T’wolves rejected !!!!!!

Nine blocks in a game are an amazing line.If one of these makes you win the game, that is even nicer.

If the nine blocks are paired with 18 points and 11 boards, it becomes something impressive: one block short of a triple double, exactly.

Add a perfect 8/8 from the line and you realize that Dalembert’s game vs Timberwolves was really special. We have to thank him for the 98-94 win (Sixers’ fourth straight, 9-13, .409).

“I’m not going to kiss Sam’s butt, and I let him know when he is good and not good,” said forward Reggie Evans. “I feel he can be an all-star in the East if he plays like he did tonight.”

Considering the lack of big men, he might be right. Especially on the “kissing the butt” part, I am not going to do it either (LOL).

The game was closer than everyboy thought: everybody was expecting a blow out, after all Minnesota was 3-16 and in the second night of a back-to-back. But the T’Wolves showed some pride and fought until the end, with a great contribution from their bench, that had 44 points vs Sixers’ 21.

I think this gives more value to our win rather than being a bad sign (like we are not capable to close games etc). I am very happy with the win then. Winning games down the stretch gives you perhaps even more confidence.

Before Dalembert’s show, Sixers fan watched another one, at the beginning of the game. It was one of the worst display of offensive ineptitude by a sigle player that I had the chance to see. I’m talking about Reggie Evans’ first quarter. Follow me 🙂

1) a missed layup just under the basket

2) a lane violation that made Iguodala’s free throw nullified (…)

3) a lost ball (steal by Smith)

4) an assist he didn’t grab in the paint, with the ball ending out of bounds

5) a bad pass (another steal)

Cheeks put an end to this calvary, pulling Evans out after 7 minutes. He had 4 TO in the first. But the funniest Evans play came in the second, when he BRICKED A REVERSE LAYUP ( ???!!! I cannot describe this, I apologize, I’ll try to find the video…).

Despite Evans’ efforts (joking), Sixers had a strong first, in which they had a 26-14 lead, to close it 28-21. Iguodala had 11, Green 9 including a couple of “and one” plays (kudos again), Jason Smith a quick 4. Sam had already 4 blocks, intimidating Jefferson and starting his unbelievable night, easily the best one of his career.

“Antrash” Walker reminded us that he loves to play vs Sixers, hitting two threes, Mc Cants followed with another one and Minnesota trimmed it to 32-29. Lou Williams was back for us in the period, but he looked a little bit lost in his first game after the injury, forcing some shots: a three by Green extended the lead to nine (44-35) but Minnesota kept playing hard and effectively pounding the ball in the low post. They ended the first half with a lucky left handed hook shot by Adriana Lima’s beau on a drive at the buzzer: 51-45.

By halftime stats were very similar: Sixers 18/39 (46%), 19 rebounds, 11 assists, 9 turnovers. Minnesota 19/45 (42%), 20 rebounds, 11 assists, 8 turnovers. Green had 12 (4/9), Iguodala 11 (4/8), Smith 8 (4/5), Sam 6 + 8 rebounds + 4 blocks.

In the third Mo went with the starting five for the first 9 minutes, making no substitutions: Sixers had another 7 point lead at 73-66 but Minnesota tied it with an immediate 7-0 run: the score at the end was 79-74.

Thaddeus Young started the fourth at PF, Dalembert’s seventh, fantastic, block helped us reaching a 82-74 edge. But T’Wolves made the best run of the night, a 15-2 break that turned that deficit into a 3 point lead: 86-89 with Walker’s third three (f’k !!). Telfair directed their offense very well, penetrating and kicking out for open team mates: Jefferson was huge too in the low post, as usual. I honestly started feeling cold…

But here came Sixers’ “new” personality: instead of breaking up, the team calmy kept playing, led by Andre Miller and Iguodala offensively, by our totem Sam in our half court. Minnesota had some costly misses from the line but when Iguodala was called for a (clear) charge on Jaric with 18 seconds to go, Sixers up 2 (96-94), had the chance to go to overtime, or win it with a three pointer.

They gave the ball to their best player, Jefferson, but the former Celtic had to face our “godfather”: Dalembert rejected Al’s hook shot with seven seconds to go, Iguodala got the ball and was fouled, sealing the game with a couple from the line: 98-94.

“I knew he was going to shoot the hook, and I went straight for it,” Dalembert said of the final block. Hey, he knew it.

Randomly:

Iguodala had another solid, “quiet” all around game and sank the free throws when it counted. I realized he scored 25 only at the end. No forced shots, three highlight reel dunks on fastbreak. Cool.

Green was… Green. The Willie Green of the last games I mean. The 5 rebounds and mostly the 4 assists (!) confirm that he’s not the garbage player he used to be. Should I pick him for my fantasy team ? Uhm… I’m thinking about jumping on Green’s bandwagon 🙂

Miller had an ugly miss in the final minute, blowing a layup under the rim, but the 8 assists (and if it wasn’t for Evans he could had 10, LOL) and the 6/6 from the line tell us that he’s always improving. 

Young was active on the offensive glass, had a couple of nice baskets. Good contribution anyway.

Lou Williams shot wasn’t falling, but it was great to have him back anyway, and the five assists were brilliant.

Sam (in the picture, screaming his joy) was… Shaq. But with Korver’s accuracy from the line (LOL)

So who’s next? Sacramento….