- Associated Press - Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Marcin Gortat scored 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, Bradley Beal added 20 points, and the Washington Wizards defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 106-93, on Wednesday night.

John Wall chipped in 13 points and 15 assists for Washington, which had lost five of six.

The Wizards (42-33), who clinched a playoff spot Monday, began play three games behind the Raptors for fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

Ish Smith tied his season high with 23 points and Isaiah Canaan added 18 points for the 76ers (18-58), who have lost their last four games and 18 of 19 on the road.

Washington dominated in their first of back-to-back games against the 76ers and New York Knicks — the bottom two teams in the conference — jumping out to a 13-4 lead and building from there.

Otto Porter started in place of Paul Pierce, who sat out the game merely to rest, and finished with 15 points.

Nerlens Noel had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the 76ers.

Smith scored eight early points and his scoop shot pulled the 76ers to within five at 15-10 midway through the quarter. Washington then went on a 6-0 run and and led, 31-21, after one as Gortat scored 13 points in the quarter.

Beal capped a 10-0 Wizards run to open the second quarter when he blocked Luc Mbah a Moute’s shot, came down with the ball and drove the length of the floor for a dunk.

Beal’s jumper made 61-38 late in the second.

Washington shot 69 percent in the half and collected 24 assists.

The Wizards cooled off in the second half, but still increased their lead to 34 points, 93-59, on Kevin Seraphin’s step-back jumper late in the third.

Hollis Thompson, who scored 16 points, hit three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, the last pulling Philadelphia to within 100-85 with 5:43 left, but the 76ers got no closer until the final minute.

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