Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Even a knee injury to Antawn Jamison couldn’t mask the significance of a victory over the Detroit Pistons, a Washington Wizards win so big that even coach Eddie Jordan threw trash-talking caution to the wind — at least for a second.

“That team is a very good team. Are we done with them?” Jordan asked.

Yes, coach, the Wizards and Pistons won’t meet again in the regular season.

“So,” Jordan said, “we kicked their butts.”

Gilbert Arenas had 36 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds in Tuesday night’s 104-99 victory that kept the Wizards atop the Eastern Conference and gave the teams a 2-2 split in the season series, leveling the first tiebreaker should they finish the regular season with the same record. Washington beat Detroit twice in five days, having won 99-96 on the road last week.

But the Wizards also left the court anxious for news about Jamison, who sprained his left knee after colliding with teammate DeShawn Stevenson under the basket during a fast break with 6:29 to play in the first quarter.

Jordan said Jamison will not travel to Toronto for today’s game against the Raptors and will undergo an MRI on Thursday.

“Then we’ll take it from there,” Jordan said.

Jamison, averaging 19.3 points and 7.9 rebounds, hyperextended the same knee against Boston on

Jan. 20. He was given two days off from practice last week to rest and responded with his two best games of the season: 35 points against Detroit and 34 points against Boston on Sunday.

Knicks 99, Lakers 94

NEW YORK — Playing without the suspended Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers’ late rally fell short in their season-high third straight loss, 99-94 to the New York Knicks on Tuesday night

Eddy Curry had 27 points and nine rebounds and Stephon Marbury scored 22 points for the Knicks, who led most of the game but never pulled away. David Lee grabbed 13 rebounds and Jamal Crawford added 17 points.

Bryant was penalized one game without pay earlier Tuesday for hitting San Antonio’s Manu Ginobili in the face late in the Lakers’ overtime loss to the Spurs on Sunday. Without Bryant’s 28.4 points per game, the Lakers shot only 43.5 percent and lost for the fourth time in five games.

Lamar Odom had 25 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Lakers. Vladimir Radmanovic added 18 points and nine boards and Smush Parker scored 14 points.

Heat 110, Bucks 80

MIAMI — Dwyane Wade scored 28 points and Miami snapped a three-game losing streak.

Wade played only three quarters and shot 12-of-17 from the field, and Michael Doleac had his first double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds for Miami.

Charlie Villanueva scored 17 points to lead the Bucks, who have lost six of seven.

Pacers 103, Celtics 96

INDIANAPOLIS — Jamaal Tinsley scored a season-high 28 points as Indiana handed Boston its 12th straight loss.

Jermaine O’Neal added 25 points and eight rebounds for the Pacers, who won for the fourth time in five games.

Al Jefferson led the Celtics with 15 points and 17 rebounds. It was his 20th double-double of the season.

The Celtics are two losses short of breaking the franchise record for consecutive losses. They can tie the mark of 13 Wednesday at home against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Cavaliers 124, Warriors 97

CLEVELAND — Sasha Pavlovic scored a career-high 24 points filling in for the injured LeBron James and Cleveland rolled without its superstar.

James missed his second game in a less than a week with a sprained right big toe, an injury that isn’t going to improve without rest. Cleveland’s medical staff advised James to take night off and there’s a chance he could miss a few more games.

Mavs 122, SuperSonics 102

DALLAS — Austin Croshere had a career-high 34 points and seven rebounds as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Seattle SuperSonics 122-102 on Tuesday night, stretching their home winning streak to 14 games.

Dallas is two wins shy of the franchise record for consecutive home wins, set last season.

Jason Terry’s 19 points, Greg Buckner’s season-best 17 and Devin Harris’ 16 helped the Mavericks set a season high for points and beat the Sonics for the ninth straight time.

Ray Allen had 35 points, 19 in the first half, for Seattle, which tied a single-season club record with its 13th consecutive road defeat.