By Sean Kennedy (@PhillyFastBreak)
Memphis 104, Philadelphia 90 – Box Score
It’s the holiday season and as the old saying goes, “tis better to give than to receive”. Tuesday night, the Sixers collectively did their best Santa Claus impression, turning the ball over 28 times (repeat: 20 plus 8), leading to 36 Memphis points. In a game where each team shot 47% from the field, the Sixers got to the line more and out-rebounded the Grizzlies, their giving spirit was the difference.
Leading the retreat (that would be the opposite of a charge, right?) was Robert Covington, who had 6 giveaways in just 23 minutes. Tony Wroten (5 turnovers) continued his noble quest to lead the league in turnovers per 36 minutes (which he currently does, 7.2 / 36). Wroten was also 3-8 from the foul line, leading people to half-seriously speculate if Memphis would Hack-a-Wroten if the game was close down the stretch. I don’t think the Grizzlies are seriously regretting letting their former first-round pick go a couple years back.
Although Jahlil Okafor also had 4 turnovers, he was otherwise the star for the Sixers offensively with 18 points on 8-12 shooting, including a three-point play as part of a 9-0 Philadelphia run to briefly take a 42-40 lead in the second quarter. Later on, he pulled this gorgeous spin move on perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate Marc Gasol.
Oh that's nice. https://t.co/SOpFoEnc4Y
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 23, 2015
Plays like that are why people put up with the other warts in Jahlil’s game. The ceiling is just so high as a scorer.
Meanwhile, Hollis Thompson did something for the first time in what felt like a decade, but was actually only about three weeks, hitting 4-6 threes for 16 points. However, it wasn’t nearly enough to combat a balanced Grizzlies attack that saw four of their five starters, plus erstwhile starter Zach Randolph, all score between 12 and 19 points. After trailing by just 11 points after three quarters, a 8-0 Memphis run to start the fourth put the game away, with the ghost of Vince Carter hitting a pair of threes.
Tuesday’s defeat was the 10th straight loss for the Sixers, as they now sit at 1-29 for the season. Things don’t expect to get better any time soon, as they now begin a six-game road trip. Sadly, even the announcing has taken a step back this season.
Alaa just said the corner three is a harder shot than the top of the arc three. WUT?
— max (@MaxOnTwitter) December 23, 2015
I miss the days of Malik Rose on the mic and Nerlens Noel actually being a starter. An 18-win team was the glory days for us here in Philadelphia, who would have thought?
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
