because I knew the game was over.''

Lakers 124, Heat 118, OT

Kobe Bryant scored six of his 25 points in overtime, Brian Cook also had 25 and the host Lakers beat Miami to snap the Heat's season-high four-game winning streak.

Dwyane Wade led Miami with 35 points.

Suns 137, Grizzlies 132

Amare Stoudemire scored a season-high 42 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Suns over the host Grizzlies.

Stoudemire shot 15-of-21 from the field and 12-of-13 from the line as six Suns finished in double figures.

It was the 10th straight win for Phoenix, which shot 56 percent from the field.

Mike Miller led Memphis with 25 points and Pau Gasol added 23, hitting all but one of his 11 shots from the field.

Knicks 102, Kings 97

Jamal Crawford, back in a reserve role, scored eight of his 10 points in the final 1:07 as the host Knicks handed the Kings their season-high sixth straight loss.

Stephon Marbury scored 25 points and Eddy Curry added 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Knicks, who won for the fourth time in five games. David Lee finished with 15 points and 12 boards.

Kevin Martin scored 30 points for Sacramento, on its longest skid since dropping the final seven games of the 1997-98 season.

Bucks 99, Bobcats 91

Earl Boykins scored 30 points, Andrew Bogut added a career-high 27 and grabbed 11 rebounds, and the banged-up Bucks beat host Charlotte.

Matt Carroll scored 22 points, all but two in the first half for Charlotte. Emeka Okafor added 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Bobcats, who were trying to match a franchise record with their fourth straight win.

Nets 105, Pacers 95

Vince Carter scored 31 points and Jason Kidd added 19 and narrowly missed his second triple-double in three games to pace host New Jersey.

Al Harrington led Indiana with 18 points.

Timberwolves 94, Pistons 90, OT

Kevin Garnett had 19 points and 14 rebounds, Ricky Davis scored 21 and Mark Blount made a key 3-pointer to seal the will for host Minnesota.

Blount's 3-pointer _ just his fourth of the year _ beat the shot clock with 12.8 seconds left to give the Timberwolves a 92-88 lead.

Richard Hamilton scored 32 points for the Pistons.

Warriors 108, Clippers 93

Baron Davis had 19 points, 13 assists and keyed a big fourth-quarter run that helped Golden State snap a three-game losing streak.

Davis, who shot just 4-for-18 from the field, had four points, two assists and a big steal during the 19-2 run that gave the Warriors a 100-85 lead midway through the final quarter.

Monta Ellis led the visiting Warriors with 24 points and Mike Dunleavy had 18 points and a season-high 13 rebounds against his father's team.

Bulls 99, Spurs 87

Kirk Hinrich had 23 points and 10 rebounds and Ben Gordon scored 20 to lead the short-handed Bulls.

Manu Ginobili had 22 points and Tim Duncan added 21 points and 16 rebounds for the visiting Spurs, who had won four straight.

The Bulls played without Chris Duhon, suspended one game for missing practice, and Ben Wallace, sidelined for the second straight game with a sore back.

Trailing 27-23 early in the second quarter, Chicago went on a 17-5 run to take the lead for good.

Raptors 104, 76ers 86

Chris Bosh scored 27 points and Joey Graham had 18 to lead the visiting Raptors, who used a pair of 14-0 runs to make easy work of the worst team in the Eastern Conference.

Anthony Parker added 18 points, and T.J. Ford had 13 points and 10 assists for Toronto.

Andre Iguodala led the Sixers with 15 points, and Samuel Dalembert and Willie Green each scored 13.

Hawks 100, Celtics 96

Atlanta recovered after blowing a 14-point lead, winning consecutive games for the first time since November.

Josh Childress blocked a 3-point attempt by Boston's Gerald Green with 3.9 seconds remaining, and Zaza Pachulia made two free throws with 2.1 seconds left to preserve the win for the hosts.

Childress had 23 points and 14 rebounds, one shy of his career rebounding high. Josh Smith added 18 points with seven blocked shots and Joe Johnson had 18 points with nine assists.

Allan Ray and Green each scored 22 points for Boston.