11/1/12
Welcome to my first basketball blog post and the first game
of the 2012-2013 season for the 76ers. I was at the game, held on Halloween
night, to experience their 84-75 win. It was a good atmosphere of 19,101 fans
to welcome back their former star player Andre Iguodala. This summer Iguodala
was part of the mega trade that sent Dwight Howard to the LA Lakers, which gave
the 76ers Andrew Bynum. Unfortunately Bynum did not play in the 76ers first
game of the season due to chronic knee problems that have persisted since the
offseason. It is not certain when Bynum will make his season debut for the
76ers. Also, not making their season debut due to injuries for the Nuggets were
Danilo Gallinari and Timofey Mozgov. When Iguodala got introduced to the fans,
he received a mix of cheers and boos from the crowd. During the first timeout,
the 76ers showed a tribute video to Iguodala. The video showed his two clutch
free throws that he made last year during the 76ers playoff run against the
Chicago Bulls. After the video was finished, the crowd gave a standing ovation
because it was such a good moment in 76ers history.
The 76ers led the Nuggets 46-38 after the first half. The
game was close in the first quarter with the 76ers leading 25-22, but in the
second quarter, the 76ers took control of the game. The standout players for
the first half for the 76ers were Spencer Hawes, Dorell Wright, and Jrue Holiday.
Hawes scored 12 of his 16 points in the first half of the game coming off the
bench, and grabbed seven rebounds. Wright scored 12 of his 14 points in the
first half of the game. Most of his points came from the free throw line. Holiday
had seven points and seven assists in the first half. The other player the
76ers received in the Bynum trade, Jason Richardson, scored all six of his
points on three pointers in the first quarter. Thaddeus Young chipped in with
six first half points.
For the Nuggets, Kosta Koufos, Andre Miller, Iguodala, and
power forward Kenneth Faried were the standout players in the half. Koufos and
Faried both scored six points in the half. Koufos grabbed six of his nine rebounds
in the first half. Faried one-upped him and grabbed seven rebounds. Iguodala
scored seven of his 11 points in the first half. Miller one-upped Iguodala and
scored eight of his 10 points in the first half.
The second half started out dreadful, especially in the
third quarter shooting wise. The 76ers led 65-52 in the third quarter and it
looked like a runaway game for them. However, that 13 point third quarter lead shrunk
when Ty Lawson for the Nuggets scored 11 fourth quarter points to try to rally
his team back from a 13 point deficit. The standout players in the second half
for the 76ers were Holiday, Hawes, Thaddeus Young, and Nick Young. Holiday and
Thaddeus Young both had seven points in the second half. Nick Young scored nine
points all in the second half. Hawes had a game high five blocks all in the
second half.
For the Nuggets, Lawson was their only standout star in the
half. He finished with 13 points.
Overall, this game was not what anyone expected. The Nuggets
last year scored an average of 104 points per game. They never scored as low as
75 points in any game in all of last year. Give credit to the defensive effort
made by both of the teams. The big factor in the game was free throw shooting.
The 76ers went to the free throw line 21 times making 17 of their free throws.
The Nuggets went to the line 11 times and made five of their free throws.
Are the Nuggets
better than what they showed against the 76ers? What do the 76ers need to
improve in? Sound off and stay tuned to my next 76ers blog when they go on the
road to face the New York Knicks on Sunday.
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