No.1 Seed Philadelphia 76ers faced off the No.8 seed Washington Wizards for Game 4 on Monday.
The 76ers looked for a series sweep over the Wizards and on the other hand, the Wizards needed a win to keep their hope alive for the semifinals.
The Wizards keep their hope alive, defeating the 76ers 122-114 and cutting the series lead to 3-1.
The 76ers started strong taking the lead in the first quarter.
But things went downhill for them after their key player Joel Embiid’s injury.
Eventually, Embiid left the game, not returning for the rest of the game.
Despite missing Embiid, the 76ers put on a fight in the fourth quarter before losing out to the Wizards.
On the other hand, the Wizards took their much-needed win behind Bradley Beal, Russell Westbrook, and Rui Hachimura scoring.
The 76ers took the lead in the first quarter.
Ben Simmons started the first quarter with a layup. Bradley Beal answered back with a jumper.
Simmons then dropped a jump shot and Seth Curry added a layup on the next possession.
They were 8-4 with 9:07 remaining in the quarter and the 76ers taking a four-point lead.
Tobias Harris then came up with a step-back jumper and Joel Embiid knocked down a jumper.
Curry alley-oop to Simmons added another bucket, leading to an 8-1 run.
Simmons slams the lob 😤 pic.twitter.com/x4H7ypqzAl
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 31, 2021
Davis Bertans then answered back with a three-pointer.
They were 18-10 halfway into the quarter as Matisse Thybulle slammed a dunk next.
Robin Lopez blocked Joel Embiid at the rim and Embiid came down hard.
No official word from the Sixers yet on Joel Embiid’s injury, but here’s the fall he took not long before leaving for the locker room.pic.twitter.com/s3NufD3LXs
— Chase Hughes (@ChaseHughesNBCS) June 1, 2021
While Bertans dropped a three-pointer on the other side.
Thybulle answered back, knocking down a three-pointer. Embiid added another bucket on the next possession.
Raul Neto subsequently drew a foul along with a layup, cutting the 76ers’ lead to 5 points with 2 minutes remaining on the clock.
Lopez tipped off Neto’s miss on the next possession.
George Hill answered back with a three-pointer on Embiid’s pass.
Lopez came up with a bucket over Embiid and again dropped a hook shot on the next possession.
They were 29-28 as Shake Milton dropped a layup with 6.2 seconds remaining in the quarter.
The quarter ended 31-28 with the 76ers taking 3 point lead.
The 76ers continued to take the lead.
Robin Lopez started the second quarter with a dunk on Westbrook’s pass.
Thybulle answered back with a three-pointer. Hachimura answered right back, knocking down a three-pointer as well.
Tobias Harris came up with a three-pointer subsequently.
Lopez answered back with a hook shot.
They were 39-35 with 9:17 remaining in the quarter as Lopez tipped off Beal’s missed layup.
Hill answered back with a three-pointer. Beal came up with a floater next.
Tyrese Maxey knocked down a three-pointer as the shot clock winded down.
Once again, are we sure he's a rookie?@TyreseMaxey | #PhilaUnite pic.twitter.com/kDe0m0hEUZ
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) June 1, 2021
Bertans and Lopez denied Howard at the rim and Lopez dropped another hook shot on the other side.
Harris then dropped a jumper, extending the lead.
They were 49-43 halfway into the quarter.
Beal then dropped a three-pointer and Curry answered with a long two-pointer.
Hachimura slammed a dunk on the other end and Danny Green answered back with a three-pointer.
Daniel Gafford denied Harris at the rim and Bertans came up with a three-pointer on the other end.
Hachimura hits a three-pointer but missed it and Westbrook came up with a dunk, tying the game 56-56 with 2:18 on the clock.
EMPHATIC PUTBACK FROM RUSS 💥
At the half:@WashWizards 60@sixers 61#NBAPlayoffs on TNT pic.twitter.com/wIFaZtP62l
— NBA (@NBA) June 1, 2021
They were 58-58 after Ish Smith dropped a jumper.
Hachimura came up with a dunk on the other side.
Danny Green answered with a three-pointer, ending the quarter 61-60.
The 76ers taking a point lead entered the half.
The Wizards take the lead in the third quarter.
Gafford blocked Simmons at the rim, leading to Beal’s three-pointer on the other end.
Hachimura added a three-pointer and subsequently, the Wizards made a 6-0 run with 10:11 remaining in the quarter.
Simmons knocked a hook shot after Tobias Harris blocked.
Seth Curry then added a floater, cutting the lead.
They were 67-66 with the 76ers in the lead as the clock showed 8:31.
Russell Westbrook dropped a long two-pointer. Harris answered back with a fadeaway jumper.
Green knocked down a three-pointer and Hachimura came with a dunk on Beal’s miss.
