Sixers are NOT the Golden State Warriors

(BRING THE OLD SIXERS UNIFORMS BACK ! S4G CAMPAIGN – SIGN HERE)

They are the Golden State Warriors, we are the Phiadelphia Seventy-Sixers. And it showed.

Sixers (26-33, .441) tried to run with Nelson’s team but the 119-97 final score is there to prove that they didn’t manage.

Golden State led wire to wire and the game lasted basically 26 minutes, until Webber scored the first four points after the break (71-52).

I mean, when an immobile Chris effin’ Webber drives past Dalembert to score on a layup (…) and then hits a long jumper, the same shot he frontrimmed for nearly two years as a Sixer, you know you are done.  

“Be like Mike !!”. You remember the old Gatorade commercial? Hey, I tried hard, and I drank a lot of Gatorade, but still I couldn’t jump a newspaper.

“Be like the Warriors !!”. Sixers tried as well, but they were missing some key ingredients last night: three point & outside shooting, circulation, hustle.

Shortly: in the FIRST QUARTER Sixers missed their first fourteen shots (!!), to go with five turnovers. Yes, we started with 0/14, then Andre Miller put an end to this painful streak with a jumper with 4.15 to go. For Golden State Brandan Wright reached his career high, 11 points, in the period (!!!!!!!), with a nice repertoire of three point plays, dunks (like the one in the picture), blocks (2) and boards (4). He got plenty of help from one of my favorite players, Stephen Jackson, who had nine points (26-18).

Warriors bench simply overwhelmed us in the SECOND QUARTER. Al Harrington knocked down two consecutive, identical three pointers from the top of the key (don’t ask me where the defense was, for sure not close to him), Barnes had another from the corner, and then Pietrus converted a beautiful “and one” play (51-38, 5.30).

It was the start of an unbelievable night for the french swingman that ended with his season high 23 points, on a perfect 7/7 from the field. If he wanted to showcase himself for a new contract, he did it pretty well, and I guess the number of his supporters among Sixers fans will increase (I don’t like him, anyway).

Warriors shot 6/8 from downtown in the period, while Sixers were 0/0. Rodney Carney had a good game off the bench, scoring 12 points (5/5), and Lou Williams was good offensively too, but we gave up 41 points, and you don’t go anywhere if you allow that.

No need to recap the second half, I told you the game was already lost after two minutes. But there are some points worth mentioning.

1) the two Andres were missing. Miller had a bad game, he took too many shots and was clearly nervous he wasn’t getting calls (got even a tech). He had only two dimes and, in general, took several wrong decisions, something we are not used to see.

Iguodala was 2/10 by halftime and could never find his rythm: Jackson played some great defense on him and Andre had a flash only in the fourth, when Stephen was out due to a sprained ankle. Too late.

3) Young and Green took a step back. Green went back to his old “garbage time” games, jacking up crazy shots in transition (like one-vs-four), missing free throws and getting blocked (four times !). Thad did a good job under the boards but looks like he is not involved enough offensively. He had a couple of “rookie-sque” turnovers, like getting his pocket picked while he was dribbling to start a fastbreak, instead of immediately giving the ball to our playmaker.

4) Dalembert looked passive and didn’t put enough effort. I mean, how can you still fall for Webber’s lame pump fake? He is clearly on a slump.

5) we got beat on every hustle play. All loose balls were Warriors’, who had also many charges drawn, steals, blocks (12-2, and Biedrins wasn’t playing…). It seemed they wanted it more than us, simple as that.

6) we missed a ton of free throws and never scored from behind the arc. Is this any news at all? Well, it could be, because the misses from the line came WITHOUT Reggie Evans’ usual – and huge – contribution…

SIXERS4GUIDOS BONUS STATS AND RANDOM THOUGHTS

Warriors had 24 bench points by halftime, and 21 assists vs our 10 – Mo Cheeks called time out after 24 seconds in the fourth, after a turnover and a basket by Golden State – Sixers’ first three pointer of the night came in the fourth, when Willie Green made it 94-78… – How about the turnover coming from a timeout with 3 seconds to play before halftime? Not bad… – Young AND Carney airballed wide open jumpers, both were long ! – In the fourth Sixers went with a lineup of Lou Williams, Willie Green, Andre Iguodala, Rodney Carney (PF ??) and Thaddeus Young (C ????) – Sixers waived Gordan Giricek, who is expected to sign with the Suns.

Check Golden State of Mind’s open thread of the game and wait for Sixerdave’s special contribution, my buddy was at the arena in Oakland and will send me a post later !!!

Sixers meet the Suns tonight. Uhm…