The first half went exactly as we'd hoped, the second half went exactly as we'd feared. What was once a 15-point lead turned into a six-point loss as the Sixers slump becomes more and more alarming. (
game capsule).
Here's your rotation chart. Note the two positive runs in the first half, then the units that pissed the lead away in the third:
There isn't a whole lot to say about this game. In the first half, the Sixers moved themselves and the ball with purpose on the offensive end, and the result of all that movement was high-percentage looks, including a ton of great looks for their bigs created by the smalls. In the second half, the Mavs decided to pressure the ball and for some reason the Sixers response was to dribble the air out of it, stand around and settle for bad jumpers when they weren't simply coughing it up.
The defense was great. You can't ask for anything more than holding the Mavs to an OFR of 92.63. It really doesn't matter how good your defense is, though, when your offense is that bad. Jrue, Turner, Lou, Meeks, Brand and Iguodala were all just putrid on the offensive end. Lavoy Allen, Nikola Vucevic and Thad Young couldn't get the job done on their own, especially when the guys on the outside were seemingly hellbent on heaving up bad jumpers at their earliest convenience.
Like I said, not a whole lot to say. Tomorrow is an off day, we'll take a look at the team's struggles if I have the time to pull some numbers together. I hope they practice tomorrow before heading to Minnesota. They really need it.
Player of The Game: Vucevic. 7/8 from the floor for 16 points. 7 boards a steal and a block in only 19 minutes of action. Why he only played 19 minutes is beyond me.
Team Record: 20-11
Up Next: @ MIN, Sunday night
Jrue's Goal: Pass tonight, 4 FTA to zero turnovers. Officially, the only thing Jrue did right on the offensive end in this game. (2/3 since inception)
Holiday (0-for-9) becomes first Sixer since Willie Green (also 0-for-9 at Miami on Feb. 21, 2009) to miss that many shots without making one.
Collins on Holiday's struggles: "You've got to keep fighting, man. It's a tough business."
1 for his last 17 and 7 TO's in that stretch.
Worst 2 games of his career.
It's actually 5 turnovers, not that it makes much of a difference.
Link to game story (with Iguodala video) from loss to Mavs:
http://www.phillyburbs.com/sports/sixers/subpar-second-half-nowitzki-sink-sixers/article_f0dfd53c-b74f-5e36-83e8-3ce2e9ddd3ab.html
Jrue made me be on an uneven keel. Tell me about it......
They had them down 9 with about half to go in the third. And it ended up like that.
Next up, the man who went for 30 and 12 tonight - no, not Kevin Love.
http://youtu.be/Heu05Vs7Id8
Tough last two games for the Sixers. But I cant help but come back to Charles Barkleys quotes on this team.
And I've heard it over and over again from him. At first I thought he was just being negative but hes telling the truth. The Sixers are a good feisty team but they aren't going to be able to take it to the next level with this roster. You can see what happens to them when the better teams in the league have all their weapons(or most of their weapons). They don't have a go to scorer---the scoring by committee has NEVER worked on any championship team. The pistons won but you cant compare Jrue and Meeks to Isaiah Thomas and Joe Dumars--who WERE go to clutch scorers. I like the heart of this team but they are not winning anything more than one playoff series, if that.
Rod Thorn better be listening very closely to offers before the trade deadline. Im about done with Jodi Meeks too.
http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2012/02/16/charles-barkley-on-the-sixers-jeremy-lin-desean-jackson-and-nba-superstars/
Uh dog pretty sure the pistons comp is the Chauncey billups, rip Hamilton pistons not the bad boys.
12-2/8-9 split with/without Hawes is being reported today. It's not representative of his worth; schedule strength split required to round out the story. He's a shooter/high post passer in a big man's body, not a legit big man. Top tier players know the difference. Advantage, top tier.
Last night's team shooting woes - continuation of reversion to the mean.
Jason Kidd plays ball as it was meant to be played. What a PG, what a tremendous competitor; one of history's best. His step-up '3' to put Mavs up 72-63 was a dagger, along with Dirk's step-back high banker.
Kidd is tremendous, a true pleasure to watch.
One of my all-time favorites.
Video: Collins on Holiday's struggles and how lack of practice time is affecting the Sixers' young players:
http://www.phillyburbs.com/sports/sixers/collins-on-holiday/youtube_a8103d89-7c60-500b-a1c2-ecdef9ca4c89.html