Sixers top Pacers behind strong showing from T-Young

Thaddeus Young finished with 18 points and nine rebounds as the Philadelphia 76ers held off a late Pacers run to top Indiana, 110-100, at Conseco Fieldhouse.


Andre Iguodala, straight off back-to-back triple-doubles, posted 16 points, 10 assists, and four rebounds while Jrue Holiday added 16 points for Philadelphia, which is three games over .500 for the first time this season and now sits just a half-game behind the idle New York Knicks for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.


"Our starters have been starting really slow and tonight was huge for us because we got our defense set," Sixers coach Doug Collins said. "Iguodala was fantastic."


Jodie Meeks added 15 points while both Elton Brand and Spencer Hawes scored 12 points in the victory, Philadelphia's third straight and seventh in eight games.

Sixers take down C's behind low-post tandem

Elton Brand and Spencer Hawes both finished with 14 points and Philadelphia edged Boston, 89-86, at Wells Fargo Center.


Andre Iguodala added 13 points with nine rebounds and eight assists for the Sixers, who bounced back from Wednesday's overtime loss to the Thunder and have won four of five. Jodie Meeks added 12 points while Jrue Holiday posted nine points and seven assists for the victors.


"That's my guy," Sixers coach Doug Collins said of Iguodala. "I am going to put it in his hands and ride him down the stretch."


Jeff Green paced the Celtics with 18 points in a reserve role while Nenad Krstic added 16 points and 15 rebounds for Boston, which had won seven straight and nine of the last ten meetings in Philadelphia.


Green and Krstic are both relatively new to the Celtics as they were a part of the Kendrick Perkins to Oklahoma City deal at the trade deadline. Kevin Garnett added 14 points while Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce scored 12 and 11 points, respectively, in the loss.

Sixers enter the .500 Club

Jodie Meeks scored all of his 14 points in the second half, and Philadelphia held on late to top the Cleveland Cavaliers, 95-91, at Quicken Loans Arena.

Elton Brand and Lou Williams both finished with 16 points as the Sixers won their season-high fourth straight game. Jrue Holiday added 13 points while dishing out nine assists and Evan Turner added 10 points in a reserve role for Philadelphia, which is above .500 for the first time this season (30-29).

"Our bench gave us a huge lift," Brand said. "[Young] and Williams gave us a huge spark to overcome a 12-point deficit, they played with heart."

J.J. Hickson posted a game-high 22 points and 16 rebounds and Ramon Sessions added 20 points and 10 assists for Cleveland, which has dropped two of three. Antawn Jamison contributed 16 points but left the game late in the third quarter after breaking his left pinky finger.

Sixers enter All-Star break on high note: top Rockets

Andre Iguodala finished with 13 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists as the Philadelphia 76ers matched their entire win total for the 2009-10 season, topping the Houston Rockets, 114-105, at Toyota Center.

Philadelphia is now 27-29, a drastic improvement from their dismal 27-55 record from last season.

Jrue Holiday finished with 20 points and eight assists while both Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young finished with 19 points off the bench. The Sixers have now won three of four overall and are only the second Eastern Conference team to match or surpass their 2009-10 win total before the All-Star break (New Jersey 17).

"Our guys are in great spirits entering the break," Sixers coach Doug Collins said. "We are a good team and I tell them to remember that we are a good team."

Mauled: Sixers roughed up by Memphis

Mike Conley finished with team-high 22 points as Memphis won its fourth straight game, topping Philadelphia, 102-91, at FedEx Forum.

Zach Randolph posted 21 points with 10 rebounds and seven assists for the Grizzlies, who ended a three-game home stand with the win. Sam Young added 12 points and five boards while Rudy Gay scored 11 points before leaving the game in the second quarter.

Gay drove in the lane and was fouled by Sixers rookie Evan Turner, injuring his left shoulder in the process. Gay shot the associated free throws, but left the game afterward and did not return.

Thaddeus Young led Philadelphia with a game-high 23 points in a reserve role, and Lou Williams added 18 points, five boards and four assists as the Sixers lost in Memphis for the first time since January of 2007.

"This is one of the most aggressive teams we've played just because the lineups they put in the game are so strong," Young said. "They try to outmuscle you and out-quick you to everything. Those guys just outhustled us."

Augustin comes up big as B'Cats top Sixers

D.J. Augustin poured in a career-high 31 points, including 25 in the first half, and the Charlotte Bobcats snapped a two-game skid against Philadelphia, topping the 76ers 100-97 at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Augustin also dished out a game-high eight assists for the Bobcats, who have won two straight on the heels of a three-game skid.

"It was probably the most impressive thing I've seen so far with this club," Bobcats coach Paul Silas said of Augustin's first half. "I expect that kind of play from him all the time."

