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Blatche scored a career-high 26 points to lead six players in double figures as the Wizards walloped the visiting Philadelphia 76ers 116-101 on Tuesday night for their fifth consecutive victory.

 "Tonight was just a fantastic night for us," said Wizards coach Eddie Jordan, whose team shot a 57-per-cent from the floor and accumulated 28 assists - both season highs - to level their record at 5-5. "Andray was a benefactor of our offence and our movement. Guys were finding him."

   The light-scoring Blatche connected on 12-of-14 field goals and grabbed eight rebounds in 29 minutes, to post his best scoring game since the 21-year-old big man entered the league just over two seasons ago.

 "It felt great," he said. "After all the hard work I put in during the spring and the summer, and with Gilbert out, I wanted to come in and bring some energy and put some points on the board to make up for Gilbert."

   DeShawn Stevenson and Antawn Jamison netted 19 points apiece for the Wizards, who played without their top scorer and floor leader Arenas for the second straight game due to soreness in his surgically repaired left knee.

 "It's hard playing without Gilbert," Stevenson said. "He's just a talented player who makes things happen. When he's out, we share the ball a lot and put it on our shoulders to get a win without him."

   After leading by two at the end of the opening quarter, the Wizards hit a blistering 73 per cent of their field goals, and outscored the Sixers 74-42 in the middle two sessions to take a commanding 98-68 cushion en route to the lopsided win.

 "Our defence was horrendous, we got back on our heels once again" Sixers head coach Maurice Cheeks said. "I thought that they opened up the lead, because our defence was so bad initially, which allowed them to get lay-up after lay-up."

   Rookie Louis Williams scored 25 points to pace the Sixers (3-7) who have lost five of their last six games.

 Elsewhere:

   Dallas Mavericks 105, Toronto Raptors 99

   Reigning league MVP Dirk Nowitzki erupted for 18 of his season- high 32 points in the decisive 38-17 third quarter, and the Mavericks overcame a 24-point deficit to record their biggest regulation come- from-behind win in franchise history.

 Chris Bosh had a season-high 31 points with 12 rebounds for the Raptors (5-6), who led by 14 at halftime.

 San Antonio Spurs 95, Atlanta Hawks 83

   Frenchman Tony Parker scored 17 of his 31 points in the second stanza and Argentine Manu Ginobili added 19, leading the defending NBA champion Spurs (9-2) to their sixth win in the last seven games.

 Joe Johnson had 20 points for the host Hawks (3-7) who trailed by as many as 24 en route to their third straight loss.

 Phoenix Suns 100, Sacramento Kings 98

   Amare Stoudemire had 26 points, 13 rebounds and blocked John Salmons' potential game-winning three-pointer at the final buzzer, carrying the visiting Suns to their sixth consecutive win.

 Phoenix (9-2) also received 22 points from Brazilian Leandro Barbosa while Grant Hill had 19 and Steve Nash finished with 14 along with 12 assists.

 Ron Artest led the Kings (4-7) with a season-high 33 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.

 Denver Nuggets 112, Chicago Bulls 91

   Carmelo Anthony scored 26 points, Allen Iverson had 22 and Marcus Marcus Camby pulled down 20 rebounds, leading the surging Nuggets to their sixth straight victory.

 Rookie Joakim Noah led the visiting Bulls (2-8) with 16 points off the bench.

 LA Lakers 134, Indiana Pacers 114

   Kobe Bryant scored 32 points and the short-handed Lakers placed eight players in double figures en route to their fourth straight win.

 Jordan Farmar had a career-high 18 points, Andrew Bynum added 17 points and 10 rebounds in the Lakers' (7-3) highest point total of the season.

 Before the game, the Lakers sent forward Brian Cook and reserve swingman Maurice Evans to the Orlando Magic, in exchange for forward Trevor Ariza.

 Shawne Williams scored a career-high 24 points for the Pacers (4- 7) who suffered their worst home loss since a 24-point blowout to New Jersey on March 4, 2001.

 Milwaukee Bucks 111, Cleveland Cavaliers 107

   Michael Redd tossed in a season-high 34 points and Mo Williams had 20 as the Bucks snapped a seven-game slide to the Cavaliers with their first road win of the season.

 LeBron James scored 34 points and Daniel Graham added 26 for the Cavaliers (5-6) who hadn't lost to the Bucks since December 2005.

 Golden State Warriors 108, New York Knicks 82

   Baron Davis tallied 31 points, Stephen Jackson had 23 and the Warriors (3-6) extended the Knicks' NBA season-high losing streak to seven.

 Stephon Marbury scored 18 points while Zach Randolph collected 15 points and 16 rebounds for the Knicks (2-8) who drew boos from the usually supportive Madison Square Garden home crowd.

By Paul Levine, dpa