Wednesday, January 02, 2008
SIXERS NEWS
The Sixers continued their road trip today with the aforementioned visit to Utah to face the Jazz. Despite monumental efforts out of the Andre's, Iguodala and Miller, they fell short. Offensively, four Sixers scored in double figures (Andre Iguodala, Andre Miller, Samuel Dalembert, Louis Williams) with Andre Iguodala's 30 leading the way. Defensively, Samuel Dalembert was again the standout with 10 rebounds and 3 blocks, but he had help this time from Reggie Evans who pulled down 12 rebounds, as the Sixers ruled the boards 40-26. As for the game, it was close, exciting, and unfortunately a crushing blow for the Sixers. Through the 1st quarter of play the Jazz clung to a 24-20 lead. By the half that lead was up to 6, with the score 53-47. Through 3 quarters that lead was up to 7, with score 78-71. Finally, in the 4th quarter the Sixers cut into the Jazz lead, and were within 2, with score 105-103, with just 36 seconds remaining. Then former Sixer Kyle Korver, hit 8 free throws down the stretch and the Jazz hung on for a 110-107 victory. So the Sixers drop to 14-18 overall and remain in 4th place in the Atlantic division.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
SIXERS NEWS
The Sixers return to action tomorrow night against the Utah Jazz and their recent ex-teammate Kyle Korver. It should be an interesting night.
Monday, December 31, 2007
SIXERS NEWS
The Sixers began the New year in style tonight, continuing there road trip with a visit to Seattle to face the Supersonics. Offensively, five Sixers scored in double figures(Andre Miller, Andre Iguodala, Rodney Carney, Samuel Dalembert, Lou Williams) with Iggy's 25 leading the way. Defensively, Samuel Dalembert was again the standout with 7 rebounds and 6 blocks. Additionally, although the Sixers were out rebounded by Seattle 46-35, they had a much better shooting night, shooting nearly 50% from the field and from beyond the arc. As for the game it was closer than the final score would indicate. Through the 1st quarter of play Seattle actually led 23-21. By the half however, the Sixers had exploded for a 12 point, 46-34 lead. The rest of the way they used that lead to hang on. Through three quarters Seattle had cut the lead, to 11 with the score 73-62. In the 4th quarter Seattle continued to rally, but the Sixers had just enough to hang on for a 98-90 victory. So the Sixers improve to 14-17 overall, but remain in 4th place in the Atlantic division.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
SIXERS NEWS
The Sixers continued their road trip today with a visit to Portland to face the young Trailblazers. They came in looking to win their third game in a row, but after three solid quarters of play, the game slipped away from them in the 4th quarter. Offensively, only three Sixers scored in double figures(Andre Iguodala, Andre Miller, Rodney Carney) with Iggy's 24 leading the way. Additionally, Andre Miller had a great night with 11 assists to go along with his 17 points, but this time it went for naught. Defensively, the Sixers did not have a very good night, They were out rebounded 31-29, and turned the ball over six more times than the Trailblazers did. Additionally they shot under 40% from the field, but allowed Portland to shoot nearly 50% from the filed. That just won't get it done. As for the game it was all Sixers in the 1st half and all Blazers in the 2nd. Through the 1st quarter of play Portland led 21-16. By the half the Sixers had rallied to take a nine point, 45-36 lead. At one point in the 3rd quarter that lead ballooned up to 11, but Portland turned the tables,and by the 4th quarter they trailed by only one, with score 63-62. In the 4th quarter it was all Portland as they outscored the Sixers 35-9 and wound up winning easily 97-72. So the Sixers drop to 13-17 overall and back into sole possession of 4th place in the Atlantic division.
EAGLES NEWS
The Eagles finished out their season today with a visit from the Buffalo Bills. Thanks to another tough defensive effort and just enough fireworks from the Eagles offense, the Birds pulled out the win. Offensively, Donovan Mcnabb completed 29 of his 41 passes for 345 yards and a touchdown and Brian Westbrook amassed 99 total yards from scrimmage, as the Eagles collected nearly 400 yards of offense. Defensively, the Eagles limited Buffalo to just 271 total yards of offense, and o TDs, exactly what they're coached to do. As for the game, it was one of those boring season ending games when you know you're not going to playoffs, but it was competitive nonetheless and as some might say it upheld the integrity of the NFL. In the 1st quarter Mcnabb hit rookie TE Brent Celek with a 2 yard TD pass, for the only score, to put the Eagles up 7-0. Late in the 2nd quarter the two teams traded short field goals for a 10-3 Eagles lead at the half. Late in the 3rd quarter Rian Lindell hit his second field goal of the day for Buffalo to cut the lead to 10-6. Then Reggie Brown caught what appeared to be a TD pass from Mcnabb, before fumbling into the endzone, where Kevin Curtis recovered it for 17-6 Eagles lead. Rian Lindell then ended the quarter with his 3rd field goal of the day to cut the lead to 17-9. The Bills had opportunities after that in the 4th quarter to put the ball in the end zone and tie the game, but the Eagles' defense stood stout and the Birds hung on to win 17-9. So the Eagles finish the year 8-8, which is not bad considering all they have been through, but it's good enough only for last place in the NFC East,where Dallas(13-3), NY(10-6), and Washington(9-7) all made the playoffs.
