Many felt early on in Evan Turner’s rookie campaign last year that he was going to be a complete bust. He struggled very badly in summer league, was horrible in exhibition games, and couldn’t ever seem to adjust to the NBA schemes on offense. His ball handling went to waste because he didn’t understand where he was supposed to be on the court, and he looked confused at times.

That has changed this season in his second year, and a big reason why is because he is hitting his shots, to make it quite simple. Magic coach Stan Van Gundy joked about it, saying “When guys hit their shots, people think they are playing well, and then when they don’t, people think they are playing poorly when they are doing the exact same thing but just missing the shot.”

So it has gone for Turner. This season, due to improved shooting mechanics, Turner is shooting 45.2% from the field and 73.5% from 9 feet and closer, up over 20% from that figure last season. That means Turner is hitting the shots he should hit. He is not, however, hitting his threes, as he shoots a very poor 21% from behind the arc. He can improve that, though, as many NBA players have become very good shooters who had no jumper early in their career (points in case, Jason Kidd, Nick Anderson, et al.,).

Turner says he is :”more comfortable with it (his shot)…and mechanics are the key…I get my shot off quicker now.” That is essential, and good shooters realize that a quicker shot means a more open and more clean look at the basket. Anyone at all familiar with the best two three point shooters in NBA history, Ray Allen and Reggie Miller, knows that both have extremely quick releases and were able to get off shots that were on-balance while winding off screens. As to whether Turner can ever reach that level of competency is anyone’s guess, but all indications are that he may put in the hard work to do so.

Turner is averaging 6.2 rebounds per game in his 26 minutes a night, which ranks him among the top rebounding guards in the league. That value is important and helps the Sixers prevent second chance points, which is one of their strengths as a basketball team on a regular basis.

So, for all of those doubters early on, I would think most are starting to realize Turner is going to have at least an above average career and not be a bust. I am reserving judgement on whether or not he can ever become an all All-Star, but I could see Turner averaging 15 to 18 a game at some point, possibly as early as next season. For right now, he is putting up 14.0 points per-36 minutes. That’s not too bad for a guy most were saying lacked the aggressiveness to ever succeed at the NBA level.

Turner has been compared from everyone to a pre-injury Brandon Roy to an offensively deficient Eric Snow, but the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. Turner is not going to be a liability offensively like Snow, but he also won’t be a deadly closer like Roy was before his knees betrayed him.

We’ll keep an eye on Turner, especially in keeper leagues. If you lack a solid fifth keeper or sixth in a 5 or 6 keep league, Turner could prove to be an option this season. Since most keeper leagues don’t require owners to declare their keepers until the days prior to the draft, we can keep an eye on Turner’s progress this summer and even in through the early part of the exhibition season before making a ruling on whether we keep Turner or a player who has already posted a slightly higher value.

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The Philadelphia 76ers signed free agent center Francisco Elson this morning to bring their roster to 14 players.

“We are happy to pick up Francisco Elson, a veteran big man who can help bolster our front court,” Sixers President of Basketball Operations Rod Thorn said.

Elson (7-0, 240) was originally acquired by the Sixers from Milwaukee along with Jodie Meeks in exchange for Primoz Brezec, Royal Ivey and a second round pick on Feb. 18, 2010.

Elson has appeared in 467 games with 149 starts while averaging 3.7 points (47.8% FGs, 70.0% FTs) and 3.5 rebounds in 15.4 minutes per game. In 2006-07, he saw action in 70 games with 41 starts for the NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs.

What do you guys think about this.

The Philadelphia 76ers hope that the Boston Celtics don’t wake up and get better in time to catch them in the Atlantic Division. As such, Sixers fans like myself were encouraged when the Celtics looked ready to implode and end the era of the Big Three. But now we might have the Orlando Magic to blame if Boston finally finds a way back into contention.

The Celtics needed a big boost to stop the bleeding and fuel them into getting back to normal. They may have gotten that twice over at the Magic’s expense, after holding them to 56 points on Jan. 23 and then overcoming a 27-point deficit in Orlando on Jan. 26.

At first, their rematch looked comical as the Magic got more points over the Celtics in the first half than they did in the entire game at Boston days earlier. Going up by as much as 27 points early on was a ridiculous reversal, but it is more likely to happen in this post-lockout chaos – and so is coming back from 27 points down to win by 91-83, it would appear.

