WASHINGTON — The Washington Wizards once again showed they know the secret to posting a .500 record.
Getting over that hump is another story and one they have no interest in discussing. Guard Bradley Beal’s near triple-double in their latest winning effort … that is something else.
Beal had 22 points and nine rebounds and matched his career high with eight assists as the Washington Wizards defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 107-99 on Monday afternoon.
Center Marcin Gortat had 19 points and 11 rebounds and guard John Wall scored 14 for the Wizards (20-20), who led comfortably throughout the matinee on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
The Wizards have won four of their last five games and improved to 3-1 on the current five-game homestand.
Washington evened its overall record for the fourth time this season, but has yet to have a winning record. The Wizards have not been above .500 since Oct. 31, 2009. The players and coaches are aware, but consistently feigned ignorance or declined debating any importance.
“Let’s not talk about the .500 thing,” said Gortat, who had four of Washington’s season-high 12 blocked shots. “Let’s just talk about having another game and being able to secure another win at home. That would be a great thing.”
Wizards coach Randy Wittman said, “You know I’m not going to answer that. It’s not a magical thing, like I think all of a sudden fairy dust is going to fall on us if we go over .500 and we’re not going to lose another game. We just have to continue to play the right way. That’s all I want to do.”
Reserve center Kevin Seraphin had 16 points and forward Trevor Ariza scored 14 for the Wizards, who outrebounded Philadelphia 53-44.
Guard Michael Carter-Williams scored 31 points for the 76ers (13-28), who have lost three straight and seven of eight games. Forward Thaddeus Young scored 18 points and center Spencer Hawes had 11 points and 16 rebounds.
Philadelphia shot four of 18 from beyond the 3-point arc.
Washington led by double digits for much of the second half and 100-79 with 6:07 remaining. As both teams pulled starters from the game, the 76ers went on a 13-0 run. Guard James Anderson’s free throws made it 100-92 with 2:26 left. Wittman put his primary players back into the game and Philadelphia got no closer.
“That’s a hot team,” 76ers coach Brett Brown said of the Wizards. “I respect the route that you sort of see from afar that they are progressing to. … To come in here and almost be in a position (to win), you leave with your head high.”
Beal scored a season-low seven points on two-of-14 shooting in Saturday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons. He missed his first two field-goal attempts against Philadelphia, before making five of his next seven shots, including two 3-pointers in the second quarter, for 13 points.
“I told him if he gets 14 good (looks) again tonight he better take them,” Wittman said. “I get upset when he turns them down. This was one of his better games. … That’s a pretty good line.”
Following Saturday’s performance, the 20-year-old Beal received a call from one of his earliest basketball mentors.
“My mom went off on me. Said I have to the get my head out of my butt and shoot the ball the right way,” Beal said. “You have to have amnesia. … It was fun; I like playing like that.”
The second-year guard also proved adept about evading those constant winning-record questions.
“I don’t even know what you’re talking (about),” Beal said.
After taking 21 free throws overall against the Pistons, Washington made 18 of 22 in the first half versus Philadelphia and led 61-51 at halftime. The Wizards finished 28 of 35 from the free-throw line.
Six straight points by Young trimmed Washington’s lead to 70-66 midway through the third quarter. The Wizards countered with a 12-2 spurt and led 86-73 entering the fourth.
Carter-Williams scored 19 points on eight-of-12 shooting in the first half. The NBA Rookie of the Year candidate went six for 22 from the field in his previous two games.
“I struggled the past two games; I think I was trying to force the issue a little bit, and this game I was more relaxed and taking what’s open,” Carter-Williams said.
NOTES: Wizards F Trevor Booker did not dress after spraining his left ankle in Saturday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons. … The 76ers were without G Tony Wroten (right ankle) and F Brandon Davies (dislocated right pinky). Coach Brett Brown used F Evan Turner as Philadelphia’s backup point guard with Wroten out. … Washington leads the season series 2-1. The two teams meet one last time on March 1 in Philadelphia. … The Wizards assigned rookie G Glen Rice Jr. to the D-League’s Iowa Energy on Monday. Rice has been cleared for contact after undergoing right wrist surgery on Dec. 17. … Washington closes out its five-game homestand against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, the same day Philadelphia plays at the New York Knicks.