FLYERS NEWS
The Flyers are as hot as they're uniforms now, with this their 3rd straight victory, this time over the Florida Panthers. Antero Niittymaki got the start in goal, giving Marty Biron a rare night off, and saved all 38 shots he faced. So it was a rare good night for Niittymaki. As for the game it was largely uneventful thanks to the equally strong performance of Panther's goalie Thomas Vokoun with 19 saves out of the 20 shots he faced. The first period was scoreless. The second period was also scoreless. Finally, midway through the 3rd period Derian Hatcher finally made it 1-0 Flyers, with the only goal of the night. So that's how it ended with a 1-0 Flyers victory. So the Flyers improve to 19-14-4 overall and move back up into 3rd place in the Atlantic division.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
FLYERS NEWS
The miracle has happened, the Flyers have actually won two in a row. Can you believe it? okay so maybe that's a little dramatic, but I mean it took them long enough didn't it. Anyway Joffrey Lupul was the star again with a goal and 2 assists to power the Orange and Black to victory. Lupul opened the scoring on a penalty shot midway through the 1st period. Then late in the period Vinny Lecavalier tied it at 1. Mike Knuble made it 2-1 late in the 2nd period. Early in the 3rd period, Kimmo Timonen and Scott Hartnell each scored to make it 4-1 Flyers. Midway through the period, former Flyer Vaclav Prospal cut the lead to 4-2. From there Marty Biron and his 31 saves out of 33 shots faced closed out the 4-2 Flyers victory. So the Flyers improve to 17-14-4 overall and move back up into 4th in the Atlantic division.
SIXERS NEWS
The Sixers made their first big roster move under new GM Ed Stefanski, trading 3 point ace Kyle Korver to the Utah Jazz for guard Gordan Giricek and a 1st round pick. The pick is a conditional and can't be used until 2009 where it would be a late first round pick anyway and thus not necessarily that much of an asset. Giricek is a solid bt not great player, kind of like Korver, except he doesn't shoot 40% from beyond the arc. So the Sixers likely won't be hitting anymore three pointers anytime soon. If nothing else, the move does free up some cap room for Sixers, something they've been looking to do for a while. So while this move doesn't exactly help them now, it will help to improve the Sixers in the future, which is apparently all they are concerned with at this point.
Friday, December 28, 2007
SIXERS NEWS
The Sixers began a long road trip today with a visit to Sacramento to face the shorthanded Kings, with Mike Bibby and Kevin Martin on injured reserve. The Sixers took advantage of their absence and notched their second win in a row. Offensively, four Sixers scored in double figures (Andre Iguodala, Andre Miller, Samuel Dalembert, Kyle Korver) with Samuel Dalembert's 19 leading the way. Defensively, it was another bannner for Samuel Dalembert with 11 rebounds and 4 blocks,as the Sixers out rebounded Sacramento 38-32. As for the game, it was tight for a while, then the Sixers pulled a way for the win. Through one quarter, the Sixers led 26-25. At the half, the Sixers led by 4, 50-46. Through three quarters the game was tied at 63. Then in the 4th quarter Sixers went on a 19-4 run and pulled away for a 12 point, 92-80 triumph. So the Sixers improve to 13-16 overall and move back into a tie for 3rd place in the Atlantic division with the Nets.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
FLYERS NEWS
Well, it had to end some time and it finally did tonight. Yes that's right after six agonizing games the Flyers finally snapped their 6 game losing streak with a victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Joffrey Lupul scored 2 goals and Marty Biron saved 34 of the 35 shots he faced to fuel the win. Late in the first period Jeff Carter made it 1-0 Flyers. Late in the 2nd period Lupul made it 2-0 with his first goal. Then Mats Sundin produced the Maple Leaf's only goal of the night to cut the lead to 2-1 heading into the 3rd period. There Danny Briere and Lupul scored a couple early goals to put away the 4-1 victory, as Biron held the Leafs out of the net the rest of the way. So the Flyers improve to 16-14-4 overall but remain in last place in the Atlantic division, as their divisional opponents all won while they were idle. Let's face it sometimes a 6 game losing streak can do things like drop you into last place. The Orange and Black will just have to put together a 6 game winning streak now if they want to get back into contention in their strong division before it's too late.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
SIXERS NEWS
