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NBA Eastern Conference Once More Inferior to West:…

Arevbip — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:56:00 +0000

The Philadelphia 76ers are benefiting from being in the Atlantic Division, since no one else there has a winning record. As such, Sixers fans like myself can feel a little overconfident about their chances to win the division, although it could be a different story when they face better competition. But the Sixers are also fortunate to be in the Eastern Conference as a whole, as it is once again proving to be the inferior conference from top to bottom.

The lockout and the shortened season did a lot to alter things, yet one constant has remained the same. The Eastern Conference has the majority of poor NBA teams so far while the Western Conference is more stacked than usual. The Sixers just happen to be among the select few Eastern teams with winning records so far, rather than in the pack of losing teams for once.

As of Jan. 25, the Sixers are one of only six Eastern Conference clubs over .500, whereas 10 Western squads have a winning record. If this continues, two sub .500 Eastern teams will make the playoffs while two Western franchises over .500 will be left out. This seems to happen pretty much every season, however, and in spite of the lockout it is taking place right on cue again.

Although the New York Knicks are imploding and on the brink of getting Mike D’Antoni forced out, they would still make the playoffs as an eighth seed if the season ended today. In addition, the Boston Celtics would be the seventh seed in spite of a 7-9 record and speculation that most of their Big Three will be gone soon. Even the Cleveland Cavaliers remain a half-game back for the eighth spot despite a 6-10 record and some horrendous blowout losses last week.

The poor records of the No. 7 to No. 15 ranked teams in the East make the whole conference look bad – or make those on top look even better. Only the Sixers, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks and Indiana Pacers look any good so far, and that may remain the case the rest of the season.

But given that the Bulls have the best record in the NBA, the Heat remain the championship favorite, the Magic are still contending with Dwight Howard and the Hawks, Sixers and Pacers are still improving, the East could still have more title contenders while the West devours itself. Since the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks are flailing early while the Oklahoma City Thunder try to become championship ready, the West is a free-for-all right now.

The Sixers will have a much easier time making the playoffs in the Eastern Conference, especially since they might even afford to make it with a losing or .500 record again. Of course, Philadelphia would like to get in with a much better record this time around.

Now that the Sixers have risen about the nine or so rotten/mediocre clubs left in the East, the next goal is to rise above the would-be contenders like the Hawks and Pacers and get to the Bulls, Heat and Magic’s level. Unfortunately, overtaking the Eastern Conference teams that are actually good is a much tougher task.

Robert Dougherty is a life-long Philadelphia resident and 76ers fan.

Other stories from this contributor

76ers barely break a sweat over Wizards

76ers still unable to jump over Heat

76ers, Heat are still works in progress

76ers have big second half awakening over Hawks

76ers start most important two-game stretch this season

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NBA Roundup: Jrue Holiday, Thaddeus Young lead…

opissophy — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 12:05:48 +0000

PHILADELPHIA – Jrue Holiday had 16 points and 11 assists, and Thaddeus Young scored 20 points to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 90-76 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.

Andre Iguodala scored 11 points and Elton Brand grabbed 16 rebounds to help the 76ers win for the ninth time in 11 games and improve to 7-1 at home.

The Sixers left a dismal first half in the dust with a sensational third quarter. Jodie Meeks hit a pair of three-pointers and Iguodala rocked nearly 18,000 fans with a pair of thunderous dunks during a 14-0 run.

In a game between teams that started the night as division leaders, the Hawks were in control until the 76ers found their way. Philadelphia pulled ahead by 18 in the fourth.

Ex-Sixer Willie Green scored 14 points for the Hawks, who had won four straight. Atlanta had been perfect since All-Star centre Al Horford tore his left pectoral muscle, an injury that required surgery and could keep him out for the rest of the season.

MAGIC 92, LAKERS 80

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Dwight Howard scored 21 points and grabbed 23 rebounds, and Orlando overcame a tough shooting performance to beat Los Angeles.

Jameer Nelson added 17 points and nine assists, and J.J. Redick had 15 points as the Magic had all five starters in double figures.

Kobe Bryant scored 30 points and Pau Gasol 13 for the Lakers, who lost their second straight and posted a season low in points to drop to 1-6 on the road this season.

The Magic led by as many as 23, helped by Los Angeles’ second consecutive night shooting under 40 per cent.

Orlando, which was slightly better at 41 per cent but connected on 12 three-pointers, has beaten the Lakers in six of their last nine regular-season meetings.

TIMBERWOLVES 101, CLIPPERS 98

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kevin Love hit a three-pointer at the buzzer after Ricky Rubio’s tying three with 20 seconds to play, lifting Minnesota over Los Angeles.

Darko Milicic had 22 points and seven rebounds for Minnesota before fouling out with 1:01 left, and Love had 17 points and 14 rebounds. The Timberwolves have won three straight for the first time since a four-game stretch from Jan. 29 to Feb. 6, 2010. After that, they lost 29 of their final 31 games.

Rubio, Minnesota’s rookie point guard, missed his first 10 field goal attempts before draining a clutch 3 from in front of the Clippers’ bench.

