Wall's near-triple-double helps Wiz topple Blazers

The Washington Wizards are concocting a winning potion again. The Wiz won their fourth straight Monday night, 105-97 over the Portland Trail Blazers, a team that had won eight of their last nine coming into D.C.

John Wall led the way for Washington with 21 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds. The Blazers, playing on the second night of a back-to-back after flying in from Toronto on Monday, came back from a 25-point deficit to cut the Wizards' lead to three in the fourth quarter. Bradley Beal turned it on late though, scoring nine of his game-high 23 in the last nine minutes.

The win keeps the Wizards within a half-game of the Chicago Bulls for fifth in the East. The Toronto Raptors, who beat Indiana Monday, remain a full game ahead for third.