Gerald Henderson scored nine of his 11 points in the fourth quarter, and Nazr Mohammed added 15 points and seven rebounds for Charlotte, which announced mid-game that forward Tyrus Thomas will miss up to eight weeks with a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee.

Thaddeus Young led the Sixers with 21 points and Andre Iguodala contributed 19 points, but missed a crucial jumper in the final seconds for Philadelphia, which has dropped two straight.

"We just gotta get the team to learn how to play the game in certain situations," Iguodala said of the Sixers late-game struggles. "Late in games we gotta continue to know how to close out a game."

Henderson's jumper with 56.4 seconds remaining gave the Bobcats a 94-91 lead. After a Sixers timeout, Iguodala was fouled in the act of shooting a three- pointer, but missed the third free throw to leave the Sixers a point behind. Henderson grabbed the rebound and widened the Bobcats' advantage to 96-93 with a basket from the right side with 26 ticks remaining.

Williams leads Sixers over Bobcats in OT

Lou Williams finished with 23 points, including a three-pointer to send the game into overtime, and the Philadelphia 76ers topped the Charlotte Bobcats, 96-92, at the Wells Fargo Center.

Elton Brand notched a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds, while Andre Iguodala netted 16 points to go along with 10 rebounds and six assists for the Sixers, who won their first overtime game of the season and capped a three-game home stand at 2-1.

Jrue Holiday and Marreese Speights each supplied 10 points for the victors.

"Lou Williams was great in the second half," Sixers coach Doug Collins said. "Second [close] game in a row that we have won that we had not won all season long. It is huge growth for our team."

Boris Diaw finished with a triple-double scoring 25 while grabbing 11 rebounds and dishing out 11 assists for Charlotte, which has dropped three straight. Kwame Brown and Stephen Jackson both scored 15 and Brown grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds in defeat.

"We expected to win," Brown said. "We know we've got to chase balls off the three-point shot but we had a mental lapse and we didn't win."

Iggy makes return, Sixers fall flat to Pacers

Danny Granger finished with a game-high 27 points, and the Indiana Pacers survived a late Philadelphia surge to top the Sixers, 111-103, at Wells Fargo Center.

Darren Collison notched a double-double with 21 points and 13 assists for the Pacers, who snapped a nine-game road losing streak. Mike Dunleavy finished with 20 points and Tyler Hansbrough added 12 points and nine rebounds for Indiana.

Jrue Holiday led a balanced Sixers attack with 19 points and eight assists. Elton Brand added 18 points and both Evan Turner and Marreese Speights finished with 14 points in reserve roles for Philadelphia, which has dropped two in a row.

Sixers forward Andre Iguodala made his return to the team after missing seven games with an injured right Achilles. He finished with seven assists, but went 0-for-7 from the field and scored his only point in 33 minutes on a free throw.

"Needless to say, we were in an uphill struggle the whole night. We came out incredibly flat," Sixers coach Doug Collins said.

Back on track: Sixers return home with topping of Washington

Jrue Holiday and Lou Williams both finished with 26 points as the Philadelphia 76ers topped the Washington Wizards, 109-97, at the Wells Fargo Center. 

Elton Brand added 17 points and Andres Nocioni notched a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds for Philadelphia, which returned home after an eight- game road trip. 

Thaddeus Young contributed 11 points in a reserve role for the Sixers, who topped Washington for the first time since winning four straight during the 2008-09 season. 

"Needless to say, it is nice to beat Washington," Sixers coach Doug Collins said. "Our guys would not lose that game, and I was very proud of them for that." 

Nick Young led the Wizards with 21 points. Rookie John Wall finished with 18 points and 14 assists and Rashard Lewis added a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds for Washington, which has yet to win a game on the road this season (0-17).


"We've got to make clutch plays in clutch situations as far as on the road," Wizards coach Flip Saunders said. "Our margin of error is not that much." 

Lakers hold-on, avoid late Sixers surge

Bryant jumper in the final minute put the game away

Kobe Bryant hit the deciding jumper with 1:15 remaining and sank two free throws in the final seconds, as the Los Angeles Lakers edged the Philadelphia 76ers, 102-98, at Staples Center.

Bryant finished with a game-high 33 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter. Pau Gasol added 20 points and Andrew Bynum grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds to go with eight points for the Lakers, who have won two straight on the heels of a three-game skid.

Lamar Odom added 18 points and seven rebounds in a reserve role for LA.

Jrue Holiday led Philadelphia with 19 points and 11 assists. Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young finished with 18 and 14 points, respectively, off the bench for the Sixers, who are 3-4 on an eight-game road trip.

"I am proud of our guys," Sixers head coach Doug Collins said. "We hung in there and battled. Twenty-six assists ... we moved the ball. [Gasol and Bynum] are just so big, that's a load in there."

E.T. Phones Home: Sixers tops Suns without Iggy.

