Story By : Richard Thomas
Photos By :Sol Tucker
Washington, D.C–
When you watch the Sixers play on any given night, you sometimes wonder what is actually on the court. This was a game tonight for the Wizards that was a must win, or should we say must blow out. Just as the Wizards have done in games lately, they have run early, but seem to run out late in the game and allow the opponent to hang around.
Thanks to strong play from Marcin Gortat and Bradley Beal, we are happy to report that 15 point run for the Sixers was not enough to get close enough to phase the Wizards late in the fourth quarter.
“They were passing me the ball,” Gortat said. “I was doing the same thing I’m doing every single game.”
Ish Smith tied his season high with 23 points and Isaiah Canaan added 18 for the 76ers (18-58), who have lost four straight overall and 18 of 19 on the road.
Hollis Thompson (16 points) hit three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, the last pulling Philadelphia to within 100-85 with 5:43 left, but Wittman sent several starters back into the game and the 76ers got no closer until the final minute.
Otto Porter got the start again tonight for the ailing Paul Pierce. Porter scored 15 points.
Wittman rested the 37-year-old Pierce, who has really struggled to find his game of late, averaging 4.6 points per game while shooting 6 of 27 (22 percent) from the field over his last five games. “We had a couple of days off, then this game, and then tomorrow,” Wittman said. “I thought he needed a breather, so I decided to ask him if it would do him any good and he thought it would.”