reCAP: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies

12/27/12

The 76ers are in the midst of their longest road trip of the season. They began their road trip in Brooklyn, and last night flew in to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies. The 76ers have been on a rocky streak losing six of their past seven games and they were dying to get a win. The Grizzlies are known for being a scrappy team on defense and have a couple of solid big men. Those big men are Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. In some ways, this Grizzlies team is similar to what the 76ers were for the past two years defense-wise. Jason Richardson sat out this game for the 76ers due to an ailing back injury. Rudy Gay, the Grizzlies best overall player on the team, was not with his team due to personal reasons.

The first half was a slow start for the 76ers. They were down by as much as 10 points in the first quarter. Gasol and Quincy Pondexter started out hot, but cooled down as the game progressed. The 76ers shot well in the first half, and the Grizzlies had a great first quarter and a terrible second quarter. There was one thing I saw that the 76ers did differently on defense. They started playing a 2-3 zone defense. That defense is supposed to pressure the offensive team into shooting three pointers because the defense will clog the paint and will defend the high percentage shots. Another good thing the 76ers did on offense was attack the basket and draw fouls. They shot 16 free throws in the half, which is what they usually average in a game. They also did a very good job in rebounding the ball. The 76ers led at halftime 49-47. Dorell Wright has been on a roll as of late. He scored 13 points to lead the 76ers in scoring in the half. Gasol led the Grizzlies with 12 points, all scored in the first quarter.

The 76ers took control of this game in the second half. They shot well, especially from the three point line. The Grizzlies lost their shooting touch after that hot first quarter. The 76ers changed their defensive strategy too. Whenever Gasol or Randolph had the ball on offense, the 76ers would double team those two players and contain them from scoring. That worked when the 76ers defended Gasol, but not when they defended Randolph. The 76ers made this game a blowout in the fourth quarter when they made it a 15 point lead. One guy that surprised me in this game was Royal Ivey. He hit two big three’s to expand the lead when the game was close. The 76ers won this game by a final score of 99-89. Dorell Wright, who replaced Richardson in the starting lineup, finished with a season-high 28 points. Spencer Hawes scored a season-high 20 points off the bench and had nine rebounds and five blocks. This was Hawes’ best game of the season. Jrue Holiday and Thaddeus Young both collected 13 points. Both Holiday and Evan Turner finished with nine assists in the game. Nick Young scored 12 points off the bench. For the Grizzlies, Gasol finished with 18 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. Randolph scored 17 of his 23 points in the second half and collected nine rebounds. Pondexter finished with 13 points and Mike Conley Jr. scored 10 points. Both of them had horrific shooting games going a combined 6-27 from the floor.

Overall, the 76ers surprised me with this win against a team that is supposed to be amazing on their home court. The Grizzlies were 12-2 at home going into this game. The bench play was very good last night as well as their rebounding. The 76ers shooting was most impressive, especially from three. I liked how they went to the free throw line a lot in the first half, but they have to have that mindset for the second half too. The Grizzlies are a good team, but this game could have been different if Gay were available to play. He loves playing defense and he can shoot the ball.

Should Dorell Wright continue to start when Jason Richardson comes back from injury? Sound off and stay tuned until next time…

reCAP: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Houston Rockets

12/20/12

I think it’s safe to say that the 76ers are relieved to get out of Texas after that last horrific game. The 76ers have lost their previous four games and had to play one of the top offenses in the NBA last night in the Rockets. This Rockets team likes to run their offense in transition, which is why they are a high-powering offense. They also have one of the worst defenses in the NBA. James Harden is what makes the Rockets a lethal team. He was traded this year from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Rockets so that he can be the Rockets’ go-to player to compliment Jeremy Lin. Lin was one of the many acquisitions the Rockets made to their roster. Only four players on the Rockets were on the team last year. Another big-time player the Rockets signed was Omir Asik. Patrick Patterson was out of the Rockets lineup with a bone bruise on his right foot while Jrue Holiday was out with a left foot sprain for the fourth straight game. The 76ers did make a lineup change. Maalik Wayns made his first career start and Nick Young came off the bench.

