The Sixers played another poor game Friday night, although the team managed to halt its three-game skid by outlasting a hapless Toronto club, 98-93, that was minus its starting center and point guard.
The Raptors had a chance to even things in the waning seconds but Jerryd Bayless' wild three didn't, draw iron, and Jrue Holiday sealed things for the Sixers with a pair of free throws at the other end.
Holiday, however, and his running mate, Jodie Meeks, were dominated by the Raptors' starting backcourt of Bayless and DeMar DeRozan.
DeRozan, the former first round draft pick out of USC, finished with a game-high 27 points while Bayless, who was taking the place of usual starter Jose Calderon, netted 24 points and eight assists for the Raptors, losers of three straight and nine of their last 10 games.
Holiday had a double-double of 13 points and 11 helpers but shot just 3-of-11 from the floor. Meanwhile, Meeks' dismal shooting slump continued as the two guard made just 2-of-11 shots, including 2-of-9 from long range. Meeks is a miserable 2-of-17 from long range over the past two games.
Offensively, Philadelphia, which has struggled mightily since losing Lou Williams to a hamstring injury, was saved by Elton Brand, Thaddeus Young and Andre Iguodala. E.B. donated a team-high 22 points and eight rebounds while Young came off the bench to score 20 on 8-of-13 from the floor. Iguodala finished with 16 points.
Former Sixer Reggie Evans, who was starting at the pivot for Toronto in place of Andrea Bargnani, had eight points and a game-high 15 rebounds.
New York also won Friday, topping New Jersey, so the Sixers remain a half-game behind the Knicks for the Eastern Conference's sixth spot. Philadelphia will finish the regular season with home games against Orlando on Monday and Detroit on Wednesday.
The playoffs, in which the team will either face Miami or Boston, will then kick off on either Saturday or Sunday of next week.
SIX SHOTS:
*Attendance was 16,362.
*The Raptors missed 14 straight field goals over a nine-minute span that bridged the first and second quarters but the Sixers still couldn't shake them.
*Collins shortened up his rotation and used just eight players and one of them, newly signed guard Antonio Daniels, played just 3:31.
*The Sixers free throw shooting continues to be a problem. Young, Iguodala and Meeks combined to miss five straight in the fourth, which enabled Toronto to stick around.
*Toronto coach Jay Triano was tossed in the fourth quarter and veteran assistant P.J. Carlesimo took over the Raptors.
*Philly is now 26-13 at home, its most wins as the host since finishing 29-12 in 2000-01.
*Sixers are 12-3 when Young scores 20-plus.
No comments:
Post a Comment