Wizards beat Sixers, 122-114, avoid sweep as Joel Embiid leaves with injury on night fan runs on court

WASHINGTON — The series heads back to Philly.

The Washington Wizards avoided elimination by defeating the 76ers, 122-114, Monday night in Game 4 of the opening-round playoff series. As a result, the Sixers are still one victory away from advancing.

They take a three-games-to-one lead in the best-of-seven series into Wednesday night’s Game 5 at the Wells Fargo Center.

But Monday’s game will definitely be one that folks remember.

Some of it had to do with Sixers center Joel Embiid leaving the game with what the team labeled right knee soreness. Folks will also remember the fan running on the court in the third quarter, touching the rim, and getting tackled by a police officer.

» READ MORE: Sixers coach Doc Rivers weighs in on recent fan incidents at NBA playoff games

The fan was rushed off the court and through the tunnel near the Sixers’ bench. That’s where he was handcuffed by police officers. This marked just another unruly act by an NBA fan during the playoffs.

“Honestly, I didn’t even notice it,” coach Doc Rivers said. “I thought it was the ball boy until he tried to touch the rim or backboard. I don’t know what’s going on with these fans right now. I just don’t. I don’t want to get involved in it.

“We just have got to have safety, you know? I don’t know what’s going on.”

This marked the fifth fan-related incident since the start of the playoffs.

In Game 1 of the Sixers-Wizards series, Washington point guard Russell Westbrook had popcorn dumped on him in Philly. Then Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young was spit on in New York. Another incident involved three Utah Jazz fans using racist remarks to the father of Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant. And on Sunday. a Boston Celtics fan threw a water bottle at Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving.

Like in those other incidents, the Wizards fan was banned from the arena. Charges are also being pursued.

“That was just some dumb [stuff],” Sixers forward Tobias Harris said. “I don’t know what you really want the NBA to do. I know people have been stuck in the house a long time. Social media is a big thing. So everybody wants to come up some way or another.

“So he got his 15 seconds of fame.”

The Sixers nearly battled back from a 14-point, third-quarter deficit to win the game.

They were trailing 92-78 with 30.2 seconds remaining in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Tyrese Maxey closed the gap to one point (103-102) with a three-pointer with 6:15 left. Danny Green knotted the score at 106 on a tip-in at the 4:05 mark.

With the score knotted at 108, the Wizards went to Hack-a-Ben and intentionally sent Ben Simmons to the foul line.

Simmons split foul shots on the first three trips after being fouled, briefly giving the Sixers a 109-108 lead at one point but ultimately resulting in a 112-111 Wizards lead with 2:07 left.

Washington extended its lead to four points following a foul shot by Daniel Gafford and a dunk by Rui Hachimura.

Then Simmons split another pair of foul shots to make it a 115-112 game. Hachimura buried a corner three-pointer to make it 118-112 with 45.8 seconds left. Then Westbrook hit a pair of free throws to put the Wizards up eight with 27.3 seconds left.

Simmons and Harris both posted double-doubles for the Sixers. But Harris was doomed by his shooting and Simmons by free throws.

Harris had 21 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists. However, he made just 8 of 24 shots while also getting several shots blocked. Meanwhile, Simmons finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds. He made 4 of 5 shots from the field and went 5-for-11 from the foul line. This came after he went 0-for-9 from the foul line in the first three games.

Rivers said it never crossed his mind to take Simmons off the floor when the Wizards started sending him to the foul line.

“You want me to take Ben Simmons off the floor,” Rivers said when asked if he pondered it. “I will pass on that one. He’s pretty good. So I will pass on that suggestion.”

The Wizards blocked 12 of the Sixers’ shots and held them to 41.7% shooting, including 12 -for-38 three-pointers. Philly also strugged from the foul line, shooting 64.7% (22-for-34). A chunk of that was due to Simmons’ misses.

“I’m not going to get discouraged going to the line,” Simmons said. “It is what it is. So I just got to get up there and knock them down.”

Sixers reserves Maxey (15 points), George Hill (14) and Furkan Korkmaz (seven) had solid games.

Meanwhile, Washington guard Bradley Beal finished with a game-high 27 points. Westbrook, despite shooting 3-for-19 from the field, had 19 points and game-highs of 21 rebounds and 14 assists. Hachimura added 20 points.

Embiid had eight points on 2-for-6 shooting to go with six rebounds in 11:24 before leaving the game.

He took a hard fall on his backside when Robin Lopez blocked his driving layup with 4:43 left in the first quarter. After getting up gingerly, Embiid sat on the bench during a timeout and returned to the game.

He stretched out his back before resuming play. Embiid later felt soreness in his right knee. He was subbed out of the game with 36.5 seconds remaining in the quarter. Embiid then went to the locker room. Moments later, the team trainer and team doctor went to the locker room to attend to Embiid.

Embiid spent the entire second quarter in the locker room being evaluated. The team announced at halftime that he wouldn’t return due to knee soreness.

Asked about the seriousness of Embiid’s knee injury, Rivers said he didn’t know.

“I wish I could tell you guys, I really don’t know,” he said. “I know they are going to do imaging tomorrow just as a precautionary. But I don’t know.”

This was the third straight game that Washington made an adjustment.

In Game 2, the Wizards were unsuccessful in their bid to deny Harris straight-line drives and double-team adjustments on Embiid. Washington then inserted Davis Bertans in the starting lineup in Game 3. That didn’t work.

Monday’s adjustment was starting Gafford at center alongside Bertans, Hachimura and standout guards Westbrook and Beal.

“I think he has his speed, his ability to catch lobs above the rim, and he’s a threat at the basket,” Wizards coach Scott Brooks said before the game. “We are going to have to help him out no matter who we put on Embiid. The way he’s been playing, we’re going to have to help him. But we’ve done that already throughout the series.”

» READ MORE: Sixers rookie Tyrese Maxey displaying his knack for thriving in big moments

Rivers wasn’t surprised that the Wizards opted to start the athletic and fearless Gafford. The Sixers had talked about the possibility of Gafford being inserted into the Wizards’ starting lineup Monday morning.

“He has really created offensive rebounds, rebounding the ball well for them,” Rivers said. “But his speed down the floor, that’s something we have absolutely talked about.”

But while speed had been a weapon, Gafford had a tough time staying in front of Embiid and out of foul trouble.

He picked up two quick fouls before being subbed out 3:38 into the contest. His second foul came while Embiid drove to the basket, sending the Sixers’ franchise player to the foul line. Embiid made both foul shots to give Philly a 12-4 lead.

But Alex Len didn’t fare much better. He was called for a foul on Embiid 19 seconds after entering the game. After the stoppage in play, Embiid drained a 15-foot jumper on Len to give the Sixers a 10-point cushion.

Two Philly possessions later, Len picked up his second foul on Embiid and was subbed out of the game for Lopez. Len was on the court for just 1:23. Embiid made both free throws to put the Sixers up 18-8.

But after he left the game, things changed for the Sixers.

“Once Joe came out, I don’t think we were moving the ball as well,” Simmons said. “We weren’t playing team ball for a minute. And then also not getting stops, which is a huge part of our offense. ... There were spurts where we had good moments, but we didn’t get enough easy looks.”