<div align="center"> <font color="DarkBlue">Orlando Magic (17-22)</font> at <font color="DarkRed">Philadelphia 76ers (21-20)</font> Place: Thursday, 7:00pm vs. Magic TV: NBALP, CSN <font size=""1""> The Magic have won a season-best four straight games, including a surprising 111-102 home triumph over Phoenix on Tuesday. Hedo Turkoglu scored a season-high 30 points on 12-of-17 shooting. Dwight Howard collected 22 points and 12 rebounds for Orlando, which had lost seven of its previous eight games prior to its winning run. Magic guard Jameer Nelson missed his second straight game because of sprained right foot. His status for Thursday's game is uncertain. Allen Iverson scored 41 points to lead Philadelphia to a 109-103 victory over undermanned Sacramento on Tuesday. Chris Webber collected 17 points and 13 rebounds against his former club. A Sixers victory will put them two games above .500 for the first time since December 12 when they were 14-12. Philadelphia and Orlando will be meeting for the first time this season. The teams split their four contests last season with each winning sweeping on its home floor. </font> </div> [div=50%] <font size=""1""> <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>-John Salmons <font color=""DarkRed"">PF</font>- Chris Webber <font color=""DarkRed"">C</font>- Samuel Dalembert</font> <font size=""1"">Coach: Maurice Cheeks</font> <font size="3">Season Stats</font> Leading Scorer: Allen Iverson - 33.5 PPG Leading Rebounder: Samuel Dalembert - 10.1 RPG Assist Man: Allen Iverson - 7.5 APG The 'X' Factor: Andre Iguodala (12.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 2.7 APG) [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/allen_iverson.jpg[/imgl]<font color="darkred">Allen Iverson </font> PPG: 33.5, RPG: 3.3, APG: 7.5 Last week AI was quoted as saying he did not know what his role with this team was. Well, since then the 76ers have won three straight so I think he has figured it out. Allen Iverson has been a catalyst during this win streak for the 76ers. It has been the duo of AI and AI that have brought the 76ers back from the cellar of the NBA, a below .500 team, to now a chance at being several games over .500 with the all star break approaching. Last season when these two teams met AI went for a career high 60 points. Should we expect a repeat performance tonight? Only time will tell. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/andre_iguodala.jpg[/imgl]<font color="darkred">Andre Iguodala </font> PPG: 12.0, RPG: 6.0, APG: 2.7 Andre Iguodala’s has been arguably a bigger piece then even AI during these last few games for the 76ers. He has hit a game winning shot, a three point shot to seal the game for the 76ers, and shot the ball great from the perimeter all month. He is averaging career highs in points, and rebounds. Dre is establishing himself as one of the most promising young players in the league, showing why he was picked 9th overall by the 76ers two short years ago. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/john_salmons.jpg[/imgl]<font color="darkred">John Salmons </font> PPG: 7.6, RPG: 2.5, APG: 2.1 John Salmons has been holding it down in the starting lineup for the 76ers. His defense has allowed us to limit other teams, while at the same time having a spark off the bench in Korver to give us a lead when he comes in the game. Not only has having Salmons in the starting lineup helped our team overall, it has revived our bench, and that has really turned the boat around for the 76ers. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/chris_webber.jpg[/imgl]<font color="darkred">Chris Webber</font> PPG: 19.6, RPG: 9.9, APG: 3.1 Chris Webber has seemed like just another player for the 76ers as of late. Since all the controversy that surrounded him a couple weeks ago Webber has been surprisingly quite as of late. He is not having bad games, but he is really not impressing anyone either. Chris Webber will have a tough match up tonight against the young pup Dwight Howard old school vs. new school. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/samuel_dalembert.jpg[/imgl]<font color="darkred">Samuel Dalembert </font> PPG:9.3, RPG: 10.0, APG: 0.6 Samuel Dalembert has stepped up his game much like everyone else on the 76ers, thus far this month. He is averaging a double double this month, and has been playing 35 minutes a game each night. Part of this is due to his sessions with Moses Malone who has played a key role as a big man coach for the 76ers, despite not being on the coaching staff. [/div] <font color="DarkBlue"> Orlando Magic</font> <font size=""1""><font color=""DarkBlue"">PG</font>- Jameer Nelson <font color=""DarkBlue"">SG</font>- Steve Francis <font color=""DarkBlue"">SF</font>- Deshawn Stevenson <font color=""DarkBlue"">PF</font>- Dwight Howard <font color=""DarkBlue"">C</font>- Tony Battie</font> <font size=""1"">Coach: Brian Hill</font> <font size="3">Season Stats</font> Leading Scorer: Grant Hill- 16.8 PPG Leading Rebounder: Dwight Howard- 12.6 RPG Assist Man: Steve Francis- 5.5 APG The 'X' Factor: Jameer Nelson (13.