The Sixers held the Magic to 33.3% shooting. They very nearly had as many assists (22) as the Magic had made field goals (26). They held a Magic team that was second in the league in three pointers made and third in the league in three point percentage to 7-22 shooting. They held Superman Dwight Howard to 17 points on 17 shots.
Check the national media tomorrow and you're much more likely to hear about the Magic losing this game than the Sixers winning it. And there's some merit to that, as the Magic are playing absolutely dreadful basketball right now, losing 4 straight and averaging 76 points per game over that stretch.
And the Sixers end to the game certainly puts a damper on things. Up 18 points with under 3 minutes remaining, the Sixers fell asleep at the wheel, missing 6 free throws and playing porous defense. After allowing 18 points in the first 21 minutes of the second half, the Sixers gave up 18 points in the last 3. When Doug Collins is caught yelling expletives at Evan Turner at the end of the game, who in turned threw a towel down the Wells Fargo Center halls, things aren't entirely rosy, even after a win.
But this was a quality win, darnit, against an opponent with a legitimate superstar and a team with legitimate playoff aspirations, even if they're not playing like it now. The last 3 minutes of horrible basketball shouldn't prevent us from enjoying the superb effort the team gave during the first 45.
The game ball tonight goes to Elton Brand. He may not have the stat line to back it up, but his defense on Dwight was incredible. Fighting for position, boxing Dwight out, contesting shots. I've gotten on Elton in the past for inconsistent defensive rebounding, but he was a man tonight. 8 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 steals, and pure hustle.
Tony Battie and Lavoy Allen gave the Sixers good minutes in the middle as well. Tony finished with 8 points and 9 rebounds, and Lavoy played what I thought was his best game as a Sixer. I've been a huge critic of Lavoy Allen ever since the day he was drafted, but if he gives the Sixers the incredible effort he gave them tonight, he has the talent to stick on the roster. His effort was off the charts tonight.
The defensive rebounding was, for the most part, solid throughout the game before getting away from the Sixers late. The previously mentioned big men were a major part of that.
Iguodala finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and a heck of a lot of defense. He was putrid down the stretch at the line, though, and for that should be released.
(Kidding).
In all seriousness, free throw shooting is going to come back to bite this team, and had they been playing a team at the top of their game tonight may have been the night. The Sixers came into the game 20th in the league in free throw shooting and went 10-19 from the charity stripe tonight. Iguodala is now shooting 63% on the season, which is unacceptable for a wing player.
I loved how Jrue started off the game, but he struggled shooting the ball. Holiday and Jodie Meeks scored 13 points on 17 field goal attempts. Louis Williams struggled for most of the game before making a couple of key shots down the stretch.
Overall, any time you hold a team to 69 points on 78 field goal attempts, even one without their starting point guard and shooting guard, and even one playing as terrible as the Magic currently are, today was a good day. The last 3 minutes don't offset that.
Player of the game: Elton Brand
Next up: Bulls vs 76ers, Wednesday 7 PM
0 recs | 24 comments
Last time
the Magic had that blockbuster trade and we won. ESPN doesn’t want to give us credit due to ratings. Everybody hates the Sixers.
BIBTD - January 30, 2012
This
“In all seriousness, free throw shooting is going to come back to bite this team, and had they been playing a team at the top of their game tonight may have been the night. The Sixers came into the game 20th in the league in free throw shooting and went 10-19 from the charity stripe tonight. Iguodala is now shooting 63% on the season, which is unacceptable for a wing player.”
It’s going to be difficult for me to take this team seriously in the playoffs when we leave all these points on the board. Iguodala is the worst offender, but the entire squad seems to shoot poorly from the charity stripe in the 4th quarter.
Last year, we ended up shooting 77% from the line in the regular season, which would be good for 8th in the league. I can’t understand the regression.
PhillyWarrior - January 30, 2012
amen
FT % has to go up. Iggy, Turner, and even Boss are too blame here. Jrue (a good FT shooter) and Meeks (a good FT%) need to shoot more.
That said, this game was won when Iggy took control on both offense and defense in the third. On offense, he started driving and dishing. Meeks for open threes, Brand and Thad for easy put-ins, creating of a swing around the perimeter. Thats what won the third. He had Hedo on him and he took advantage, drew attention from another defender, and passed it to the mismatch. I’m beginning to think he should just play PG. On, he did his typical performance. Guy starts making FTs, ups his average by 3 points, he’ll make the all star team.
Dan Pearson - January 30, 2012
Lavoy?
Lavoy was one of the biggest culprits down the stretch. The magic would lease him open on offense and he would get passed to (because he was wide open), but he’d be incapable of doing anything immediately (because he’s not that quick and isn’t thinking about his next move until he’s doing it) and he created turnovers and bad situations. He was trying hard but I would like to get to a place where he only ever has to play v backups.
Dan Pearson - January 30, 2012
oh, sure. But the #1 predraft knock on Lavoy was effort level. I liked what I saw yesterday.
Derek Bodner - January 31, 2012
Really?