The Celtics started chipping away at the Magic in the third quarter and then made them look as pathetic as they did days earlier. Orlando only managed eight points in the fourth quarter and 25 in the second half altogether, as Paul Pierce and E’Twaun Moore both outscored the Magic in the fourth by themselves with 10 points each. Even without Rajon Rondo or Ray Allen, the Celtics were still made to look like the champions of old.

Boston seems to have gotten better even without its one young superstar – or at least that is how Orlando made it look. The Magic had looked like surprise contenders that could possibly keep Dwight Howard around before this week, while the Celtics appeared to be on their last legs. Both possibilities may still be true, but if anything can help propel the Celtics out of their early struggles and become a factor again, these two victories can.

Boston is still only 8-9 and remains 3 1/2 games behind Philadelphia for first place. Yet considering that the Sixers are finally about to face a string of tough opponents soon, the Celtics might have found a ray of light just in the nick of time. The rest of the Atlantic Division is still stuck in mediocrity or worse, so Boston remains the team with the best chance to catch up to Philadelphia.

Should the Sixers start losing more, it would be even worse if the Celtics started winning consistently again at the same time. Fortunately, Boston won’t face Orlando again until mid-April, so maybe it will still have a hard time against the rest of the NBA. If it doesn’t, however, this week will loom even larger as the time when the Celtics finally turned a corner.

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

Other stories from this contributor

76ers need to throttle bottom feeders again this weekend

76ers finally fall against an inferior opponent

Nets failing to win and add more superstars

76ers barely break a sweat over Wizards

76ers still unable to jump over Heat

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That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

The 2011-12 Philadelphia 76ers are getting a lot of love for playing solid defense. Under Doug Collins, the team has embraced defense in a huge way. They rank among the best teams in the NBA in most defensive categories and that is why they are off to a strong start. But will any of these players earn recognition on the All-NBA Defensive First Team? A total of five 76ers have earned that honor in the past. This could be the year another joins the list. Here is a look at the five 76ers players to earn All-NBA Defensive First Team honors.

Bobby Jones

Jones earned All-NBA Defensive First Team honors every year between 1979 and 1984. In 1983, he was one of three 76ers players to earn a spot on the team. He reached the first team in the two seasons before he joined the 76ers as well. He was known for his quiet demeanor and respectful play. Jones didn’t draw a lot of attention to himself but the man could grab rebounds and block shots as good as any player in the NA.

Caldwell Jones

Jones was a member of the team in 1981 and 1982. He was a career journeyman that had his two best seasons with the 76ers. Jones was a regular double digit rebounder with the 76ers and also averaged multiple blocks per game. He left the team before the 1982-83 championship season but carried on a solid career until 1990.

Moses Malone

Malone earned honors in 1983, the year he helped the 76ers win the NBA championship. He had earned the MVP award the previous season with the Houston Rockets and did so again with the 76ers. He led the league in rebounding in the 1982-83 season and also contributed two blocks per game.

Maurice Cheeks

Cheeks earned a spot on the team each season between 1983 and 1986. He was another player that didn’t attract a lot of attention yet quietly played amazing defense. Along with Jones and Malone he helped the 1982-83 76ers become one of the greatest defensives teams in NBA history. Cheeks was the all-time NBA leader in steals when he retired.

Dikembe Mutombo

Mutombo earned a spot on the 2001 team. He also won the Defensive Player of the Year award, the only 76ers player to ever win that honor. He was a midseason acquisition for the 76ers and helped the team reach the NBA Finals. Mutombo was among the best in the NBA in rebounds and blocks so it should be no surprise that he is on this list.

* – Mark Paul is a Philadelphia resident and 76ers fan. Follow him on Twitter here.

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Gotta run!.

The Philadelphia 76ers are doing all they can to make a championship a reality in the near future. Don’t expect the likes of Andre Iguodala, Jrue Holiday, and Elton Brand to give up. With a strong February, the 76ers can further solidify their spot in the playoffs for the big postseason push.

Andre Iguodala of the Philadelphia 76ers
Wikimedia Commons

Check with your service provider for channel listings in your area. With NBA League Pass, 76ers’ fans across the nation can catch every game and witness every play.

