SIXERS NEWS

Just when it looked like they had turned a corner the Sixers took a few steps back tonight against the Timberwolves in Minnesota. Offensively, the bench failed to produce with a combined 21 points, and the shooting dipped down a bit, at just 47% from the field and 9.1%, yes 9.1% from beyond the arc. Defensively, the Sixers were not as strong as they had been. While they still ruled the glass 40-33, they allowed Minnesota to shoot 51% from the field, which is never conducive to winning. The Sixers defense was good for a few games, but ultimately they weren't able to keep it up. Moreover, the bench is not going to be consistently good this season until Lou Williams finds his stroke, after all Willie Green can't carry the second unit all on his own forever. So yes despite the loss tonight the Sixers are an improvement from what they were earlier this season, but they won't be what everyone thought they would until the bench and the D are in order. Getting back to the game, it was clear early on the 1-8 Timberwolves would not go away easy as they hung within 3 points of the Sixers, with the score 27-24 after a quarter of play. By the half the T-Wolves had nudged ahead by 4 with the score 56-52. In the 3rd quarter they pulled out to a commanding 11 point lead, with the score 76-65. Finally in the 4th quarter the Sixers mounted a late rally, actually pulling to within 1 with 50 seconds left and within 2 with 18 seconds left, but it was too little too late, as the T-Wolves hit their free throws down the stretch and eventually hung to win 102-96. So the Sixers drop to 5-6 overall and will need to keep improving, because they are not where they want to be just yet.