76ers-Wizards Preview

By KATE HEDLIN
Posted Jan 14 2012 12:41AM

The Philadelphia 76ers' unselfish play has them as the surprising leaders of the Atlantic Division. The Washington Wizards aren't showing much of an attempt at being balanced, and their record is suffering for it.

After routing the Wizards on Friday, the 76ers will get another chance Saturday night when the teams meet in the finale of a home-and-home series at the Verizon Center.

Philadelphia (8-3) trounced Washington 120-89 on Friday night, shooting 55.3 percent while going 12 of 18 from 3-point range. It led by as many as 34 points in the third quarter.

As has been the case all season, the Sixers received a balanced scoring effort from a roster that features six players averaging in double figures. On Friday, seven players scored at least 10 points, led by Jodie Meeks, who tied a career high with 26.

"We're having a lot of fun," Meeks said. "No one is selfish on this team."

Meeks, who played only 16 minutes in a loss to New York two nights earlier, went 10 of 11 from the field. He came in shooting 38.8 percent but went 6 of 7 beyond the arc, scoring more than seven points for the fourth time this season.

"It's just one night," he said. "Every night's not going to be like that, I know that. I just try to run the hot streak as long as I can."

While Meeks played 36 minutes, the rest of the starters each played fewer than 29 and should be well-rested for the rematch. That includes Spencer Hawes, who had 10 points and 10 rebounds in 19 minutes after missing the previous game with a strained lower back.

While Philadelphia - which has won seven of eight, five by at least 23 points - has been pleased with how many players are getting involved in the offense, Washington's John Wall is frustrated by what he describes as selfish play.

The Wizards (1-10), who have dropped two straight since beating Toronto on Tuesday, allowed the Sixers to score 36 points off 19 turnovers while also giving up 32 fast-break points. Washington, which is last in the NBA in scoring with 84.1 points per game, scored just 58 through three quarters Friday.

The Wizards have averaged 15.0 assists the last two games and for the third time in five games had more turnovers than assists.

"If everybody's going to be selfish, it doesn't matter what the lineup is," Wall said. "When you're a losing team, guys don't want to hang around with each other. Win a few games and we'll be OK."

Wall was held to seven points on 3-of-8 shooting to go along with five turnovers. The second-year point guard is averaging 9.0 points and shooting 30.2 percent the last four games.

Washington has lost three straight to Philadelphia - all by double digits on the road - but has won four in a row in the series at home by a combined 11 points.

76ers beat Wizards for second straight night

Posted Jan 14 2012 11:04PM

WASHINGTON (AP) The Philadelphia 76ers might not have a big-name player. They've still become one of the hottest teams in the NBA with their brand of team-oriented basketball.

Philadelphia won for the eighth time in nine games Saturday night, beating the Washington Wizards 103-90. Lou Williams came off the bench to score 24 points, and Andre Iguodala added a season-high 23.

But the more important stat was the eight turnovers, which tied Philadelphia's season low and continued a trend. The 76ers entered the game with the best turnover mark in the league.

"We don't have a superstar," Iguodala said. "So we don't get those foul calls, the whistles as much as the teams that do have one. So we have to do the little things right."

Thaddeus Young tied his season high with 18 points and Jrue Holiday scored 13 for Philadelphia, which got 46 points off the bench, compared with 15 for the Wizards.

"That was a professional, workmanlike win for us tonight," 76ers coach Doug Collins said.

Collins has stressed the importance of turnovers to his team, and it showed against Washington. Philadelphia scored 27 points off turnovers, while Washington had just six.

So how do the 76ers keep possession?

"Taking care of the ball like it's our children or something like that," Young said. "We've got to make sure we don't turn the ball over so teams can't get out on the break on us and use our own medicine on us."

Philadelphia displayed the type of teamwork and ball control that has been sorely lacking for the Wizards, who have the league's worst record at 1-11. Washington had 18 turnovers - 13 in the first half.

JaVale McGee scored a season-high 23 points for the Wizards and tied his career high with 18 rebounds. McGee made his first eight shots from the floor and finished 11 of 13. Nick Young also scored a season-high 27 points.

John Wall narrowly missed a triple-double. He scored 19 points with a season-high nine rebounds and tied his season high with nine assists, but also had a season-worst eight turnovers, seven in the first half.

"I feel like I lost the game," Wall said.

It was the 76ers' second win in two nights over Washington, following a 120-89 victory Friday night in Philadelphia.