Note: All start times Eastern

February 2012

Wed 1, Chicago Bulls at Philadelphia 76ers, 7 p.m. (CSN)

Fri 3, Miami Heat at Philadelphia 76ers, 7 p.m. (CSN)

Sat 4, Philadelphia 76ers at Atlanta Hawks, 7 p.m. (CSN)

Mon 6, Los Angeles Lakers at Philadelphia 76ers, 7 p.m. (CSN)

Wed 8, San Antonio Spurs at Philadelphia 76ers, 7 p.m. (CSN)

Fri 10, Los Angeles Clippers at Philadelphia 76ers, 7 p.m. (CSN)

Sat 11, Philadelphia 76ers at Cleveland Cavaliers, 7:30 p.m. (CSN)

Mon 13, Philadelphia 76ers at Charlotte Bobcats, 7 p.m. (CSN)

Wed 15, Philadelphia 76ers at Orlando Magic, 7 p.m. (CSN)

Fri 17, Dallas Mavericks at Philadelphia 76ers, 7 p.m. (CSN)

Sun 19, Philadelphia 76ers at Minnesota Timberwolves, 7 p.m. (TCN-PHI)

Tue 21, Philadelphia 76ers at Memphis Grizzlies, 8 p.m. (TCN-PHI)

Wed 22, Philadelphia 76ers at Houston Rockets, 8 p.m. (CSN)

Tue 28, Philadelphia 76ers at Oklahoma City Thunder, 7 p.m. (CSN)

Sources:

All data provided by NBA.com

Paul Rados is a Cleveland based freelance sportswriter and Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @PSRados or leave him a message on Facebook. For a complete look at his freelance work please visit his Blog.

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That’s all for today.

The Philadelphia 76ers and Washington Wizards have seen plenty of each other
the last two weeks. That’s no problem for the 76ers, who have had little trouble
in recent matchups.

Philadelphia will try for its fifth straight victory against Washington on
Monday night at Wells Fargo Center.

The Atlantic Division-leading 76ers have dropped two of three, including a
113-92 defeat at Miami on Saturday. While Philadelphia (11-5) didn’t have to
contend with Dwyane Wade, it allowed the Heat to shoot 54.3 percent and trailed
by as many as 21 points.

Louis Williams scored 22 points to lead five players in double figures, but
Andre Iguodala was held to a season-low four points and starting center Spencer
Hawes missed a third straight game with a left Achilles’ strain.

Rookie Nikola Vucevic, who started in Hawes’ place, strained his left knee
midway through the third quarter, although Philadelphia said he could have
returned. He had a season-high 13 points and nine rebounds.

“We hung around and fought there a little bit,” coach Doug Collins said.
“(Miami) wore us down.”

Hawes could return Monday when Philadelphia faces Washington for the third
time in 11 days. The Sixers swept a home-and-home series Jan. 13 and 14 by
scores of 120-89 at home and 103-90 on the road. Williams averaged 21.5 points
in those games.

Philadelphia has won four straight overall against the Wizards by an average
of 19.8 points.

The Sixers are eager to get a season-high seven-game homestand off to a good
start. Philadelphia is 7-1 on its own court, holding teams to 82.6 points, and
it will try to put up similar numbers in a favorable first half of the home
stretch. The first four games are against teams with losing records, including a
Washington club that is 0-6 on the road while shooting 38.0 percent and
averaging 82.3 points.

The league-worst Wizards (2-14) are trying to avoid a third straight loss.
They’ve given up at least 100 points in six straight, falling 100-94 to Boston
on Sunday.

John Wall had 27 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists while Nick Young
scored 19 points. Washington took an 84-83 lead with 6:06 remaining, but the
Celtics regained control with a 10-2 run.

Despite the loss, the Wizards feel they are taking steps in the right
direction. After the back-to-back defeats to Philadelphia, their last three
losses are by an average of six points.

“Ten days ago we weren’t competing at a high level,” coach Flip Saunders
said. “We’ve gotten to the point now we’re competing at a high level. Now we’ve
got to find a way to close out these games.”

Wall has been a big reason for the more competitive play. On Sunday, he shot
9 of 18, recording a double-double for the second straight game. The second-year
point guard is averaging 24.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 8.4 assists the last five
games after scoring 12.8 points in his first 11 games.

With Wall playing better, the Wizards, one of the NBA’s lowest scoring teams
at 89.0 points per contest, have put up 102.3 in the last four.

If anybody needs tickets to games, remember to click the tickets link at the top.

