Found November 07, 2013 on
Unlike Philadelphia, the Wizards had their long-distance game working Wednesday night. The Washington Wizards hit a team record 18 3-pointers to bury the Sixers 116-102 in their second straight loss.
Wizards’ point guard John Wall scored 24 points on a career-best five 3-pointers, Marcin Gortat had 19 points, Bradley Beal had 17 points, and Trevor Ariza scored 15 as seven Wizards reached double digits to help Washington earn its first win after starting 0-3.
Evan Turner led Philadelphia with 24 points and Spencer Hawes had 13. Rookie Michael Carter-Williams finished with 19 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Following a surprising 3-0 start, the Sixers have lost two straight and are starting to play like the team that oddsmakers predicted would win less than 17 games this season.
The Sixers rallied wins over Miami and Chicago with a comeback win at Washington last week. They overcame a 12-point, third-quarter deficit to beat the Wizards 109-102 and spoil their home opener on Friday. Not this time.
The Wizards led this one from the opening basket and never let up. They had a 15-point lead midway through the first quarter after Beal hit his third 3-pointer in three tries, and took a 60-51 lead into halftime.
The Sixers came out playing the same kind of lifeless basketball they did in the second half against Golden State, and the result was predictable. Washington out worked the Sixers from the jump, and found themselves ahead by 14 less than half way through the first quarter.
Already down double-digits, Spencer Hawes went to inbound the ball off of a Wizards made basket. Perhaps it was a lazy pass, or maybe it was just a great play by John Wall. Before Wall even had full possession of the ball, Michael Carter-Williams threw his arms up in disgust, turning his body so he couldn’t see Wall finish the play with a dunk. The turnover was just one of many.
The Sixers were playing an aggressive, press defense that could potentially force turnovers against ill prepared teams. The Wizards were swinging the ball around the court, draining three after three. And these weren’t unorthodox heaves that happened to find the bottom of the net – they were wide open looks as a result from the pressure strategy.
Another reason for the Sixers’ struggles is that Carter-Williams has fallen back down to earth. The rookie struggled again on Wednesday night, finishing with 19 points on 21 shots. Carter-Williams looks frustrated out on the court, and is starting to argue with referees when he doesn’t get a call. Rookies are going to struggle, but poor body language is something he can control.
The Sixers need a spark right now, and with their point guard struggling, it is going to have to come from somewhere else.
With Andrew Bynum and the Cleveland Cavaliers coming to town Friday night, they better find that spark fast. Because as ugly as things were against the Wizards, getting beat down by Bynum is something fans might not be able to handle.
BEST OF MAXIM
Michael Carter-Williams is off to fantastic start to his NBA career with the Philadelphia 76ers.Through five games, the Syracuse product is averaging 19.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 7.6 assists per game. Those numbers were even better through his first three games, which led him to become only the second player to win Eastern Conference Player of the Week in his first week in the...
As the Sixers 2013-14 season kicks into full swing, there has been much speculation that the opportunity for enhanced statistics this season for Evan Turner could work to boost his trade value.
That may be true, and Evan has noticeably improved upon his 2012-13 numbers thus far this season, upping his scoring average to almost 22 points per. But, inflated stats on a struggling...
Evan Turner scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Tony Wroten added 18 points and the Philadelphia 76ers cruised to a 94-79 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night to overshadow the return of Andrew Bynum.
Thaddeus Young added 16 points, while James Anderson and Michael Carter-Williams had 11 each for the Sixers, who snapped a two-game losing streak and improved...
Tonight, the Sixers are scheduled to play the first game of a home-and-home with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Seemingly every word written about the Sixers since the conclusion of Wednesday’s game by the local media has involved the return of Andrew Bynum to Philadelphia. As you may recall, Bynum was a member of the 76ers last year, bringing sky-high expectations and playing 0 minutes...
As the Philadelphia 76ers look to rebuild for the future, the coaches are looking at the young talents on the team and how they can improve for the years to come. In Tuesday’s practice, heads were not low even after a blowout loss to the Golden State Warriors the night before in which the Sixers trailed by as many as 39 points.
“The peaks and valleys of the NBA are dangerous...
Andrew Bynum was a member of the Philadelphia 76ers last season and was paid millions of dollars, but never played a single game for the team due to injuries. On Friday night, Bynum returned to Philadelphia for the first time since leaving the team and joining the Cleveland Cavaliers. Bynum came off the bench for the first time with 3:38 remaining in the first quarter, and Sixers...
Philadelphia 76ers’ center Daniel Orton left Wednesday night’s game against the Washington Wizards with right knee soreness and did not return.
As reported by rotoworld.com, Orton has had numerous problems with his left knee, so the injury is not the same knee that caused him to plummet in the 2010 NBA Draft. Orton left the game after scoring five points and grabbing three...
Some might view what Nerlens Noel is about to endure as lost time. Brett Brown, however, sees things differently.
The 76ers coach said he and his staff are dedicated to improving Noel’s shot — perhaps even rebuilding it entirely — as the rookie center continues to rehab a surgically repaired knee that may keep him out all season.
“You bucket him up into, ‘Is it a total...
When the only thing a player contributes during the totality of an NBA season is hilarious hairdos, odds are almost certain that it was an unproductive season at best, an unmitigated disaster at worst. And still, despite the fact that the Philadelphia 76ers paid Andrew Bynum a whopping $16.9 last season only play the […]The post Andrew Bynum on his disastrous season with 76ers...
Sam Hinkie is encouraged by what he has seen from the Philadelphia 76ers to start the season, but isn't ready to call them a playoff team.
"It's been fun for all of us," Hinkie said on Wednesday. "Good early rewards for the coaches and their efforts and what they've done behind the scenes and for the players, development-wise, they've gotten up and...
Recap | Box Score
Thaddeus Young, PF 34 MIN | 3-11 FG | 1-2 FT | 6 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 7 PTS | -21Is there any doubt to you that the Sixers would’ve lost if Nene was healthy for the first time around? He simply took Thad out of this game and bodied him in the paint to an awful 3-11 shooting night, after...
The 76ers knew this day would eventually come, and it occurred later than most predicted.
On Tuesday the Sixers held their first practice of the season after a loss, a resounding one at that.
Following Monday's 110-90 loss to visiting Golden State, in which the Warriors led by as many as 39 points, the Sixers began preparing for Wednesday's visit by the Washington Wizards...
FinalRecap | Box Score
Thaddeus Young, PF 36 MIN | 8-12 FG | 0-1 FT | 8 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 2 BLK | 1 TO | 16 PTS | +12As I mentioned in the Fo’ with the Foes preview, I wanted to see Brown go to Thad early and get him going. Brown did just that and it helped Thad to get involved. He struggled to convert on those ops (1-4...
As Murphy’s Law states, “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.” The saying couldn’t hold any truer for the start of number one pick Anthony Bennett’s career.
After struggling to score just one field goal through the team’s first five games, Bennett left Friday’s game vs. Philadelphia with an apparent shoulder injury.
Bennett caught the ball on the wing with 9 minutes...