Apr 26, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) leaps to pass the ball as Toronto Raptors forward Tyler Hansbrough (50) and Raptors forward Terrence Ross (31) defend in the second quarter in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 125-94, and won the series 4-0. Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
WASHINGTON — Guard Bradley Beal scored 23 points, and center Marcin Gortat added 21 points and 11 rebounds as the Washington Wizards destroyed the Toronto Raptors 125-94 Sunday to finish off a 4-0 sweep of the teams’ first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.
Guard John Wall contributed 14 points and 10 assists for the Wizards, who led by at least 14 points after every quarter and by as many as 37 in the second half thanks to a 3-point shooting barrage. Seven players for scored in double figures as Washington posted its highest point total for a regulation game this season.
Washington never previously swept a best-of-five or best-of-seven series in franchise history. The fifth-seeded Wizards will face the winner of the Atlanta Hawks-Brooklyn Nets series. The top-seeded Hawks lead the eighth-seeded Nets 2-1.
The Wizards took command by winning two straight in Toronto, then added a 106-99 victory Friday in Game 3. Washington finished off Toronto with a staggering offensive display from all angles. The Wizards hit 15 of 26 3-point attempts (57.7 percent), shot 55.4 percent from the field overall and made 28 of 34 free throws (82.4 percent).
Toronto shot 43.9 percent from the floor including 28 percent (7-for-25) from 3-point range. The fourth-seeded Raptors made 15 of 20 foul shots.
Guard Kyle Lowry scored 21 points, and center Jonas Valanciunas had 16 points and nine rebounds for the Raptors.
Wizards guard Ramon Sessions finished with 15 points. Forward Paul Pierce continued his series-long 3-point shooting barrage, making four from beyond the arc to account for the bulk of his 14 points.
Toronto won all three regular-season meetings with Washington but was outclassed in the playoff matchup en route to its fifth consecutive first-round playoff exit. The Raptors fell to the Pierce-led Nets in seven games last season.
With two home wins, Washington doubled its playoff total from last season. The Wizards finished 1-4 over two rounds against the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers.
NOTES: Washington last won a playoff series in consecutive seasons during the 1977-78 and 78-79 campaigns. The Washington Bullets reached the NBA finals in both seasons, winning the championship in 1978. … The Raptors only won one playoff series in franchise history, a best-of-5 series against the New York Knicks in 2001 … Wizards G John Wall had 15 assists in Game 3, becoming the first player since Steve Nash in 2010 to record at least 15 assists in consecutive playoff games. … According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the 2007 Miami Heat are/were the only No. 4 seed to be swept by a fifth seed (Chicago Bulls) in the opening round of the playoffs.