The Sixers returned to action against Shaq, DWade and the rest of the Miami Heat. The Heat have struggled thus far this season and they did so again tonight. Offensively, 4 Sixers scored in double figures(Andre Iguodala, Andre Miller, Kyle Korver, Louis Williams) with Iggy's 28 leading the way. Defensively, it was a team effort as they amassed 40 rebounds and 9 blocks to the Heat's 38 rebounds and 3 blocks, as well as limiting Miami to just 1 for 13 shooting from beyond the are which proved to be the difference. As for the game the Sixers jumped out to a big lead early and held on late for a relatively easy win. Through one quarter the Sixers led by 8 with the score 25-17. By the half, the Sixers lead was up to 17 and the route appeared to be on. Then in the 3rd quarter the Heat rallied and closed to within 10, with the score 74-64 heading into 4th quarter. They would not get any closer as the Sixers stopped the bleeding and hung on to win 95-86. So the Sixers improve to 12-16 overall, but remain in 4th place in the Atlantic division.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Monday, December 24, 2007
PHILLIES NEWS
The Phils continued their off season yesterday by signing outfielder So Taguchi to a one year deal. Taguchi hit .290 last year for the St. Louis Cardinals and .406 as a pinch hitter to lead all pinch hitters. Taguchi has been one of the best defensive outfielders in baseball for a number of years now, so that's probably what we'll he be for the Phils, a late defensive replacement, most likely for the defensively inept Pat Burrell, basically what Shane Victorino did last season. Thus, once again all the Phils have added to their roster with this signing is depth. I guess they don't believe in upgrades.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
EAGLES NEWS
The Mac Attack is back. For the second week in a row Donovan Mcnabb showcased the full set of skills that made him an elite Pro-Bowl QB up until 2 years ago when the Eagles lost the Super Bowl. It seems pretty clear now that he's finally full recovered from the knee injury that sidelined him last season. Kevin Kolb better get comfortable on the bench for a while. All told Mcnabb accounted for 300 of the Eagles 435 total yards(263 yards and 3 TDs passing, 37 yards rushing on 6 carries). He was not alone though, as Brian Westbrook rushed 17 times for 100 yards(surpassing the Eagles single season mark for total yards, previously Wilbert Montgomery's 2006) and Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown, each caught 6 passes for a combined 151 yards and 2 TDs,(Curtis for 78 yards and 1 TD, Brown for 73 yards and 1 TD). As for the Eagles defense it allowed the Saints to rack up over 300 yards of offense, but as always it kept New Orleans out of the endzone when it mattered most. In fact with 8:52 to go in the 1st half the Saints scored their 2nd TD of the game, and from there on they would not score another. Four times the Saints were stopped deep in Eagles territory in 2nd half. Three of those four times, the Saints settled for field goals, but other time was yet another Eagles goal line stand that resulted in a turn over on downs. As for the game it was a thriller for a while, but once the Eagles got control they never relinquished it. Early in the 1st quarter Mcnabb fumbled the ball after a long run from scrimmage and Curtis recovered it in the end zone for a 7-0 Eagles lead. Two Aaron Stecker TD runs later and the Saints led 14-7. Then late in the quarter Correll Buckhalter ran it in from 20 yards out to tie it at 14, and Brown caught a 31 yard TD pass from Mcnabb for a 21-14 Eagles lead. In the 2nd quarter the two teams traded field goals for a 24-17 Eagles lead at the half. Late in the 3rd quarter following the aforementioned goal line stand, the Eagles marched the near length of the field, and Mcnabb fired a 9 yard TD pass to Greg Lewis for a 31-17 Eagles lead. In the 4th quarter Martin Grammatica hit a pair of field goals to cut the lead to 31-23, but with a little under 3 minutes to play yet another long Eagles drive, capped off by a 7 yard TD pass from Mcnabb to Curtis, followed by an interception by the rookie Linebacker Stewart Bradley, finally put it away for the Eagles as they won 38-23. So the Eagles improve to 7-8 overall, but unfortunately, it is too little too late, for this season, but it does give hope for next season.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
SIXERS NEWS
After consecutive tough losses the Sixers needed a win tonight over the Memphis Grizzlies to get on track. Thanks to a hot second half from Andre Iguodala they did just that. Offensively, three Sixers scored in double figures(Andre Miller, Andre Iguodala, Kyle Korver) with Andre Miller's 29 leading the way. Defensively, the star was once again Samuel Dalembert with 14 rebounds and 3 blocks as the Sixers out rebounded Memphis 40-37. As for the game it was pretty exciting and this time it ended right for the Philly squad. The Grizzlies lead 30-25 through the first quarter. After a tight 2nd quarter and an equally tight 3rd quarter the Grizzlies still led by 5 heading into the 4th quarter with the score 74-69. With five seconds to play it was tied at 97-97, as the Sixers got the ball for the final possession of the game. With one second to play Iguodala hit a jumper to sink the Grizzlies at the buzzer 99-97. So the Sixers improve to 11-16 overall, but remain in 4th place in the Atlantic division.