The first half looked like it would be a decent game. The Rockets started off hot in the first quarter, but the 76ers kept fighting. The one thing that stood out for me in this half was the amount of free throws the 76ers took. They shot 15 free throws, which is what they usually average in a game. The 76ers were rebounding very well in the half too; outrebounding the Rockets 25-17. The only problem the 76ers had was that they couldn’t make more shots than the Rockets made. At halftime the Rockets led 56-51. Harden was electric in the half as he led the Rockets in scoring with 19 points. Dorell Wright and Nick Young both led the 76ers in scoring with nine.

The second half was when the doom began and finished. The 76ers felt like they wanted to give up and go home. They looked tired and uninterested in the game. The bad news for the 76ers was that Evan Turner had to leave the game with a mild ankle sprain. He tried to play through it, but only made it worse when Asik stepped on his foot. The Rockets won this game by a final score of 125-103. The 76ers haven’t allowed 125 points in a game since 2010. Harden finished with 33 points in the game and seven assists. Lin scored 18 points and dished out six assists. Asik had a double-double. He collected 17 points and 15 rebounds. Toney Douglas also had 17 points; all scored in the second half. Marcus Morris finished with 14 points and Greg Smith ended with 13 points on a perfect shooting night going 5-5 from the floor. Nick Young led the 76ers with 21 points; 12 of those 21 points were scored in the second half. Wright contributed with 20 points; 11 of those 20 points were second half points. Thaddeus Young scored 13 of his 17 points in this half. Spencer Hawes finished with 14 points. Lavoy Allen ended with 10 points while Jason Richardson contributed 11 points in the game.

Overall, the 76ers bench was much improved tonight. I liked how aggressive they were early in the game, especially since I was preaching in prior games for the 76ers to get to the free throw line. Hopefully they rest up before they get to play another good team in the Atlanta Hawks on Friday. I’m sure Turner will miss a few games with his ankle sprain, but we can only hope that Holiday is ready to play on Friday from his injury. This team will not stand a chance against the Hawks if they don’t have their best players playing.

Was it the right move to put Nick Young back on the bench? Sound off and stay tuned until next time…

reCAP: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Dallas Mavericks

12/19/12

It has been a tough stretch for the 76ers due to recent losses for their last three games. In these games, they have had the inability to defend anyone. This matchup doesn’t look good for the 76ers if they want to contain teams from scoring a lot. The Mavericks have a top 10 offense and can be a juggernaut on offense. They can shoot the three very well and can play aggressively and get to the free throw line. The only problem the Mavericks have is their defense. It’s one of the worst defenses in the league. Besides Dirk Nowitzki not playing for the Mavericks since the beginning of the season, former 76er Elton Brand sat out this game with a groin injury. Jrue Holiday was out yet again for the 76ers with a foot sprain.

The first half was close, but the Mavericks were the better team. They played aggressive basketball and were looking to draw contact on their shots. They also took more high percentage shots, which are shots that are easily made. The 76ers usually take a lot of low percentage shots like shooting midrange jumpers and three point shots. Thaddeus Young was not performing well in this half. He went 3-10 shooting and could not make his shots when he got rebounds on the offensive side of the ball. The 76ers didn’t make things better when they turned the ball over eight times. That’s unacceptable for a Doug Collins coached team since he preaches about not turning the ball over. The Mavericks led at halftime 57-52. Shawn Marion, Chris Kaman, and O.J. Mayo led the Mavericks in scoring. They all scored 10 points. Derek Fisher had to leave the game early for the Mavericks due to a right knee sprain. Evan Turner led the 76ers in scoring with 12 points.

