SIXERS NEWS

The Sixers welcomed the Portland TrailBlazers to the Wachovia center tonight in a matchup of two young and up and coming teams. Thanks to some surprisingly stingy defense and continued hot shooting from beyond the arc the Sixers rolled to their 5th win in a row. All of the sudden the Sixers are playing again as they did in the second half of last season, scoring at will and playing tough D. Perhaps this Tony Dileo guy knows what he doing after all. In fact, Elton Brand is scheduled to return to the Sixers a little later this month, and if they can play like this right now without him, imagine what they'll be able to do with him. This could still be a great season for the Sixers after all. Anyway, getting back to the game, it was truly a dominating performance by the Sixers. Offensively, Andre Iguodala led the way among 5 Sixers scorers in double figures with 29 points, as the Sixers drilled 11 three pointers, including 4 by Iguodala. Defensively, the Sixers may have put forth their best showing of the season thus far, holding Portland to just 39% shooting from the field, and 26% from beyond the arc, while forcing 16 turnovers, including 10 steals, and racking up 7 blocks. Early on the Sixers used this D and the three to race to a 16 point lead with the score 31-15 after a quarter of play. By the half that lead was up to 22 with the score 55-33. In 3rd quarter Portland at last attempted a rally cutting the lead to 10 heading into the 4th quarter with the score 69-59. Finally in the 4th quarter the Sixers resumed control of the game eventually pulling away to win easily by 21 with the final score 100-79. So the Sixers move to 18-20 overall at long last back into the 8th spot in the Eastern conference by a half a game over the Bucks.