Wizards keep their season alive with Game 4 win over 76ers
It's time to put the brooms away. There will be no sweeping the Washington Wizards.
The Philadelphia 76ers were poised to complete a four-game series sweep against the Wizards on Monday until an injury to superstar center Joel Embiid derailed that mission in a 122-114 Game 4 loss.
This game also marked the most recent incident in which a fan played an unfortunate role in a playoff game, with a spectator rushing the court in the third quarter.
Here is how the Wizards prolonged their season in Game 4:
Key performer: Russell Westbrook
This wasn't a vintage performance from Westbrook, but it was gritty, and it was exactly what the Wizards needed to keep their season alive.
He shot just 3-for-19 from the field yet recorded another triple-double, with 19 points, 21 rebounds and 14 assists.
He also received much-needed assistance from Bradley Beal – who chipped in 27 points – but there was no questioning who led the Wizards to their win in Game 4.
Westbrook was the guy.
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Turning point: Embiid's health
The Sixers earned the Eastern Conference's top seed this season, but they are going to struggle to win the conference and a potential championship if their MVP-candidate center is unable to take the court.
This series is heading to a fifth game because of his questionable health.
Embiid went down with an injury, one that has been termed knee soreness by the Sixers, late in the first quarter.
Entering Monday, Embiid was averaging 29.3 points and seven rebounds.
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Wild card: Ben Simmons' free-throw shooting
Without Embiid, the Sixers had a chance to close out this series on the road and complete the sweep, outscoring the Wizards by four points in the fourth quarter.
But they fell short due in part to the "Hack-A-Simmons" strategy that was deployed by the Wizards in the last three minutes of the game.
Simmons entered Game 4 shooting 0-for-9 from the free-throw line in the first three games, and though he made five free throws in Game 4, he also missed six and left points on the floor in the most crucial part of the game.
Now at 20% from the free-throw line in the series, Simmons' shooting will be worth monitoring as this series progresses.
Did you know?
The Wizards picked up their first win against the Sixers this season after going 0-6 against them in both the regular season and the playoffs.
Russell Westbrook also snapped his seven-game playoff losing streak. The Wizards avoided their first sweep since 2007, when they were swept in the first round by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Twitter’s take:
What’s next?
The Sixers will head home with a chance to close out this series in front of their home crowd.
Game 5 tips off at 7 p.m. ET Wednesday.
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