The second half looked like things could get better for the 76ers, but the Mavericks made sure the 76ers were not going to win this game. The Mavericks kept playing aggressively all game and it showed when they went to the free throw line a total of 29 times compared to the 76ers 15 times. The Mavericks won the game with a final score of 107-100. Mayo has been having a breakout season this year and he has led the team in scoring with the absence of Nowitzki. He scored 16 of his 26 points in the second half. Kaman also had a stellar shooting night scoring 20 points and collecting seven rebounds. Marion finished with 14 points and nine rebounds in the game. Darren Collison didn’t have a good shooting night, but finished with 12 points due to his aggressiveness and his ability to draw contact to go to the free throw line. Brandon Wright contributed with 10 points off the bench. The 76ers had breakout performances off the bench from Dorell Wright and Spencer Hawes. Wright finished with a season-high 25 points while Hawes tied a season-high with 18 points. Turner collected 17 points in the game. Thaddeus Young and Jason Richardson both had poor shooting nights. Thad Young finished with 12 points while Richardson finished with 11.

Overall, the 76ers need Holiday back in the worst way. Without him in the lineup, they look lost on offense and can’t run an offensive play perfectly. The schedule is only going to get tougher for them and, if they want to play with the big boys, they have to tighten up on defense. The 76ers yet again were having a difficult time getting to the free throw line. Someone has to be aggressive and drive to the basket to draw some fouls. It’s annoying when they contest for midrange and three point shots because, like I said earlier in this post, they are low percentage shots.

How can the 76ers play a complete game without one of their top players? Sound off and stay tuned tonight when the 76ers conclude their Texas road trip with a stop in Houston to play the Rockets.  

reCAP: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Philadelphia 76ers

12/17/12

Last night I was at the 76ers game to witness Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in person. Seeing Kobe play live in person was a spectacle to see, and truly is a once in a lifetime thing. The 76ers were coming into this game on a two game losing streak while the Lakers have been trying to get adjusted to their new coach’s philosophy. Lakers’ coach Mike D’Antoni’s philosophy is beating you by scoring as many points as you can score in a game and play no defense. The Lakers were without Pau Gasol, Jordan Hill, Steve Nash, and Steve Blake. Gasol has tendinitis in both of his knees. Hill has back spasms. Nash has a leg injury and Blake has a torn abdominal muscle. The 76ers were without the presence of Jrue Holiday with a foot sprain.

The first half was a whole lot of offense. It seemed difficult for the 76ers to contain the Lakers from scoring a lot of points. Kwame Brown did a decent job guarding Dwight Howard in this half. He only limited Howard to five points on bad shooting. Darius Morris posted a career high 15 points in the first half. The 76ers kept leaving him open at the three point line, and he never missed. Nick Young was playing with a chip on his shoulder when he scored 16 first half points for the 76ers. He is from the LA area so I’m sure he was motivated to play well against his hometown team. Kobe’s 18 first half points for the Lakers was only the beginning of what would be a magnificent night for the player they call Kobe Bean Bryant. The Lakers led at halftime 60-50.

The second half was just as bad as the first half. The 76ers tried to adjust to the Lakers game, but the Lakers were simply unstoppable last night. They tried double teaming Kobe and he found Howard in the low post. When Howard was double teamed, he would find players like Metta World Peace (formerly known as Ron Artest) and Chris Duhon. The 76ers let those two players shoot wide open three’s and were making them. The 76ers looked erratic on defense. Whenever they had to switch their defensive assignment on who to guard for the Lakers, they looked confused as to who that player should guard. The Lakers won 111-98. Kobe finished the game with 34 points and made some amazing circus shots that only he would make. World Peace had a spectacular game scoring 19 points and finishing with a career high 16 rebounds. He had a double-double in the game. Howard also had a double-double in this game. He scored 17 points and collected 11 rebounds. Howard scored 12 of his 17 points in the half and played better when Lavoy Allen and Spencer Hawes had to defend him. Chris Duhon had 14 points in the game. Former 76er Jodie Meeks, now with the Lakers, scored 12 points off the bench. For the 76ers, Nick Young had a season high 30 points. Hawes and Evan Turner both finished with 16 points in the game. Thaddeus Young ended with 14 points.

