Web Search powered by YAHOO! SEARCH  

Sports   

share
email
print
reprint
font size
options
 
STEVEN M. FALK / Staff Photographer
Andre Iguodala goes after a loose ball. The Sixers almost let last night's game get away from them, rallying to hold off the Nets.
1 of 10
READER FEEDBACK
Post a comment
RELATED STORIES
 
Sixers Notes: Six Nets miss game against Sixers
 
Sixers defeat Nets, 97-94
 
No apology coming from Iverson
 
Sixers manage to squeak past mighty Nets
 
In the Paint
 
Suns hand Celtics first loss
 
Photos: Sixers 97, Nets 94
 
Buy 76ers jerseys, t-shirts, hats, and more
 
God Bless the Spectrum keepsake book


Sixers defeat Nets, 97-94

You're losing to the Nets.

That was the challenge to the 76ers, coming from a red-faced fan midway through the third quarter. An extended hand, pointing toward the depleted New Jersey bench, accompanied those words.

Last night at the Wachovia Center, the Sixers spent much of the night losing to the winless New Jersey Nets, but eventually pulled out a 97-94 victory.

The win, seen by an announced crowd of 10,054, was uninspiring.

Because of injuries and illness, New Jersey was without all-star point guard Devin Harris, starting forward Yi Jianlian, and guard Chris Douglas-Roberts.

And still, with a few ticks on the clock, the Nets had the ball and a chance to tie the score.

With 11 seconds to go, swingman Andre Iguodala made only 1 of 2 free throws. The game remained a one possession contest, and the Nets had the ball with the score 97-94.

Iguodala's missed free throw came exactly 10.8 seconds after Thaddeus Young made only 1 of 2 free throws, leaving the score 96-94.

On the game's final possession, the Nets went to rookie forward Terrence Williams; with the clock nearing zeros, Iguodala stripped Williams as he rose to shoot. Williams called for a foul, grabbing his wrist to show where he was hit.

"Pressure up and make it tough for him," Iguodala, who finished with 16 points, said in explaining the final play. "I got a hand on it."

He added: "They outplayed us tonight, but we just came away with the 'W.' "

The Sixers improved to 3-2. The Nets dropped to 0-6.

"These are games we're going to have to win," said Sixers point guard Lou Williams, who scored a team-high 18 points. "We have to separate ourselves, and at the end of the season when we're worried about playoff seeding, these are the games we'd go back and look at and say, 'We should have had this, we should have had that.' "

In the fourth quarter, the Nets led by eight points. They did so behind strong inside scoring. Nets center Brook Lopez scored a game-high 22 points, dominating Sixers center Samuel Dalembert, who finished with 2.

Nets forward Trenton Hassell went into the game having yet to score this season: He finished with 17 points on 8-for-13 shooting and 12 rebounds.

The Nets outscored the Sixers in the paint, 54-38.

Sixers power forward Elton Brand played only 18:38 and was not on the court for the game's final 17:23. Brand scored all eight of his points in the first quarter, finishing the game 4 for 7 from the field.

When asked about Brand's limited minutes and the mix-and-match lineups he used in the second half, Jordan said he was "looking to find the group that's going to get it done."

"I felt like those were the guys that were doing it," Jordan said.

In front of his locker after the game, Brand was diplomatic, saying, "It made sense because that's the coach's decision."

The Sixers numbers, looked good on the stat sheet: 50 percent shooting from the field, 50 percent from the three-point line, 14 fastbreak points, 24 assists, and 7 blocked shots.

Not on the stat sheet were "wasted possessions," of which the Sixers had too many. They finished with 16 turnovers, but there were a dozen more possessions that ended in forced, or poorly-timed, shots.

"They're desperate, so that's a hard battle," Jordan said.

 


Contact staff writer Kate Fagan at 856-779-3844 or kfagan@phillynews.com.

 


 