The Philadelphia 76ers are still trying to measure themselves against the NBA elite. Sixers fans like myself have a particular eye towards the Miami Heat, since they knocked off Philadelphia in the first round of the playoffs last season. As such, a Sixers win over the Heat on Jan. 21 would have been the best proof yet that they are marching up into the Eastern Conference elite after all.

Instead, Philadelphia came up short against Miami again – and actually looked worse than it did in its playoff losses a year ago. The Sixers had a real shot to beat the Heat in most of the playoff games last year, yet they were blown out of the water more decisively in a 113-92 loss in the rematch.

The score was a little misleading, as the Sixers were within range up until about the last few minutes of the third quarter. Yet the Heat were in control for much of the way and ultimately pulled away in the final stretch, just like Philadelphia usually does against weaker teams. Even though Miami was playing without Dwayne Wade, it has not stopped it from beating up the competition so far.

The Heat improved to 6-0 without Wade this year on the strength of 30 points from Chris Bosh and 28 more from LeBron James. Mario Chalmers was the only other Heat player to score more than 10 points, as he only had 11. The Sixers have won on the strength of having multiple players get to double digits, even though their balanced attack has no superstar at the center. Yet two superstars combining for 58 points was enough to knock off a team that had five players combine for 73 points.

While only three Heat scored in double digits, several players chipped in seven, eight and nine points. As it turned out, Miami’s depth was a little deeper than Philadelphia’s, especially since Andre Iguodala had just four points, Thaddeus Young was held to six and Jodie Meeks got only seven. In this case, the Sixers couldn’t survive an off night by a few of their aspiring stars, whereas the Heat could survive having one of their Big Three on the bench.

Philadelphia will eventually have more chances to face the East and the NBA’s elite and prove it can join them someday. But if the Sixers are ever going to truly break through, it will need to happen against the Heat, as they represent their ceiling. Miami showed how far Philadelphia still has to go in last year’s playoffs, then it reminded the Sixers again in the rematch and may eventually have an opportunity to do it again in this year’s playoffs.

Many great teams had a barrier that they needed to break through to get over the hump – the Bad Boys on the Detroit Pistons had the Boston Celtics, then Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls had those same Pistons, and Patrick Ewing’s New York Knicks then tried and failed to get past those same Bulls. Now these Sixers have the Heat, although that still makes them no different from most every other team in the Eastern Conference.

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

Other stories from this contributor

76ers, Heat are still works in progress

76ers have big second half awakening over Hawks

76ers start most important two-game stretch this season

Celtics can’t even celebrate ending losing streak

76ers fall just short in first real test against Nuggets

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There is the quick update of the day.

The Philadelphia 76ers took a huge step toward convincing the rest of the NBA that they are the real deal. After trailing by double digits in the first half, the 76ers put together a strong game and ended up with a 90-76 win over the Atlanta Hawks. This was a win over a first place and team and that shouldn’t be overlooked. More importantly, it allows the 76ers to quell the talk they can only beat bad teams. As a 76ers fan, I was impressed with this win. I expect more will follow.

Things looked rough in the first half. The 76ers fell behind by double digits early in the second quarter behind some poor shooting and less than stellar defense. They started to right the ship and ended up trailing by eight at the break. The third quarter was an entirely different story. The 76ers outscored Atlanta 25-10 in the third to go up by seven points. They completely shut down the Hawks on defense and did everything right. The good times continued in the fourth quarter as the 76ers ended up with a comfortable win. The Hawks managed just 29 points in the final 24 minutes.

There were several standout performances for the 76ers. Jrue Holiday had 16 points and 11 assists in the game. Elton Brand picked up the slack with Spencer Hawes out of the lineup and ended up with 16 rebounds to go along with his 10 points. Andre Iguodala and Jodie Meeks also played well as the starters really helped in this game. Thaddeus Young led the team with 20 points but the rest of the bench didn’t do too much. That is out of character for the 76ers but fortunately the starters were able to make up for it.

The second half defense was huge for the 76ers. That is the way the 76ers win games. Atlanta is a solid offensive team and it looked like they were on their way to another strong performance. But the 76ers proved that they are strong enough on defense to shut down any team. Hopefully the formula continues as the schedule continues to get more difficult.

* – Mark Paul is a Philadelphia resident and fan of the 76ers. Follow him on Twitter here.

