The Sixers welcomed Lebron and the Cavs to the Wachovia center tonight as they looked to snap a 2 game losing streak. Surprisingly they almost did against the team with the best record in the NBA, but it wasn't to be. Instead of settling for jumpers they actually attacked the basket for a change and wound up with 66 points in the paint against the taller, stronger Cavs. They even outrebounded Cleveland 44-36, and they turned the ball over just 9 times, much better then their last couple games against weaker competition. In the end, while the Sixers did play some much improved basketball, Cleveland also didn't offer their best effort and they didn't have to. Otherwise this one probably wouldn't have been close. Instead thanks to their conceited effort to attack the basket, Andre Iguodala had 30, 5 assists, and 7 rebounds, Elton Brand dropped in 24 and 9 rebounds, Thad Young chipped in with a big 15 off the bench, and the Sixers kept things close until the end.
They actually led by 1 heading into the 4th quarter, but it wasn't long before Cleveland was safely ahead again. Still with 9 and then 6 minutes to play the Sixers were still within 5 and with 24 seconds left they were within 3, at 98-95. Unfortunately, on the ensuing Sixer's possession, Jrue Holiday drove to the basket and threw the ball away. It was only his 4th turnover of the night, against 8 assists, but an obvious rookie mistake. Cleveland then hit its free throws and hung on to win by 5, 100-95. So it was a pretty good effort for the Sixers' tonight against the NBA's best, but its hard to know what to make of it. It makes you wonder why they don't play this attacking game more often. It really is there best often and if their effort tonight is any indication it could easily bring wins against all those teams in the Eastern conference and the rest of NBA for that matter, who aren't nearly as good as Cleveland.
On other hand this hole night was really made possible more by Cleveland not putting out its best effort than by the Sixers putting out their best. So maybe playing this attacking game and putting this kind of effort every night won't make much of a difference anyway. Who knows? All I know now is that Sixers are now just 23-42 overall, still somehow as high as 11th in the East, and now a full 10 games out 8th.
2 comments:
Its amazing that the Sixers can get blown out by an OK team and then they keep it close against a team like the Cavs. They showed signs of hope but it always boils down to consistency with the Sixers and their lack of it.
-to ph1llysports
yeah that's true
Post a Comment