Wizards practice for better competition by routing Sixers

Washington, DC -- Marcin Gortat had 20 points to lead seven Washington Wizards who scored in double figures during a 111-76 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.

The Wizards led the Martin Luther King Jr. Day game for the final 42 minutes and were ahead by double digits over the last 38 1/2.

Kevin Seraphin scored 14 points off the bench and John Wall had 11 points and 10 assists for the Wizards, who have won seven of their last nine. Nene added 12 points while Paul Pierce, Bradley Beal and Otto Porter each scored 10.

The Wizards shot better than 55 percent from the field, making half of their 14 3-pointers. They outrebounded the Sixers 53-30.

Henry Sims led Philadelphia with 13 points. Jerami Grant scored 12 and Nerlens Noel had 11 with seven rebounds, three assists and four steals, but Michael Carter-Williams shot just 2-for-13 for seven points.
The Sixers have lost four of their last five on the heels of a 3-1 stretch.

Philadelphia coach Brett Brown called the game "a clunker" but said the Wizards deserve credit for making his team look so bad.

The Sixers shot under 33 percent overall and threw up 24 3-pointers, making just six, and their 35-point margin of defeat was the worst ever on the road against the franchise that began life as the Chicago Packers.

The Capitol Bullets recorded a 108-75 win over a weak Philly club on Feb. 9, 1974.

"There were times when you looked out on the floor and you saw a bunch of men. Big, physical, playoff-hardened men," Brown said of the Wizards. "They are strong at each position and physical at each position and there are times when you look out and realize the difference in maturity."

Brown said he can't tell when the Sixers, who have 25 double-digit losses this season, are going to play poorly.

"I live in a naive world," he said. "I really think we're going to steal wins every time we play. (Our players) allow me to think that because they have spirited practices ... (but) sometimes you have one of those games. I think you have to give (the Wizards) credit when you look at how bad we were. I think they forced that."

Philadelphia's last lead was 8-7 on a Noel tip-in with 6:48 remaining in the first quarter. Washington followed with a 20-3 run and led by double digits the rest of the way.

Notes: The Wizards have won four in a row against the Sixers ... It was the first of four meetings scheduled between the teams this season ... Washington hosts Oklahoma City on Wednesday ... Philadelphia hosts New York on Wednesday.