Nets rally to knock off Wizards 87-85

Richard Jefferson scored 25 points, including two game-winning free throws with 24 seconds to play, and the New Jersey Nets rallied for an 87-85 victory over the winless Washington Wizards on Thursday night.

The Nets' fourth victory in five games wasn't secured until Antoine Wright forced Gilbert Arenas to his right and the Washington guard had to take an off-balance shot that might have been deflected by Vince Carter.

Carter had 24 points, including 12-of-14 from the line, to help New Jersey rally from a 20-point first-half deficit. Bostjan Nachbar had 10 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, when the Nets shot 65 percent in sending Washington to its fourth straight loss.

Antawn Jamison had 24 points and nine rebounds for Washington, while Caron Butler and Arenas both had 21 points.

The 0-4 start is the first for Washington since 1992-93.

Trailing 85-79 with 1:53 to play, the Wizards tied the game with two defensive stops and six free throws, the last two by Butler with 39 seconds left.

Carter missed a 3-pointer from the left wing with 27 seconds to play but Jefferson attacked the long rebound and was fouled by Antonio Daniels.

Jefferson, who was 12-of-12 from the line, made the first. After Washington called a time out, he made the second.

For some strange reason, Washington spread the court and gave the ball to Arenas, who has struggled with his shooting all season, hitting only 33 percent from the field.

Arenas dribbled the ball about 20 feet from the basket as Wright waited for him to make his move. He didn't get going until there were about 7 seconds left and he quickly had nowhere to go. His off-balance shot hit nothing, leaving him 7-of-17 from the field.

Jefferson hit a go-ahead 3-pointer and converted a three-point play in an 8-0 run that gave New Jersey an 85-79 lead with 1:53 to play.

Over the next 74 seconds, Butler hit four free throws and Arenas made two to tie the game.

Coming into the game there was some question whether Arenas would play after getting fluid drained from his surgically repaired left knee.

Not only did he start, Arenas hit his first three shots, including two 3-pointers to spark a 16-2 spurt. The Wizards' lead was 12 points at the end of the quarter and it ballooned to 37-17 5 minutes into the second when Jamison hit consecutive baskets.

The Nets called a timeout and switched to a zone. It worked perfectly as New Jersey finished the half on a 19-4 spurt to close the gap to 41-36. Carter had seven points in the burst and Jefferson five.

Notes:@ Butler tied his career high with seven steals. ... After averaging 18.3 offensive rebounds in its first three games, Washington had eight, including none in the first half. ... Jefferson has 6,778 points as a Nets, moving into fifth place all-time ahead of Chris Morris (6,762). ... Washington has lost six straight overall to the Nets and 13 of 14 in New Jersey.