Having won 6 in a row coming into tonight the Sixers had an opportunity to get back to .500 if they could make it 7 in a row tonight against the Knicks at the Garden. Once again the Sixers continued their hot shooting and solid defense and made all the necessary plays when they had to in rolling to their 7th successive win. Offensively, Andre Iguodala led the way with 28 points and Andre Miller added 27, as the Sixers shot 50% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, on defense the Sixers ruled the glass with 43 boards to just 36 for the Knicks, while forcing 18 turnovers including 11 steals. So it may have not been an unstoppable effort this time around, but it was a more than adequate workmanlike performance for the Sixers on this night. It was a tight game early on with the Sixers leading by just 2 at the half with the score 52-50. The Sixers turned it on in the 3rd quarter racing out to a10 point lead heading into the 4th quarter with the score 76-66. Finally in the 4th quarter the Sixers simply took care of business and maintained their lead until they had closed out a 107-97 win. So the Sixers return to .500 for the first time since November at 20-20 overall and remain 7th in the Eastern conference. May this streak never end.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
PHILLIES NEWS
The Phils have reportedly avoided arbritration with ace pitcher Cole Hamels as they agreed with him to a 3 year 20.5 million deal, a fitting reward for the NLCS and World Series MVP.
Friday, January 16, 2009
FLYERS NEWS
The Flyers traveled to Florida tonight for a matchup with the Panthers. Antero Niittymaki just off injured reserve, got his first start in a while and was solid saving 32 of the 34 shots he faced. Meanwhile, the Flyers finally managed enough scoring of their own to at least get the game to a shootout. Jeff Carter scored late in the first period for a 1-0 lead. Simon Gagne followed on the power play a couple minutes later for a 2-0 lead. Late in the 3rd period Bryan McCabe and Jay Bouwmeester each scored power play goals to knot it up at 2. Neither team could score the go ahead goal for the remainder of regulation or in overtime so the game went into a shootout. In the first round of the shootout Mike Richards missed for the Flyers, and Ville Peltonen missed for the Panthers. In the 2nd round of the shootout Gagne scored for the Flyers and Micheal Frolik missed for the Panthers. Finally in the 3rd round Niittymaki stoned Nathan Horton to clinch the 3-2 Flyer's win. So the Orange and Black move to 24-12-9 overall for 57 points and still 5th in the Eastern conference.
SIXERS NEWS
The Sixers kept rolling tonight as they welcomed the San Antonio Spurs to the Wachovia center. The Spurs were the last team to beat the Sixers, but thanks to continued hot shooting and stingy defense, the Sixers were able to avenge that loss as they stretched their season best winning streak to 6. Offensively, Andre Iguodala with 21 and Thaddeus Young with 27 led the way, as the Sixers shot a blistering 50% from the field and 57% from beyond the arc with 8 three pointers. Meanwhile, the Sixers defense held the Spurs to just 36% shooting from the field and 33% from beyond the arc, while ruling them on the boards 51-40, and racking up 9 steals and 5 blocks. So again it was a total team effort that couldn't be stopped. The Sixers jumped out to a 10 point lead with the score 28-18 after a quarter of play. By the half the Spurs had cut into that lead a bit but the Sixers still led by 7 with the score 54-47. In the 3rd quarter the Sixers pulled back out to a 15 point lead with the score 85-70 heading into the 4th quarter. Finally in the 4th quarter the Sixers simply continued to roll eventually winning easily by 22 with the final score 109-87. So the Sixers move to 19-20 overall and up to 7th in the Eastern conference. How long can keep this going?
