Pistons-76ers Preview

By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN
Posted Jan 05 2012 3:37PM

The Philadelphia 76ers are feeling very good about themselves as they finally get ready to play their home opener.

The 76ers will become the final NBA team to play at home Friday night when they take on the Detroit Pistons.

Philadelphia (3-2) capped its season-opening five-game trip with Wednesday's 101-93 victory over New Orleans. The 76ers outscored the Hornets 34-20 in the fourth quarter.

"Average teams lose (this game), and teams who want to be good, they find a way to win," coach Doug Collins said. "We got off to a very sluggish start, and we dug ourselves out of it. A terrific win."

Philadelphia, averaging an Eastern Conference-best 29.8 points in the fourth quarter, has rallied from double-digit deficits to win its last two games. Its two losses on the trip were only by a combined seven points.

The 76ers will return home leading the Atlantic Division as they face a favorable schedule with 18 of their next 22 games at the Wells Fargo Center over a 36-day span, including four at home in the next five nights.

"We're 3-2, that was our mission, that's what we wanted to do and we accomplished it," guard Jrue Holiday said.

Holiday was the catalyst Wednesday with a season-high 23 points - 14 in the decisive fourth quarter. He picked up the slack with leading scorer Louis Williams held to a season-low 10.

"I was hot like a pistol," said Holiday, who also had a season-best eight assists. "I don't know. I just looked to be aggressive and luckily tonight it was falling for me in the fourth quarter."

Although Williams leads all reserves with an 18.2 scoring average, Evan Turner turned in the biggest effort off the bench Wednesday with a season-high 21 points. Reserve forward Thaddeus Young added 10.

"Our energy level picked up," Collins said. "We had some guys come off the bench do a great job."

The 76ers have lost three of their last four home openers and went 26-15 at the Wells Fargo Center last season. Former Philadelphia legends Julius Erving, Moses Malone and Bobby Jones are expected to be in attendance.

The Pistons won two of three last season against the Sixers and have taken seven of the last nine meetings. Detroit (2-4), though, has suffered double-digit losses in its first two road games.

First-year coach Lawrence Frank's team failed to win its third straight after Wednesday's 99-83 home defeat to Chicago. The Pistons shot 40.9 percent, and their 86.8 scoring average is the NBA's third-worst mark.

"I'm not questioning effort," Frank said. "I'm concerned about execution on both ends of the floor. We had shots at the rim and shots in the paint that we didn't execute and turned into transition situations for them."

Top scorer Ben Gordon had a season-low seven points on 2-of-10 shooting. Greg Monroe had team highs of 19 points and 13 boards.

"We started off the season a little inconsistent," Gordon said. "We're still a work in progress. Even though we won the last two games, I wouldn't have told you that I think we've arrived."

The Pistons finished last in the NBA with 4.0 blocks per game last season and are at the bottom again with 2.5 this season.

Hawes leads 76ers past Pistons, 96-73

By DAN GELSTON
Posted Jan 06 2012 11:24PM

PHILADELPHIA (AP) Dr. J heard the roaring ovation from the Philly die-hards, an expected appreciation for the Hall of Famer.

The loudest chant was saved for Spencer Hawes.

On a night the Philadelphia 76ers honored their former greats, this year's team showed they're worth watching.

Hawes had 16 points and 14 rebounds, Jodie Meeks scored 21 points, and the Sixers beat the Detroit Pistons 96-73 on Friday night.

In front of Julius Erving and their new owners, the Sixers dominated the fourth quarter to win their home opener. Majority owner Joshua Harris and CEO Adam Aron promised sweeping changes to the fan experience, slashing ticket prices, revamping the lighting, and even mingling with fans for more feedback.

The biggest change, though, is at center, where Hawes has suddenly morphed from accessory piece to regular double-double threat. He had a crowd of nearly 20,000 fans chanting "Spen-cer Hawes!" in the third quarter after a string of big shots and dominated a short-handed Pistons team on the boards.

"It caught me off guard a little bit," a smiling Hawes said of the chant. "It felt good just to see all the fans back here and play in front of them here in Philly."

Hawes already has four double-doubles and has taken pressure off forward Elton Brand down low.

He had more help on the perimeter.

Meeks scored nine points in 54 seconds in the fourth to stretch the lead to 16 and put the Sixers' third straight victory out of reach. He scored 17 points in the fourth on 6 of 7 shooting - including 4 of 5 from 3-point range.

"You could see him just be delighted to finally see that ball go through the basket," coach Doug Collins said.

Greg Monroe had 22 points for the Pistons. Ben Gordon was absent because of personal reasons and Rodney Stuckey sat out with a sore groin.

The Pistons missed all 10 3-pointers and shot 36 percent overall.

"When the dam exploded, it really exploded," Pistons coach Lawrence Frank said.

While the Sixers showed they have a bright future, this game was as much an event to highlight the franchise's past. Erving received a huge ovation during a pregame ceremony. Moses Malone and Andrew Toney also were on hand for the festivities. The trio helped the Sixers to the 1983 NBA championship.

"It was a great feeling to see those guys come back," Brand said.

Harris admitted before the game the Sixers had sold less than 3,000 tickets to the opener as of about three weeks ago. But a flurry of discounted tickets (some going for the "patriotic price" of $17.76) and plenty of giveaways nearly packed the place.

Collins had said his team became relevant last year.

This season, he wants them to become important.

Led by Hawes, Meeks and one of the top benches in the NBA, the Sixers should have their first winning record since the 2004-05 season.

