Sixers Prove Not to Be Brooklyn’s Finest

By Sean Kennedy (@PhillyFastBreak)

Brooklyn 88, Philadelphia 70 – Box Score

Less than one week ago, the Barclays Center was the place to be, as British royals Prince William and Kate Middleton were courtside to watch LeBron James and the Cavaliers take on the Nets. Safe to say the atmosphere for Friday night’s game did not have the same electric quality, as even the most ardent NBA fan would have found the game between the Nets and Sixers to be an arduous task to sit through.

It was one of the worst offensive games for the Sixers on the season (and that’s saying something), as the team shot just 31.9% from the field and committed 23 turnovers. The only saving grace for Sixers fans was the play of Robert Covington, who received his first career start and responded with a game-high 20 points. Big Shot Bob shot 6-10 from behind the arc, with 4 of those fireballs coming in the first half to help the Sixers actually go into the locker room leading by one. Unfortunately, there was a 7-minute period spanning the third and fourth quarters, where Philly went without making a field goal. With Covington on the bench for the majority of that time, Brooklyn was able to stretch a 1-point lead to 13 before, who else, the Sixers sharpshooter reentered the game and finally hit a three to end the dry spell.

Defensively, the Sixers opted to largely ignore FIBA World Cup Champion Mason Plumlee, which turned out to be a poor strategy as the big man went off for 18 points and 10 rebounds. Plumlee was such a factor inside that people were able to put together a dunk reel just from Plumlee’s plays in this game. Take an especially long look at the play around the 40-second mark. I don’t know exactly how Brett Brown wants his players to rotate defensively, but I’m guessing it’s not by having Luc Richard Mbah a Moute staring into space and guarding exactly nobody while there’s a guy standing wide open underneath the basket.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Tfb3hc8NM0]

Other Game Notes:

• Nerlens Noel had his worst game as a professional, going scoreless on an 0-8 effort from the field and committing 5 turnovers. I don’t know why, but the rookie continues to look extremely tentative finishing around the basket. Somebody needs to tell him he’s one of the more athletic players on the court and to just throw down some dunks in traffic every once in a while. Friday was just one game, but still concerning.
• Tony Wroten returned to the lineup and was mostly the bad version of Wreckin’ Ball Wroten, shooting 2-10 and recording more turnovers than assists (4-to-3). He did do a nice job getting to the line (7-8 on the night), which is an element the Sixers sorely lack when he’s out, but he has to rein in some of those out-of-control forays through the paint. I guess that’s like asking a lion to stop eating gazelles.

The game was really there for the taking for the Sixers with any kind of serviceable effort. The Sixers were up at halftime, the arena was dead, and the Nets looked completely disinterested. Deron Williams did not make a single field goal and scored just 3 points. and players like Cory Jefferson were playing significant minutes due to injuries. If Philly brings anything near that level of play tonight against Memphis, they’re going to be mauled by the Grizzlies.