The Sports Xchange
NBA Team Report – Philadelphia 76ers – GETTING INSIDE
After splitting a pair of one-point games with the Celtics in Boston, the 76ers liked their chances in Game 3. They were coming home knowing they could have easily won both in Beantown.
But the Celtics ratcheted up their play at both ends of the floor after the first quarter and the Sixers could do nothing but watch the deficit grow to as many as 27 points. Philadelphia had no answers in a 107-91 loss at the Wells Fargo Center in which they were outscored by 28 points (61-33) in the second and third periods.
“That was a different team than we saw in Boston,” said Sixers coach Doug Collins.
The Celtics’ huge edge in experience really showed. They came in with a sense of purpose while the young Sixers, after a solid opening quarter, were left flat-footed and dazed.
“This is a new experience for us,” Collins said. “Boston has been through that.”
“It seemed like they didn’t want to be down 2-1 a little more than we wanted to be up 2-1,” said forward Elton Brand.
The Sixers must win Game 4 Friday to send the series back to Boston even at 2-2.
———————————————–
NBA Team Report – Philadelphia 76ers – NOTES, QUOTES
–The Sixers are shooting 20-for-60 (.333) in the third period during this series.
–The Sixers were the only team to play three consecutive playoff games decided by one point, according to Elias Sports Bureau. They won Game 6 to close out the Bulls’ series, lost Game 1 against Boston and won Game 2.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “They pretty much came out and were physical and forced us to shoot a lot of jump shots. They killed us inside the paint.” — Forward Thaddeus Young, after Wednesday’s 107-91 home loss to the Celtics in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
———————————————–
NBA Team Report – Philadelphia 76ers – ROSTER REPORT
PLAYER NOTES:
–F Elton Brand hasn’t played in the fourth quarter in the series. He sat out the final 20:21 of the opener, 14:37 Monday and 18:35 in Game 3. Brand has totaled 14 points and nine rebounds in 48 minutes in the three games versus Boston.
–F/C Lavoy Allen, a rookie second-round pick, outscored veteran Celtics forward Paul Pierce 22-21 on seven fewer shots in the first two games. Pierce was more like the Pierce of old in Game 3, scoring 24 points to Allen’s five.
–F Thaddeus Young scored a team-high 22 points on 10-for-16 shooting in Game 3 after not scoring more than eight points in any of the previous seven playoff games. He shot .333 and averaged 5.6 points during that span.
MEDICAL WATCH
None of significance.
ROTATION:
Starters:
–Point guard Jrue Holiday
–Shooting guard Evan Turner
–Small forward Andre Iguodala
–Power forward Elton Brand
–Center Spencer Hawes
Bench:
–Forward Thaddeus Young
–Forward/guard Lavoy Allen
–Guard Lou Williams
–Guard Jodie Meeks
–Forward Sam Young
–Forward/center Nikola Vucevic
–Guard Xavier Silas
———————————————–