FLYERS NEWS
The Flyers played their best game of the season tonight and it still wasn't enough as they lost their 6th in a row and 2nd straight to the Sabres in another home and home series. Hey, sometimes when you get stuck in a streak like this you're best just isn't enough. As for the game it was pretty exciting until the end at least. In the 1st period Maxim Afinogenov made it 1-0 Sabres early, and Jeff Carter tied it at 1 with a late goal in the period. In the 2nd period all heck broke loose. Ales Kotalik and Jay Pominville made it 3-1 Sabres. Then Jeff Carter and Mike Richards tied it at 3. Next Jon Spacek made it 4-3 Sabres. Finally, with just seconds left in the period Mike Richards tied it up again at 4. Kimmo Timonen gave the Flyers their first lead at 5-4 early in the 3rd period. Then with 2 seconds to play, Thomas Vanek followed an icing call by scoring immediately off the faceoff for a 5-5 tie and a trip to overtime. The overtime period went scoreless and in the ensuing shootout the Sabres' Ales Kotalik scored the only goal for a 6-5 Sabres victory. So the Flyers drop to 16-13-4 overall and remain in 4th place in the Atlantic division.
Friday, December 21, 2007
SIXERS NEWS
Kobe and the Lakers visited the Wachovia center tonight and together with the Sixers they helped put on a show. Unfortunately, the final act didn't quite go the way the Sixers wanted it to. Offensively, five Sixers scored in double figures(Andre Miller, Willie Green, Andre Iguodala, Samuel Dalembet, Kyle Korver) with Andre Miller's 21 leading the way. Defensively, the star was once again Samuel Dalembert with 14 rebounds and 2 blocks. As for the game it was close and hotly contested throughout. Through the first quarter of play the Lakers lead 32-24 and Sixers appeared headed to a tough night. The Sixers had other ideas though and rallied to within 3 at the half, with the score 56-53. After a back and forth 3rd quarter the Sixers still trailed by 3 heading into the 4th quarter, with the score 84-81. The 4th quarter was equally topsy turvy, but with about 4:30 to play just as the Sixers closed to within 5, with the score 96-92, the Lakers finally began to pull away. L.A hit their free throws down the stretch and despite a late 3 pointer by Kyle Korver, hung on to win 106-101. So the Sixers drop to 10-16 overall and into 4th place in the Atlantic division.
FLYERS NEWS
The streak continues for the Orange and Black, with this their 5th straight loss tonight, this time to the Buffalo Sabres. Once again, it was a close game, the Flyers had the lead, and they gave it away late. It's beginning to look more and more like last season all over again. A long streak of misery with no end in sight. The Sabres led 1-0 after the 1st period. Early in the 2nd period the Flyers went up 2-1 on goals by Joffrey Lupul and Jeff Carter. Early in the 3rd period Alexander Kotalik tied it at 2 for the Sabres and Jonathan Hecht made it 3-2 Sabres with under 2 minutes to play. A bunch of saves from Ryan Miller later and Buffalo had won 3-2. So the Flyers drop to 16-13-3 overall and into 4th place in the Atlantic division.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
PHILLIES NEWS
The Phillies finally did something with their off season today signing veteran outfielder Geoff Jenkins to a 2 year 17 million deal, and pitcher Chad Durbin to a 1 year 900,000 deal. Jenkins will likely split time in right field with Jayson Werth. Considering he batted .255 with 21 homers and 64 RBIs last season he should only add to the Phils NL best offense. As for Durbin he went 8-7 last season with a 4.72 era, both as a reliever where he went 2-0 with a 4.18 era, and as a starter. So he's a versatile pitcher, who will only add depth to the Phils pitching staff whether it be as a starter in the rotation or a reliever in the bullpen. So neither one of these free agent pickups dramatically improves the Phils for next season, at least not on paper. Hopefully, the Phils will do some more wheeling and dealing this off season, because otherwise this will be another in a long line of disappointing off seasons.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
SIXERS NEWS
The Sixers have been playing so well lately, you're almost surprised to see them go down as hard they did tonight, but not really. Considering they turned the ball over 18 times to the Pacers 8 turnovers, and shot just 34.6% from the field, to the Pacers 45.7%, it should come as no surprise that they lost. Offensively, four Sixers scored in double figures(Andre Miller, Willie Green, Andre Iguodala, Samuel Dalembert) With the Andre's leading the way with 16 a piece. Defensively, Samuel Dalembert led the way again with 14 rebounds and 6 blocks, and Reggie Evans chipped in with 16 rebounds as the Sixers out rebounded Indiana 55-39. Early on, the Sixers held the winning hand leading 28-26 after the 1st period. From there, the rest of night belonged to the Pacers. By halftime Indiana led 50-47. After the 3rd quarter the route was on with Pacer lead at 81-67. By the bitter end Indiana had won easily 102-85, to drop to the Sixers to 10-15. However, the Sixers remain tied for 3rd place in the Atlantic division with the New Jersey Nets.
