Hawks-76ers Preview

By JUSTIN EINHORN
Posted Mar 31 2012 12:39AM

The Philadelphia 76ers have entered every day of 2012 leading the Atlantic Division.

Until now.

Inconsistency over the past six weeks has finally dropped the 76ers out of first place, and they'll look to recover from a particularly discouraging loss by completing a season sweep of the visiting Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night.

The first three days of the season - Dec. 25-27 - were the only ones which ended with Philadelphia not having at least a share of the division lead, but that changed Friday. While the 76ers were routed 97-76 by a Washington team which had lost five straight, Boston beat Minnesota to break a tie atop the Atlantic and grab a one-game lead.

"For whatever reason, we weren't ready," coach Doug Collins said after his club trailed by double digits throughout the second half against the NBA's second-worst team record-wise.

"You get down and you think you're going to turn on some switch or whatever, and those guys knocked us around."

The 76ers (28-23) have lost six of nine to blow what was a three-game edge on the Celtics after winning three straight March 7-11. That's their only win streak since mid-February, going 8-14 due greatly to uneven play on offense.

Philadelphia has been held under 95 points in every loss during that span, averaging 83.6 while shooting 39.9 percent. All of their wins in that stretch have been by double digits as they've averaged 102.8 points.

Top scorer Lou Williams has gone a season-high nine straight games without reaching 20 points, averaging 12.6. Andre Iguodala returned Friday after missing two games with knee tendinitis, but he had seven points on 3-of-9 shooting as Philadelphia hit 36.6 percent.

Center Spencer Hawes, who recently returned from an Achilles injury, has been a model of inconsistency as the 76ers have split their last six games. He's scored in double figures in all three wins, shooting 51.5 percent while averaging 9.7 rebounds, and has totaled 15 points on 6-of-23 shooting in the three losses.

Friday's defeat dropped Philadelphia, which had the Eastern Conference's third-best record for much of the first half of the season, two games behind the sixth-place Hawks.

Atlanta (31-22), though, has lost four in a row to the 76ers and has dropped both meetings this season by double digits. The Hawks haven't been swept in a season series with Philadelphia since losing all three matchups in 2000-01.

Atlanta's Josh Smith has a combined 19 points on 7-of-26 shooting in this season's two meetings but enters this one on a tear. He's averaged 25.1 points and 11.3 rebounds over the past seven games.

Joe Johnson also has struggled against Philadelphia, averaging 10.8 points during the Hawks' four-game skid in the series.

Johnson totaled 23 points in back-to-back losses to Milwaukee and Chicago this week before bouncing back Friday with 28 to lead Atlanta to a key victory, 100-90 over a New York team which had won eight of nine.

"At this point, with few games to play as we move down the home stretch of the regular season, our focus has to be to get into a groove and get into a rhythm," coach Larry Drew said. "The last thing we wanna do at this point is to play and not play well."

The Hawks haven't played very well on the road, where they've dropped eight of 12. Only one of the victories in that span came against a team with a winning record.

Brand leads Sixers over Hawks 95-90

By ROB MAADDI
Posted Mar 31 2012 10:46PM

PHILADELPHIA (AP) Elton Brand took over when the Philadelphia 76ers needed him most.

Brand scored 13 of his season-high 25 points in the fourth quarter to lead the 76ers to a 95-90 comeback win over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night.

Andre Iguodala scored 18, and Brand had 10 rebounds to go with his 10-for-12 shooting.

Coming off a 21-point loss to lowly Washington on Friday that knocked them out of first place in the Atlantic Division and down to No. 7 in the Eastern Conference, the Sixers earned a hard-fought win against a team ahead of them in the standings.

"I was having nightmares of 3-13," coach Doug Collins said, referring to the team's awful start last year. "I told the guys I want to believe that's not who we are, and they showed me tonight that's not who they are."

Brand made sure the Sixers halted their free-fall.

"It's how you respond to a loss like that," Brand said. "A lot of things could've been in jeopardy if we didn't win this at home. We had to have this win."

Josh Smith led Atlanta with 34 points, and Joe Johnson had 15. The Hawks have lost three of four after winning four straight. They were swept in the season series against Philadelphia, losing once at home and twice on the road.

"We haven't been able to put any consistency together in any game against these guys," Hawks coach Larry Drew said. "It's almost like they are waiting for us to self-destruct. We seem to implode against this team."

The 76ers pulled within a half-game of Boston in the Atlantic. They had been in first place - either alone or tied - since Dec. 28, but fell behind after losing six of nine. They're seeking their first division title since Allen Iverson led them to the NBA Finals in 2001.

Brand, the team's oldest starter, was the difference. He dominated after the Hawks took a 68-62 in the fourth quarter. Brand scored eight points during an 11-4 run that put Philadelphia up 73-72. He had two three-point plays in that stretch. He hit another short jumper to extend the lead to 77-73, then had two key assists after getting double-teamed inside. Brand fed Jrue Holiday for a 3-pointer that made it 80-75, then found Iguodala open for another 3 to increase the lead to 83-77.

