reCAP: Orlando Magic vs. Philadelphia 76ers

2/5/13

There was only one word that can describe this game. That word is UGLY. I was there to witness this ugly performance. The Magic are a terrible team to begin with and they were coming into this game shorthanded. They had five players out due to injury. They were without their best scorer in Aaron Afflalo, their best shooter in J.J. Redick, their best point guard that grew up in Philly in Jameer Nelson, Daequan Jones and Glen “Big Baby” Davis. The Magic’s best player on the court coming into the game was former 76er Nik Vucevic. The 76ers have been doing what they need to be doing. They have been winning their games against inferior teams and have won their past two games coming into this one. Can you believe for over two months they haven’t had a winning streak; they haven’t won more than one game in a row for this long? That is not surprising given the fact that the 76ers are a mediocre team. Jason Richardson was out for the seventh consecutive game for the 76ers with left knee synovitis and will be out for awhile after getting a third opinion on his injured knee.

The 76ers started out hot in the first quarter and were blowing the Magic away from their building. They were running a fast offense and getting easy shots to fall in the basket. Then the second quarter happened and both teams had trouble generating offense. This didn’t happen only in this quarter, but the lack of offense transpired throughout the rest of the game. The defense stepped up for both teams. The big blow for the 76ers occurred when Thaddeus Young injured his hamstring in the second quarter when he dove for a loose ball. It looked like a bad injury from where I was sitting. He was on the ground for a few minutes before a few of his teammates helped him limp off the court and take him to the locker room to get tests on his hamstring. The results of an MRI for Thaddeus Young will be known today. At halftime the 76ers led 42-35. That looks more like a middle of the second quarter score than a halftime score. Nick Young led the 76ers with 10 points at the half. E’Twaun Moore led the Magic with 12 points.

I don’t know if I can say anything about the second half. It was a dreadful display of offense. That’s pretty much what I can say about the second half without sounding redundant. The 76ers survived this ugly game winning by a final score of 78-61. This final score looked more like an end of a third quarter score. Spencer Hawes and Jrue Holiday both had double-doubles for the 76ers. Hawes scored 21 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. This was his best game of the season in my view. Holiday cashed in with a quiet 13 points and 14 assists. Nick Young finished with 15 points and four steals. Lavoy Allen had a solid game off the bench. He collected 10 points, snatched six rebounds, and blocked three shots. For the Magic, E’Twaun Moore finished with 18 points. Andrew Nicholson scored 11 points and had six rebounds coming off the bench. Mo Harkless, another player that’s a former 76er, but as a guy they drafted, ended with 10 points. Vucevic did not post a double-double that he’s accustomed to having all season. He collected 9 points, but got 14 rebounds.

Overall, as much as I love the 76ers winning, that game sucked. It was very similar to a game they played this year against the New Orleans Hornets. When they beat the Hornets 77-62 in November, the 62 points allowed were the fewest the 76ers allowed in their team history in the shot clock era. The 61 points the Magic scored last night broke the previous record that occurred this year. Losing Thaddeus Young was a big blow to the 76ers. He’s the only player that gives it his all every game. He scores low in the post, he has a midrange shot, he plays tough defense, and hustles for loose balls. This game went by so fast too. There were very few whistles that were blown. Both teams shot a combined 13 free throws. Then again, both teams shoot the fewest free throws in the NBA this season. I really don’t know what else to say. This game felt more like a college basketball game with how low the scoring was and how high the emphasis was on defense.

Who needs to step up if Thaddeus Young is out for an extended period of time? Sound off and stay tuned on Wednesday when the 76ers host the Indiana Pacers.  

UPDATE: Thaddeus Young's MRI revealed a grade 1 tear in his left hamstring and will be out for three weeks.