Jrue Holiday scored 22 points, and the Philadelphia 76ers found enough motivation to put the Washington Wizards' pursuit of ninth place to rest for good Friday night, pulling away in the second half for a 97-86 victory.

Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images
Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images
loading...

Thaddeus Young added 18 points and 13 points for the 76ers, who had played a pair of stinkers since being mathematically eliminated from the playoffs but handled the Wizards, who had made catching Philadelphia a very public goal to make up for a 4-28 start.

John Wall scored 24 points for the Wizards, who have lost four straight and trail the 76ers by 3 1/2 games with two to play in the race -- if it can really be called that -- for top non-playoff team in the Eastern Conference.

 

(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

More From New Jersey 101.5 FM