Paul George Guides 76ers Past Wizards with 39-Point Performance as Playoff Race Intensifies

Written by Pavel Kateliev

Pavel Kateliev is a popular sport journalist, particularly in the fields of football, basketball, tennis, and hockey. He writes daily for Sportingpedia and his work has been translated into at least 20 languages and featured on renowned outlets such as BBC, Yahoo, MCN, Sun, and Evening News, in Italian, English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

, | Updated: April 2, 2026

Key Takeaways:

Paul George delivered a season-high 39 points in the 76ers’ 153-131 victory over the Wizards on Wednesday night
Philadelphia’s starters collectively shot 69.2% from the field and racked up 47 third-quarter points
The 76ers have now won 11 of their last 12 encounters with Washington, sweeping this season’s four-game series

George’s Stellar Display Powers Embiid-less 76ers

Paul George took centre stage for the Philadelphia 76ers, registering a season-best 39 points as the team surged to a 153-131 triumph over the Washington Wizards, despite the absence of Joel Embiid due to illness. This performance marked George’s fourth appearance since returning from his 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug regulations. George exhibited exceptional efficiency, converting 15 of his 22 shots, hitting 6 of 12 from deep, and also tallied six assists along with five rebounds.

a bounce back dub.@cryptocom pic.twitter.com/33pPEroDbS
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 2, 2026

Philadelphia’s Shooting Masterclass and Third-Quarter Surge

Philadelphia’s offensive prowess was on full display, particularly among the starting lineup, which combined for 45 of 65 shooting – an impressive 69.2% accuracy. Tyrese Maxey, in his third game back post-finger injury, contributed 28 points and nine assists, while rookie VJ Edgecombe provided a double-double with 23 points and 10 assists. The 76ers broke the game open with a decisive 24-4 burst early in the third quarter, during which they tallied 47 points, the second-highest total Washington have permitted in a single period this season.

76ers Starters	Points	Assists	Rebounds
Paul George	39	6	5
Tyrese Maxey	28	9	2
VJ Edgecombe	23	10	3

Wizards’ Struggles Continue as Gill Sets Personal Best

Anthony Gill paced the Wizards with a career-high 21 points. However, the defeat saw Washington drop to sole possession of last place in the NBA, having started the evening tied with Indiana. The Wizards have now lost four consecutive games and 20 of their last 21. After a fiercely contested first half, which featured five ties and four lead changes, Washington were unable to counteract Philadelphia’s explosive third quarter.

Recent Form and Eastern Conference Standings

With this result, Philadelphia now occupy sixth place in the Eastern Conference, matching Toronto at 42-34 but holding the tiebreaker advantage. The 76ers registered at least 150 points for a second successive Wednesday, following their 157-137 win over Chicago last week. Additionally, Philadelphia have asserted dominance over Washington in recent history, boasting an 11-1 record over their last 12 clashes and completing a clean sweep in the season series.