Overall, the 76ers had no answers to beat the Lakers. The Lakers have a lot of talent, and have the best player in the NBA in Kobe Bryant. If the Lakers want to show the NBA that they are a good team, they have to buy into D’Antoni’s philosophy and execute what they’re being coached. The 76ers really need to learn to get to the free throw line more and stop trying to make mid-range jump shots. Those shots worked in the NBA 40 years ago, but not in today’s NBA. They have to find a way to attack the basket and to be aggressive. The 76ers need to rebound better. There’s no excuse that World Peace should grab as many rebounds as he had last night. I did like at the end of the game that the fans gave Kobe a standing ovation because you never know when you will go to a game that features a legend like Kobe.

Does Nick Young deserve to be in the starting lineup and use Jason Richardson as a bench player? Sound off and stay tuned on Tuesday when the 76ers go on a mini Texas road trip and face off against the Dallas Mavericks.  

reCAP: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Indiana Pacers

12/15/12

The 76ers were coming off a tough loss at home against the Chicago Bulls and they had to fly to Indianapolis to face the Pacers. The Pacers and the 76ers are two similar teams; they both play scrappy defense and they both have terrible offenses. Also, both of their teams don’t have their star players healthy. Andrew Bynum has been injured for the 76ers while Danny Granger has been injured for the Pacers. Both have knee injuries. The difference between the two teams is that the Pacers have size and length. That size and length includes Roy Hibbert, David West, and Paul George. The 76ers were without their emerging star player Jrue Holiday with a sprained foot. Lance Stephenson was not playing for the Pacers due to an ankle sprain.

The first half went exactly as advertised with tough defense and a lack of offense. Kwame Brown was surprisingly inserted into the starting lineup replacing Lavoy Allen. I’m sure that change was made because Brown has the size to defend Hibbert. Brown played his role well in which he provided tough defense on Hibbert. However, the problem was not Brown’s defense; it was Hibbert’s shooting touch that was on fire. The Pacers did make a bonehead play in the second quarter. With four seconds left to go in the quarter, West tried to throw a hail mary inbounds pass to the 76ers side of the court. That pass was blocked by Thaddeus Young and found Evan Turner to tie the game at 42. Then West tried to inbound the ball again and did another bad pass in which the 76ers called timeout with one second left to go in the quarter. Dorell Wright inbounded the ball to Spencer Hawes and he made a buzzer-beating shot to make the 76ers have the lead at halftime 44-42. Thaddeus Young led the 76ers with 10 points in the half while Paul George led the Pacers with 11 points.

In the second half, the Pacers used their home court crowd as momentum and it showed when they dominated the 76ers in all facets of the game. They were clearly the more aggressive team in this half. They dominated the rebounding and Paul George had the half of his life. Turner played some of this half angry when he got whistled for a technical foul. He was arguing a call that he thought was a terrible call, but replays showed that the call made by the official was the correct call. After Turner vented his frustration to the officials, he tried to rally his team from behind. They came close, but it was not good enough to solidify a win. The Pacers held on to win the game 95-85. Turner had a double-double in the game. He scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Sixteen of those 22 points were scored in the second half. Hawes finished with 18 points coming off the bench. Thaddeus Young ended the game with 12 points and seven rebounds. For the Pacers, Paul George finished with 28 points, 17 of those points were scored in the second half. Hibbert had a double-double. He scored 19 points and collected 13 rebounds. George Hill had a quiet triple-double in the game. He finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. He scored 10 of his 15 points in the second half. West ended with 14 points.

Overall, I was not surprised that the 76ers lost this game. They got manhandled in the rebounding department by the Pacers’ big men. The 76ers once again are having a difficult time making three pointers. That has to be fixed along with Jason Richardson’s shooting slump. Nick Young replaced Holiday in the starting lineup and was his typical streaky shooting self. One of these days he’s going to have a complete game. The question is when will that happen?

Was Jrue Holiday badly missed in the game last night? Sound off and stay tuned on Sunday when the 76ers host the Los Angeles Lakers. I will be at that game too.