Postgame Report

April 28, 2009: Sixers 78 Magic 91

Box Score | Postgame Notes | Postgame Quotes | Video: Highlights | Postgame: DiLeo | Iguodala | Dalembert

Philly falls behind after close first half

Trailing 58-47, Philadelphia did what they’ve done all series long: came back.

The Sixers cut the deficit to four points in only a few minutes on Iguodala’s three-point play, converting a running layup on a foul by Hedo Turkoglu. Orlando went ahead 69-60 at the end of the second quarter on a 3-pointer by Turkoglu, and took a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter on a layup by Dwight Howard.

However, this time the lead was too much for Philadelphia to overcome as the Magic outlasted the 76ers 91-78 in Orlando on Tuesday night.

Andre Iguodala led three Sixers in double-figures with 26 points, while also grabbing five rebounds and dishing out four assists.

Andre Miller added 17 points, and Willie Green chipped in 15 for Philly.

Howard had 24 points and a career playoff-high 24 rebounds, a dominating performance that carried Orlando a Game 5 win and gave the Magic a 3-2 series lead. It was Howard’s fourth career playoff game with at least 20 points and 20 rebounds.

Howard and Samuel Dalembert got tangled up going for a rebound in the first quarter, and Howard was called for a technical foul on the play after he apparently hit Dalembert with his elbow.

Afterward, Philadelphia head coach Tony DiLeo said Howard should have been called for 3 seconds in the lane several times and asked the league to look into an elbow from Howard on Dalembert.

“Dwight Howard had a great game, and he’s a great player, but he just lives in the 3-second lane on offense and defense,” DiLeo said. “I’m just saying he’s standing in the 3-second lane on offense and defense. He’s a great player, and he doesn't need any advantages.”

Rashard Lewis snapped out of his playoff slump with a series-high 24 points, and Rafer Alston scored 14 for the Magic.

Orlando heads back to Philadelphia with a chance to close out the Sixers.

The 76ers face elimination in Game 6 in the best-of-seven series on Thursday in Philly. A potential Game 7 would be Saturday in Orlando.

Postgame Quotes

Head Coach Tony DiLeo

On the game:
“I thought our team really battled tonight. We came up a little short. Orlando took care of business here at home and we’ve got to go back and take care of business in Philadelphia. Overall, I thought both teams played hard. Defense was good. They hurt us on the boards a little bit tonight. But we battled, we battled. Dwight Howard had a great game and he’s a great player, but he just lives in the 3-second lane on offense and defense. It’s tough to defend him or it’s tough to just get to the hole when he’s just standing in the 3-second lane the whole time.”

On whether Dwight Howard is in 3-second lane illegally too often:
“I’m just saying he’s standing in the 3-second lane on offense and defense. And he’s a great player and he doesn’t need any advantages. When he can stay in there on defense or stay in there on offense and catch the ball right at the basket, it’s just too tough to guard. I’m just saying he stayed in the 3-second lane on offense and defense. You can interpret that any way you want.”

On why Magic’s 3-point shooting was effective tonight:
“They did open up a little bit. 8 for 23, 34-percent. They did open up, and we tried to guard the 3. I thought in the first half they got dribble penetration, which we had to help, and then they got some open shots. When you have to try to go double (Dwight) Howard, it’s going to open up some things too. But the main thing I think, we have to figure a way we can get quality and better shots on offense. We really didn’t get a lot of good shots. We just have to, the next couple of days, try to figure out how we can get our players in good position and get them some good shots.”

On whether Dwight Howard should be ejected for foul and if the NBA should look into it:
“We’ve already asked the league to look into it. I didn’t see the play clearly, live. I’m sure the League will look into it and they know about the play, so we’ll just let them make the interpretation on that.”

Andre Iguodala

“The team has to stay aggressive. I thought we were aggressive tonight. There were a lot of whistles on the defensive end. I think we have to stay that way. We can’t change our game too much. They called a lot of fouls with Dwight posting up. Theo was banging him a little bit and got into some foul trouble. I think from that standpoint we have to stay tough. We have to take care of the ball and get more quality shots.”

on Coach DiLeo’s assertion that Howard stays in lane on offensive and defensive end:
“It is hard to see that when you are playing but you can see it at times. I don’t know if he is in and out or if he is always there. I know that when I am going to the basket, he is always there. He is agile though. He can move and get out on pick-and-rolls. He is good on weakside blocked shots so all I can say is look at the tape. I try not to worry about that and just let the officials handle that.”

“I try not to force. After the first half, I felt like I needed to start forcing or being more aggressive. I needed to get to the line and try and make things happen. They do a good job of helping on the pick-and-rolls. Their rotations are good so you have to find ways to try and get it done. You have to make it happen. In Game # 6 we have to come out blazing from the get-go. We can’t really wait. It is do or die time.”

Theo Ratliff

“We have to execute offensively and defensively. We can’t let them get the offensive rebounds that they got tonight. We have to stop penetration. That is the biggest key for us. We let them get too much penetration down the middle and that breaks the defense down. Guys have to come over and help and leave guys to rebound the ball and put it in. That is a hard cover.”

“He (Howard) has been a force down there all season. If they are not going to let us bang him, then everyone is going to be in foul trouble. I don’t know what he weighs but he is a big strong guy and he is creating a lot of contact. We just have to live with it and keep playing hard and get him out of the paint as much as possible.”

“He (Howard) is definitely in there. They call three seconds on us, but I don’t think they have called one on him in the whole series. That is where he plays at all the time. It is definitely something they (officials) need to address. They make the calls. We don’t.”

“Rashard is an All-Star. We didn’t expect anything less than what he is doing against us. He is a big strong guy down on the post. We have to give a little bit more help. We can’t allow him three or four dribbles just like we can’t let Dwight get that. He will put your guy at a deficit.”