The Wizards looked like they were out for some revenge when the game started, leading 26-23 after the first quarter. However, poor decisions and sloppy play led to 13 Washington turnovers in the first half, and it caught up to the Wizards in the second quarter. Philadelphia took advantage to steadily pull ahead, outscoring Washington 29-14 in the second quarter.

"The first half looked like Space Jam where everyone lost their talents and couldn't do anything there for a while," Washington coach Flip Saunders said. "It sets the tone. They get into a comfort zone - especially when you just lost to a team by 30. They get so comfortable."

The 76ers extended the lead in the second half to as many as 20 points early in the fourth quarter. Washington made a late push to make the margin more respectable, but after Philadelphia took the second-quarter lead the outcome was never in doubt.

The Wizards did keep the 76ers from making a little bit of history. Six of Philadelphia's wins have been by at least 20 points, and no team has ever won seven of its first 12 games by 20 points or more, according to STATS LLC.

"We don't want to allow them to get close," Williams said. "I think that's one of the big things that's been huge for us early on, when we have substantial leads to try to keep them, and it was the same tonight."

NOTES: Wizards F Andray Blatche (sprained right shoulder) was out for the third straight game. Washington coach Flip Saunders said he wasn't sure when Blatche would return. ... The Wizards' 14 points in the second quarter marked the 20th time in Washington's 48 quarters this season they have scored fewer than 20 points. ... Philadelphia won four straight against Washington. ... It was the ninth straight game the 76ers held their opponent to fewer than 100 points.

Notebook: Sixers 103, Wizards 90

By Rich Dubroff, for NBA.com
Posted Saturday January 14, 2012 11:00PM

THE FACTS: Lou Williams had 24 points, Andre Iguodala added a season-high 23 and Thaddeus Young tied a season-high with 18 to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 103-90 win over the woeful Washington Wizards on Saturday night.

Philadelphia, which improved to 9-3, has won eight of its last nine games, and swept the home-and-home series with Washington, losers of 11 of 12.

The Sixers outscored the Wizards 29-14 in the second half, and easily held Washington off in the second half. The Wizards were led by Nick Young, who scored a season-high 27 and JaVale McGee, who had a season-high 23 points and tied a career-high with 18 rebounds.

QUOTABLE: "The first half looked like Space Jam where everyone lost their talents, and couldn't do anything there for a while."
-- Washington coach Flip Saunders on his team's rocky performance.

THE STAT: The Wizards' John Wall nearly had a bizarre quadruple-double. Wall had 19 points, tied a season-high with nine assists, and season highs in rebounds (nine) and turnovers (eight.) Wall had seven turnovers in the first half. "I feel like I lost the game," Wall said.

TURNING POINT: In the second quarter, the Sixers outscored Washington 29-14. The Wizards missed 16 of 22 shots. Washington has scored fewer than 20 points in 20 quarters out of a possible 48.

QUOTABLE II: "We don't have a superstar, some would say, so we don't get those foul calls, the whistles as much as the teams that do have one, so we have to do the little things right."
-- Iguodola on his team's balanced scoring.

HOT: McGee shot a sizzling 11-for-13 from the field. He'd like to get more attention for his play, but it's not happening. "Whenever you're losing, it's hard to get things of that nature: all-star and players of the year, defensive, most improved, stuff like that. It just doesn't come to players that are losing, but I mean, just whatever," McGee said.

NOT: The Wizards' Rashard Lewis was just 1-for-10 from the field.

GOOD MOVE: Philadelphia coach Doug Collins played Young 31 minutes and he delivered with 18 points. On Friday, Jodie Meeks tied his career high with 26 on 10-for-11 shooting.

BAD MOVE: Saunders started Chris Singleton and Trevor Booker for the fourth straight time, and they shot just 3-for-12. Combined with Lewis' 1-for-10, Washington forwards shot just 4-for-22.

NOTABLE: Philadelphia held its opponent to fewer than 100 for the ninth straight game, and has won each of its nine games by at least eight points.

IN THE ARENA: Wizards' forward Andray Blatche missed his third straight game with a sprained right shoulder, and Saunders said there was no timetable for his return.

NEXT: Sixers: Monday vs. Bucks, Wednesday vs. Nuggets, Friday vs. Hawks. Wizards: Monday vs. Rockets, Wednesday vs. Thunder, Friday vs. Nuggets

• 76ers: --
• Wizards: N'Diaye, Turiaf

• 76ers: --
• Wizards: --

• Lead Changes: 7
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: Verizon Center, Washington, DC
• Officials: #10 Ron Garretson, #40 Leon Wood, #44 Eli Roe
• Attendance: 13998
• Duration: 2:08