<div align="center"> <font color=""DarkRed"">Philadelphia 76ers</font> @<font color=""Red""> Atlanta Hawks</font> Time: Friday, 7:00pm at Hawks TV: NBALP, WPSG <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> ____________________________ <font color=""Red"">Atlanta Hawks</font> <font size=""1""><font color=""Red"">PG</font>- Royal Ivey <font color=""Red"">SG</font>- Joe Johnson <font color=""Red"">SF</font>- Josh Smith <font color=""Red"">PF</font>- Al Harrington <font color=""Red"">C</font>- Zaza Pachulia</font> <font size=""1"">Coach: Mike Woodson</font> </div> <ul><font color="DarkRed">Rebound</font> this will be a key to every game until further notice, or out rebound an opponent and actually lose. Which ever comes first. We rebound we win simple as that.[/list] <ul><font color="DarkRed">Get Dre involved</font> Dre is the kind of player who if he gets going early can go off on any given night. The 76ers also perform a lot better when Dre gets over ten field goal attempts. During this mini win streak, six of our last seven, Korver and Dre have been just as big a part as Webber and AI. They need to perform well for us to win.[/list] <ul><font color="DarkRed">Don‘t sleep on the Hawks</font> ask the Cavaliers, Spurs, and Nuggets what happens when you don’t take this team seriously. The Hawks are starting to get it together we got to come out with the same intensity we would for a game against a playoff contender.[/list] <div align="center"></div> <ul><font color="Red">Control the pace</font> the 76ers are the kind of team that can really dominate if the pace is in their favor. So the Hawks have to control the tempo of tonight’s game, and not allow the 76ers to push the ball up and down the court with ease.[/list] <ul><font color="Red">Hit open shots</font> the 76ers defense often tends to give a guy a open shot if the opposing team stays in it‘s half court set long enough. It is up to the players to knock those shots down though.[/list] <div align="center"></div> The 76ers are really playing well right now, but at the same time so are the Hawks. With that said I’m taken the 76ers tonight by eight points. The 76ers are really playing basketball on a superior level right now and should win this game with ease.
Until the Sixers lose a game when they get outrebounded, rebounding should forever always be the key to the game for the Sixers. I'm going with the Syracuse Nationals here by 12. Like BKS mentioend they are playing well right now and the idle days AI got obviously helped his finger which is why he went for 38 points. All the Sixers really must do is not underestimate the Hawks and they will be fine. POTG: Andre Iguodala: 14 Points, 7 Rebounds, 6 Assists, 2 Blocks, 3 Steals
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Psycho Drama:</div><div class="quote_post">Isn't Dalembert starting?</div> My fault I copied a old template forgot to edit that.
Sixers-Hawks Hi guys. Glad to be back. Tonight's match-up is much more important than anticipated if the 76ers want to get their 7-game road trip off with a bang. The Hawks are truly the scum of the NBA nowadays, but they've pulled off some upsets that have other opponents ready for anything. On paper the Hawks aren't too bad. Zaza Puchulia has doubled his point and rebound production compared to last years as a Buck. Al Harrington and Joe Johnson are the key players who carry the Hawks on their backs. Tyronn Lue offers great support off the bench and scored 21 points against the Sixers during our previous meeting. The Sixers must take this game seriously. Remember we won 106-101 last time because of two late game technicals by Josh Smith and coach, Mike Woodson. Iverson scored 39 and Webber, 29, that game but still the Hawks hung in there. Defense will be the key tonight.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Hi guys. Glad to be back.</div> Now lets hope you stay! I agree with what your are saying about the game and how defense wil be the key, but I think it's moreso of the Sixers containing a lead. Let's face it, the Sixers haven't been playing a lick of defense at all, so why would they start now? So they must make sure they move the ball and get their 100 points and when/if they get a lead they must learn to maintain it.
For some reason the first half of this game was not televised. So going by the box score this game seems very similar to the way we started the game against the Raptors, a close game at the half we are trailing by three. Hopefully we come out strong in the second half like we did when we faced the Raptors and pull out a big win. Both teams are shooting the ball well, and for those of you following the rebounding category we are currently tied with the Hawks in that area 22 a piece. Allen Iverson has 21 points on 6-14 shooting at the half while Chris Webber is chipping in with 12. Samuel Dalembert is also having a nice game so far ten points on 5-6 shooting from the field. We have got to look for Korver and Dre more during the second half they have combined for only 5 points on six shots in between them. Our bench has been less than impressive combining for seven points, John Salmons with five of those points. Zaza is killing us our interior defense is playing no defense on him he is shooting 60% from the field and scored 13 points in the first half. The Hawks and 76ers have been even in about every statistical category except free throw attempts, in which the 76ers have a 11 shot advantage. The game is finally on TV, just in time for the second half to start so I will offer more insight after the game.
Thank you Johnny Salmons! I know it's Christmas and all, but come on man, you didn't have to giftwrap the game for the Hawks by taking 3 or 4 TERRIBLE shots down the stretch when you're ice cold. Gotta put this one behind us and win AT LEAST 4 of the next 6.
