<font size=""4"">@</font> <font color=""purple"">MilwaukeeBucks(9-7)</font> @ <font color=""darkred"">Philadelphia 76ers(8-10)</font> Time: Wednesday, Dec 7, 7:00pm TV: NBALP, CSN <font color="purple">Milwaukee Bucks</font> <font size=""1""><font color=""purple"">PG</font>- TJ Ford <font color=""purple"">SG</font>- Michael Redd <font color=""purple"">SF</font>- Bobby Simmons <font color=""purple"">PF</font>- Andrew Bogut <font color=""purple"">C</font>- Jamal Magloire</font> <font size=""1"">Coach: Terry Stotts</font> ____________________________ <font color=""DarkRed"">Philadelphia 76ers</font> <font size=""1""><font color=""DarkRed"">PG</font>- Allen Iverson <font color=""DarkRed"">SG</font>- Andre Iguodala <font color=""DarkRed"">SF</font>-Kyle Korver <font color=""DarkRed"">PF</font>- Chris Webber <font color=""DarkRed"">C</font>- Samuel Dalembert</font> <font size=""1"">Coach: Maurice Cheeks</font> Keys to the Game <ul><font color="darkred">Rebounding</font> The Sixers literally gave up games due to not doing something as fundamentally as boxing out and rebounding the ball. Against the two losses against he Bucks this season they are trailing the Bucks in the rebounding department with 78 to the Bucks 101. In the two losses against the Bucks this season the Sixers are getting outrebounded by an average of 11.5 RPG against this team. So rebounding will be very vital in this game if the Sixers want to pull out a win.[/list] <ul><font color="DarkRed">Deny Ball Penetration</font> It was very clear that the main reason the Bucks won in their first meeting against the Sixers was primarily because of TJ Ford ball penetration. The guy nearly notched a triple double on the Sixers home opener because of his ball penetration and also due to Iverson not staying with him. So again, this will be yet another vital aspect that can determine the game. In order for the Sixers to win this game they must not stop Redd but they must stop TJ Ford. If they can keep him out of the paint he won't be much of a factor.[/list] <ul><font color="DarkRed">Team Ball</font> Again dating back to the first game which was where the Sixers executed best to give them a chance to win until the final 2 minutes, the assist # was a big reason why they gave the Bucks a run for their money. In that game they were able to dish out 25 assist as a team. Iverson and Webber got their points while role players like Nailon, Hunter and Salmons chipped in with what they had. The high assist # has been what made the Sixers offense look so sharp this season, so they must look to move the ball and get some quick and easy points. The Bucks like the Sixers are both very lackadaisical on defense, so this will be a "who ever can score more" game. Since that will most likely be the case the Sixers should concentrate on scoring the ball because that is what will win them the game, not their defense.[/list] <div align="center"></div> Luckily for the Sixers the great Moses Malone was able to give them a pep talk and stress the most important thing that is hurting the Sixers which is rebounding. They've had 3 idle days and they will now be playing at home against a team that has defeated them on two occasions, so know is the time to turn things around. The last pep talk they got from Coach Cheeks they ended up wining 6 straight. So being rejuvenated, playing at home against a team that beat you twice in addition to having a peep talk from a legend, I expect the Sixers to come out of the gate very strong and have a sizeable lead throughout the game, even as much as 15-20 points. Like usual they will collapse in the 4th and show why they will have fewer than 15,000 ?fans? tonight, but eventually they will get some key buckets and close the game out. 116-104 76ers.
If we lose tonight then Im gonna be so pissed.I need a win (especially after the Eagles got burned on monday) Id rather see AI score 20-25 and everyone else (starters and Salmons,Hunter) follow with 10-20 points. I don't know how we can lose so many leads.I had a game on monday and my team played against guys who were 1-2 years older then us and I started to hit my 3's (about 8 in the game),we got a big lead and I came out after the 3rd quarter.We had a 20 point lead and we won by it. First I thought we needed another defensive big man under the basket cause Hunter and Webber may be tired from loggin heavy minutes but now it just looks stupid.Seems like we would have to play a close game and pull away in the 4th not use our firepower and get a big lead in the 1st
This should be an interesting game however--I predict Sixers by 5 and AI comes up big once again along with Korver
^Yeah I would like to see Korver have a big night, but I wanna see us just a pull out a good win, instead of a nailbiter after we were up 10-15 going into the 4th. Let`s hope we can shut down Redd and slows the Bucks down, rebound well, and pull out a hardworking win. Sixers win, 98-88
nice preview avery. i really dont see the sixers losing this one. sure they have been struggling as of late, but all their anger and steam will be let off in this one. i dont just see the sixers winning, i see them doing something that they rarely do, i see them blowing out the bucks. i know its a bit optimistic, because the bucks are competitors, and are a pretty good team, but i feel it in my blood. sixers 104 bucks 82 also, just a thought. the sixers are just 1-5 with the starting lineup of: pg AI sg Andre sf Korver pf Webber c Sammy
Nice preview, I have a feeling we'll come out on top for this game. We've just dropped way too many and after a nice break, the players should be looking fresh and energized. Meanwhile, the Bucks just suffered a lost last night to the Lakers. Really though, it can go either way. In this game, I'd like the team play more team oriented and play off of Webber and Iverson. Those two will get their stats regardless, especially since they don't really have any above average defenders guarding them. Meanwhile, Iguodala needs to shut Redd down and make sure he doesn't explode on them like he did before. Good luck.
