Sasha Pavlovic, Cavaliers
101-99 loss at Wizards
24 pts, 9-15 FG, 5-9 3-pt FG

Ron Artest, Kings
96-85 win vs. Blazers
22 pts, 8-12 FG, 2-4 3-pt FG, 4-4 FG

Baron Davis, Warriors
123-115 loss at Suns
38 pts, 15-30 FG, 6-11 3-pt FG

The stat man may be Suns center Amare Stoudemire, who lived up to his moniker in Thursday’s win over the Warriors. But you can't ignore the performance of Baron Davis. The former UCLA star, who will be cheering on the Bruins when they begin their run for a 12th national title next week, exploded for 38 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in the loss to the Suns. Davis would have gladly traded this spot in center square for a win in prime time.

Kevin Martin, Kings
96-85 win vs. Blazers
6 pts, 2-11 FG, 0-4 3-pt FG

Wally Szczerbiak, Cavaliers
101-99 loss at Wizards
6 pts, 2-9 FG

Anderson Varejao, Cavaliers
101-99 loss at Wizards
4 pts, 2-9 FG

Let me start off by wishing Caron Butler a very happy 28th birthday. He certainly gave the Wizards and their fans a present by returning to the lineup Thursday to help Washington knock off Cleveland at the Verizon Center. Butler, showing no signs of rust after missing 16 straight games and 19 of 21 with a hip injury, started strong with 13 first-half points before finishing with 19 on 8-of-18 shooting. The former UConn star scored the game’s first basket and converted on six of his first eight attempts. The player known as “Tough Juice” also squeezed out five rebounds in 41 minutes of action. It wasn’t all cake and ice cream as the Wizards nearly blew a nine-point lead in the final 4½ minutes. Butler’s return could not have come at a better time as Washington (32-32) moved back to the .500 mark for the first time since Feb. 6.

The sight of Shaquille O’Neal sitting on the bench in foul trouble is not what the Phoenix Suns were looking for when they traded for the big man. Luckily for coach Mike D’Antoni’s troops, Amare Stoudemire stepped up big time on Thursday. Stoudemire had a monster game with 36 points, 11 rebounds and four assists to offset a 38-point night by Baron Davis, as the Suns knocked off the previously red-hot Warriors at U.S. Airways Center. Stoudemire shot 61 percent (13-for-21) from the floor and knocked down 10-of-12 from the foul line for a team that struggled mightily from the charity stripe in this one. Stoudemire played so well that Shaq, who committed five fouls in 15 minutes of work, sat out the entire fourth quarter.

Darius Songaila will never be confused with Manu Ginobili. But he did his best impression of the league’s best sixth man for the Wizards in Thursday’s win over the Cavaliers. Songaila came off the bench to post 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting in his 18 minutes of work. Songaila led all Wizards with seven points in a crucial fourth quarter, as Washington nearly squandered a nine-point lead in the latter stages. He was bumped from the starting lineup because of Caron Butler’s return. In all, seven Wizards finished the night in double figures.

It was a short Thursday night for rookie action and I do mean short (obscure Honeymooners reference). Nick Young was among seven Wizards in double figures as the former USC Trojan dumped 10 points on the Cavaliers in Washington’s two-point home win. Young made his points count as he scored six in a 34-point third quarter that turned the tide for the Wizards, who gained the momentum after trailing by eight at halftime. On the West Coast, Spencer Hawes posted six points as the Kings rolled to an 11-point victory over the Blazers.

Cory Violette was all the rage in Idaho on Thursday. Violette’s tip-in with 1.9 seconds left lifted his Stampede to a thrilling 100-99 victory over the host Utah Flash. Violette finished with a team-high 21 points as Idaho (29-10) extended its lead over the Los Angeles D-Fenders to 1½ games in the West Division standings. It was the second straight 20-point night for the forward from Gonzaga, who posted 20 in a win over these same Flash on March 8. In fact, Idaho has met Utah in three straight games since March 7 – all wins for the Stampede.