Chauncey Billups missed a driving layup against Rubio coming out of a timeout, and Love got the rebound before Minnesota called a timeout with 1.5 seconds on the clock.

The loss snapped a seven-game home winning streak for the Clippers.

Mo Williams scored 21 of his 25 points off the bench in the first half for Los Angeles before getting ejected midway through the fourth quarter. Blake Griffin had 21 points and 10 rebounds.

KINGS 88, SPURS 86

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Tyreke Evans had 23 points and 11 rebounds, including the go-ahead jumper with 47.2 seconds left to give Sacramento a surprising road victory over San Antonio.

Marcus Thornton and DeMarcus Cousins added 17 points apiece for the Kings, who won on the road for only the second time and did so in the NBA’s toughest place to play this season. The Spurs had been 9-0 at home.

Cousins also had 13 rebounds. The Spurs hadn’t lost to the Kings at home since 2006.

Tony Parker led the Spurs with 24 points. San Antonio missed its last five shots, including Danny Green’s airball on a short runner as time expired.

Sacramento had been abysmal away from home, getting blown out by an average of 23 points in its seven road losses.

San Antonio started 9-0 at home for the third time in franchise history. Now only Chicago (6-0) remains unbeaten at home.

BULLS 114, CAVALIERS 75

CLEVELAND (AP) — Luol Deng scored 21 points, Carlos Boozer added 19 and 14 rebounds, and Chicago managed easily without superstar Derrick Rose in embarrassing Cleveland.

Rose missed his third straight game with a strained left big toe, but the Bulls barely missed the NBA’s reigning MVP and handed the Cavs their worst home loss. Cleveland lost by 35 at home in 1990 and 2001.

Chicago, which has the league’s best record at 14-3, led by 42 points in the fourth quarter when all the Bulls’ starters were lounging in sweats.

Anderson Varejao scored 14 points and rookie Kyrie Irving added 13 for the Cavs.

C.J. Watson started for Rose and scored 13 of his 15 points in the first half.

SUNS 79, CELTICS 71

BOSTON (AP) — Marcin Gortat scored 24 points with 12 rebounds and Steve Nash had 11 points and nine assists to lead Phoenix over Boston.

The Suns won their second straight after a five-game losing streak.

Playing without point guard Rajon Rondo, the team’s most consistent starter this year, the Celtics had their lowest-scoring game of the season. They lost for the sixth time in seven games and fell to 0-4 against the Western Conference.

Ray Allen led the Celtics with 14 points and six rebounds.

TRAIL BLAZERS 94, RAPTORS 84

TORONTO (AP) — LaMarcus Aldridge had a season-high 33 points and a career-best 23 rebounds as Portland handed Toronto its seventh consecutive loss.

Raymond Felton scored 14 points, and Marcus Camby and Gerald Wallace each had 10 rebounds as Portland won its seventh straight over Toronto. The Trail Blazers have not lost to the Raptors since a 101-100 overtime defeat on Dec. 22, 2006.

Aldridge had 23 points and 11 rebounds in the first half.

James Johnson scored a career-high 23 points for the Raptors, who have lost nine of 10.

NUGGETS 108, WIZARDS 104

WASHINGTON (AP) — Al Harrington scored a season-high 29 points, and Danilo Gallinari and Ty Lawson each had 21 to lead Denver past Washington.

It was the fifth win in six games for the Nuggets, who played without Nene due to a bruised right heel. He’s expected back Saturday in New York.

After Arron Afflalo gave Denver a 100-98 lead on a layup with 2:07 to play, Harrington hit a 3-pointer with 1:14 left to make it 103-98.

Washington dropped to 2-13 and failed to post its first two-game winning streak. Last season, it took the Wizards 39 games to win two in a row.

Nick Young lead Washington with 25 points. John Wall had 13 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds — narrowly missing his second career triple-double.

BUCKS 100, KNICKS 86

NEW YORK (AP) — Brandon Jennings scored a season-high 36 points and Milwaukee won on the road for the first time this season.

The Bucks won for the sixth time in their last seven trips to New York, where they outplayed a Knicks team that has lost five straight overall. New York heard frequent boos after turning the ball over or missing shots right at the rim all night.

Milwaukee snapped a three-game skid and improved to 1-8 on the road. The Bucks dominated the second half behind Jennings, who loves to make the Knicks pay for passing on him with the No. 8 pick in the 2009 draft.

Carmelo Anthony scored 35 points for the Knicks before he was ejected with 1:33 left after picking up his second technical foul.

GRIZZLIES 98, PISTONS 81

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) — Rudy Gay scored 24 points and surging Memphis held off a second-half rally by Detroit.

The Grizzlies, who have won five straight, led by 23 in the third quarter before the Pistons fought back. Detroit cut the deficit to six in the fourth, but Memphis pulled away after that.

Rookie guard Brandon Knight scored 22 points for Detroit, which has lost 10 of 11. The Pistons were without guards Rodney Stuckey (groin) and Will Bynum (right foot), as well as forward Charlie Villanueva (right ankle).