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By Kevin Kraczkowski

– Panthers Editor

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Jan 21, 2012 – The Miami Heat will be hosting the Philadelphia 76ers at the AA Arena tonight. It’s the first of four meetings this season between the two teams, and the first of two times they will play in Miami. The Heat are 5-1 at home, Philadelphia carries a 4-3 road record into the game. For the Heat, this is the third game of a five game homestand. They beat the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday with a 39 point third quarter, 120-98. They beat the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, 98-87. They continue the homestand on Sunday against the Milwaukee Bucks and on Tuesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 76ers just finished a three game homestand, going 2-1. After tonight’s matchup, they will begin a seven game homestand, concluding with an engagement with the Heat on February 3rd.

The two teams last met on April 27th of last season in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Miami posted a 97-91 victory in game five to advance to the Conference Semifinals, against the Boston Celtics. The Big Three all posted double doubles, as Dwyane Wade scored 26 with 11 rebounds and seven assists, Chris Bosh had 22 points and 11 rebounds, and LeBron James scored 16 with 10 rebounds and eight assists. Mario Chalmers added 20 for the Heat. Elton Brand and Andre Igoudala led the 76ers with 22 points each.

NBA Playoffs 2011: Phila Sixers Vs Miami Heat Game 5 Highlights (via NBAHiighlights)

Miami took down the Los Angeles Lakers, 98-87 on Thursday night. The Heat led by 21 points after three periods before relaxing down the stretch. LeBron James scored 31 with eight assists despite going home earlier in the day with an undisclosed sickness to lead Miami. Chris Bosh tossed in 15. Pau Gasol scored 26 to lead Los Angeles.

Miami Heat vs Los Angeles Lakers [1.19.2012] (via CakesBerry)

The 76ers beat the Atlanta Hawks last night, 90-76 behind Jrue Holiday’s 16 points and 11 assists. Thaddeus Young added 20 off the bench. Elton Brand had 10 points and 16 rebounds. Willie Green scored 14 to lead Atlanta.

Game Time: 7:30 EST

Season Series: 0-0

All-Time Series: 41-50

Standings:

Miami Heat: 10-4, second in the Southeast Division, tied for fourth in the Eastern Conference, tied for fifth in the NBA.

Philadelphia 76ers: 11-4, first in the Atlantic Division, tied for second in the Eastern Conference, tied for third in the NBA.

Starting Lineups:

Miami Heat:

PG – Mario Chalmers

SG – Shane Battier

SF – LeBron James

PF – Chris Bosh

C – Joel Anthony

Philadelphia 76ers:

PG – Jrue Holiday

SG – Jodie Meeks

SF – Andre Igoudala

PF – Elton Brand

C – Nikola Vucevic

————————————————————–

Common Thread:

Neither team employs a player who has appeared with the other team.

Team Milestones:

James Jones needs two more 3-pointers to pass Jamal Mashburn into 14th with 211.

Four more 3-pointers will put Mario Chalmers at 305, passing Jason Williams into seventh.

Chris Bosh needs seven more free throws to pass Caron Butler into 19th, with 443.

With one more assist, Udonis Haslem will pass Rony Seikaly into 19th, with 574. Five more blocks will put him in 11th with 185, passing Brian Grant.

Team Leaders:

PPG:

LeBron James, 29.9

Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade,19.6

RPG:

Udonis Haslem, 9.4

Chris Bosh, 8.1

LeBron James, 7.9

APG:

LeBron James, 7.6

Dwyane Wade, 5.4

Mario Chalmers, 4.4

SPG:

Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, 2.0

Mario Chalmers, 1.7

BPG:

Dwyane Wade, 1.7

Chris Bosh, 1.0

Read More: Chris Bosh (F – MIA), LeBron James (F – MIA), Dwyane Wade (G – MIA), Mario Chalmers (G – MIA), Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) – January 20, 2012 (WPVI) —
Jrue Holiday-to-Andre Iguodala was exactly the sort of high-flying connection the Philadelphia 76ers needed Friday night.

Holiday had 16 points and 11 assists, and Iguodala scored 11 points to lead the 76ers to a 90-76 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

“We can play against tough teams,” Iguodala said.

Play and win.

Thaddeus Young scored 20 points and Elton Brand grabbed 16 rebounds to help the 76ers win for the 10th time in 12 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 3-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 Sixers found their way.

Coach Doug Collins wrote a halftime note for his team on the board: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,”

“I thought our guys went fast in the first half, and alone,” Collins said. “I thought we went far in the second half, and together.”

