Sixers Misfire in Indianapolis

By Sean Kennedy (@PhillyFastBreak)

Indiana 91, Philadelphia 75 – Box Score

Given Philadelphia’s recent defensive shortcomings (no team has regressed more defensively post-All Star Break than the Sixers), Monday night’s game was a win of sorts. Paul George had just dropped 45 points on the Thunder over the weekend, and with that in mind, the Sixers did an excellent job in holding him to 15 points on 4-16 shooting. Meanwhile, Ian Mahinmi had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, but the Sixers actually did a solid job on the glass, only slightly being edged out in the rebounding department 45-44.

Alas, it wasn’t the night where a losing skid that’s now 19 of 20 games would come to an end. This time the performance on the offensive side of the ball was the main culprit. Through a combination of  tired legs due to traveling on the second night of a back-to-back, and let’s face it, a deficiency of talent, the Sixers finished just 4-18 from three. That terrible mark would have been even worse if not for the 3 of 7 triples made by Isaiah Canaan (15 points).

Compounding the problem was Ish Smith, who dragged down the team with a horrendous 2-15 shooting night from the field; one of the many problems with the team at the moment is that no one else can create his own shot on a consistent basis. So the Sixers are relying heavily on a guy who’s jump shot is, at best, inconsistent.

One of the few bright spots offensively was Hollis Thompson; although his outside shot wasn’t falling, Thompson continued to show off his expanded offensive game with 15 points. On one play, he drove to the hole and faked a pass to draw the attention of the Pacers big man before laying it up off the glass. That type of move wasn’t in his arsenal in his first couple seasons.

Ultimately though, although the Sixers cut the Pacers lead to 2 points at one point midway through the third quarter, they never posed much of a threat to Indiana. They’ll try again Wednesday night in Denver, reportedly with the services of both Robert Covington and Richaun Holmes.