(My Sportsbook) - The Portland Trail Blazers were threatening to overthrow the Sacramento Kings as leaders of the Pacific Division at the All-Star break. Portland trailed by just one-half game at the stoppage, but the Blazers have gone 0-2 since to fall two games in back of the Kings.

The Kings have won two of their last three games after dropping five of their previous six.

Sacramento began a season-long, seven-game homestand with a 99-80 victory over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday. The win improved the Kings' overall home mark to 19-4.

"We lost a couple of games we were supposed to win [before the All-Star break], so we have to make up for that," said Sacramento center Vlade Divac. "Tonight was a great way to start these next seven games."

Peja Stojakovic once again stepped up for Sacramento, scoring a team-high 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Over the past five games, Stojakovic has averaged 26.2 points and 8.0 rebounds to pick up the slack while Chris Webber and Bobby Jackson are sidelined with injuries.

Doug Christie collected 16 points and a game-high 12 rebounds and Divac added 13 points for the Kings. Keon Clark finished with 12 points, nine boards and five blocks in the win. and five blocks in the win.

The Kings outrebounded Washington, 57-51, and held the Wizards to just 29.9-percent shooting from the floor.

Sacramento led by 15 in the second quarter before carrying a 50-39 advantage into the locker room at halftime. The Kings then put the game away in the third quarter, as they outscored the Wizards 25-11 to grab a commanding 75-50 lead after 36 minutes. Sacramento was 12-of-22 from the floor in the period, while Washington made only 4-of-25 field goal attempts.

"Coach wanted to emphasize that we come out and play good defense, hard basketball, and let everything happen how it's going to happen," Christie said. "I don't think he was happy with the fourth quarter, but the first three were very good for us."

Sacramento received some more good news on Friday, as Jackson was cleared to play. The guard suffered a broken left hand against the Lakers on Christmas night before undergoing surgery the next day to repair the fracture. He has been on the injured list ever since.

This season, Jackson is averaging 19.5 points in 30 games, and probably would have been selected to the Western Conference All-Star team had the injury not occurred.

The Kings resume their homestand with a matchup against Seattle Friday before squaring off with the red-hot San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.