Turner had a breakout night 

Jrue Holiday scored 25 points to go along with seven assists, rookie Evan Turner added 23 points in a reserve role, and the Philadelphia 76ers topped the Phoenix Suns, 123-110, at US Airways Center.

Andres Nocioni added a season-high 22 points and 12 rebounds. Spencer Hawes notched a double-double with 10 points and 11 boards for the Sixers, who are 3-3 on a eight-game road trip.

Elton Brand and Thaddeus Young scored 16 and 15 points, respectively, for Philadelphia.

The Sixers played without swingman Andre Iguodala, who missed his second straight game while dealing with right Achilles tendinitis. Reserve guard Lou Williams scored 10 points in his first game back after missing two games due to the birth of his daughter.

Sixers even up on the road, Top Nuggets

Meeks' three in the final minute sealed the win

Jodie Meeks hit a deep three with 47.1 seconds remaining to cap strong fourth quarter, and the Philadelphia 76ers topped the Denver Nuggets, 95-89, at Pepsi Center.

Jrue Holiday finished with 22 points, Elton Brand notched a double-double with 16 points and 17 rebounds. Meeks ended with 17 points for the Sixers, who snapped a two-game skid and are now 2-2 on a eight-game road trip.

"Once again our defense gave us a chance," Philadelphia coach Doug Collins said. "We won this game today shooting under 40 percent from the floor, 3-of-14 from three, missing 12 free throws."

Chauncey Billups finished with a game-high 24 points, Arron Afflalo and Ty Lawson both scored 14 and Nene had 13 points and nine rebounds for Denver, which was without superstar Carmelo Anthony. He missed his third game in a row following the death of his sister, Michelle Anthony, who passed away due to a pre-existing medical condition.

Allen leads the way as Celtics top the Sixers AGAIN

Ray Allen led the Celtics with 22 points and six assists as Boston topped Philadelphia, 84-80, for its league-leading 14th consecutive victory. 

Shaquille O'Neal finished with 13 points and nine rebounds and Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce added 12 and 11 points, respectively, for Boston, which capped a three-game home stand. 

Elton Brand led Philadelphia with 16 points and 12 rebounds, but fouled out late in the fourth, and Jrue Holiday added 15 points for the Sixers, who have dropped two straight. 

"Our team is competitive," said Sixers head coach Doug Collins. "Our guys compete every single night. For them to come out and play the Celtics the way we did, they showed me who they are. I knew our guys were going to compete like this." 

Luck of the Irish: Celtics top 76ers on Garnetts last second basket

Iconic is was not but Sixers Celtics sure was entertaining

Kevin Garnett's alley-oop layup with 1.4 seconds remaining lifted the Boston Celtics to a 102-101 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center.

Rajon Rondo connected with Garnett for the tip-in, finding his teammate with a substantial size advantage in the paint over Sixers guard Jrue Holiday.

"We worked on that last week," said Celtics head coach Doc Rivers of the play. "We tried to run it early and we had bad timing. It's just funny how things work out."

The shot came just seconds after Andre Iguodala gave Philadelphia a 101-100 advantage with a running hook shot.
Garnett stole the inbounds pass after his go-ahead bucket, sealing the win for Boston. He scored 14 points and Rondo added 19 with 14 assists for the Celtics, who have won nine straight.

Ray Allen scored a game-high 23 points and Glen Davis added 16 in a reserve role for Boston.

Jodie Meeks led the Sixers with 19 points on 4-of-4 from beyond the arc and Iguodala scored 14 with 11 assists for the Sixers, who saw their five-game home winning streak snapped.

Hornets Stung: Philly capitalizes on slow NOLA for win

Andre Iguodala scored 16 to go along with 10 rebounds and five assists as the Philadelphia 76ers cruised to an 88-70 victory over the New Orleans Hornets at Wells Fargo Center.

Lou Williams accounted for 17 points and Elton Brand had 15 points and 13 rebounds for the Sixers, who capped a 3-1 homestand with the win. Jrue Holiday added 12 points and four assists.

"The mentality around the team is great. Five out of seven," stated Brand when talking about the team's recent success. "We had a lead out in Atlanta, big lead and the one-point loss the other day [to Boston]. That could have been seven in a row. We would have been one of the most talked about teams in the league, so they know we can play. We are just working hard to get better."

Chris Paul led the Hornets with 25 points but fell well below his 10.4 assists per game average because of a dismal shooting day from his team. David West accounted for nine points and eight rebounds and Trevor Ariza grabbed 10 boards for the Hornets, who have lost two in a row and four of their last five.

"Give them credit. They switched, they're active and athletic," Hornets head coach Monty Williams said of the Sixers. "But we missed a lot of point blank shots and we missed a lot of free throws."