EAGLES NEWS
The Pro Bowl rosters were released today, and the lone Eagles' representatives will be Brian Westbrook and offensive tackle Sean Andrews. While it's no surprise Westbrook was selected, Andrews might come as a bit of a surprise to some, but make no mistake about it, he's had a great season so far. In fact, were not for Andrews protecting his backside, Westbrook would not be headed to the pro bowl. Trent Cole, 3rd in the NFC with 12 and 1/2 sacks got the big snub on defense, but realistically, he should have made it 3 pro bowlers for the Eagles season, but alas it's not always he who works the hardest and performs the best that gets selected to the pro bowl, but rather he who is most well known.
FLYERS NEWS
The Flyers have traded Ben Eager to the Chicago Blackhawks for defenseman Jim Vandermeer. Vandermeer was with the Flyers from 2002-2004, before being traded to Chicago for Alexei Zhamnov who helped the Flyers get within a game of the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals before succumbing to Tampa Bay. Now Vandermeer is back for a second stint with the Flyers, giving them a surplus of defenseman. Hopefully he'll help to assuage the problem that caused the Orange and Black to lose last night.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
FLYERS NEWS
The streak continues for the Flyers who suffered their 4th straight loss tonight, this time to the Phoenix coyotes. Once again it was a close game and once again the Orange and Black gave it away down the stretch. This time though it's not Marty Biron's fault, as he racked up 39 saves on 42, yes 42 chances. Clearly it's the defense that allowed those 42 chances that's at fault. In the 1st period Scott Hartnell put the Flyers up 1-0 with a power play goal. In the 2nd period Mike Richards made it 2-0 early, then Keith Yandle and Fredrick Sjostrom both scored late goals for Phoenix tie it up at 2 heading into the 3rd period. There, midway through the period Peter Mueller put the Coyotes up 3-2 and again the Flyers could not answer. So they lost to the Coyotes 3-2 and drop to 16-13-3 overall and 3rd place in the Atlantic division.
Monday, December 17, 2007
EAGLES NEWS
The Minnesota Vikings, holders of the NFC's 6th and final playoff spot, played the Chicago Bears tonight and rallied from behind to win 20-13. Thus, they improved their record to 8-6, which sadly eliminates the 6-8 Eagles from playoff contention, since the best they could do would be to finish in a tie, to which the Vikes would have the tiebreaker. Oh well, better luck next year boys.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
EAGLES NEWS
Who woulda thunk it? On the brink of elimination from the playoffs, but still Mathematically alive, the Eagles got the win they sorely needed this afternoon, defeating T.O and the Cowboys. It was not an especially pretty game, as both offenses struggled, but when it mattered most the Eagles' offense got the job done, while the Dallas offense came up short. For the Eagles, Donovan Mcnabb completed 23 of his 41 passes for 208 yards and a TD, while Brian Westbrook rushed 18 times for 81 yards, and caught 9 passes for 63 yards. For Dallas, on the other hand nothing clicked as the Eagles defense held them to just 240 total yards(187 yards passing, and just 53 yards rushing) and 0 TDs. Tony Romo hit just 13 of his 36 passes for 214 yards and 0 TDs as he was sacked 4 times and intercepted 3 times. Additionally, Marion Barber and Julius Jones combined for just 37 yards rushing and Mr. Owens caught just 2 passes for 37 yards. The only true sparkle out of the Dallas offense came from TE Jason Witten who caught 8 passes for 113 yards. As for the game it was largely uneventful, and yet still exciting. Until the final minute of the first half the only score of the game was a Nick Folk field goal for a 3-0 Dallas lead. Then the Eagles finally put together a long drive to finish half, capped off by a 27 yard run by Mcnabb and a 1 yd TD pass from Mcnabb to Reggie Brown, for a 7-3 Eagles lead. Midway through the 3rd quarter the Dallas offense seemed to finally get on track, driving deep into Eagles territory, but again they were forced to settle for a Nick Folk field goal to cut the Ealges lead to 7-6. The Eagles had a golden opportunity early in the 4th quarter to take charge of the game, but they too could not get in the end zone and had to settle for a David Akers field goal for a 10-6 lead. From there, the Eagles held Dallas in check until with just under 3 minutes to play Brian Dawkins intercepted Romo for the 3rd and final time. The Eagles were then able to run out the clock and walked away with a 10-6 victory. So the Eagles improve to 6-8 overall, and although they still need a lot of help to fulfill them, their playoff hopes stay alive for now.