Hachimura got in Tobias' face after this dunk 😂 pic.twitter.com/LG2LtpwxKh
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 1, 2021
Gafford rejected Howard as Beal dropped a three-pointer.
They were 74-80 with 3:40 remaining in the quarter as a fan interrupted the game.
Hachimura came up with a jumper and Harris answered back, knocking down a two-pointer.
Beal then answered back with a floater. Milton answered back with a layup.
They were 78-86 with 1:09 remaining on the clock and the Wizards taking 8 points lead.
Westbrook came up with a jumper and Maxey drove straight to the rim, dropping a bucket with 10.1 seconds remaining.
The quarter ended 80-92 with the Wizards taking the lead.
The Wizards stunned the 76ers with the win.
They were 84-93 at the start of the fourth quarter.
Furkan Korkmaz dropped a three-pointer on Simmons’s pass.
They were 90-95 as Korkmaz got an offensive rebound and dropped a floater.
Maxey came up with a steal and dropped a dunk on the other end.
Mad Max is out in full force.@TyreseMaxey | #PhilaUnite pic.twitter.com/Fdpw8FSmMX
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) June 1, 2021
Robin quickly dropped a hook shot. The Wizards took a five-point lead with 7:43 remaining in the quarter.
Maxey found Hill for a three-pointer and came up with a floater on the next possession.
Beal missed a three-pointer but Gafford picked and dropped a dunk next.
They were 102-103 as Neto knocked down a three-pointer halfway into the quarter.
Green then tapped in Curry’s missed shot tying the game 106-106.
The 76ers took a point lead with 2:36 remaining in the game but Beal knocked down a fadeaway taking the lead back.
They were 110-110 as Gafford dropped a dunk on Westbrook’s pass.
Hachimura knocked down a dunk on the other end after Harris lost the ball.
He also knocked down a three-pointer on the next possession.
JAPAN'S JUMPMAN 🇯🇵#WizSixers | @rui_8mura pic.twitter.com/lv2U0I1rRi
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) June 1, 2021
Maxey came up with a layup with 22.2 seconds remaining in the quarter.
The quarter ended 114-122 with the Wizards taking the win and cutting the 76ers’ series lead to 3-1.
The Wizards seven players scored in double figures.
With the win the Wizards keep their series alive, forcing a Game 5.
All the Wizards brought their A-game and took full advantage of Embiid’s absence after 1st quarter.
Bradley Beal led the Wizards, scoring 27 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists.
He played at a high level in this game as well, like his previous game but he received support from the other Wizards players.
As seven the Wizards players finished with scores in double-figure.
Rui Hachimura shined especially in the final quarter, scoring back-to-back buckets in the final minutes, securing the win.
“He’s growing up right in front of our eyes.” 🇯🇵⼋
Rui Hachimura stepped up in Game 4 with 20 points and 13 rebounds!#WizSixers | @rui_8mura pic.twitter.com/Mf48QzhFwm
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) June 1, 2021
He finished the game, scoring 20 points and 13 rebounds double-double along with 2 assists.
While Russell Westbrook dropped a triple-double and made history.
He dropped 21 rebounds, 14 assists, and 19 points triple-double and moved to 3rd place on the NBA Playoffs’ all-time triple-double list.
This is his 12th playoff triple-double, and now he is behind only Magic Johnson and Lebron James.
Besides them, Davis Bertans dropped 15 points and 4 rebounds while Daniel Gafford dropped 12 points and 4 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Robin Lopez the Wizards’ bench, scoring 16 points and 5 rebounds.
Followed by Raul Neto with 11 points and 3 rebounds.
Tobias Harris led the 76ers.
The 76ers lost their key player Joel Embiid right after the first quarter as Embiid exited the game with right knee soreness.
His absence impacted the 76ers’ game as a result they lost to the Wizards.
Embiid already dropped impressive scores despite suffering an injury just after seven minutes into the game that ultimately ruled him out.
He scored 8 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal in the first quarter.
Despite Embiid’s absence, the 76ers played well especially in the fourth quarter, even tying the game and taking the lead in the final few minutes remaining in the game.
This became possible as Tobias Harris and other 76ers players stepped up in place of Embiid but not enough to win the game.
Tobias Harris led the 76ers’ starter, scoring 21 points, 13 rebounds double-double along with 5 assists.
Likewise, Ben Simmons dropped 13 points and 12 rebounds double-double along with 3 assists.
Danny Green dropped 11 points, 3 rebounds, and an assist while Seth Curry contributed 10 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists.
Meanwhile, Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers’ bench scoring 15 points, a rebound, and 2 assists.
Followed by George Hill, who dropped 14 points, a rebound, and 2 assists.
Now the 76ers and the Wizards face off each other for Game 5 on Wednesday.
