SIXERS NEWS

Just a couple nights after their first win, the Sixers had yet another night they'd like to forget. It was one of those nights that indicates this may be yet another long season. The Lebronless Cavs were their opponents which should have meant a golden opportunity at collecting 2 wins in a row. Instead the defense, so good in their first win, turned back into letdown and cost them another sure win. With Andre Iguodala injured and unable to return to court after halftime, the D couldn't help but be worse anyway, but it should have been better than this. All told Cleveland shot 54% from the field and racked up 123 points. They reached the foul line 48 times and were successful there 38 times, both numbers about twice as many as the Sixers. They also dominated the Sixers on the boards 41-30, not so much because they rebounded so well but because the Sixers rebounded so poorly. I mean when the starting center and power forward, Spencer Hawes, and Elton Brand combine for only 2 rebounds, and Tony Battie has to come off the bench for 26 minutes just to rebound, something's not right.

Thanks to their poor defense the Sixers fell behind by as much as 19 in the 1st quarter and didn't look like it would be their night. Then a funny thing happened, Doug Collins got them believe again. After a rash of steals and hot shooting from Jrue Holiday, who had the night of his life with 29 and 8 assists, the Sixers were able to close to within 8 by the half. They followed with their first dominant 3rd quarter of the season. With Holiday and Brand, who had 20 points at least, leading the way, they outscored Cleveland in 3rd 31-18. A trey by Andres Nocioni with a little under 6 minutes left in the period, finally put the Sixers ahead 72-71. By the 4th quarter they were up by 5 and seemed to be in control, even though they couldn't seem to stop Cleveland on the other end of the floor. They were still leading by as much 7 with about 4 and a half minutes to play when things took a turn.

The Sixers, who shot 55% from the field, finally started to cool off at that point. In fact they couldn't buy a basket and Cleveland with Daniel Gibson and Mo Williams finally coming back off the bench, rallied ahead. Holiday and Brand tried to keep the Sixers in it, but after a Holiday layup cut it 106-105 Cavs with a 2 and a half minutes to play, it was all Cleveland. Williams just kept driving into the lane and the Sixers kept letting him. Finally in the last minute or so they were forced foul but Cleveland hit their free throws and held on to win 123-116. With the loss the Sixers drop to 1-5 on the season and find themselves on the very edge of another lost season.