FLYERS NEWS
The Flyers continued to go in the wrong direction tonight, with their third loss in a row, this time at the hands of Marty Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils. It started slow with a scoreless first period. Then after Mike Richards scored a power play goal to give the Flyers the 1-0 lead early in the 2nd period, the Devils exploded for 3 goals(2 by John Madden, 1 by Arron Asham) for a 3-2 lead heading into the 3rd period. There, Daniele Briere scored an early power play goal to cut the Devils lead to 3-2. Unfortunately, try as they might the Flyers could not get the equalizer to force the game into overtime. In desperation they pulled Antero Niittymaki from the goal(starting in the place of the now struggling Marty Biron), in favor of the extra attacker. The Devils and Brodeur snuffed it out though, and Jamie Langenbrunner scored on the Flyers empty net to put it away for good. So the Devils won 4-2 and the Flyers lost to drop to 16-12-3 overall, still good enough though for 2nd place in the Atlantic division.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
SIXERS NEWS
The Sixers stayed hot tonight with a big win over Lebron and the struggling Cleveland Cavaliers, losers of 8 out of their last 9, while the Sixers have now won 5 of their last 6. Offensively, four Sixers scored in double figures(Andre Miller, Andre Iguodala, Samuel Dalembert, Kyle Korver), with the Andre's Miller and Iguodala leading the way with 20 points each. Defensively, Samuel Dalembert was once again the top contributor with 19, yes 19 rebounds and 3 blocks. This time however, he had some help in the form of Reggie Evans who pulled down 14 rebounds as well, as the Sixers out rebounded Cleveland 45-39. As for the game the Sixers actually fell behind early 26-18 after the 1st quarter. In the 2nd quarter the Sixers rallied ahead and took a 51-46 lead into the half. In 3rd quarter the Cavs forged back ahead 68-67 heading into the 4th quarter. There, the Sixers pulled back ahead with a late 8-0 run and held on to win 92-86. So the Sixers improve to 10-14 overall and move back into a tie for 3rd place in the Atlantic division.
FLYERS NEWS
While the Sixers have been streaking in the right direction, the Flyers are now streaking in the wrong direction, with this their 2nd straight loss. Despite yet another hat trick from Joffrey Lupul, the Flyers fell to the Carolina Hurricanes for the 1st time this season as the game went into a shootout and Marty Biron came up short allowing all 3 Hurricanes shooters to score, and that after having allowed five goals in regulation. As for the game it was exciting, well at least until the crushing climax. Lupul gave the Flyers the early 1-0 lead in the 1st period, but late goals in the period by Niclas Wallin and Scott Walker made it 2-1 Canes heading into the 2nd period. Matt Cullen made it 3-1 Canes early in the 2nd period, but Scott Hartnell and Lupul with his 2nd goal answered to tie it at three. Then late in the period Eric Staal made it 4-3 Canes. Daniel Briere scored early in the 3rd period to tie at 4. Scott Letowksi made it 5-4 Canes midway through the 3rd, and finally Lupul answered with his 3rd goal to tie it at 5 and send the game into overtime. The overtime period was scoreless and the game lurched into a decisive shootout. There, Daniel Briere made key mistake missing his shot on the opening round of the shootout. Allowing the Canes to go for the win in the 3rd round of the shootout(after Cullen and Jeff Hamilton were successful for the Canes in the 1st two rounds of the shootout). Accordingly Rod Brindamour, the former Flyer took the puck for the final round of the shootout and clanked a shot off the post and Biron's shoulder pad, and into the net for the win, capping off a 6-5 victory for the Canes. So the Flyers drop to 16-11-3 overall, and into a tie for 2nd place in the Atlantic division with the NY Rangers.
