Game Recap: Memphis Outlasts Sixers in Double-Overtime, 104-99

Snapshot:PHILADELPHIA, PA – How can you measure the progress of a young, developing team?In one very obvious sense, perhaps the most obvious, wins represent the best answer to go about answering this question.  To that end, the 76ers had exhibited substantial strides entering their Thanksgiving eve pairing with Memphis, having won three times in four games. On the flip side, evidence of a youthful group's growth can also, and oftentimes, be found in outings that conclude with undesirable results. Although the Sixers' came up short in marathon, three-hour, 16-minute double-overtime duel versus the Grizzlies, they managed to acquit themselves well, and leave their head coach with a generally favorable impression heading into Thursday's holiday.”I thought we played really really good defense,” said Brown following the Sixers' 104-99 setback at The Center. In that respect, he was right, as his team yielded a season-low 38.4 percent from the field. The statistic was one of several indicators that pointed to a positive defensive outing. The Sixers willingly went toe-to-toe with the NBA's second-most efficient defensive team, a rugged, blue-collar and veteran opponent. and proved themselves capable of hanging tough in a grind-it-out, gruelling game. “I think that are built to play the style that we saw for the past decade, or thereabouts,” Brown said. “The game was always going to be a fistfight.”And the Sixers were ready, especially hunkering down on the backboards, where they established a 56-46 advantage. As of Wednesday morning, Memphis allowed, on average, the third fewest rebounds per game. “By and large,” Brown said, “I think it's a game I look at we fought. We really fought. I leave very proud of those guys.”Three Sixers – Ersan Ilyasova (22 pts, 12 reb), Robert Covington (19 pts, 10 reb), and Joel Embiid (12 pts, 11 reb) – finished with double-doubles, while Jerryd Bayless came off the bench to tally 18 points, six rebounds, and six assists in 30 minutes.Memphis was paced by Marc Gasol's 27 points. Mike Conley was right behind him, netting 25 points, along with nine boards, and nine assists.After controlling Wednesday's tilt for most of the first half, the Sixers built their lead to a game-high 11-point margin midway through the third quarter. A 10-0 run by Memphis in the fourth frame put them in front by six points with just under four minutes to play.Two timely 3-pointers from Ilyasova and Nik Stauskas helped the Sixers force overtime, with the score locked at 86-86 after regulation. It was then tied again at 91-91 on the heels of the first five-minute extra period. The Grizzlies gained separation in the second overtime, holding the Sixers without a field goal until Bayless depsoited a driving lay-up that trimmed his squad's deficit to 99-98 with 23 seconds remaining. From there, Memphis sunk four straight free throws to clinch its sixth consecutive triumph.The Sixers' season-high 27 giveaways didn't help their cause. Despite actually outscoring the Grizz by three in points off turnovers, Memphis, in a game in which there was slim margin for error, wound up with six extra shots, and three more made field goals than the Sixers.   Check back soon for a complete game recap.