PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia 76ers, who have repeatedly let close games slip through their fingers this season, finally hung on Wednesday night.

Jahlil Okafor scored a season-high 19 points and reserve forward Richaun Holmes made a critical 3-pointer with just over a minute left as the Sixers held off the Washington Wizards 109-102.

"Our guys learned how to win a close game," coach Brett Brown said.

Three of Philadelphia's losses this season are by six points or fewer, and another was by seven in overtime, but the Sixers withstood a John Wall-led flurry late in the game to improve to 2-9.

"We've been, obviously, in a lot of tough games," said Okafor, who made eight of 11 shots before fouling out with 2:56 left. "I think we did a better job today staying composed."

Washington (2-8) trailed by 24 points in the second quarter and was down 95-80 with 10:31 left in the fourth. Wall notched 13 of his 27 points in the final 7:08, and his two free throws with 1:29 to play cut Philadelphia's lead to 103-100.

Holmes then took a pass from Gerald Henderson in the left corner and nailed his second 3-pointer of the game and his fifth in nine attempts this season. He finished with eight points while playing over 19 minutes.

"We've been talking about picking my spots," he said. "I thought that was a pretty good spot to pick."

The Sixers rested rookie center Joel Embiid, their leading scorer and rebounder, who missed the last two seasons following a pair of foot surgeries. Philadelphia nonetheless shot 54.5 percent from the floor and recorded 30 assists, both season highs.

Ersan Ilyasova, making his first start in eight games with the Sixers, notched 16 points. Nik Stauskas contributed 15 points, and Dario Saric had 13 points and 12 rebounds.

Henderson chipped in 14 points and Hollis Thompson scored 11 for Philadelphia, which won its second straight home game.

Sergio Rodriguez had 12 assists.

Markieff Morris scored 19 points for Washington, which was without guard Bradley Beal (hamstring tightness) for the third straight game -- all losses.

Otto Porter had 15 points and 13 rebounds for the Wizards. Marcin Gortat collected 10 points and 14 boards.

Coach Scott Brooks said his team's first-quarter effort was "unacceptable." Washington was down 29-15 after the opening period, and fell into a 47-23 hole with 7:35 left in the second quarter as Okafor scored 12 points and Ilyasova and Saric combined for 15 points and 11 rebounds.

"That's an NBA team that's going to compete every second of the game," Brooks said of the Sixers, "and we have to be able to do that with our team. That 12-minute stretch put us in the hole and we couldn't get out of it. ... I'm not down, but I want some urgency."

Wizards reserve guard Marcus Thornton crammed all 10 of his points into a 2:29 span later in the period, though, helping Washington shave the halftime deficit to 59-48.

Philadelphia shot a season-high 60.5 percent in the half.

The Wizards crept within six early in the third quarter, but by the end of the period Philadelphia's cushion stood at 88-76. Ilyasova notched eight points in the quarter, including two 3-pointers, and late in the period Stauskas dropped in an acrobatic reverse layup, followed two possessions later by a 3-pointer from the right corner.

NOTES: The Wizards are hoping to play G John Wall on Thursday at home against the New York Knicks, the first time Wall will play on consecutive days this season. He underwent surgery on both knees in May, and played 24 minutes Wednesday. ... The Sixers plan to limit C Jahlil Okafor, who is coming off knee surgery, to no more than 20 minutes Thursday in Minnesota. C Joel Embiid is expected to return against the Timberwolves, which coach Brett Brown said has nothing to do with the fact that the game will be nationally televised. "It's just the rhythm that the medical staff has put him on," he said. ... Philadelphia G Jerryd Bayless, who has yet to play this season because of a sore left wrist, spent two days scrimmaging with the Delaware 87ers, the Sixers' Development League team, and returned to Philadelphia on Wednesday. Bayless and Brown both said there is no timetable for his return, though Bayless previously said he hopes to be back by the end of the month.