Friday, December 14, 2007
SIXERS NEWS
Well it was fun while it lasted, but the Sixers 4 game winning streak came to an end tonight against the Sacramento Kings. Considering the Kings came into tonight's game with a nearly identical record (8-13) to the Sixers 9-13, you would think there would have been a good chance of the Sixers extending there winning streak to 5, but it was not to be. Offensively, five Sixers scored in double figures (Andre Miller, Willie Green, Andre Iguodala, Kyle Korver, Louis Williams) with Andre Miller's 24 leading the way. Additionally, Miller contributed 8 assists, thus supplying the Sixers with the offensive ingredients for a victory, but they alone were not enough. Defensively, Samuel Dalembert was again the top contributor with 9 rebounds and 2 blocks. Unfortunately he was also apparently the only contributor, as the Sixers were out rebounded 39-31, and allowed Sacramento to shoot over 50% from the field and over 40% from beyond the arc. Generally, if you allow a team to shoot that well against you they're going to beat you. As for the game it was actually pretty close for the most part. After the 1st quarter the Sixers actually led 28-24. By halftime it was all tied up at 51. Then the Kings shifted into a higher gear in the 3rd quarter, which the Sixers could not match, as Sacramento went up by 11, 85-74. The Sixers tried to rally back in the 4th quarter, but could not and fell by 10, 109-99. So the Sixers drop to 9-14 overall and back into 4th place in the Atlantic division.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
FLYERS NEWS
Well, it's official the Flyers will never win two in a row ever again. Okay, maybe that's a little dramatic, but I mean come on. They not only defeated Pittsburgh in their last game, they dismantled them 8-2. How can you come back from such a dominating performance which such a lame ass 4-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. Apparently, Simon Gagne really is that important to them. If only he would come back from his injury already. Unfortunately, although he has been skating and working out with team, it is not yet known when exactly that long awaited return will be. Anyway, as for the game it was not fun to watch. Midway through the 1st period Christopher Higgins made it 1-0 Habs on a power play goal. By about the same amount of time into the 2nd period it was 4-0 Habs, as Andrei Kostitsyn scored one goal, and Mark Streit scored twice in the space of four minutes. Mike Knuble finally got the Flyers on the board late in the 2nd with a power play goal, but as mentioned that would be all for the Orange and Black. Thus, the 3rd period was scoreless. So the Flyers drop to 16-11-2 overall and back into 3rd place in the Atlantic division.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
SIXERS NEWS
The Minnesota Timberwolves visited the Wachovia center today and were rudely welcomed by the suddenly hot Sixers who won their 4th game in a row. This time it wasn't as comfortable a win as the first three, but the Sixers pulled it out, thanks to some stellar play on both sides of the floor. Offensively, four Sixers scored in double figures (Andre Miller, Andre Iguodala, Samuel Dalembert, Willie Green) with Andre Iguodala's 25 leading the way. Defensively, it was Samuel Dalembert's night, as he pulled down 11 rebounds and blocked 9 shots, yes 9 and Sixers needed every single one of them, for a near triple double. Additionally, Iguodala pulled down 8 rebounds as well, as the Sixers out rebounded the T-Wolves 41-36. As for the game, it was a back and forth slug fest. After the 1st period the Sixers led 28-21. By the half the T-Wolves had rallied back to within 6, with the score 51-45. By the end of the 3rd quarter the T-Wolves had closed to within 5 with the score, 79-74. In the 4th quarter a 3 pointer by Antoine Walker briefly gave the T-Wolves the lead, but the Sixers clawed back ahead and with 7 seconds to play they lead 96-94 and the T-Wolves had the ball. It came down to Al Jefferson vs. Dalembert. Jefferson beat him off the dribble, but Dalembert stayed with him and blocked Jefferson's shot for his 9th and final block of the night. From there Iguodala sunk two free throws, Rashad Mccants missed a 3 pointer on the next T-wolves possession, and of course Dalembert rebounded the miss to cap off a 98-94 Sixers victory. So the Sixers improve to 9-13 overall and move into a tie for 3rd place in the Atlantic division.
PHILLIES NEWS
Bad news for the Phils today. Gold glove and All-star centerfielder Aaron Rowand will not return to the Phillies next season. Today he signed a 5 year 60 million deal with the San Francisco Giants. So rather than helping the Phils get back to the playoffs next season he'll be standing in their way. On a side note this means that Shane Victorino will be the Phils starting centerfielder next season (remember Micheal Bourn was traded away to the Astros for Brad Lidge) which means it should be an interesting season.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
FLYERS NEWS
Last season the Flyers couldn't buy a win against the Pittsburgh Penguins, this season they haven't been able to lose the Penguins and tonight it was more of the same. Thanks to a combined 6 goals and 5 assists from R.J Umberger and Joffrey Lupul(3 goals 3 assists for Lupul, 3 goals and 2 assists for Umberger) and 20 saves on 22 chances by Marty Biron the Flyers won easily. Additionally Philadelphia had twice as many shots on goal as the Pens and 3 times as many goals. That my friends is a truly dominating performance. In the first period Lupul scored twice early for a 2-0 Flyers lead, but late power play goals by Ryan Whitney and Peter Sykora tied it up at 2 heading into the 2nd period. In the 2nd period Umberger scored twice early for a 4-2 Flyers lead, and Mike Knuble added a late power play goal for a 5-2 Flyers lead. In the 3rd period it was all Flyers again with power play goals, from Umberger, Lupul, and Braydon Coburn for an 8-2 Flyers lead and that's how it ended. Interestingly it could and probably should have been more lopsided than that ,as the Flyers actually had 13 power play chances, but only 4 goals to show for them. Anyway a win is a win, and this one allows the Flyers to improve to 16-10-2 overall and into a tie for 2nd place in the Atlantic division with the NY Rangers.
