WASHINGTON -- With the NBA regular season in the final stretch, Eric Bledsoe and Goran Dragic are pushing the Phoenix Suns in the right direction, with a five-game winning streak keeping them in the Western Conference playoff chase. John Walls Washington Wizards, meanwhile, are headed the opposite way, losing four of their last five games to let teams behind them in the East inch closer. After letting a 25-point lead dwindle to three Wednesday night, Bledsoe and Dragic got back to business and combined to finish with 48 points, 13 assists and 13 rebounds in Phoenixs 99-93 victory over Washington. "Im glad," Dragic said, "that we didnt panic." The surprising Suns moved into a tie with the Dallas Mavericks for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Both clubs are 43-29 with 10 games remaining. "We dont care what other people think," Dragic said. "Before the season, they were saying were going to win 15 games." The Suns have won seven of their last eight, coinciding with Bledsoes return to the starting lineup after missing 33 games because of knee surgery. He had 23 points, seven assists and six rebounds, and Dragic wound up with 25 points, six assists and seven rebounds. "We were missing him those two months," Dragic said about his backcourt mate. "Now hes back and he looks good. Its much easier for me to play with him. He can handle the ball, I can handle the ball." Wizards centre Marcin Gortat, who used to play for the Suns, offered high praise for their pair of guards. "These guys are hungry. They bring it every night. They compete every night. They know what theyre playing for," Gortat said. "They have character, a lot of will to win the game." Gortat was not nearly as complimentary about his current teammates, who are sixth in the Eastern Conference but now are only 1 1/2 games ahead of No. 7 Charlotte, which beat Brooklyn 116-111 in overtime Wednesday. Gortat called Washingtons showing "embarrassing" and added: "Sometimes we show that mentally we are weak and just not competing. Thats it." Wall, who led Washington with 29 points and six assists, and coach Randy Wittman preferred to put the blame on poor defence that allowed Phoenix to shoot 50 per cent on 3-pointers for the game (14 of 28). Phoenix made 7 of 9 field-goal tries during a 17-4 run to open the second half. The Suns led by as much as 75-50 in the third quarter, but Washington kept chipping away at that, getting as close as 83-79 on Walls three-point play with a little more than 8 minutes remaining. But an 8-0 run by Phoenix that closed with Dragics 3-pointer followed by his reverse layup gave the Suns some breathing room. Washington again cut into the lead, though, and when Wall made consecutive driving layups, it was 93-90 with 1 1/2 minutes left. Sure enough, Dragic and Bledsoe again responded. Bledsoe hit a 3 off Dragics assist, and then Dragic fed Gerald Green, who was fouled and made two free throws. And that was pretty much that. Bledsoe called it "a sloppy win," but knows that his team is going to fare well when six players each make at least one 3-pointer, as happened Wednesday. "We live by the 3, die by the 3, most likely. Thats how it is," Bledsoe said. "When were making 3, its tough to beat us." Notes: Wizards G Bradley Beal missed the end of the first half and beginning of the second because he went to the locker room for treatment of a right hip pointer after a Suns player landed on him. Beal said he hopes to play Friday against visiting Indiana. ... The Suns had lost their previous three games against the Wizards, including at Phoenix in January. ... Wall reached 100 3-pointers for the season for the first time in his NBA career, and he joins Beal, Trevor Ariza and Martell Webster to give Washington a franchise-high four players with at least that many. 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Ellerby, 25, appeared in 51 games for the Jets last season and had two goals and four assists.SAN ANTONIO -- The Portland Trail Blazers were clearly rattled by the San Antonio Spurs in the opener of the Western Conference semifinals, and they were almost snake bit before Game 2. A baby rattlesnake, estimated at about 3 to 4 feet, was discovered in the teams locker room at the AT&T Center about two hours before the game Thursday. It was found by reserve forward Thomas Robinson, who recoiled a few feet after seeing the snake when he moved a bag from his locker. "I didnt (see it)," Portland coach Terry Stotts said. "They said it was a young one." Young or not, guard Mo Williams tweeted that it was a scary experience. Rattlesnakes are a venomous species that can grow up to 8 feet and weigh more than 10 pounds. It takes its name from a "rattle" at the end of its tail that produces a rattling sound when shaken to warn predators of its presence. It is unknown if the rattlesnake found in the locker room made any noise, but Robinsons cries were enough to alert his teammates of its presence. "Well, its bizarre to have a venomous snake in your locker room," Stotts said. "I dont know if its ever happened before. That sounds like an ABA story." The Spurs have a history in the ABA and also with critters in the AT&T Center. The stadium hosts the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo each February and its grounds are used for livestock shows during the three-week event. Spurs guard Manu Ginobili also swatted down a bat that was flying above the court at the AT&T Center on Nov.dddddddddddd 1, 2009. Ginobili had to have rabies shots after striking the bat with his bare hands. Fortunately for the Spurs, Ginobili wasnt needed to corral the snake. "I think some people here (captured it)," Stotts said, smiling. "They have them on hand at the AT&T Center. They have a specialist." It probably wasnt a good omen for Portland, which is seeking to even its series with San Antonio. "Or a good sign," Stotts said. "We survived." The Trail Blazers will gladly accept any good fortune after being walloped in their first second-round appearance in 14 years. San Antonio led by as many as 31 points and never trailed in rolling to a 116-92 victory on Tuesday. Tony Parker had 32 points and nine assists, as many as Portland had as a team, as the Trail Blazers never threatened the defending Western Conference champions. Stotts was asked if he thought someone from the Spurs had planted the snake to rattle his young charges. "Youre the investigative reporter, you figure it out," Stotts said, tongue in cheek. Stotts was then asked if he considered returning the favour and planting the snake in San Antonios locker room. "That thing, its like Fort Knox over there. You cant get in," he said. Well, the room with officials Joe Crawford, Bill Spooner, Derrick Stafford and Sean Wright is only about 50 feet away from the Blazers locker room. "And I cant comment on the officials," Stotts said, laughing. ' ' 'y. ' ' '