Holiday had five of his 11 assists in the third and the Sixers pulled ahead by 18 in the fourth.

Former Sixer Willie Green scored 14 points and Jeff Teague had 12 for the Hawks, who snapped a four-game winning streak. Atlanta had been perfect since All-Star center Al Horford tore his left pectoral muscle, an injury that required surgery and could keep him out for the rest of the season.

Hawks coach Larry Drew could be heard yelling at his team in the locker room after the game.

“It got tough for us and we quit,” Drew said. “That’s what happened. I was more disappointed than frustrated.”

Even Horford couldn’t have done much to stop the Sixers’ mix of fastbreak dunks and 3-pointers in the third. Coming off their first home loss of the season, and a game Saturday at Miami, the Sixers knew they had to have this one to keep the early-season good vibes going.

“You win this game. You don’t lose two in a row at home,” Collins said.

Iguodala ignited the run when he scooped up a loose ball of an Atlanta turnover and turned it into a driving slam that cut it to 51-50. Meeks, who had 12 points, buried consecutive 3s to the delight of a loud and large crowd. Years of .500 or worse basketball had sucked the life out of the Wells Fargo Center. Sure enough, thanks to a fast start and slashed ticket prices, the arena is suddenly the place to be on a Friday night – or any night.

Holiday ended the run on a highlight reel-worthy feed to Iguodala for an alley-oop that nearly brought down the rim.

Yes, this was the same team that looked disconnected and missed 12 of their first 17 shots.

“We settled down a little bit, got some stops and went on a little run,” Iguodala said

.

They turned up the defensive pressure in the third and would have held Atlanta to seven points had Green not sank a 27-footer at the buzzer. The Hawks scored only 29 points in the second half.

“They took the level of intensity up and we didn’t respond,” Green said.

The Sixers even played without center Spencer Hawes (left Achilles’ strain). Hawes will also miss Saturday’s game at Miami.

Philadelphia triggered its offense off the fastbreak and turnovers and buried the Hawks with easy buckets. Iguodala, who fans wanted traded after years of symbolizing a stagnant franchise, has been embraced this season for giving them the flashy dunks in combination with the flashy victories.

The Sixers had built their Atlantic Division lead by burying some of the NBA’s worst teams. Even without Horford, the Sixers passed a nice test of beating a division leader.

“We felt we had to have this win against a really good Eastern Conference team,” Brand said. “We want to say we’re an elite team, so we had to win this game.”

Notes: Iguodala became the fifth Sixer with 1,000 career steals. He’s behind Maurice Cheeks, Allen Iverson, Julius Erving and Charles Barkley. The Sixers are off to their best start since they went 12-2 in 2000-01. The Hawks turned the ball over 15 times.

(Copyright ©2012 WPVI-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

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The Miami Heat got some unexpected resistance from the Philadelphia 76ers in
the first round of last season’s playoffs during their run to the NBA finals.

Philadelphia is proving this season its solid play in that series was no
fluke.

The Heat may again be without Dwyane Wade when they host the Atlantic
Division-leading 76ers in a playoff rematch – and possible late-round postseason
preview – Saturday night.

Second-seeded Miami beat Philadelphia in five games to advance to the second
round, but aside from a 94-73 loss in Game 2, the 76ers gave the Heat all they
could handle. The other four games were decided by no more than eight points,
with the final three decided by six or fewer.

The 76ers (11-4) have seemed to use that series as motivation. They lead the
Atlantic Division by a full five games and have won four of their last five
after beating Atlanta 90-76 on Friday.

Philadelphia trailed by eight at halftime but pulled away after a 14-0 run
in the third quarter.

“I thought our guys went fast in the first half, and alone,” coach Doug
Collins said. “I thought we went far in the second half, and together.”

Thaddeus Young scored a game-high 20 points while Jrue Holiday added 16
points and 11 assists.

“We can play (well) against tough teams,” said Andre Iguodala, who scored
11.

Collins said he wanted a win badly after the 76ers fell 108-104 in overtime
against Denver on Wednesday.

“You win this game. You don’t lose two in a row at home,” Collins said.

Philadelphia, though, hasn’t had much regular-season success against Miami
in recent years.

The Sixers have lost seven straight matchups, including a three-game season
sweep last season. They have lost nine straight in Miami – playoffs included -
and it may not get any easier against a Heat team that improved to 5-1 at home
with a 98-87 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.

