Scene Setter:
A busy stretch of the 76ers’ (8-49) schedule continues on Friday. The team’s 7:00 PM EST pairing with the Washington Wizards (26-30) at The Center marks its fifth game in eight days since returning from the All-Star Game break. The Sixers will play the Wizards again on Monday in Washington, D.C., where they’ll wrap up a road back-to-back set that begins in Orlando the night before. The Sixers sustained a 111-91 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Detroit secured a firm grip on the tilt from the outset, and relied on a quality defensive effort to subdue the Sixers. The Sixers knocked down 39.8 of their overall shots, and connected on seven of their 23 field goal attempts from the perimeter. The Pistons also put their rebounding prowess to use, besting the Sixers by 10 on the glass, and outscoring them by 10 points in the paint. Hollis Thompson (7-11 fg, 3-4 3fg) topped the Sixers with 19 points. Jahlil Okafor was the only member of the Sixers’ starting five to reach double-figures. He posted 13 points (6-10 fg).With sights set on getting back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture, Washington is hoping its recent play is an indicator that the club is on the cusp of emerging from the funk that it’s been in for the better part of the current campaign. After collecting 46 wins last year, the Wizards, which experienced minimal roster turnover in the off-season, got off to an uneven start. An extended slump earlier this month resulted in the team going into the All-Star break four games under .500. The Wizards returned from their hiatus in rejuvenating fashion, winning three of their first four outings, before dropping a 109-104 decision on Wednesday in a tough road bout at Chicago. Washington boasts a potent backcourt tandem, as All-Star John Wall and Bradley Beal combine to average 38.0 points per game. Series: The Sixers and Washington collide for the second time this season, and for the second time this month. Back on February 5th at Verizon Center, the Wizards’ strong first quarter, in which they established a 38-18 advantage, gave them enough of a cushion to keep the Sixers at arm’s length the rest of the evening. Ish Smith, who spent the pre-season with Washington, led the Sixers with 22 points (11-25 fg). Isaiah Canaan came off the bench to bury four three-pointers, and finished with 18 points. The Wizards’ veteran trio of John Wall, Bradley Beal, and Marcin Gortat boosted the club in its 106-94 victory. Wall notched his first triple-double of the season with 18 points (7-13 fg), 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. Beal tallied 22 points (10-16 fg), while Gortat produced 21 points (10-16 fg) and 13 rebounds.Subplots:
Regardless of whatever growing pains await, Brett Brown remains determined to see the dual development of big men Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel through to the end of the season. He discussed the importance of sticking to this mindset following Wednesday’s 111-91 defeat to the Detroit Pistons. “We’re seeing more improvement from those two together,” Brown said. “You could easily just say, ‘Well Jahlil and Nerlens, you’re going to share 48 minutes. Jerami [Grant] and [Robert] Covington, you’re the stretch fours for us. Richaun [Holmes], we’ll figure you out as time unfolds or there’s foul trouble.’ But it’s not our road map, it’s not our path. It’s just part of our goals for this final third…to see what we have.” Brown has recently mentioned on several occasions that in order to quantify the impact that the combination of Okafor and Noel are having on the Sixers, the coaching staff will thoroughly examine the two-man plus / minus per possession metric that the tandem produces. At The Palace on Wednesday, Brown highlighted another measurable that he feels reflects the the effect that Okafor and Noel have together when on the court at the same time. “I’m always looking at our bigs’ rebounding,” said Brown. “The rebounding is stuff that we’re always on them to help carry us. In many ways, we’ll go as they go.”
In each of the Sixers’ past three games, the bench has stepped in to provide an offensive boost. Against Dallas and Orlando on Sunday and Tuesday, respectively, the second-stringers racked up 43 points in each contest. Wednesday versus the Detroit Pistons, the Sixers back-ups burst for 60 points.”I thought our bench came in and did well,” Brett Brown said afterwards.Hollis Thompson has paced the Sixers’ reserves in scoring in back-to-back contests. During this stretch, he’s combined to total 33 points (11-20 fg), while teeing off on six of 10 three-point field goal attempts. Thompson also tops the Sixers with a 39.3 perimeter shooting percentage, which ranks 25th overall in the NBA. He’s three triples away from reaching 100 three-pointers made for a second straight season. Here’s Thompson three-point shot chart for this year:The Sixers are hopeful that the return of T.J. McConnell isn’t too far off. The understudy to Ish Smith at point guard, McConnell sprained his right ankle in Tuesday’s setback to the Orlando Magic. The injury sidelined him Wednesday, the first game he’s had to miss this campaign.
Twenty-six year old Philadelphia native Markieff Morris had been unhappy in Phoenix ever since the Suns sent his twin brother, Marcus, to the Detroit Pistons this past July. Morris, who spent a tumultuous three months with Phoenix, was finally traded himself, landing with the Washington Wizards at last Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. When asked by Washington reporters about how likely he thought it was that he’d be dealt, Morris said. “I figured it was fifty-fifty.””I think it’s great,” he said of joining the Wizards. “I had a good five years in Phoenix. I appreciate everything they’ve done for me. My past is the past. I’m happy for a fresh start, and I’m happy to be in Washington.”Morris attended Prep Charter in Philadelphia, and later APEX Academy in Pennsauken. He spent three years at Kansas before being taken 13th overall by Phoenix in the 2011 NBA Draft. In four appearances for Washington, he’s averaged 5.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in 23.3 minutes off the bench.
Sixers Health Report:
T.J. McConnell (right ankle)
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