I'd like to think the 76ers would win this game, they have had a few days of rest and should come out with energy. The last thing they need to worry about is playing offense, if this team played good defense every game then they'd be a top team in the league. Sadly they don't play defense and they dont rebound the ball, hopefully at some point the 76ers will be able to turn things around when it comes to that. But in front of a home crowd I think they will get a win, even if it takes AI to score 50 points. The 76ers won't loose three consecutive games to the Bucks, and I'd be willing to bet that...
I'm really confident about this game. The idle days that we had/have will pay off. It will pay off so much that I will go out on a limb here and say that the Sixers will win 7 out of their next 10 games. We have winnable games ahead and most importantly idle days between some games with the exception of one back-to-back set. I can almost gurantee when the Sixers go on another cold streak a Sixer from the past will come and give this team another pep talk. Perhaps Dawkins? And when it's playofftime hopefully Dr. J will come by. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">also, just a thought. the sixers are just 1-5 with the starting lineup of: pg AI sg Andre sf Korver pf Webber c Sammy</div> Great find. That's an interesting fact. Maybe Hunter should have remained in the starting lineup until Sammy becomes 100%. He's been playing great but I don't think he is yet at 100%, oh well, I'm sure that record will eventually read the completly opposite soon.
Well, so far everybodies prediction has been off and the 76ers are losing by 15 points, and have only scored 39 points at half time. Once again, everyone not named Iverson isn't doing much at all. I don't know what the problem is really, but the players don't even seem like they care because they haven't shown any sense of urgency.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">why has he been at the end of the bench all season?</div> Ah, the injury woes of the Philadelphia 76ers... Anyways, Philadelphia came back and are up by seven with Iverson obviously leading the way. Everyone else has been subpar but hey at least they're containing Redd.
that, was horrible. you cant believe how pissed i am. like B-22 said, this team just cant hold a lead, and i predicted a blowout. i cant tell you how disappionted i am. we had the game in the winding seconds, but still couldnt finish it off. it just goes to show that you have to start strong and end strong, which is something the sixers still fail to learn how to do. i just hope mo cheeks stops playing mr. niceguy and gets into the players faces. who knows? we may be seeing a starting lineup change. we're 1-6 now with sammy starting. the only positive thing? we're still first in the atlantic which is utterly unbelievable.
Not to mention, their attempt to tie the game at the end after the time out was poorly set up, and I question Mo Cheeks. Why would you have your best scorer inbounding the ball with so little time left? AI should have had the ball in his hands no matter what because out of all the Sixers he has the best chance to make a play. Instead, AI was inbounding, and there wasn't even any motion Webber popped out to the three point line and threw up a shot that didn't have much of a chance. There didn't seem to be any attempt to get one player the ball for an open look, and overall it was bad execution coming off the time out. But still it shouldn't have came down to that. Despite this loss, I have cooled off. Even though the 76ers lost tonight I still have some faith in them. But I do think they are far off from actually being a real contender. They need something that will set them apart from everybody else, because right now they are just another struggling team in the East.
If anything good came out of tonight, Shavlik had a big game. Maybe he could back up CWebb. Speaking of, another weak shooting night. He's gotta get it together, its a shame he hasnt played the same with Sammy in the line up, cuz were getting good games from him. 4 blocks a game wow.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Avery:</div><div class="quote_post">I will go out on a limb here and say that the Sixers will win 7 out of their next 10 games.</div> Despite this lost I will stick with that. Nobody would believe how much I was incredibly displeased and discouraged with this team with last night lost. That lost was the most I was EVER upset with this team, I was close to just not caring at all not even one bit. But then later that night I realized that this team has got to the Finals only once and didn't really do anything ground breaking after that or before it, but I found myself coming back for more every year to root them on. I asked myself why, and that was because of a special player they had in AI. And sooner than later something spectacular will happen. I noticed there are TONS of fans that gave up on this team. But for some odd reason I feel rejuvenated and ready to follow this team more than ever. We are about halfway to completing the first half of the season and the other teams in the division are doing aren't doing that much better than us. I just have a good feeling about this team and something is bound to happen. I hope you guys feel the same way after this little pep talk, but again somethimg is going to happen, I can just feel it. As for Shav, I was completly unware of the type of game he had. He nearly notched a triple double with one quarter of play. If that isn't saying something, then I don't know what is. Out of him and Gai I had the most confidence in him because during the offseason he was talking a little smack about him now being in the NBA. While watching highlights doesn't seem like much evidence, I could tell from his body language that he seems like a smart, gutsy type of player. Somewhat reminds me of a David Lee. Mo should give him more minutes.
