Sixers Run Out of Gas

Tonight's 106-95 loss the Jazz was defined, and decided by three runs. The first run, by the Jazz, came to open the first quarter when they opened up 13-2. The second run followed right on the heels of the first, with the Sixers answering back with a 19-4 run of their own to finish the first quarter with the lead.

The third, and final run of the game came at the open of the third quarter. Again, 13-2 in favor of the Jazz. The Sixers couldn't answer this time, and that was all she wrote. They ran out of gas down the stretch, thanks in large part to the disappearance of Korver's outside shot (he missed three straight wide-open threes as the Sixers tried to claw their way back into the game in the third).

As is so often the case on the second night of back-to-backs, the Sixers came out fast and then faded down the stretch. Mo Cheeks opened up his rotation slightly, using Carney for 9 minutes. Again, minutes better saved for Thad Young, but Carney wasn't atrocious. He hit grabbed an offensive rebound, stuck it back, and hit an open three in his first couple of minutes of action to give the Sixers a boost, then turned the ball over on a fast break.

Foul trouble plagued Dalembert, and the Utah big men took advantage of his absence. Boozer hit for 26 and Memet Okur chipped in with 16 before heading to the locker room with back spasms.

I was counting this one as a loss, so no harm, no foul, I guess. Although it would be nice to see the Sixers pull a couple of these close games against playoff teams out. I'd like to point out something about the Sixers' schedule, though. This is the third time already, in just 14 games, that the Sixers have played the front-end of a back-to-backs on the road, then traveled home to face a playoff team for the back-end. Not a very friendly schedule. They face this exact same situation three more times against playoff teams from last year, and once against Boston as well. Schedule-makers are a$$holes.

Player of The Game: Lou Williams, 13 points, 6 boards, 6 assists.
Line of The Night: Willie Green and Kyle Korver, combined: 3 of 19 from the field.
Team Record: 4-10