Sixers-Hawks Salmons and Webber. Poor judgement when it matters most. Iverson's 53-point performance goes all to waste. Joe Johnson played great; unfortunately our defense did not. Sixers have a short break to get things together and it's back to the court at Denver on Tuesday.
I had a feeling we would have a tough night with the Hawks tonight. Iverson has the best game ever in that arena, and we still lose. That was a bad play at the end Iverson had the hot hand, but the play was designed for Chris Webber? Despite that Webber still got a very good shot from point blank range. I won’t call it a choke job, because he did have a very good shot blocker in Josh Smith on him, but still. It leaves questions to be asked. The turning point of the night for me was when AI was robbed of a three point play opportunity by the referees, when it was clearly a continuation bucket. With all that said I think we all know the real reason we lost.... was because we lost the rebounding battle 43-41. What can you do though? We lost all we can do is move on. The Hawks are even surprising themselves up to this point with the 76ers as their latest victim they now hold wins over the Cavaliers, Spurs, Nuggets, and 76ers all playoff contending teams. Dre’s inability to hit free throws down the stretch is really an area of concern. He is an 80% free throw shooter on the season, but every game I watch he seems to pull a Ben Wallace from the free throw line down the stretch. I am also a little upset that Nailon is no longer receiving playing time. He performed well for us at the start of the season, but has seen his roll limited to nothing more than a garbage time player, since Sammy’s return. Shavlik has been impressive in the minutes he has been on the court, though. He is a great offensive rebounder, and a high energy guy. Hard lose to swallow and tough way to start the road trip. It is not going to get any easier from here on out.
Oh I agree, there were some questionable calls both ways in the fourth quarter, but I knew that BS call by the refs that didn't give AI the clear continuation was going to comeback and haunt us. Are all three of the ref's blind? You're telling me not one of them could see that AI put the shot up as soon as he was fouled and sank it? Wow, ridiculous. Anyways, two days off, and then back to work. Need to go atleast 2-1 next week.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Oh I agree, there were some questionable calls both ways in the fourth quarter, but I knew that BS call by the refs that didn't give AI the clear continuation was going to comeback and haunt us. Are all three of the ref's blind? You're telling me not one of them could see that AI put the shot up as soon as he was fouled and sank it? Wow, ridiculous.</div> don't complain, dude. the EXACT same thing happened to us when we went to PHI. that's homecourt advantage, i guess...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting lessthanjake:</div><div class="quote_post">don't complain, dude. the EXACT same thing happened to us when we went to PHI. that's homecourt advantage, i guess...</div> Yeah, I know... but that was such an obvious call they missed, it was ridiculous. I'm not taking anything away from the Hawks, because they are an up and coming team. They're playing like I thought they would play when the season first started, but it took them a while and now they look pretty good.
Tough loss, but I agree the 76ers have to keep the 24 hour rule in mind, and just worry about the next game. I'm sure the holidays should humble them some, and hopefully on Tuesday they will be ready to play. I assume playing in Denver at this time of the year is tough, so lets hope the 76ers can play as a team and start a win streak. The Nets are starting to come on so they have got to keep playing well. If the 76ers do in fact want to be successfull on this road trip, they have to play like a team. Take this loss against the Atlanta Hawks as a prefect example. The 76ers have to be efficent when it comes to offense, when everyone is involved they thrive. When AI is hot, they 76ers do not play as well as when they actually have a solid balance offensivly.
I agree. This road trip will either bring this team closer together, or drift them further apart if things like the Salmons incident happen most nights. What Mo needs to do at the end of games is to run the offense through CWebb... because that is when we're at our best, when everybody is moving and cutting.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">What Mo needs to do at the end of games is to run the offense through CWebb... because that is when we're at our best, when everybody is moving and cutting.</div> True. In addition Iverson needs to take the big shots. They completly forget about him when it comes down to the wire. He only got one shot in the Sixers final six posessions. Whether he is on fire onor not, Iverson should at least get the ball on 2-3 times on the final six posessions. Speaking of him, did anybody see his reaction in the final minutes when Salmons was in jack mode? I've NEVER seen Iverson so disgusted. While he is only 5'11 and 160 pounds I think most of the NBA bigs would be scared of him just by his reaction alone. But I give him credit for blaming the loss on everyone including himself. Unlike some guys on the team who blamed that lost on Salmons, Iverson being the leader he is tried to be the peacemaker and looked at this as a team lost and not knock on one guy alone.
Oh yes, definitely. AI didn't get enough touches, and when a guy has 53 points you have to give him the ball down the stretch. AI has always been animated when he is mad... he won't hold back, but at the same time he doesn't go out and point fingers in the media (like other players do), rather he takes the blame along with everybody else. That is just part of his maturity process... earlier in his career he might have said something about, but now he realizes he's the leader of this team. At the same time, I don't think he was mad about Salmons taking the first two shots, but then when he realized Johnny was cold, I think he felt Johnny should have realized that and passed the rock.
