NBA  FINAL           1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH     TOTAL
                     --- --- --- ---     -----
     WASHINGTON       17  29  22  19       87
     NEW JERSEY       29  24  22  37      112    FINAL


 HIGH SCORERS:  WAS - RICHARD HAMILTON 14, ROD STRICKLAND 10, JUWAN HOWARD
                      10
                NJN - JOHNNY NEWMAN 25, KEITH VAN HORN 23, KENDALL GILL 19


 HIGH REBOUND:  WAS - MICHAEL SMITH 9, AARON WILLIAMS 6
                NJN - KEITH VAN HORN 18, JAMIE FEICK 16


 HIGH ASSISTS:  WAS - THREE PLAYERS WITH 3
                NJN - STEPHON MARBURY 8, SHERMAN DOUGLAS 4


          ATT:  14,686
                                                                        

Extended Box


WASHINGTON (87) AT NEW JERSEY (112)


WASHINGTON
                                               REBOUNDS
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===


HOWARD            F    30    4-12     2-2      1   4   5    0   4   0   4   10
SMITH             F    24    3-3      0-3      4   5   9    3   3   0   1    6
AUSTIN            C    18    2-7      4-6      1   4   5    3   5   0   1    8
RICHMOND          G    20    4-6      0-0      0   1   1    0   4   2   3    9
STRICKLAND        G    33    4-9      1-2      0   3   3    3   2   0   4   10
J WHITE                21    4-7      0-0      2   3   5    0   1   1   1    8
HAMILTON               22    5-12     4-4      1   1   2    0   3   2   4   14
A WILLIAMS             13    2-6      0-1      3   3   6    1   1   2   0    4
C WHITNEY              18    2-9      0-0      1   1   2    0   3   1   2    5
T MURRAY               19    4-7      0-0      1   2   3    1   3   0   1    8
PROFIT                 11    0-4      0-0      1   2   3    2   2   0   0    0
KING                   11    1-4      3-4      1   1   2    0   1   0   0    5


TOTALS                240   35-86    14-22    16  30  46   13  32   8  21   87
                            (.407)   (.636) TEAM REBS: 10 TOTAL TO: 21(27 PTS)


NEW JERSEY
                                               REBOUNDS
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===


BURRELL           F    29    5-11     3-3      2   3   5    1   3   2   1   17
VAN HORN          F    37    8-20     7-7      7  11  18    3   3   1   4   23
FEICK             C    30    1-3      1-2      5  11  16    2   5   2   1    3
GILL              G    26    8-13     3-3      0   2   2    1   2   2   1   19
MARBURY           G    40    4-17     2-4      0   2   2    8   3   1   7   10
HARRIS                 14    0-2      2-3      0   2   2    1   1   1   0    2
G MURESAN               9    1-5      1-2      1   2   3    0   4   0   1    3
NEWMAN                 24    7-11     7-8      0   0   0    0   2   0   0   25
DOUGLAS                14    2-2      1-2      1   0   1    4   1   2   1    5
MCILVAINE              14    1-2      0-0      1   0   1    1   3   0   0    2
PERRY                   3    1-3      0-0      0   0   0    1   0   0   0    3
CAGE                  DNP - COACH'S DECISION


TOTALS                240   38-89    27-34    17  33  50   22  27  11  16  112
                            (.427)   (.794) TEAM REBS: 11 TOTAL TO: 16(17 PTS)


   WASHINGTON         17   29   22   19  -   87
   NEW JERSEY         29   24   22   37  -  112


BLOCKED SHOTS: WASHINGTON -  J WHITE 4, AUSTIN, HAMILTON, A WILLIAMS,
PROFIT, KING. NEW JERSEY -  G MURESAN 3, BURRELL, VAN HORN.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: WASHINGTON 3-12 (.250), AUSTIN 0-1, RICHMOND 1-2,
STRICKLAND 1-1, C WHITNEY 1-4, T MURRAY 0-2, PROFIT 0-2. NEW JERSEY 9-15
(.600), BURRELL 4-5, VAN HORN 0-1, MARBURY 0-2, NEWMAN 4-6, PERRY 1-1.
TECHNICALS: WASHINGTON - HOWARD, HEAD COACH HEARD.
OFFICIALS: BERNIE FRYER, GREG WILLARD, DEREK RICHARDSON.
A - 14,686. T - 2:09.
                                                                        

Box Score


WASHINGTON (87)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Howard          30  4-12   2-2   1-5  0  4   10
Smith           24   3-3   0-3   4-9  3  3    6
Austin          18   2-7   4-6   1-5  3  5    8
Richmond        20   4-6   0-0   0-1  0  4    9
Strickland      33   4-9   1-2   0-3  3  2   10
J White         21   4-7   0-0   2-5  0  1    8
Hamilton        22  5-12   4-4   1-2  0  3   14
A Williams      13   2-6   0-1   3-6  1  1    4
C Whitney       18   2-9   0-0   1-2  0  3    5
T Murray        19   4-7   0-0   1-3  1  3    8
Profit          11   0-4   0-0   1-3  2  2    0
King            11   1-4   3-4   1-2  0  1    5
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         240 35-86 14-22 16-46 13 32   87
_______________________________________________


Percentages: FG-.407, FT-.636. 3-Point Goals:
3-12, .250 (Austin 0-1, Richmond 1-2, Strickland
1-1, C Whitney 1-4, T Murray 0-2, Profit 0-2).
Team rebounds: 10. Blocked shots: 9 (J White 4,
Austin, Hamilton, A Williams, Profit, King).
Turnovers: 21 (Hamilton 4, Howard 4, Strickland
4, Richmond 3, C Whitney 2, Austin, J White,
Smith, T Murray). Steals: 8 (A Williams 2,
Hamilton 2, Richmond 2, C Whitney, J White).


