Jimcs50
12-02-2004, 09:40 AM
Duncan and Spurs add to the Sixers' misery on the road
By Joe Juliano
Inquirer Staff Writer
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Before the 76ers landed in the Alamo city, coach Jim O'Brien thought they had a "great" three-day stay in Orlando, Fla., where they bonded and practiced and tried to improve on key aspects of their game.
But all they had to show for it last night was an embarrassing 105-72 thumping at the hands of Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs, playing most of the game as if they had spent the three days at Walt Disney World instead of on a basketball court.
The Sixers lost their fifth consecutive game on the road. They haven't won away from the Wachovia Center since their stirring opening-night comeback victory over the Boston Celtics.
And if they continue to play for the rest of this trip as they did last night at the SBC Center, they might as well return to Philadelphia right now. The Sixers have three games left on the swing, which resumes tomorrow night in Memphis.
After losing Saturday night in Orlando, the Sixers remained there until leaving for Texas. However, even though they were never in last night's game after the first quarter, O'Brien wasn't writing off what he thought they accomplished there.
"The three days that we had together are not down the drain, because we lost to a great basketball team," he said. "We did some things over the last three days that I think will help us over the course of the next week or two.
"There's no shame getting beat by what might be the best team in the NBA. :smokin We just got beaten and beaten good. I won't let it linger, no."
Still, the middle two quarters had to be disturbing. The Sixers scored only 27 points in the second and third quarters while shooting just 13 of 40 from the field.
Duncan, who finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds and 6 blocked shots in just three quarters of play, was remarkable in the second period. Over a six-minute stretch, he scored 17 consecutive points for the Spurs, leading a 17-3 run that gave his team a 51-34 lead 2 minutes, 37 seconds before halftime.
Duncan, who did most of his damage against Samuel Dalembert, hit hooks, slam dunks, bank shots and leaners.
"Basically, you have to start at the tip-off and make sure you don't let him get into the game," Dalembert said. "Once he starts doing that, it's tough."
O'Brien, however, was dissatisfied with his team's defense, particularly that of Dalembert and starter Marc Jackson, against Duncan.
"I don't think we did a very good job of fronting the post," the coach said. "Marc and Sam did not get around and allowed deep posts. You can't do that. You've got to keep them out of deep low-post touches. Once he gets the basketball, you've got to fight him. If you let him get it too deep, you're in trouble."
Duncan finished 10 of 12 from the field. As a team, the Spurs shot 53 percent compared to 35 percent for the Sixers.
Jackson led the Sixers with 18 points. Allen Iverson, who did not play in the fourth quarter with his team down by 75-52, went 6 of 17 from the field and scored 14 points. Three of his misses were blocks by Duncan.
"Tim frustrated me a lot tonight," Iverson said. "He blocked three of my shots, and the ones he didn't block, I was conscious of him being around. I remember missing one layup just thinking he was going to come up on me."
The Sixers trailed, 55-36, at halftime. Any thought they had of coming back disappeared when they were outscored, 7-0, in the first 2:50 of the third quarter, and the margin grew as large as 29 points.
That led to extended garbage time. O'Brien gave Kenny Thomas, who, in his previous three games, did not play in one and competed for only 17 minutes in two others, a total of 20 minutes last night.
The Sixers lost Corliss Williamson in the second quarter with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. He suffered the injury when Dalembert, who dove for a loose ball, clipped his left leg.
O'Brien said Williamson will undergo an MRI exam today in Memphis, and hoped he wouldn't miss more than one game.
Tomorrow, the Sixers will try to rebound from their most lopsided loss of the season. Their previous worst defeat had been by 10 points.
"We got beat by a good team, simple as that," Iverson said.
By Joe Juliano
Inquirer Staff Writer
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Before the 76ers landed in the Alamo city, coach Jim O'Brien thought they had a "great" three-day stay in Orlando, Fla., where they bonded and practiced and tried to improve on key aspects of their game.
But all they had to show for it last night was an embarrassing 105-72 thumping at the hands of Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs, playing most of the game as if they had spent the three days at Walt Disney World instead of on a basketball court.
The Sixers lost their fifth consecutive game on the road. They haven't won away from the Wachovia Center since their stirring opening-night comeback victory over the Boston Celtics.
And if they continue to play for the rest of this trip as they did last night at the SBC Center, they might as well return to Philadelphia right now. The Sixers have three games left on the swing, which resumes tomorrow night in Memphis.
After losing Saturday night in Orlando, the Sixers remained there until leaving for Texas. However, even though they were never in last night's game after the first quarter, O'Brien wasn't writing off what he thought they accomplished there.
"The three days that we had together are not down the drain, because we lost to a great basketball team," he said. "We did some things over the last three days that I think will help us over the course of the next week or two.
"There's no shame getting beat by what might be the best team in the NBA. :smokin We just got beaten and beaten good. I won't let it linger, no."
Still, the middle two quarters had to be disturbing. The Sixers scored only 27 points in the second and third quarters while shooting just 13 of 40 from the field.
Duncan, who finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds and 6 blocked shots in just three quarters of play, was remarkable in the second period. Over a six-minute stretch, he scored 17 consecutive points for the Spurs, leading a 17-3 run that gave his team a 51-34 lead 2 minutes, 37 seconds before halftime.
Duncan, who did most of his damage against Samuel Dalembert, hit hooks, slam dunks, bank shots and leaners.
"Basically, you have to start at the tip-off and make sure you don't let him get into the game," Dalembert said. "Once he starts doing that, it's tough."
O'Brien, however, was dissatisfied with his team's defense, particularly that of Dalembert and starter Marc Jackson, against Duncan.
"I don't think we did a very good job of fronting the post," the coach said. "Marc and Sam did not get around and allowed deep posts. You can't do that. You've got to keep them out of deep low-post touches. Once he gets the basketball, you've got to fight him. If you let him get it too deep, you're in trouble."
Duncan finished 10 of 12 from the field. As a team, the Spurs shot 53 percent compared to 35 percent for the Sixers.
Jackson led the Sixers with 18 points. Allen Iverson, who did not play in the fourth quarter with his team down by 75-52, went 6 of 17 from the field and scored 14 points. Three of his misses were blocks by Duncan.
"Tim frustrated me a lot tonight," Iverson said. "He blocked three of my shots, and the ones he didn't block, I was conscious of him being around. I remember missing one layup just thinking he was going to come up on me."
The Sixers trailed, 55-36, at halftime. Any thought they had of coming back disappeared when they were outscored, 7-0, in the first 2:50 of the third quarter, and the margin grew as large as 29 points.
That led to extended garbage time. O'Brien gave Kenny Thomas, who, in his previous three games, did not play in one and competed for only 17 minutes in two others, a total of 20 minutes last night.
The Sixers lost Corliss Williamson in the second quarter with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. He suffered the injury when Dalembert, who dove for a loose ball, clipped his left leg.
O'Brien said Williamson will undergo an MRI exam today in Memphis, and hoped he wouldn't miss more than one game.
Tomorrow, the Sixers will try to rebound from their most lopsided loss of the season. Their previous worst defeat had been by 10 points.
"We got beat by a good team, simple as that," Iverson said.