The Sixers traveled to New York tonight for a matchup with the Knicks as they actually looked to make it two in a row. The Knicks have been about as awful as the Sixers this season so if they wanted to the Sixers should have been able to take this one easily. Early on it certainly looked like they wanted it as they jumped out to an 11 point lead after the 1st quarter. New York then rallied back to within 4 at the half. The two teams spent the 3rd quarter trading baskets, with the Sixers clinging to a 3 point lead heading into the 4th. It was there in the 4th quarter that Sixers suddenly looked like they didn't want it so much after all. With 1:48 left they had a 1 point lead with the score 86-85, but it all went down hill from there. Elton Brand missed a long jumper, the Knick's Tony Douglas hit a couple free throws, stole the ball from Jrue Holiday, and the New York hit a couple more free throws and that was about it as they hung on to win 92-88.
The shame of it is that New York did everything possible to lose. Both of their centers, Eddy Curry and David Lee were out for the night with injuries, as well starting power forward Wilson Chandler, Jonathan Bender who started at center for New York in this one, broke his finger just 9 minutes into the game. So New York had no one on the court taller than 6-10 Danillo Gallinari, plus their top guards, Eddie House and Cutino Mobley were both out with injuries as well, leaving rookie, Tony Douglas, to start at point guard. Basically New York had played most of the night with just 8 players, while the Sixers had virtually their entire complement of players, minus Thaddeus Young, even Mo Speights came off injured reserve tonight. On top of all that Tracy Mcgrady was garbage tonight going 0 for 7 from the field, as the Knicks shot just 36% as a team, to the Sixers 42%. All of which makes it incredible that the Sixers lost tonight and makes it obvious what is going on. The Sixers are trying to lose now.
They should have been able to dominate the glass tonight, instead New York out rebounded them easily 50-37. They should have been to drive to the basket for easy hoops, instead they settled for one jumper after another, and stunk it up enough for New York to steal it at the end. Perhaps most amazing for New York tonight was Douglas, who made just his 6th start of the season tonight. While T-Mac was garbage all night he was money with 22, and 5 rebounds, including 4 three pointers, in leading the Knicks to the win. For the Sixers Andre Iguodala and Elton Brand were solid as usual with 17 and 19 respectively, while Holiday continued his impressive play 15 and 8 rebounds. Lou Williams also added 14 off the bench and Jason Kapono came off the pine to drill 3 treys and rack up 11 on the night, which kind of makes you wonder why he's been sitting on the bench all season. Anyway with the loss the Sixers drop to 24-45 overall which is still good enough for 11th in the East, but now 10 games out of 8th.
1 comment:
Sixers, what am I going to do with you? It seems that all you can do is beat the Nets and everyone can do that.
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