So far whenever I’ve watched him (and it’s only been a couple of times due to living in CT) the one thing I’ve noticed is that he is always hustling and trying to give maximum effort despite his lack of talent (saying this off of what I’ve read here). I think for someone to come off the bench, given that LA has some talent, if he’s giving maximum effort out there, he could be a cheap serviceable big man in a year or so.
Vince1129 - January 31, 2012
Word. But the knock on him prior to this year was lack of effort. Dougie even told us about a little conversation he had with LA about it before this season. Look in Fanposts for a temple fan’s thoughts on his this year and when he was in college.
J.P.Melle - January 31, 2012
Any ideas why Collins was chewing out ET? I missed the game, but I heard he had a solid game.
Tj Singh - January 30, 2012 via mobile
There will be more coverage on this tomorrow, but he got chewed out for missing defensive assignments and switching incorrectly on Ryan Anderson in the last 3 minutes. Doug was angry at everyone, not just ET.
PhillyWarrior - January 30, 2012
Everything you said + I think ET was the closest guy to DC when the buzzer sounded. Also, I think DC has gone out of his way to be tough on the young kid – things like limited playing time etc. DC seems to be trying to bring him up “the right way” (see. Coach Brown) and not give him anything easy. I’m starting to get nervous that ET doesn’t have that type of personalty (e.g. throwing the towel in the tunnel) and hopefully he doesn’t start tuning DC out. DC needs to turn it down a slight notch but ET’s gotta chill also and stop acting immature. I don’t like the constant gripping with the officials for example. True it’s the norm around the league but still.
dp - January 31, 2012
Definitely a little concern growing there. Biggest criticism of Collins in his coaching career has been an inability to tone it down.
J.P.Melle - January 31, 2012
"doesn't have that type of personality"
Relax man. He simply threw a towel due to a difference of opinion. Isn’t it normal when a young man’s motor is running that he’s bound to show some emotion? Only types where you have to worry about coach being tuned out is vets ala SJax or complete hard head young guys like Cousins. ET is neither and all will be fine.
RedHopeful - January 31, 2012
I wouldn’t say it’s a big concern yet, but Doug’s been tougher on ET than he has on other players on the team. Just a bit worried that it will start to wear on Turner.
J.P.Melle - January 31, 2012
we can’t really know that for sure. We only see brief glimpses of the team.
Dan Pearson - January 31, 2012
What do you mean?
I’m pretty sure I know it. I think Doug has show much more leeway in allowing Jrue, Jodie and Lou to play through their slumps than he has Evan, and maintained their minutes more consistently. And even at times when ET’s playing very well, he’ll come out for long stretches or stop getting the ball.
J.P.Melle - January 31, 2012
I mean that in respect to what goes on in the locker room, etc. One of my best bosses was always super critical of me at times, but I knew he always had my back if it came down to it.
Dan Pearson - January 31, 2012
Yeah, it’s true. Generally all signs point to things being good in the locker room/team chemistry wise. I do think he’s limited Turner’s role a bit more than his level of play this season deserves and I could see some players getting frustrated in that situation (Turner seems to be high enough character to avoid this however).
J.P.Melle - January 31, 2012
(1) I am relaxed. (2) I prefaced by saying “I’m starting to get nervous” (i.e. my radar just perked up a little that’s all). (3) I also indicated not just the towel “incident” (granted too strong a word but just roll with it b/c I don’t have another word right now) but he also seems (i.e. to a layperson on the outside who only watches games) to be one of the main violators of barking at refs all the time. Again, maybe I’m reading too much into it. (4) Again, DC is known to have this effect on people and not everyone responds the same way. It’s not a bad thing that ET “may not have that type of personality”. I’m just pointing out there might, might, be signs that ET is a type of person that doesn’t like the tough love treatment. Not everyone responds to tough love hence the main point of my comment was for DC to tone it down lest he lose ET.
dp - January 31, 2012
Jrue was awful tonight. I was at the game and was astonished at the number of truly awful decisions he made. At least twice that I remember, he was alone on Anderson while Anderson had the ball and actually ran AWAY from him. On offense, he often passed when he should have shot and vice versa, especially around the rim. His 6:1 TO ratio was nice tonight, but that 3-11 was awful, and he could have had a much better line overall.
duckyninja - January 30, 2012
I was an absolutely horrendous basketball player, so bad it’s embarrassing, and yet when I played I could knock down FT’s at around 90%. How a guy could get to the NBA level and have issues hitting free throws is beyond me.
EREX21 - January 31, 2012
Lou Williams is frustrating. He kept the Magic in the game yesterday.
tst29 - January 31, 2012
Derek,
I still don’t know how you managed to weed through all the stupid tweets about Iguodala and keep your sanity last night. I would have lost it fairly quickly. For that, you should be commended.
JoshuaR - January 31, 2012
amen
Iggy won that game in the 3Q last night. he took control of the offense and created points in the halfcourt
Dan Pearson - January 31, 2012
haha. I only searched for a couple of minutes too. An entire nights worth would have been interesting.
Derek Bodner - January 31, 2012
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