"Elton wasn't going to be denied," Collins said.

Brand grabbed an offensive rebound, got fouled driving to the basket and made a free throw. He got another offensive rebound off his miss on the second attempt, and Philadelphia led the rest of the way.

After the Hawks got within 88-86 on Marvin Williams' 3, Brand nailed a 14-footer to give the Sixers a four-point cushion with 1:30 left.

"He looked like he was 23, 24 out there," Evan Turner said of the 33-year-old Brand. "He hit big shots."

The Sixers are 9-14 after a 20-9 start. They haven't had a winning record since the 2004-05 season.

"We showed our fight," Iguodala said. "People had their doubts, but we believe in ourselves."

Atlanta is one game up on Philadelphia for the sixth spot in the East.

Down 39-34 in the second quarter, the Sixers finished with a 9-2 run to take a 43-41 lead into halftime. Iguodala hit a 3-pointer to start it off and ended the run with a turnaround jumper.

Notes: The Sixers won the season series 3-0. ... Hawks F Jerry Stackhouse missed the game because of a family emergency. ... Hawks F Tracy McGrady didn't make the trip because of an illness. ... The Sixers have held opponents under 100 points in 21 of the past 22 games. ... The Hawks are 20-5 when Smith scores 20 or more points. ... Earlier in the day, the Flyers lost 4-3 to Ottawa in a shootout in a day-night, two-sport doubleheader at the Wells Fargo Center. ... The Sixers have won three straight at home.

Notebook: Sixers 95, Hawks 90

Posted Saturday March 31, 2012 11:08PM

By Rob Maaddi, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: Elton Brand scored a season-high 25 points, getting 13 in the fourth quarter to help the 76ers beat the Hawks 95-90 on Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Center. It was Philadelphia's third straight win at home and pulled the Sixers within a half-game of Atlantic Division-leading Boston. Andre Iguodala added 18 points for the Sixers. Josh Smith led the Hawks with a season-best 34 points and Joe Johnson had 15.

QUOTABLE: "He looked like he was 23, 24 out there."
-- Evan Turner on Brand.

THE STAT: Brand had 10 rebounds and five assists. It was the first time he had 20-10-5 since April 15, 2007.

TURNING POINT: After Marvin Williams nailed a 3-pointer to get the Hawks within 88-86, Brand knocked down a 14-footer to extend the lead with 90 seconds remaining.

HOT: Brand was 10-for-12 from the floor, posting up with success and hitting short jumpers.

NOT: Jeff Teague and Williams each shot 2-for-8 for the Hawks. They combined to go 1-for-5 from beyond the arc.

QUOTABLE II: "I was in my best Tony Robbins mode tonight. I ran out every motivational phrase I could think of."
-- Doug Collins.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Brand did it all, shooting, rebounding and even dishing the ball. Smith had 34 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

INSIDE THE ARENA: Former Sixers center Darryl Dawkins received a rousing ovation when he was introduced in the first quarter. Team owner Josh Harris also sat courtside with his wife on their 17-year wedding anniversary.

QUOTABLE III: "They got our number right now. This team I am sure believes that they can beat us and they've shown it, but we got to learn that it's going to be a physical game."
-- Hawks guard Willie Green on losing all three games to the 76ers this season.

GOOD MOVE: The decision to get the ball down low to Brand. The veteran had his way against whoever was guarding him and when he was double-teamed he found the open man for two key 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.

BAD MOVE: A couple defensive lapses by the Hawks allowed Iguodala and Jrue Holiday to slip wide open for 3-pointers.

ROOKIE WATCH: Hawks forward Ivan Johnson was the only rookie to see action. He scored seven points and grabbed six boards in 16 minutes.

NOTABLE: The Sixers have held opponents under 100 points in 21 of the past 22 games. ... The Hawks are 20-5 when Smith scores 20 or more points. ... If the Sixers finish 5-9 or better, they'll secure their first winning season since 2004-05. ... The Sixers won for just the third time this season by seven or fewer points. They are 3-14 in games decided by that margin. ... The Hawks became the first team to have a 30-point scorer in a loss to the Sixers. Philadelphia is 1-5 when allowing a player to score 30 or more. ... It's the first time the Sixers swept the season series against Atlanta since 2000-01.

NEXT: For the Hawks, Wednesday vs. Charlotte, Friday @ vs. Detroit, Saturday @ Charlotte. For the Sixers, Tuesday at Miami, Wednesday vs. Toronto, Saturday vs. Orlando.

• Hawks: Horford, Pargo
• 76ers: --

• Hawks: --
• 76ers: --

• Lead Changes: 7
• Times Tied: 11

• Arena: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
• Officials: #57 Greg Willard, #50 Olandis Poole, #61 Courtney Kirkland
• Attendance: 19714
• Duration: 2:08