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 4.4 APG) [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/jameer_nelson.jpg[/imgl]<font color="darkblue">Jameer Nelson</font> PPG: 13.3, RPG: 3.0, APG: 4.4 Philly’s protocol son returns again to Philadelphia. The former St. Joes Hawk has been making teams ponder why they ever passed him up in the draft, and let him slip into the late 1st round. With all the controversy around Steve Francis, Jameer Nelson has become Orlando’s bright light at the end of the tunnel he is averaging over 20 points a game this month, and making a case for most improved player of the year. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/steve_francis.jpg[/imgl]<font color="darkblue">Steve Francis</font> PPG: 16.3 PPG, RPG: 4.8, APG: 5.5 Steve Francis has not had a good month to say the least , but since he has come back from his suspension Orlando has been winning, and Francis has been silent. Perhaps it is maturity, perhaps it is the simple fact of knowing he will soon be leaving, but whatever it is it is working for the Magic. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/deshawn_stevenson.jpg[/imgl]<font color="darkblue">Deshawn Stevenson </font> PPG: 12.0, RPG: 3.1, APG: 2.1 Stevenson has been really impressive as the starter this season. He is playing some decent defense, and scoring the ball well. Stevenson is one of several Magic players in double figure scoring. Deshawn will have a tough match up tonight against Andre Iguodala. It will be interesting to see how he performs. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/dwight_howard.jpg[/imgl]<font color="darkblue">Dwight Howard</font> PPG: 15.0, RPG: 12.6, APG: 1.4 The daily double double has been just what his nickname suggests this season a daily double double machine. He leads the league in rebounding, and is proving all the nay sayers wrong, you know the people I’m talking about. Those guys that criticized the Magic when they took Howard over Emeka Okafor. You don’t see a lot of them these days. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/tony_battie.jpg[/imgl]<font color="darkblue">Tony Battie</font> PPG: 7.7, RPG: 6.7, APG: 0.5 Tony a veteran in the NBA has been a solid option at center for the Magic this season. Despite lacking the flash, and lacking the big time presence Battie has put up some good numbers, numbers that people half his age are not putting up. Battie will need to contain Dalembert tonight for them to have a chance to win. </font> <font size=""1""><div align="center"> </div> <ul><font color="DarkRed"><font size=""1"">Rebound</font></font> <font size=""1"">the team is 16-1 when they win the battle of the boards. Considering they have a total of 21 wins you can picture what their record is when they don‘t win the battle on the boards. Rebounding will be key tonight as they go against the leagues leading rebounder.</font>[/list] <ul><font color="DarkRed"><font size=""1"">Find the hot hand</font></font> <font size=""1"">the 76ers have been getting a lot of help from guys like Dalembert, Korver, and Iguodala during this win streak. It has not been all about the leagues highest scoring duo AI and Chris Webber. They will need to go to Dre and Dalembert early to see if they are still feeling it, and shooting the ball well.</font>[/list] <ul><font color="DarkRed"><font size=""1"">Defense</font></font> <font size=""1""> it has been the key to our turn around so why would it not be a key for this game the 76ers will need to keep up the same defensive pressure they have applied during this win streak to beat a very balanced offensive attack that Orlando poses.</font>[/list] <div align="center"></div> The 76ers are six point favorites in tonight's game so I will give them the advantage. Both teams are on winning streaks it will come down to who wants it more tonight. I think the 76ers will want it more, because if they win they will improve to the fifth seed in the eastern conference and trail the Nets by one game. </font>
I guess we only play defense for three games at a time, because our defense this game has been horrendous. We gave up like 12 or 14 points in the first three minutes of the game.
