It's the second time Wade has topped 40 this season, both against Washington: He scored 40 last Wednesday in the nation's capital.

Michael Beasley scored 15 points and Mario Chalmers added 13, including a 3-pointer that put Miami up by eight with 1:47 remaining. The Heat are 6-1 for the first time in a decade, matching the best seven-game start in franchise history.

Gilbert Arenas finished with 21 points, eight assists and 12 turnovers for the Wizards, who wasted an 11-point second-half lead. Arenas was the first NBA player with that many giveaways since Feb. 1, 2007 -- when Wade did it against Cleveland.

Caron Butler's jumper with 6:24 left gave Washington a 73-71 lead. It was the Wizards' final field goal, as they were outscored 19-3 the rest of the way.

Carlos Arroyo added 10 for Miami. Butler scored 19 for Washington, which got double-doubles from Brendan Haywood (13 points, 11 rebounds) and Andray Blatche (13 points, 10 rebounds).

The already-depleted Washington bench got even thinner midway through the second quarter, when guard Randy Foye sprained his right ankle and did not return. He's the fourth Wizards guard now sidelined, joining Mike James (broken left ring finger), Mike Miller (sprained left shoulder) Javarris Crittenton (left foot). Forward Antawn Jamison (shoulder) is also sidelined.

The Heat came into the night as the only NBA team that hadn't faced a 10-point deficit this season.

It took Washington little more than a quarter to change that.

Arenas -- whose status was unknown until literally moments before tip-off because of a balky left calf -- ended the first quarter with a straightaway 3-pointer and opened the second quarter with a 14-footer, both coming over Carlos Arroyo. Dominic McGuire followed about a minute later with an awkward, turning 19-footer as the shot clock was expiring, and Washington had a 31-21 lead.

Miami's deficit was only 49-41 at intermission, and it could have been worse.

The final minute of the half gave Miami a chance. Quentin Richardson took his team-best sixth charge of the season to erase what would have been a basket by Butler. Chalmers made a 3-pointer on the next possession to cut the Wizards' lead -- which would have been 13 if Butler's shot counted -- to eight, and Wade kept it there by forcing Arenas into a miss to close the half.

And a 16-3 Miami run in the third quarter gave the Heat the lead again.

Down 56-45, the Heat held Washington to one field goal in a 6-minute span. Wade had 10 of the 16 points, including a 3-pointer with 2:34 left to put Miami up 61-59, and the Heat extended the lead to 65-62 entering the fourth.

NOTES: Washington made its first five shots. ... Legendary Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula was courtside. ... The curtains over part of the top level of the arena were drawn, cutting capacity from 19,600 to 16,500. They likely won't be that way Thursday, when LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal and the Cleveland Cavaliers visit. ... Chicago-based Tim Grover, the trainer who has worked with Wade and Jermaine O'Neal considerably in recent years, was in the Heat locker room pregame.

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