LeBron James scored 31 points and added eight rebounds and eight assists for
the Heat (10-4), who played their second straight game without Wade while he
nurses a sprained right ankle.

James fought off a cold to have another solid outing. He’s averaging 33.0
points and 8.0 assists over his last three games.

“A chest cold can get to you at times,” James said. “But I felt like I
could help the team.”

His effort helped Miami improve to 5-0 this season without Wade, who is
questionable despite practicing Friday.

“We don’t take (James’) talent for granted, nor do we take Dwyane’s talent
or Chris (Bosh’s) talent,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “They’re special players
and they can rise to the occasion.”

James averaged 23.6 points and 9.7 boards in the eight meetings against the
Sixers last season.

Louis Williams leads Philadelphia with 15.1 points per game, though he was
held to six Friday. He averaged only 10.8 points in the playoffs, but his
3-pointer with nine seconds remaining in Game 4 helped the Sixers to an 86-82
win – their only victory over the Heat in the last 12 meetings.

That’s all the news for today.

By Evan Dunlap

– Newsdesk contributor

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Jan 20, 2012 – The Miami Heat will play a back-to-back set of home games Saturday and Sunday, hosting the Philadelphia 76ers on the front end and the Milwaukee Bucks on the back.

Saturday’s game pits the Heat against the Sixers for the first time in the 2011/12 season. The Heat eliminated the Sixers, 4-1, from the playoffs a season ago. Since that defeat, Philadelphia has gotten stronger, ranking No. 2 in the NBA in scoring defense (87.4 points per game) and No. 1 in three-point defense (26.4 percent). The Sixers have posted a 10-3 record prior to Friday’s matchup against the Atlanta Hawks. Indeed, Miami will have had an extra day of rest heading into Saturday’s game, which tips off at 7:30 Eastern on Sun Sports.

The Bucks then visit Miami for the first of three meetings between the teams in the 2011/12 campaign. The Heat went 3-1 against the Bucks in the 2010/11 season. Despite shaking up its roster before the season began by acquiring Stephen Jackson, Shaun Livingston, Beno Udrih, and Mike Dunleavy, Milwaukee stands at just 4-9, the No. 4 team in the Central Division. Tipoff between the Heat and Bucks is set for 6 Eastern on Sun Sports./p>

For more on the Heat, please visit Peninsula is Mightier, SB Nation’s Heat blog. For Sixers coverage, please visit SB Nation Philly and Liberty Ballers, SB Nation’s 76ers blog. For the Milwaukee perspective, please visit Brew Hoop, SB Nation’s blog about the Bucks.

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The Philadelphia 76ers kick off a tough two game stretch on Friday, January 20 when the Atlanta Hawks visit. After facing mostly light competition, the 76ers will face the 11-4 Hawks one night before traveling to face the Miami Heat. This is a pivotal stretch for this team. Coming off of a loss to the Denver Nuggets, the 76ers need to play well against these teams in order to convince everyone that they are for real. As a fan, I believe the team will have no problem going 1-1 in this stretch. Obviously, beating Atlanta is the easier option to earn a win.

The Hawks are playing good basketball and enter this game with a four game winning streak. The Hawks own wins over the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls, arguably the two best teams in the NBA. Joe Johnson and Josh Smith are both playing great ball for the Hawks. As a team, Atlanta has one of the best offenses in the league. That means the Philadelphia defense will have to be on point. The 76ers have been mostly strong on defense though they did struggle in the loss to Denver. This is the kind of game where the team can rebound and play well.

The other advantage for the 76ers involves depth. They run a lot deeper than Atlanta and that should help them win the game. The important thing is getting more from the starters. Andre Iguodala and Jrue Holiday need to shoot the ball better than they did against the Nuggets. If that happens the 76ers should be in control of the game.

The 76ers might still miss Spencer Hawes as he nurses an injured Achilles. That would be a major loss given Atlanta’s strength under the basket. If Hawes can’t play, rookie Nikola Vucevic will need to have a huge game. Elton Brand also needs to contribute with rebounds. It won’t be easy to beat Atlanta inside but it is possible.

Winning this game is crucial for the 76ers. They don’t want to take a two game losing streak into Miami. If they are going to become contenders, these are the kind of games you have to win. Atlanta is good but they are not a championship team. Hopefully Philadelphia can get the job done and bring momentum into the game against the Heat.

