The Wizards are still alive, avoiding playoff elimination with an inspired 122-114 Game 4 victory over the 76ers on Monday night.
The Wizards, trailing the Sixers 3-1 in the series, will now travel to Philadelphia for Game 5 on Wednesday.
It was the type of electric play fans were hoping to see from the Wizards from the start of the series, playing competitive basketball and executing on both ends of the court for 48 minutes. The Wizards took advantage of the absence of Philadelphia's top scorer and rebounder, Joel Embiid, who left the game with right knee soreness after the first quarter and did not return.
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Trailing 61-60 at halftime, the Wizards took the lead early in the third quarter, getting valuable production out of Rui Hachimura and Daniel Gafford in the second half, who finished the game with 20 and 12 points, respectively. It was Gafford's first start of the postseason.
The Wizards also adjusted their strategy on defense in the fourth quarter, hacking Ben Simmons — who was 0-for-9 from the charity strike entering Game 4 — to send the low-percentage free-throw shooter to the line often. In all, Simmons went 5-for-11 from the free throw line Monday night, allowing the Wizards to control the clock during the crucial closing minutes as they worked to extend their lead.
Davis Bertans, who'd struggled to find a rhythm earlier in the series, found it in Game 4, scoring 15 points while going 3-for-6 from three-point range and shooting 57.1 percent from the field before exiting the game with a right calf strain in the third quarter. He also would not return, opening the door for Gafford, who wound up playing 26 minutes.
Gafford was exactly what the Wizards needed on defense, delivering five blocks and four total rebounds with a steal.
Hachimura found his stroke from three, converting three of six attempts in the game, a great sign for the Wizards as they move forward in the series, especially with Bertans' early Game 4 exit.
Russell Westbrook, who was a game-time decision after suffering an ankle injury in Game 2, delivered another triple-double — his second of the series — scoring 19 points with 14 assists, 21 rebounds and two steals.
Bradley Beal finished the game with 27 points, four assists and a steal, turning the ball over seven times.
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