Marc Gasol had 17 points for Memphis, and Mike Conley added 14 points and 11 assists. The Grizzlies improved to 7-3 since Zach Randolph went out with a torn MCL.

PACERS 94, WARRIORS 91

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — George Hill scored on a three-point play with 1.8 seconds remaining and Indiana held off a late charge by Golden State.

Hill stole the ball from Monta Ellis, then raced the length of the floor for a tiebreaking layup. Hill was fouled by Stephen Curry and made the free throw for the final margin.

Curry’s 29-footer at the buzzer bounced off the back of the rim.

Danny Granger had 26 points and Roy Hibbert added a career-high 16 rebounds for Indiana, which has won four of five. The Pacers (10-4) are off to their best start since opening the 2003-04 season 13-1.

Ellis finished with 25 points and six assists, while Curry had 12 points in his first game in more than two weeks.

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Sixers sweep past Hawks 90-76

snowwwinda — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 09:01:20 +0000

PHILADELPHIA (AP)—The Philadelphia 76ers flicked the switch in the third
quarter and swept past the Atlanta Hawks 90-76 on Friday in a clash of NBA
division leaders.

Jrue Holiday had 16 points and 11 assists, and Thaddeus Young scored 20
points for Philadelphia, which improved to 7-1 at home.

The Sixers left a dismal first half in the dust with a sensational third
quarter. Jodie Meeks hit a pair of 3-pointers and Andre Iguodala rocked nearly
18,000 fans with a pair of thunderous dunks during a 14-0 run.

Ex-Sixer Willie Green scored 14 points for the Hawks, who had been in
control and seemed on course for a fifth straight win until the 76ers found
their way.

———

BULLS 114, CAVALIERS 75

In Cleveland, Chicago made light of the absence of star Derrick Rose by
handing Cleveland its heaviest ever home defeat.

Luol Deng scored 21 points, and Carlos Boozer added 19 and 14 rebounds for
the Bulls, who barely missed reigning league MVP Rose, who sat out his third
straight game with a toe injury.

The 39-point margin was the most lopsided defeat ever inflicted on the Cavs
in Cleveland, surpassing 35-point losses suffered in 1990 and 2001.

It could have been worse. Chicago, which has the league’s best record at
14-3, led by 42 points in the fourth quarter when all the Bulls’ starters were
resting on the bench.

Anderson Varejao scored 14 points and rookie Kyrie Irving added 13 for the
Cavs.

———

TRAIL BLAZERS 94, RAPTORS 84

In Toronto, LaMarcus Aldridge had a season-high 33 points and a career-best
23 rebounds as Portland handed Toronto its seventh consecutive loss.

Raymond Felton scored 14 points as the Blazers won their seventh straight
over Toronto. Portland has not lost to the Raptors since 2006-07.

James Johnson scored a career-high 23 points for the Raptors.

———

NUGGETS 108, WIZARDS 104

In Washington, Al Harrington scored a season-high 29 points, making the
difference in Denver’s tight win over Washington.

Danilo Gallinari and Ty Lawson each had 21 for the Nuggets, who made it five
wins in six games despite the absence of Nene with a bruised heel.

Washington led 100-98 with 2:07 to play, before an equalizing basket then a
Harrington 3-pointer with 1:14 left to make it 103-98.

Nick Young’s 25 points led the Wizards, who dropped to a miserable 2-13.

———

SUNS 79, CELTICS 71

In Boston, Marcin Gortat scored 24 points with 12 rebounds to lead Phoenix
over Boston in a low-scoring encounter.

Steve Nash had 11 points and nine assists for the Suns.

Playing without point guard Rajon Rondo, the team’s most consistent starter
this year, the Celtics had their lowest-scoring game of the season. They lost
for the sixth time in seven games and fell to 0-4 against the Western
Conference.

Ray Allen led the Celtics with 14 points and six rebounds.

———

BUCKS 100, KNICKS 86

In New York, Brandon Jennings scored a season-high 36 points as Milwaukee
won on the road for the first time this season, beating New York.

The Bucks won for the sixth time in their last seven trips to New York,
where they outplayed a Knicks team that has lost five straight overall and is
quickly losing the support of its demanding fans.

Milwaukee dominated the second half behind Jennings, who loves to make the
Knicks pay for passing on him with the No. 8 pick in the 2009 draft.

Carmelo Anthony scored 35 points for the Knicks before he was ejected with
1:33 left after picking up his second technical foul.

———

GRIZZLIES 98, PISTONS 81

In Auburn Hills, Michigan, Rudy Gay scored 24 points to help surging Memphis
hold off a second-half rally by Detroit.

Marc Gasol had 17 points for the Grizzlies, who have won five straight. They
led by 23 in the third quarter before the Pistons fought back, cutting the
deficit to six in the fourth.

Rookie guard Brandon Knight scored 22 points for Detroit, which has lost 10
of 11. The Pistons were without guards Rodney Stuckey (groin) and Will Bynum
(right foot), as well as forward Charlie Villanueva (right ankle).

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