New owners are selling a disconnected fan base on the game experience. With the way the Sixers are blossoming into winners, the fans could be sold on the team.

"We'll roll it all out tonight and I think we're ready for it," Harris said. "With that, though, the team has to win. We've said all along that we're a little worried to do all this and the team doesn't win. But under Doug's leadership, that's what's happened. We're really excited about where we are right now."

The Sixers gave them plenty of reason in the fourth to get excited. Meeks buried a 3-pointer, then charged down on the next possession for a three-point play. He buried another 3 to give him nine points during an 11-1 run that bust the game open.

Lou Williams scored 16 points and Thaddeus Young had 15.

Williams addressed the fans before the game and told them, "We won't let you down."

There was one notable absence: minority owner, rapper, actor and Philadelphia native Will Smith.

"We had hoped to have Will Smith here. He was originally planning to come," Harris said. "Any time you can get someone like Will Smith in the arena, believe me, we're going to try and do that. L.A.'s a long way from Philadelphia."

Erving made the trip two months after more than 140 items from his personal collection sold for a record $3.5 million in an auction. The Sixers had hoped to bring Erving on board with an unspecified role in the organization. He didn't seem interested.

"I'm not looking for a job, just an adventure," he said.

The Sixers showed a videotaped ringing of the Liberty Bell and fired off enough red, white and blue confetti to make it seem like the NBA finals after the final buzzer.

Notes: Brandon Knight and Austin Daye started for the Pistons for the missing regulars. ... The Sixers started a stretch of 18 of 22 games at home over a 36-day span. ... Frank didn't blame two absent starters for the loss. "That's no excuse. They just beat us." ... The Sixers are 4-2 for the first time since 2002-03.

Notebook: 76ers 96, Pistons 73

By Andy Jasner, for NBA.com
Posted Friday January 6, 2012 11:02PM

THE FACTS: Jodie Meeks scored 17 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and led four 76ers in double figures as they cruised to a 96-73 win over the Detroit Pistons in the home opener at the Wells Fargo Center. Spencer Hawes had 16 points and 14 rebounds while Lou Williams scored 16 points and Thaddeus Young contributed 15 as the Sixers improved to 4-2. After a successful five-game road trip, the Sixers responded with the same intensity in front of 19,408 fans at home. Greg Monroe paced the Pistons (2-5) with 22 points. Detroit shot just 36 percent and committed 16 turnovers.

QUOTABLE: "Jodie Meeks was unbelievable tonight and he was really struggling early in the season. To see what he did is so gratifying because he's a huge part of what we do."
-- Sixers coach Doug Collins, on Meeks

THE STAT: The Sixers won handily despite Andre Iguodala and Elton Brand combining for nine points on 3-of-13 shooting. This team is deep and doesn't rely on one specific player to carry them.

TURNING POINT: With the Sixers leading 70-62 midway through the fourth quarter, Meeks knocked down a 3-pointer and followed with a conventional three-point play for a commanding 14-point lead. Six points by Meeks in 20 seconds helped the Sixers pull away.

HOT: Hawes, who began the game leading the league in field goal percentage, was red-hot once again, going 8-of-14. Many of those shots were from 15 feet and beyond.

NOT: Detroit forward Austin Daye struggled with his shooting and wound up 2-of-11 from the field. His missed all three of his 3-pointers.

QUOTABLE II: "We feel really good about ourselves. We feel like we can improve, but we're off to a nice start."
-- Hawes

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Hawes not only recorded his fourth double-double, but he also contributed four assists and two blocked shots. Very, very impressive.

INSIDE THE ARENA: The Sixers were the final team to open at home following a five-game road trip. There was a large crowd at the Wells Fargo Center to welcome back the 3-2 Sixers, including former players Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Bobby Jones and Earl Cureton. They all shook hands with new owner Joshua Harris as the crowd cheered. Nice scene on opening night. Former Sixers All-Star guard Andrew Toney was also in attendance along with NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver.

QUOTABLE III: "The coaches have a lot of trust and belief in us. That means a lot. They tell us to keep shooting when we're open."
-- Meeks

GOOD MOVE: Meeks struggled in the early going for the second consecutive game so the Sixers called on Williams for extended minutes in the first half. Williams was terrific and gave the Sixers an immediate spark. Having that depth is huge because Meeks came back with a big second half.

BAD MOVE: The Pistons didn't run enough plays for Monroe, who was their best player on this night. Monroe didn't start the fourth quarter which was surprising when you consider the Pistons trailed by eight points.

ROOKIE WATCH: Pistons guard Brandon Knight earned his first career start with an injury to Rodney Stuckey. Knight was active from the opening tip and wound up with 10 points and nine rebounds. Sixers forward Nikola Vucevic scored six points in 2:47. He missed the previous game at New Orleans with a strained lower back.

NOTABLE: The Pistons missed all 10 of their 3-pointers with Knight finishing 0 of 5. ... The Sixers' bench outscored Detroit 45-22.

NEXT: For the Pistons, Saturday vs. New York, Monday @ Chicago, Tuesday vs. Dallas. For the Sixers, Saturday vs. Toronto, Monday vs. Indiana, Tuesday vs. Sacramento.

• Pistons: --
• 76ers: --

• Pistons: --
• 76ers: --

• Lead Changes: 3
• Times Tied: 6

• Arena: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
• Officials: #10 Ron Garretson, #56 Mark Ayotte, #68 Marat Kogut
• Attendance: 19408
• Duration: 2:05