Man i dont know what to say about the 76ers we score they score we score they score that is how it has been for the longest and am so sick in tired of we score they score play some D*** defense PLZZZZZZZZZZZZ !101-100 sixers up c-mon lets pull this one out. 76ers 4 Life
We have put Orlando on the line so much it is not even funny thank god they are not hitting them. They are 23rd in the league in free throw shooting so maybe it’s an intentional method of defense Cheeks came up with in practice, who knows. Hedo just hit a three so we are down by two. One possession left. This is either going to be a heart breaker or a thriller.
We r now losing 103-101 time for Ai and Cwebb to step it up. C-webb is a beast down low 103-103 cwebb with the tip in. Hedo just missed a lay up Philly ball with 1.4 seconds left Ai, Cwebb who will it be this time. Korver miss at the buzzer Overtime.
Tie game Webber and AI both hurt. AI stepped on Howard's foot and is out of the game. Webber though stayed in, and blocked Hedo's layup attempt we got the ball one second left.
Block by Chris Webber on Hedo Turkoglu. There is .4 seconds left and Sixers just called a timeout. This is a great game and I think we may be headed to overtime.
Overtime Korver missed the three. I have no doubt in my mind that AI will be back in OT he looked frustrated having to sit out the last play.
Man another bad lost and now we dont move close to New jersey. I have a ? was Allen in the game at the end of the 4th quarter for the last play? If he wasnt how do yall feel about that.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting lil nba:</div><div class="quote_post"> Man another bad lost and now we dont move close to New jersey. I have a ? was Allen in the game at the end of the 4th quarter for the last play? If he wasnt how do yall feel about that.</div> Yeah he was in, but he got hurt on that play and hurt his ankle so he was out of the play. He was just limping on the side of the court. So Dre took the ball to the basket missed the layup, and Webber tipped it in so does it really matter? We did not lose anything on the last play of the fourth quarter we lost it on the last two plays of ot in which we played good defense only to then give up an offensive rebound and second chance bucket to Howard. Then on the next defensive play forced a missed shot we where about to get it back down 2, but let Hedo get the rebound and lose. Edit: If you are talking about when we got the ball with 1.4 seconds left in the fourth AI was not in, because he hurt his ankle.
damn! we lost another close game? it seems to me because AI got hurt or something (sorry, i dont see sixer games, i live in CA) this is definetly disappointing. i think this loss hurts a lot simpily because we couldve won it and it was so close. if the sixers want to get into the playoffs, they have to start winning all these close games because just when we have got some momentum, it seems like its gone again.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">[IMGL]http://www.nba.com/media/sixers/AllIver170.jpg[/IMGL]Pat Garrity shot down the Philadelphia 76ers. Garrity drilled two 3-pointers to set the tone in overtime as the Orlando Magic extended their winning streak to a season-high five games with a 119-115 triumph over the 76ers. In the opening 63 seconds of the extra session, Garrity swished a pair of shots from the right corner, giving the Magic a 109-103 lead. Garrity made 9-of-11 shots and five of the Magic's seven 3-pointers en route to a season-high 24 points. However, the Sixers battled back and tied the game at 113-113 on a three-point play with 1:14 remaining by Chris Webber, who fouled out Steve Francis on the play. Keyon Dooling made two free throws on the other end six seconds later to give the Magic the lead for good, and after Allen Iverson missed a jumper, Dwight Howard had a follow dunk to put Orlando ahead, 117-113, with 31 seconds left. Andre Iguodala had an alley-oop dunk for the Sixers to make it a two-point game. But after DeShawn Stevenson missed a jumper, Hedo Turkoglu grabbed the rebound and sank two free throws with 3.1 seconds left to seal things. Turkoglu scored 25 points, Howard 22 and Dooling 18 for the Magic, who placed six players in double figures and shot 59 percent (43-of-73). The hot shooting overcame a 26-of-41 effort at the free-throw line. Francis, who was suspended earlier this season for conduct detrimental to the team, made the offense work by playing unselfishly. He scored 11 points while taking just seven shots and handed out a career-high 15 assists. Iverson scored 38 points and Webber had 32, 11 rebounds and a number of big defensive plays down the stretch in regulation for the Sixers, who had a three-game winning streak stopped. </div> <div align="center"><font size=""1"">Recap l Box Score </font></div>