LouWill Shines as Sixers top Magic

Lou Williams scored 24 points off the bench and the Philadelphia 76ers opened an eight-game road-trip with a 97-89 victory over the Orlando Magic at Amway Center.


Orlando made two trades prior to the game, overhauling its roster in the midst of a slump with moves that involved eight players.


Andre Iguodala scored 21 points and dished out seven assists for Philadelphia, which has won two straight on the road for the first time this season. Elton Brand finished with a double-double, scoring 20 and grabbing 13 rebounds.


The Magic acquired embattled guard Gilbert Arenas from Washington for forward Rashard Lewis, then made a six-player deal with Phoenix that netted them Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu and Earl Clark for Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus, a first-round draft pick and cash consideration.


"We needed scoring and we needed a little bit more punch," stated Magic president of basketball operations Otis Smith regarding the trades. "Looking at our team we were missing a little bit of something. We lost size but we got scorers and that was important for us."

Phil Jasner: Thank You

For those of you that know me you know that I am a basketball fan. Someone that follows the NBA more then is socially acceptable and one of the remaining Sixers fans still brave enough to admit it.

Today the Sixers lost one of their longest standing voices, Mr. Phil Jasner. I don't need to read across his accomplishments because if you know who he is then his years of service to the Philadelphia basketball community are already well known.

I met Phil once and I thought it was a good time to tell my story.

Philadelphia 76ers: Is Their Lack of Defense a Cause For Preseason Panic?

There is a common trend in the NBA about the weight fans and writers should put into the NBA Summer League and preseason performance. Most teams spend their summer league teaching young talents and spend most of the preseason working out their kinks, but the Philadelphia 76ers are already showing signs that the 2010-11 season may not live up to expectations.

With their offseason moves and the evolution of their young talent, a march towards the playoffs is what many writers felt was in their future.

Somewhere around 43-48 wins and a seven or eight seed seems like an expectation that the new look 76ers can achieve, but as someone (and probably one of the only) who pays attention to the NBA preseason, the Philadelphia 76ers may be showing signs that 2010-11 could be longer, and worse than their 27-55 record of last season.

As of Oct. 10, the 76ers are 0-3 in preseason action, including two losses to the New Jersey Nets. The team is averaging only 83 points a game and have yet to have a player finish with a double-double.

They have showed weakness on the defensive end ranking towards the bottom of the league in field goal shooting and defensive rebounds.

I know what you're saying, THE NBA PRESEASON DOES NOT MATTER, and for that you are correct, but consider this. Out of the 30 teams in the NBA, the Sixers will have the youngest back court in the league. The duo of Evan Turner (SG) and Jrue Holiday (PG) ranked with the youngest and least experienced players in the NBA.

Normally these players aren't the first who come to mind when you think about defense, that issue is usually designated for players like Elton Brand, Marreese Speight or Andre Iguodala but when both of these players are going to be crucial in a transition offense their lacks of steals and forced turnovers in the preseason get me a little worried.

Out of the mid and low post players (Brand, Iguodala, Speights), none has averaged over six rebounds a game and are the biggest part of fact that the 76ers are being out-rebounded by over 10 a game, and opposing teams are averaging over 55 percent on second-chance points.

Darius Songaila, Craig Brackens To 76ers For Jason Smith, Willie Green

The Philadelphia 76ers have announced they have made a trade with the New Orleans Hornets that will send center Jason Smith and guard Willie Green in exchange for forward Darius Songaila and rookie Craig Brackins.

The deal was rumored this morning and general manager Rod Thorn made the official announcement just moments ago.

“We made the move for these two players to add additional depth to our front court and to add out-court shooting, which was an area that we felt needed improving,” stated Thorn. "[Darius] Songaila is a hard-working, veteran forward who will give us another option up front and Brackins is a rookie that we feel has a chance to develop into a very productive player at this level."

A.I. Cronicales Part 1: Is China a Legitimate Option For Iverson?

This article is part one of a two-part piece chronicling the Philadelphia 76ers and their history with the A.I. Part one will chronicle former guard Allen Iverson and his future in the NBA and abroad.

By now most NBA fans have heard the news that Allen Iverson has expressed an interest to play in China next season. The move comes on the eve of NBA training camps and the lack of interest teams within the league have expressed in the 35-year-old guard.

Iverson's agent, Gary Moore, spoke with the media about the possibility of the Sixers all-time leading scorer heading to China and the fact that there is a lack of interest in the NBA for the guard.

"We're very astonished, to say the least, that not one team has contacted us with any interest," Moore said. "I just don't understand it."

Really Gary...

If recent history has taught us anything about the careers of aging athletes, heading to a foreign land seems like the next logical step for A.I.

We saw Stephon Marbury wear out his welcome within the league and make a quick exit to China. The former all-star Tracy McGrady may be right behind him too.

When a player in the league reaches the end of their career they only have a few options and most of those are non-options for Iverson.