PHILLIES NEWS
The Phils avoided arbitration with yet another player today signing pinch hitter Greg Dobbs to a new 2 year deal. There are still quite a few guys who are arbitration eligible if the Phils don't come to terms with them, but securing Dobbs is a step in the right direction.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
FLYERS NEWS
After watching their long home winning streak disappear, the Flyers went back on the road tonight as they traveled to Tampa for a matchup with the Lightning. Marty Biron had another okay night in goal with 40 saves out of the 44 shots he faced, but once again the Flyers struggled to score any themselves, ultimately leading to their demise on this night. Joffrey Lupul scored off the power play early in the 2nd period for a 1-0 lead. Then late in the period Martin St. Louis, Andrej Meszaros, and Ryan Craig each scored within minutes of each other for a lightning fast, no pun intended, 3-1 Tampa lead. Late in the 3rd period Vinny Lecavalier scored on a penalty shot to put away a 4-1 Tampa win for good. So the Orange and Black drop to 23-12-9 overall to remain at 55 points, and 5th in the Eastern conference.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
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.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
FLYERS NEWS
The Flyers welcomed the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Wachovia center tonight in the always heated all PA showdown. Coming in the orange and black had won 8 in a row at home and were a sure bet to make it 9. However, Marty Biron did not have his best night in goal saving just 22 of the 26 shots he faced, while the Flyers struggled to score most of the night. Early in the first period Mike Knuble scored for a 1-0 lead. Then late in the period Tyler Kennedy scored to tie it up at 1. Early in the 2nd period Evgeni Malkin scored for 2-1 Pens lead. Late in the period Jordan Staal and then still later Matt Cooke added to Malkin's tally for a 4-1 Pens lead heading into the 3rd period. Early in the 3rd period Joffrey Lupul scored to cut it to 4-2, but that would be as close as the Orange and Black would get in a 4-2 loss. So the Flyers drop to 23-11-9 overall for 55 points and now 5th in the Eastern conference and 2nd in the Atlantic division.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
EAGLES NEWS
After an inspired victory over the Vikings in the wild card round of the playoffs the Birds traveled to the Meadowlands this afternoon for a grudge match with the Giants. Just as in their last meeting the Eagles were able to limit the Giants running game and force Eli Manning to beat them. Just like last time he was ineffective in the cold windy weather with just 169 yards and 2 interceptions. Meanwhile, the Eagles again probably did not play their best game, but did they exactly what they had to get a win. The Eagles defense did not allow a touchdown the entire game, twice stopped the Giants on 4th and short late in the game, and created 3 turnovers. The Eagles offense meanwhile, was quietly efficient, answering every score the Giants put up. Donovan had a solid game with 217 yards and a touchdown, helping to offset a totally ineffective Eagles rushing attack. It was bowever, largely a defensive struggle with the two teams trading field goals and a safety until late in the 3rd quarter with the score 13-11 Eagles. The Eagles then ate up the remainder of the 3rd quarter with their next drive punctuated by a Mcnabb play action pass to Brent Celek for a TD and a stunning 20-11 lead early in the 4th quarter. The Eagles defense took it from there with two 4th down stops one of which set up David Akers 3rd field goal of the day for a 23 -11 lead(the eventual final score), and a pair of game sealing turnovers. So once again a New York team is eliminated from championship contention by a Philly team, as the Birds move on to a date in the desert with the Cardinals in the NFC championship game. How sweet it is.
SIXERS NEWS
The Sixers kept on rolling this afternoon in Atlanta against the shorthanded Hawks, who were playing without star forward Al Horford. Largely due to his absence the Sixers were dominant underneath the basket with 39 rebounds to 24 for the Hawks. Also largely due to their dominance around the basket the Sixers shot a blisteringg 54% from the field, but they were also hot from beyond the arc shooting 60% while draining 9 threes. Andre Iguodala with 27 points and Thaddeus Young with 22 each hit 3 threes to lead the way offensively. Once again the defense was just okay but when you're shooting and scoring with ease like this, okay is all the defense needs to be. Essentially the Sixers were simply clicking on all cylinders in this one and never really trailed. The two teams were actually tied at 30 after a quarter of play, before the Sixers ran out to a 7 point halftime lead with the score 59-52. Atlanta tried to mount a comeback in the 3rd quarter but the Sixers stood tall and maintained a 5 point lead heading into the 4th quarter. There they turned it on again, eventually pulling away to win by 15 with the final score 109-94. So the Sixers improve to 17-20 overall and are now tied for the 8th spot in the Eastern conference, but Milwaukee still holds the spot by percentage points.
FLYERS NEWS
The Flyers welcomed the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Wachovia center tonight. Marty Biron remained in front of the net for another night and had a dazzling game with 41 saves out of the 42 shots he faced. Meanwhile, Jeff Carter, the NHL's leading goal scorer, deposited two more into the goal to help power the Flyers to victory. Early in the first period Mike Richards scored for a 1-0 lead. Just seconds into the 3rd period Alexei Ponikarovsky knotted it up at 1 for the Leafs. A few mintues later Carter scored his first goal for a 2-1 lead. Then late in the period Andrew Alberts scored for a 3-1 lead. Finally with about 2 minutes to play Carter scored yet again to put away a 4-1 Flyers victory for good. So the Orange and Black win their 8th in a row at home to improve to 23-10-9 overall for 55 points and still 3rd in the Eastern conference and 1st in the Atlantic division.
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