BOX SCORE
The Sixers had a sloppy start, which was visibly upsetting to Doug Collins, but they made amends for their sins with a strong third quarter.
The Sixers took a 14-point halftime lead and turned it into a 34-point lead heading into the fourth quarter before staying undefeated at home (5-0) with a 120-89 victory over the Washington Wizards.
The Sixers improve to 8-3, while the Wizards fall to 1-10.
Jodie Meeks was brilliant, shooting 10 of 11 from the field and 6 of 7 from three for a game-high 26 points.
The Sixers scored 33 first-quarter points, their highest of the season. For the first time in their 11 games, all five starters finished with double figures in scoring.
They scored 33 points off 19 Washington turnovers and scored 36 points in transition.
NBA
Turning point
Was it Lou Williams' three-point play with two seconds remaining in the second quarter or was it the third-period onslaught?
Williams had the ball, dribbling the clock down to the 10-second mark before he would make his move. He pump faked Trevor Booker from 12-feet. Booker fell for it, leaving his feet and coming down on Williams as he made the jumper. Williams made good on the free throw.
That is a tough way to go into the locker room if you are the Wizards, who trailed 54-40.
The question is, is that worse than being outscored 38-18 to find yourself down 34 points with 12 minutes to play?
Either way, the game had turned well in favor of the Sixers.
Follow the leader
Wednesday night in New York, Williams scored just two points, his lowest point total of the season and the only game he had not reached double figures. The six-year vet has a short memory.
Williams got the call early because Jrue Holiday, to his coachs disdain, committed two turnovers in the first 57 seconds. Williams was back to his old self, leading his team in scoring, including a that three-point play to end the first half as well as a three-pointer to end the third quarter.
Williams finished with 19 points and six assists in 25 minutes. He was one of seven Sixers in double figures.
Meeks' 26 points came in a season-high 36 minutes.
Rashard Lewis led the Wizards with 16 points off their bench.
Stat-egic
At the half, both teams had turned the ball over eight times but the Sixers were losing the points-off-turnovers battle, 13-10, so it was surprising to glance farther down the stat sheet and see the home team had outscored the Wizards 18-4 on the fast break.
Take a bow
Spencer Hawes returned to the Sixers lineup after missing one game due to a lower-back strain and he was really active. He posted a double-double, 10 points and 10 rebounds, and he added a blocked shot to go along with three assists.
One game after tallying a season-low 10 assists, the Sixers had 27 assists on 47 made field goals. Hawes certainly helps facilitate that passing game.
Whats next?
The Sixers get to do it all over again against the Wizards Saturday night, only the location changes to our nations capital. That will wrap up a week of five games in six nights for the Sixers. They are currently 3-3 away from the Wells Fargo Center.
After Washington, the Sixers play their next four games at home, beginning Monday afternoon on Martin Luther King Day. Their opponent is the Milwaukee Bucks.
E-mail Dei Lynam at dlynam@comcastsportsnet.com.