Tough loss, I really wanted to see us pull another one out, but the screw up on the offensive board that Howard put back sealed the game. Big ups to AI and C-Webb, although I still say AI needs to take less shots. They shot 52 together, AI shootin 32 times. Id rather see it more like 28-24 shot ratio. I hope there is something going on behind the scenes between AI and Webber, the 2 dont look in sync throughout the game. AI sometimes will do a pick and roll and not pass it to Webber, and the look on his face you can tell he wanted the ball. I know the guy doesnt have the explosiveness anymore, and will take a dumb shot from time to time, but I think when he is on you have to run the offense through him. Sammy fouled out, we need him to get back to not fouling out of games, although Howard makes that real tough. That kid is a man child down there, so strong.
Take this for what it's worth, but the word I'm hearing is that the Sixers may make a big move within the week... but remember, it's just speculation. Horrible game, but we're 2-1 this week. My goal for us for this week was at worst 2-2, so we need to go out and win Saturday against coach Brown.
Did anyone here that there is suppose to be a big trade going down for the sixers tomorrow? Deilo said it
I read that, but DiLeo didn't say it... Jasner just suggested it... and he wasn't even talking about a trade. But that isn't what I'm talking about...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting BigMo763:</div><div class="quote_post">I read that, but DiLeo didn't say it... Jasner just suggested it... and he wasn't even talking about a trade. But that isn't what I'm talking about...</div> well glad to know your talking about something else cuz i jus read a whole like 12 page discussion about the whole DiLeo thing to find out at the end that it had nothing to do with a trade whatsoever and Jasner saying he doesnt even know if the Sixers will make a trade this year But something needs to happen! and it needs to be BIG to make a good enough change this year. so im going to cross my fingers and pray that something does happen soon. But just curious what do you think is out there that could be big for us the minny-boston trade kinda put the nail in the coffin for KG staying in Minny not that we would of ever had a chance in the first place Right now my thoughts are I wouldnt be disappointed one bit if Korver and/or Sammy were on there way out The only thing i hope doesnt happen is AI leaving because like he wants to stay a Sixer forever i want to stay a Sixer Fan
Look at my avatar. <-- That was me last night. I can't stand when the team losses close games. Oh well. We've won 3 out of the last 4 and we got a chance at the Magic again(revenge) and the Knicks coming up as well. Not to mention, Indy, Mil and NJ has been on the decline, so right now we are flirting with the 3rd-6th seed. I'm cool with where we are right now. And with the words of a possible trade coming soon, who knows what will happen, but I'm somewhat content with the state of the Sixers right now. Let's see what happens from here on out.
This team is really to annoy me. We know that we aren't going anywhere fast so why not just start over? Trade the whole team, break it apart and just go 5 seasons without winning. Please it can't be worse then the mess we are sending on the court now.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">This team is really to annoy me. We know that we aren't going anywhere fast so why not just start over? Trade the whole team, break it apart and just go 5 seasons without winning. Please it can't be worse then the mess we are sending on the court now.</div> I see where your coming from, but I think that's a little too much though. I understand what you're saying, but as long as this team doesn't play Detorit I think we can get to the conference finals(NJ, Mil, Cle, Indy, 8th seed and even MIA(at this point) are all beatable. The Sixers elevate their play in the Playoffs for some reason(especially AI) so as long as we get there at a high seed we can go far. But at the end of the day nothing really matters because we woudl lose to DET anyways. But what can you do, DET is just one of those rare teams that no matter what you just can't go through them. Just how MJ didn't allow guys like Pat, Chalres, Stockton, Malone etc get rings.
