Philadelphia 76ers' Nerlens Noel (4) goes up for a dunk against New York Knicks' Justin Holiday (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia 76ers' Nerlens Noel (4) goes up for a dunk against New York Knicks' Justin Holiday (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Credit: Matt Slocum

Boston — Isaiah Thomas scored 20 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter and the Boston Celtics pulled away late for a 117-108 win over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.

Al Horford added 16 points and nine rebounds for the Celtics, who won for the fifth time in six games and ended Washington’s three-game winning streak. Jae Crowder scored 20 and Terry Rozier had 11.

Bradley Beal led Washington with 35 points. Otto Porter Jr. scored 20 and Markieff Morris finished with 14.

Boston held John Wall to a season-low nine points. The star guard did have 10 assists for the Wizards, who fell to 19-19 a day after moving above .500 for the first time since November 2015.

The game got chippy several times and included five technical fouls — two of them on Boston for three-second violations. Another was on Beal, who went at it verbally and physically with Smart right up to the end.

Thomas made the foul shot to pull Boston to 68-66, but the Wizards responded with an 11-3 run. Morris started it with back-to-back jumpers, including a 3-pointer, and Porter and Marcin Gortat added putbacks as Washington continued controlling the boards and led 79-69.

Boston pulled to 85-83 at the end of the third and regained the lead early in the fourth on a three-point play by Thomas.

Thomas scored eight straight points, including back-to-back 3s, to put Boston up 98-91, but the Wizards answered with their own 8-0 run to regain the lead.

Porter gave the Wizards a 99-98 edge with 5:36 left, but Horford got it right back for Boston with 5:12 left to start a 13-0 run for the Celtics. Thomas followed with a layup and Rozier hit a 3 to put the Celtics up 105-99.

Thomas was cheered on during his surge by buddy Floyd Mayweather Jr., the retired champion boxer sitting in the front row.

Notes: Boston shot 72 percent (13 of 18) from the floor in the first quarter, including 8 of 11 on 3-pointers, and led 36-35 after one. … G Avery Bradley (right Achilles strain) was one of five players out for the Celtics. Also sidelined were James Young (right ankle sprain), Tyler Zeller (sinus infection), Amir Johnson (sprained right ankle) and Jaylen Brown (sprained ankle). Smart started at shooting guard for Bradley, and Jordan Mickey replaced Johnson for his first career start.

Sixers 98, Knicks 97

Philadelphia — T.J. McConnell hit a baseline jumper at the buzzer to give Philadelphia a victory over New York.

Joel Embiid had 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Ersan Ilyasova added 16 points to help the Sixers rally from a 17-point deficit.

Wolves 119, Rockets 105

Minneapolis — Andrew Wiggins scored 28 points, Karl-Anthony Towns had 23 points and 18 rebounds, and Shabazz Muhammad scored 20 to help Minnesota beat Houston.

Thunder 103, Grizzlies 95

Oklahoma City — Russell Westbrook posted his 18th triple-double of the season, and Oklahoma City defeated Memphis.

Westbrook finished with 24 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists for the 55th triple-double of his career.

He already has matched his triple-double total from last season less than halfway through this one, and last year’s total was the most for a player since Magic Johnson had 18 during the 1981-82 season.