Baron Davis and Golden State Out Duel Caron Butler and the Wizards, 123-115

Tonight’s game came down to the final minutes of the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors, but it was really about the final minutes of Baron Davis vs. Caron Butler that kept the Verizon Center fans on their feet.

Davis had 33 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds only to out do Washington’s Butler, who finished with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

The triple double’s tonight were the first pair of NBA opponents with double digits in three statistical categories in the same game since Orlando’s Tracy McGrady and New Jersey’s Jason Kidd did it on Feb. 23, 2003.

Golden State had the game under control and led 111-110 when guard Kelenna Azubuike chased down the rebound of his missed three-pointer. Azubuike passed the ball out to Monta Ellis and cut to the basket, where he received a pass from Ellis and scored on a lay up. Antawn Jamison made a pair of free throws on the next possession for the Wizards, but Davis drove and found Andris Biedrins for a lay up and Butler then missed a difficult jumper.

Davis put the game away when he made a pull-up jumper, then drove and made a tough lay up while drawing a foul on Andray Blatche.

Davis put the game out of reach for the Wizards when he completed the three-point play with a free throw, giving the Warriors a 120-113 lead with 38 seconds to play.

“This basketball team knows how to win without our super-duper-star,” Caron Butler said. “Myself and Antawn as the leaders on this team just got to continue to step it up and continue to pull out-of-body performances out of a lot of guys.”

Golden State stopped the possibility of a seven game winning streak for the Wizards tonight. All five of the Warriors starters were in double figures tonight. Stephen Jackson who finished behind Davis with 28 points was 6 for 11 from long range, helping the Warriors to a 51.6 percent from long range. The Wizards also had a high percentage from long range, but they only attempted 11 shots to the Warriors 31.