Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Posted: 10:40 p.m.Updated: 11:57 p.m.
By Dei Lynam
CSNPhilly.com
BOX SCORE
HOUSTONTwenty-seven wins with twenty-six still to play. Why should that be a positive phrase for Sixers fans? Because that win total equals all of the victories from last season.
The Sixers beat the Rockets, 114-105, at the Toyota Center on Wednesday to put their record at 27-29 heading into their four-day hiatus for the All-Star break. The break is well-deserved; the 27 wins are no accident.
Jrue Holiday led the Sixers with his 20 points. He also had eight assists. Elton Brand had his 19th double-double and Andre Iguodala, the lone guy who did not shoot well (3 of 14) finished with his fifth triple-double with 13 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.
The Sixers trailed by as many as 12 points to the Rockets, but that was in the first quarter. They led by as many as 10 early in the fourth and yet this game had the feeling that it would go down to the wire.
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Offensively, the Sixers shot the ball extremely well (55 percent). The list for a job well done is lengthy. Spencer Hawes was a point shy of his season high (17) and tallied his fifth double-double.
I did not shoot the ball well tonight, Iguodala said. But it seems like games that I get triple-doubles, I dont shoot the ball well. Maybe if I made my shots it would have been a blowout and I wouldnt have had a chance to get it, so maybe I was shooting bricks for a reason.
All joking aside Iguodala would be the first to say he likes what is developing in the Sixers locker room.
All the guys on the team are starting to gain some confidence, he continued. Going into every game everyone wants to contribute to help the team win and I think that is really important because everyone has a purpose when they go out there. We just need to realize we are a really good teamwe are not winning by flukewe are winning because we are doing the right things on the floor.
The feeling wasnt exclusive to just Iguodala.
It definitely feels great to be in this locker room, Thaddeus Young said, who has made nine field goals in his last three games. It is great to be able to be with these guys. We are like a family. We all stick together; we all go out there and work hard together and it shows in winning games together.
The Sixers bench had three guys in double figuresLou Williams, Evan Turner and Thaddeus Young. The trio totaled 48 points.
What generates such offensive production is a tricky question, but one Hawes took a stab at.
Thats kind of the question, what came first the chicken or the egg, Hawes said, much to Jason Kaponos joy, who sitting next to Hawes in the locker room. When it starts rolling you dont question it you just go with it.
The Sixers and Rockets still had half the second quarter to play and the scoreboard indicated Houston had already made seven three-pointers. They average eight made threes per game this season, and yet it was the Sixers who were in front, 40-39.
So where did the math favor the Sixers? After missing four of their first six shots, the Sixers made 16 of 24 attempts.
Former Cardinal Dougherty and Villanova standout, Kyle Lowry, put on quite a performance. He made all seven of his first-half field-goal attempts, including five from long range. He led all scorers at the break with 19 points. His three-pointer on Houstons final possession of the half was the Rockets eighth of the game.
Lowry set a career-high with his five threes. His scoring may have come as a bit of a surprise given that he averages 11.6 points, but giving the team what it needs is Lowrys modus operandi.
He is a great floor leader. He is strong and tough. He doesnt turn the ball over and gets the ball to the right spots, Doug Collins said when asked what he saw in the Philadelphia native. I love his toughness. Hes just done a really good job being the quarterback of this group. Hes a mentally tough kid and I just love the way he plays.
Lowry finished 15 of 18 from the field, including 6 of 9 from three to go with seven assists and four rebounds.
He was magnificent, Collins said. I am sure there were a lot of people watching back in Philadelphia that were very proud of him.
If not for Lowrys first-half play, Young would have stood out as the best player on the court. He made 6 of 8 from the floor for 12 points in 12 first-half minutes.
The Sixers led 55-52 and they were traveling the right path. They had eight more fast-break points and 12 more points in the paint than the Rockets.
After the All-Star Break, the Sixers will return to action on Feb. 23 at the Wells Fargo Center against the Wizards.
E-mail Dei Lynam at dlynam@comcastsportsnet.com