Wizards earn second win in division

At least one of Gilbert Arenas’ promises came true.

Less than a week after promising the Washington Wizards wouldn’t finish the season with just one victory in the woebegone Atlantic Division, Arenas made sure of it.

He scored 32 points — 25 in the second half — as the Wizards earned a 112-102 victory over the Boston Celtics in front of 18,406 yesterday at MCI Center. Larry Hughes added 30 in the victory, which improved Washington’s Atlantic Division record to 2-20.

“Told you we were going to win another one,” said Arenas, whose prediction last summer that the Wizards would make the playoffs didn’t come to fruition. “Who do we have left, Philly? Well, we’re going to have to try to get another one, see what happens. We’ve got one more.”

Arenas and Hughes combined to make 19 of 36 field goals, including 10 of 17 from behind the 3-point line.

The Wizards’ lone divisional win before yesterday came against Philadelphia — which they face Friday — on Jan.10.

The victory ended a five-game losing streak for the Wizards (24-53), who hadn’t won since defeating the Los Angeles Clippers on March25.

The Wizards got the win even though Jerry Stackhouse never got off the bench.

Wizards coach Eddie Jordan said he and Stackhouse, who was dressed and penciled in as the starter before the game, agreed the forward would sit out yesterday’s game to allow his sore knees some time to recuperate.

That resulted in 25 minutes of playing time for rookie forward Jarvis Hayes, who was activated before the game.

“We’ve come to a decision that Jarvis and the young guys should get some experience at the end of the season,” Jordan said. “We’re going to rest him and see if he can get some energy back. He’s going to look at it game-to-game. If he feels that after his rehab and therapy on his days when he’s getting it, if he feels strong enough then he’ll play.”

Stackhouse had little to say following the game.

“What’s there to talk about,” he said, exiting the locker room.

The play of Arenas and Hughes, however, spoke volumes.

Arenas averaged 24.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.9 assists in March, and Hughes has been steady most of the season. Yesterday he played in pain one game after sitting out against the Timberwolves with a pair of sore Achilles’ tendons.

“We play off each other well,” Hughes said. “I know when it’s time to get him going, and he knows when it’s time to get me going.”

That time yesterday was in the fourth quarter, particularly for Arenas, who hit all three of his 3-pointers in the quarter.

His last 3-pointer, with 1:25 left in the game, wound up being a 4-point play. He was fouled by Boston reserve point guard Marcus Banks (team-high 24 points) and gave the Wizards a 109-99 lead with the free throw.

Overall, it was the best offensive performance the Wizards have had in some time. The point total was their highest since they went for 114 in a victory over Sacramento on March17, and Washington made 55.6 percent of its shots.

Despite the loss, the Celtics remained in eighth place in the race for the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.