PHILADELPHIA _ This was to be expected.
Washington was the perfect team to help the 76ers end their losing streak and practice against a zone defense. And the Sixers used this matchup for what it was: A tune-up.
They disposed of the Wizards, 125-108, Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers (21-10) snapped their three-game skid while improving to 21-10. They weren't bothered by the 2-3 zone employed at times. But that, too, was to be expected. A zone doesn't work when your players appear to be in defensive disarray.
The loss dropped the Wizards to 8-20, marking their third straight defeat and 10th in 12 games.
Washington point guard Isaiah Thomas was ejected with 2 minutes, 53 seconds left in the game for going into the stands. Thomas, who had 20 points, was repeatedly heckled by a Sixers fan. According to a source, the fan kept calling the 5-foot-9 point guard "midget" and gave him the middle finger.
Thomas' trip into the stands was the game's only surprise.
Things did get a little interesting, though.
The Sixers had a commanding 23-point, second-quarter lead. However, the Wizards pulled within four points (84-80) on Bradley Beal's 3-pointer with 1:40 left in third quarter.
But that was as close as they got, as the Sixers responded with a 12-2 run to take a 96-82 lead with 9:04 to play.
Beal did finish with a game-high 36 points.
All five Sixers starters finished in double digits, with Joel Embiid leading the way with 21 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. Josh Richardson had 21 points followed by Tobias Harris (16) and Al Horford (13, nine rebounds). Ben Simmons finished with 14 points, 11 assists, eight rebounds, four steals, and six turnovers.
Meanwhile, Trey Burke added 12 points in a reserve role.
The game came after the Sixers struggled against zone defenses in their previous two games against the Mavericks (Friday) and Heat (Wednesday), both losses.
Before Saturday's game, coach Brett Brown was asked if Simmons needs to shoot more or get to certain spots to help solve the zone defenses.
"I don't see the zone issues being pointed at Ben as much," Brown said of the 6-foot-10 point guard. "Ben can have his greatest impact hurting a zone on his being a live-footed, relented, committed offensive rebounder."
Brown noted that the Sixers shot 22 for 73 (30.1%) from the 3-point line in the two games.
"We missed a lot of shots," he said. "We would not all be talking about this if we shot a respectable percentage."
Brown would like to see the Simmons, who also plays power forward, beat teams like former NBA post player Kenneth Faried did and Boston reserve Enes Kanter does grabbing offensive rebounds.
"Like, I see Ben so athletic, elusive, just quick to the boards," Brown said. "That to me is where he can have his greatest impact in our zone offense."
The comment came exactly two weeks after the coach said he wanted Simmons to attempt at least one 3-pointer per game. On that night, Simmons scored a career-high 34 points in a 141-94 victory over Cleveland.
For the Wizards, Anzejs Pasecniks finished with 11 points. It marked the 7-1 reserve center's third NBA game after signing a two-way contract with Washington on Tuesday.
Pasecniks may one day be the answer to a trivia question. The Sixers acquired the Raptors' No. 25 pick in the 2017 draft to select Pasecniks instead of Kyle Kuzma or Josh Hart.
Kuzma is a standout forward for the Lakers. Hart was one of the Lakers' key reserves before this summer's trade to New Orleans.
Pasecniks spent two seasons stashed over season. The 24-year-old Latvian wanted to play in the NBA this season. However, the Sixers renounced his rights last summer.