Monday, December 10, 2007
SIXERS NEWS
The last time the Sixers went up against the Houston Rockets at the comfy home confines of the Wachovia center the results were downright embarrassing, in fact more embarrassing than ever before, as the Rockets defeated the Sixers by 50 points. Tonight, the Sixers gained a measure of revenge and their third straight victory, nearly returning the favor in the process. Offensively, five Sixers scored in double figures (Andre Miller, Willie Green, Reggie Evans, Andre Iguodala, Kyle Korver) with Willie Green's 20 leading the way. Also for the fourth game in a row Andre Miller reached double digits in assists with 12, and again the Sixers performed in sync with their play maker hitting on all cylinders. Thus, it seems it is finally Miller time again at the Wachovia center. Defensively, Samuel Dalembert was dominant again with 13 rebounds and 2 blocks. Still despite his best efforts the Sixers finished on the short end of the rebounding stick, 43-35, but conversely had nearly twice as many assists as the Rockets and shot for a higher percentage from the field and from beyond the arc, which was ultimately the difference. As for the game, the Sixers jumped out to an early 6 point 30-24 lead through 1 quarter. By halftime that lead was up to 14 (56-42). In the 3rd quarter the Sixers continued to dominate leading by 31 at one point, before settling for a 26 point lead (86-60) heading into the 4th quarter. There the Sixers almost gave it away, as the Rockets rallied to within 10, but they regained composure at the right moment and ran away with an easy 100-88 victory. So the Sixers improve to 8-13 overall, but remain in 4th place in the Atlantic division.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
EAGLES NEWS
Another day another close call for the Eagles, and yet another loss, this time to the hated NY Giants. Unlike last week's 28-24 shootout loss to the Seahawks, it was all about the defense today. Neither team scored more than one touchdown, even though both put up over 300 yards of offense. The Eagles defense had another standout day, sacking Eli Manning twice, forcing 2 turnovers, putting together a goal line stand on the Giants first scoring drive, and limiting Brandon Jacobs to just 70 yards rushing and 0 TDs. Unfortunately, they didn't have an answer though for Plaxico Burress, who caught 7 balls for 136 yards and 1 TD, and proved to be the difference on this day. As for the Eagles offense it was about as abysmal as the Eagles defense was good. Donovan Mcnabb was sacked 3 times and limited to just 179 passing yards, as his receivers either couldn't or wouldn't get open for him. The only bright spot for the Eagles offense, was surprise! Brian Westbrook who rushed 20 times for 116 yards and caught 5 balls for 38 yards and 1 TD. As for the game, it actually looked initially as if it would be an Eagles blowout, as they took the opening kickoff and marched down the field on a marvelous drive capped off by an 18 yard pass from Mcnabb to Westbrook for 7-0 lead just 4 minutes into the game. From there, however, the Eagles offensive dissolved into frustration and missed opportunities and never again crossed the goal line for the remainder of the game. Still, by the half NY could only manage a pair of Lawrence Tynes field goals and the Eagles still led 7-6. David Akers made it 10-6 with a 29 yard field goal early in the 3rd quarter. Late in the 3rd, with the Eagles still ahead 10-6, Westbrook procured a rare miscue and fumbled the ball away at his own 39 yard line, after taking a pass from Mcnabb out of the backfield. The Giants took advantage as Eli Manning tossed a 20 yard TD pass to Burress, for a 13-10 Giants lead. Lawrence Tynes than hit a 39 yard field goal for a 16-10 NY lead heading into the 4th quarter. Midway through the 4th quarter Akers made it 16-13 with a 39 yard field goal. Then with about 6 minutes to play NY seemed poised to put the game away as it drove deep into Eagles territory, but Brandon Jacobs fumbled at the Eagles 10 and Philadelphia recovered. They failed to score on the ensuing drive as a 4th and 6 pass from Mcnabb to Jason Avant fell incomplete, after the officials overlooked an obvious pass-interference call. Still, the defense held and the Eagles got the ball back one last time. Mcnabb hit Reggie Brown with a 13 yard pass with 12 seconds to play to the Birds in position for a 57 yard game tying Akers field goal attempt. Although it had the distance it faded to the right at the last moment and clanged off the goalpost, falling harmlessly to ground as Akers despondently sank to his knees. So the Eagles lost 16-13, to drop to 5-8 overall. While they're still mathematically alive in the wildcard playoff race, the odds say they won't be in the playoffs this year after all.
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