NEW JERSEY (112)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Burrell         29  5-11   3-3   2-5  1  3   17
Van Horn        37  8-20   7-7  7-18  3  3   23
Feick           30   1-3   1-2  5-16  2  5    3
Gill            26  8-13   3-3   0-2  1  2   19
Marbury         40  4-17   2-4   0-2  8  3   10
Harris          14   0-2   2-3   0-2  1  1    2
G Muresan        9   1-5   1-2   1-3  0  4    3
Newman          24  7-11   7-8   0-0  0  2   25
Douglas         14   2-2   1-2   1-1  4  1    5
Mcilvaine       14   1-2   0-0   1-1  1  3    2
Perry            3   1-3   0-0   0-0  1  0    3
Cage           DNP - coach's decision
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         240 38-89 27-34 17-50 22 27  112
_______________________________________________


Percentages: FG-.427, FT-.794. 3-Point Goals:
9-15, .600 (Burrell 4-5, Van Horn 0-1, Marbury
0-2, Newman 4-6, Perry 1-1). Team rebounds: 11.
Blocked shots: 5 (G Muresan 3, Burrell, Van
Horn). Turnovers: 16 (Marbury 7, Van Horn 4,
Burrell, Douglas, Feick, G Muresan, Gill).
Steals: 11 (Burrell 2, Douglas 2, Feick 2, Gill
2, Harris, Marbury, Van Horn).
____________________________________________
Washington         17   29   22   19  -   87
New Jersey         29   24   22   37  -  112
____________________________________________
Technical fouls: Washington 2 (Howard, 4:54 3rd;
Head Coach Heard, 9:25 4th). Flagrant fouls:
None.  A: 14,686. T: 2:09. Officials: Bernie
Fryer, Greg Willard, Derek Richardson.
                                                                        

Game Story


EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Kendall Gill ignited and
capped a pivotal third-quarter run and Keith Van Horn had 23
points and a career-high 18 rebounds as the New Jersey Nets won
for the first time this season, a 112-87 triumph over the
Washington Wizards. 


The Nets, who looked hapless in losing their first three games,
broke open a tight game with a 10-0 burst 6 1/2 minutes into the
second half.  Gill sparked the run with a three-point play and
finished it with a breakaway dunk that left New Jersey with a
71-59 bulge with 3:33 to go. 


After a strong preseason, Van Horn has struggled in the regular
season, shooting just 36 percent from the field and grabbing
only 22 rebounds in 112 minutes.  Tonight, he made 8-of-20 shots
and seven of his rebounds came on the offensive end. 


"My shot really wasn't going down tonight so I really tried to
focus in on going to the offensive boards, trying to help the
team out scoring that way," Van Horn said. "That is what you
have to do sometimes because your shot isn't always going to be
there." 


Stephon Marbury, who had led New Jersey in scoring in each of
its first three games despite shooting just 37 percent from the
field, had another tough game, making just 4-of-17 shots and
committing seven turnovers. 


"We had a lot of movement and we were getting easy baskets
tonight," Marbury said. "I didn't care if I scored.  It doesn't
matter who plays big." 


Johnny Newman led the Nets with 25 points.  Gill added 19, Scott
Burrell 17 and Marbury collected eight of his 10 in the opening
period. 


Rookie Richard Hamilton scored 14 points for the Wizards, who
have dropped three straight since winning on opening night. They
shot just 40 percent (35-of-86) and committed 21 turnovers. 


"We really haven't played well since the Atlanta game (opening
night)," Wizards coach Gar Heard said. "We have to cut this out
right away.  I don't mind getting beat, but we got our butts
kicked tonight.  I will play the kids who want to go out and
hustle." 


New Jersey built a 12-point lead by scoring the final 11 points
in the first quarter.  Burrell had nine points in the period as
New Jersey capitalized on eight Washington turnovers. 


Burrell had a pair of 3-pointers in the quarter and finished
4-of-5 from behind the arc.  He is 10-of-17 from 3-point range
this season. 


New Jersey's halftime lead was 53-46 but Washington scored the
first nine points of the second half to take the lead.  Rod
Strickland had five of his 10 points during the spurt and gave
the Wizards a 55-53 edge 2:15 into the quarter by burying a
3-pointer. 


The Nets were clinging to a 61-59 lead when Gill's three-point
play pushed the lead to five.  Washington's Juwan Howard was
whistled for a foul on Van Horn and hit with a technical foul
for arguing.  Van Horn made all three foul shots for a 67-59
advantage with just under five minutes remaining. 


Gill buried a 20-footer off a feed from Marbury and Marbury
found him again for the dunk that capped the burst.  The Wizards
got within 72-66 with 61 seconds left in the period but Newman
drained a 3-pointer 13 seconds later and the fourth quarter
quickly became garbage time. 


"There was a little frustration and it seemed like everything
was going the Nets way," said Wizards reserve forward Aaron
Williams. "It started snowballing in the third quarter, they got
on a run and we couldn't stop them." 


Newman played all 12 minutes in the final quarter, scoring 14
points.  New Jersey led by as many as 30 points and shot
11-of-20 in the period while Washington was 6-of-21. 


"We passed the ball around and it started early before I entered
the game," Newman said. "I had been staying positive and working
hard. I felt like I played well during the preseason and that I
deserved some minutes." 


New Jersey has won three of the last four meetings between the
teams. 
                                                                        

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