Comments   
Comment removed.
Posted 06:42 AM, 11/07/2009
JBP
Eddie Jordan has lost the team with 77 games to play.
Posted 07:18 AM, 11/07/2009
starbird
This is a very bad team form the players to the F.O.
Posted 09:08 AM, 11/07/2009
kobblepot
Spread the ball around on O, looking for easy back door layups. Remove the one trick pony primadonnas, no matter what they're being paid. Try to get the defense to gel. Might not happen this season, but I don't see a better route right now for this franchise.
Posted 09:25 AM, 11/07/2009
hope55
Oppressed#1...After reviewing many threads by you on many different topics on all Philly sports I've deteremined what you've been trying to tell us all...You're oppressed.........LWilliams said "at the end of the season when we're worried about playoff seeding, these are the games we'd go back and look at and say, 'We should have had this, we should have had that.' "......Teams that are better have to insure that they beat lesser teams or it WILL come back to haunt them later in the season......Notice that on team has ever gone undefeated in the NBA......No team is going to be at their very best all season.
Posted 09:36 AM, 11/07/2009
russ4philly
a win is a win - thanks for addressing Brand's not playing - might he become a overpaid sub?
Posted 09:43 AM, 11/07/2009
hillyinphilly
I really wonder how long an NBA team can sustain in this city. The attendance was paltry to say the least last night, so many empty seats. There just doesn't seem to be an interest anymore. With cities like Las Vegas desperate for a team, I do not know how much longer we will have the sixers in Philadelphia.
Posted 09:54 AM, 11/07/2009
Icemannj
To me the most interesting part of the article is how much leash the staff will give Kate. She writes pretty well, and definitely leaves some concerns in most every story, albeit somewhat subtly. I like the promotion here for her, and hopefully we get more of her insight in addition to the play by play stories throughout the season.
Posted 10:52 AM, 11/07/2009
chuckw
If you think Kate is too honest, watch Donyell Marshall on the postgame report; he is brutally frank. No doubt Snider and Comcast will either shut him down or shut him up.
Posted 11:09 AM, 11/07/2009
john newlin
Someone above wondered aloud how long Philly can sustain an NBA team, and it's a good thing to consider. The NBA has not been a good draw in the city except when the team has been truly excellent. Maybe it's in part because Philly basketball fans are purists in the sense that they demand 100% effort, attention to solid fundamentals, hard defense, and one or two really talented players. The same reasons that our fans love the Eagles and adore the Phillies, and will support both clubs to the hilt, are exactly the reasons why they won't pay much attention to the sloppy, modestly talented, poorly coached and managed Sixers. I feel sorry for the columnists who have to write about this team on a daily basis over a tediously long 80+ game season---it's a lot like being a beat writer for the perennially awful Pirates who have spent the last 18 years getting it totally wrong. Getting by a winless team minus three starters by three points at home simply iterates how poor this club is. As I've said before, there are a number of NBA clubs just as bad as the Sixers, and two of them (the Knicks and Nets) happen to be in the same division, so their final W-L record will probably be very misleading. The Big 5 plus Drexel may not be as talented, but the intensity with which they play is far more entertaining and worthy of our support than what the Sixers trot out each night.
Posted 12:33 PM, 11/07/2009
chuckw
John Newlin: as usual,a well-thought out and articulate post (why are you on this board?) I do not think there is any chance of the Sixers moving, as Comcast needs local product for cable, as there are far too many stretches with paid programming, which is why it is negotiating with NBC for a takeover. Of course, if attendance drops consistently below 10,000 and TV ratings plummet, who knows. At the moment, the Sixers are not much of a draw and their games are generally hard to watch. Fans should remember the aphorism: be careful of what you wish for. Everyone wanted Billy King out as GM and raved over Stefanski coming in. Too early to draw firm conclusions, but the signing of Brand, the drafting of Holiday, and the hiring of Jordan are not looking too good at the moment.
Posted 02:16 PM, 11/07/2009
rayzoe
Well folks we are five games into the season and it appears that we need a major trade, gone should be Iggadola,Dalembert,Brand and green. We need a consistant player desperately....can anyone hear me out there.....help! The Sixers management have managed to shot themselves in the foot once again it must be a virus that infects all the leadership that comes here. Names like Jeff Rouland,Roy Hinson, Jeff Hornecheck,Glen (no bark) Robinson, Christina Weber, and now Melting Brand, we can't get it right so it must be a virus in the orginazation. We need a Virus scan bad, I just know we have picked up a trojan horse.
Posted 03:07 PM, 11/07/2009
TBear
To Mr. John Newlin: I'm pretty sure I know why you don't have a column in this space....they wouldn't pay you what it would be worth. I'd rather read your postings than half of the drivel that passes for sports "writing" around here. Please keep sending 'em in sir.
Posted 03:16 PM, 11/07/2009
TBear
I'm a Fast Eddie supporter. I'm all for giving him this year to see if his moves might work out. If (somehow?) we break through and go to the second level of the playoffs this year, his job should be safe. But now, what is for me a tough thing to write: So far it doesn't look so good. I was as happy as ANYBODY getting Elton Brand here. I was hoping to see the "real" Brand this year, after not seeing him last year due to the injury. But here he is, supposedly fully re-habbed and ready to play. But if he is NOT, they he needs to work until he IS ready. And if he already IS ready....we got screwed. Andy my guy Fast Eddie will take the fall for it.....and deservedly so.
Posted 03:21 PM, 11/07/2009
Anguilla Al
Rayzoe, we do Need A Trade, but I think you're looking at the wrong guys. WHY would you trade Iggy, he's the heart & soul of this team, one of only a few players to show up regularly. Is it because of his contract, what that man makes have nothing to do with the fans, he was blessed w/talent to be a basketball player and that's the type of money that comes w/the job. Is it because you feel as if he's not a big time scorer, that's not his make up, he's an all around player and one of the best in this league. I think the trade Iggy post are personal and not basketball wise, cause anyone that knows the game, know Iggy can play. Indeed he acts kind of primadona esk and as if he never makes mistakes on the floor while all the other guys do, that's why the SIXERS need a guy w/an attitude on the team instead of a bunch of "choir boy(S)". Brand needs to come off the bench and just deal w/it as is, because of his injuries he's SLOWED DOWN, the signing was bad but it's already been done, the GM has to deal with it and move forward, we all make mistakes. Green is a situational player, if we're relying on him as a main option then we're really in trouble. Dally, I was a fan of his, but he has regressed and maybe a change of scenery would do him good, or bring him too off the bench next season and beyond. TYoung' s the guy we should be moving cause we can get back some value for him and I think there's 2 guys on their rookie contract as well as Young that can be traded straight up. McGee from Washington as well as Jordon from the Clippers. They're both seven footers, talented and young. I especially love McGee and believe he'll be a player for yrs. to come. We need a big anchor in the middle to stabilize us for the future. We need to do something quickly.........................