Sixers Slide Past Slumping Wizards

By Sean Kennedy (@PhillyFastBreak)

Philadelphia 89, Washington 81 – Box Score

Both the Sixers and Wizards entered play Friday night mired in 5-game losing streaks. The Wizards have struggled because of a couple key injuries, while the Sixers are experimenting to see what happens when you treat an NBA game like pickup basketball where no one knows each other. However, one of these teams had the evening’s best player on the court carry them to victory (hint: it wasn’t the guy who started this year’s All-Star game and tutors others in the art of the Dougie).

Nerlens Noel was an absolute animal on both ends of the floor Friday, putting up one of those full stat lines that make you giddy about his potential with 14 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. Noel was the anchor down low for a Sixers team still scrambling to learn some of its defensive assignments amidst all the roster turnover. His presence helped limit Marcin Gortat to just 8 points despite the big man playing a full 35 minutes (Gortat’s highest minutes total all month). You can’t blame the Polish Hammer for being hesitant to attack when this is what was waiting for him.

https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.jsMeanwhile, on the offensive end Noel continues to look more assertive since the departure of Michael Carter-Williams. His shot continues to look much improved, as he went 4-6 from the foul line and hit one mid-range jumper. Still, his bread and butter offensively is always going to be using his athleticism to finish around the rim. Those plays were on full display against Washington. https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js

Look at Noel working that subtle push-off against Gortat to clear out space for himself. Due to his thin frame, detractors always wondered if he could bang down low with the bigger guys at the pro level. So far, so good for the rookie.

For Washington, John Wall was left to carry too much of the offensive burden with Bradley Beal still out due to the stress reaction in his leg and Paul Pierce sitting with a minor knee injury. Surrounded on the perimeter largely by a group of has-beens and never-weres, Wall led the Wizards with 21 points, but took a season-high 26 shot attempts to get there. Wall finished just 7-26 from the field, as Washington collectively struggled to shoot just 32% from the floor and 4-17 from three. The Wizards aren’t in danger of missing the playoffs in the anemic East, but they have clearly lost their puncher’s chance status once they get there. Their recent skid has really helped the Sixers though, as Philly needs the Thunder to pass Washington (among other things) to get OKC’s first-round pick this offseason; right now, the teams are just separated by one game.

Finally, I’ll conclude with everyone’s favorite 34-year-old, Jason Richardson, who won his first game since January of 2013. Richardson was a huge help on the offensive end once again, hitting 4 threes of the second straight game. He also turned back the clock with this spin move along the baseline, finding Nerlens for the slam to put the Sixers back up 6 with a bit more than 2 minutes left in the game.
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js

Look at how pumped up J-Rich was by the play. You could tell he really wanted to go out there and win a basketball game. It’s good to see some joy out there; let’s hope to see some more tomorrow night in Indiana.