Another Brett Brown Return to San Antonio Fizzles Out

By Sean Kennedy (@PhillyFastBreak)

San Antonio 102, Philadelphia 86 – Box Score

Back in San Antonio where he first broke into the league as an unpaid assistant, I’m sure Sixers head coach Brett Brown wanted to make a good impression on former mentor Gregg Popovich. Pop certainly had Brown’s back last month, telling the press about the Sixers, “It’s one of my joys in life in life to watch them win basketball games because if there’s any team that deserves it, it’s those guys.”

Unfortunately for Brett, he would need more than the skeleton crew he walked into the AT&T Center with to be able to put a smile on Pop’s face. Still without Joel Embiid and Robert Covington, it was also announced before the game that Nerlens Noel was sitting out with an upper respiratory infection. Then, as the game went on, we learned Gerald Henderson was not playing to rest his sore hip (such a veteran presence injury), leaving the Sixers with just 9 available players.

At first, it did appear to matter, as Philadelphia rode hot outside shooting (starting 7-10 for three) to a 5-point halftime lead. Ersan Ilyasova had 16 of his team-high 25 points in the first half, adding 10 rebounding and 4 steals by evening’s end. With Ilyasova in a contract year and determined to get his, nights like this were the shots go in are much easier on the eyes.

As the game progressed though, the fact that the Sixers were short-handed and playing on the second night of a back-to-back appeared to set in. Philadelphia went over 5 minutes in the third quarter without making a field goal, as San Antonio went on a 13-1 run.

With LaMarcus Aldridge resting a sore knee, it was the typical egalitarian performance from the Spurs; 7 players finished in double figures. Kawhi Leonard led the way with 19 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks, and former Sixer Dewayne Dedmon had 13 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks. It’s pretty remarkable that a guy like Dedmon on the Sixers brought in as a 10-day contract is now a useful rotation guy for one of the best teams in the league.

For the Sixers, Dario Saric had 14 points and 9 rebounds, while also finishing with 7 turnovers. Philadelphia had 23 giveaways as a team, a sure sign of a squad running on tired legs. Jahlil Okafor had 9 points on 4-12 shooting and 9 rebounds. If you’re seen one face-up move where he throws a running hook shot off the back iron, you’ve seen them all. Yet, apparently, Chicago has interest. Make something happen, Bryan.

With the loss, Brett is still seeking his first win against the Spurs, as San Antonio has won the last 11 meetings overall. Philadelphia will be back in action Saturday night in Miami, with Joel Embiid still questionable to return to the court. Led by Dion Waiters (yes, really, that Dion Waiters), the Heat have won their last 9 games. If the Sixers were serious about making a push for the playoffs, they can’t go much longer without their franchise player out there anchoring both ends of the court.