* – Mark Paul is a Philadelphia resident and 76ers fan. Follow him on Twitter here.

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That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

The Philadelphia 76ers have made a lot of headlines in jumping out to a 10-3 start. Yet pundits and Sixers fans like myself weren’t ready to jump full on board until they beat better teams and didn’t need blowouts to do it. As such, the Sixers had a huge chance to win new followers by beating the Denver Nuggets at home on Jan. 18 – but instead fell just short.

The Nuggets had a winning record, wouldn’t get blown out and tested the Sixers’ ability to win in the final moments. Philadelphia ultimately failed that test in the toughest way possible, as it suffered its first home loss of 2012 in a 108-104 overtime defeat.

Everything seemed to be going well for the Sixers early as they jumped to a nine-point lead after one quarter. However, Philadelphia usually makes major runs in the second and/or third quarter, so it clearly peaked too soon after Denver fought its way back. A 32-17 second quarter advantage gave the Nuggets the halftime lead – and they then became one of the rare teams not to get blown out in the third quarter by the Sixers.

Denver then built its lead to double digits and seemed to demoralize Philadelphia, before it finally showed something we had waited for all year. The Sixers could blow out poor opponents all the live long day, but could it make a rally against a good team and then win in the final seconds? They certainly came back with a 13-0 run, but thanks to former Sixer Andre Miller, they couldn’t complete the rally in either the fourth quarter or overtime.

Miller scored the Nuggets’ last 10 points in regulation, which stabilized Denver as the game went back and forth. Andre Igoudala had the chance to finish things off for the Sixers anyway, but with four seconds left, he missed the first of two free throws that would have given Philadelphia the lead. He made the second to force overtime, yet the miss shattered the Sixers’ best opportunity.

Miller then went on to finish the job by putting the Nuggets ahead for good in the final minute of overtime. When the Sixers had their chance to tie, Doug Collins didn’t call for a timeout and let them run the court, only for Jrue Holiday to turn the ball over. With that, Philadelphia’s chance to get its first real statement victory of the season was lost.

By rallying from 10 points down to force overtime late, the Sixers proved that they could come up big in a pressure situation. However, they still couldn’t finish the job and didn’t have anyone step up to deliver the final clutch shot or winning free throws. In addition, poor shooting in the second and third quarter helped put Philadelphia so far down in the first place and made a comeback necessary.

The Sixers were reminded that it is a lot harder to win when they are the ones in a deficit and when they aren’t facing a last-place opponent. They were a step away from learning well anyway, yet they won’t get wins or respect from the NBA’s elite just for coming close. If Philadelphia doesn’t get a little bit closer in games like this, then the Sixers will hit their ceiling sooner and harder than they hope.

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

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The Philadelphia 76ers are back in action against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, January 18. The 76ers will look to continue their stellar play at the Wells Fargo Center in this game. Philadelphia is a perfect 6-0 in front of the home crowd and 10-3 overall. Denver is one of the better teams the 76ers have faced this season so winning this game won’t be easy. But as a 76er fan, I think the team is ready to shine against the competition.

Denver has had a solid season so far. They won wins over the Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, and Los Angeles Lakers in the early part of the season. Like the 76ers, Denver is a well-coached team that lacks a superstar player. They are getting the job done from several players and are one of the deeper teams in the NBA. That makes this a pretty intriguing game. Both teams will be relying on their bench to perform in this one. It should be a great test for the 76ers. A win here would help legitimize the fast start for this team even more.

The 76ers are unlikely to have Spencer Hawes in this game. This time, the center is dealing with a strained Achilles. That strain could be the result of the back strain that has hobbled him for the past two weeks. It is critical for the 76ers to have Hawes healthy. He has become a huge asset for this team based on he has played. The 76ers can’t afford to lose him for long stretches. On the bright side, Evan Turner is expected to play again after missing the last game with a quad injury.

For the 76ers to win, they have to get off to a good start. The biggest problem facing this team is that they get into early holes and rely on the bench to pull them out. So far, things have worked out. But when they play better teams it won’t be as easy. The Nuggets are certainly a good team. I would love to see the starters come out strong in this game and pave the way for the rest of the game. If that happens, the 76ers should move to 11-3 on the season.

* – Mark Paul is a Philadelphia resident and 76ers fan. Follow him on Twitter here.

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