76ers-Cavaliers Preview

By JEFF MEZYDLO
Posted Apr 17 2012 11:54PM

The Philadelphia 76ers have not made it easy on themselves to remain in playoff position in the Eastern Conference.

Things are likely to get tougher in the final week of the season.

Set to play their final five games on the road, the 76ers hope to snap a three-game skid with a fifth consecutive victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.

Playing the second of three games in three nights, Philadelphia's late-season fade continued with a 102-97 home loss to Indiana on Tuesday. The 76ers (31-30) had a four-game lead in the Atlantic Division on Feb. 13 but have gone 11-21 since, and they own a 1 1/2-game lead over Milwaukee for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.

"I'm trying to be positive with these guys, trying to lift them," coach Doug Collins told the 76ers' official website. "I try to bring some energy to this team and be as positive as I can."

That continues to be a challenge for Collins, whose team allowed 32 fourth-quarter points Tuesday to lose for the seventh time in nine games. The 76ers are 3-18 in games decided by seven points or fewer.

"We can't come out and not win games," said forward Thaddeus Young, who scored 19 points off the bench. "We have to, now."

Andre Iguodala had 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists as the 76ers lost their fourth straight at the Wells Fargo Center to finish 19-14 there.

Philadelphia is 12-16 on the road, where it will be for the remainder of the season. All but one of the 76ers' five remaining opponents have sub-.500 records.

Opening the stretch in Cleveland could help the 76ers, who have won their last two visits to Quicken Loans Arena. Philadelphia won the previous two meetings this season by a combined 33 points, including 99-84 at Cleveland on Feb. 11.

Sixers guard Jrue Holiday has averaged 18.0 points and 7.5 assists in the last six games against the Cavaliers.

Cleveland (20-40) looks to avoid a third straight defeat after losing by 39 points for the second time this season, 116-77 at Detroit on Tuesday. The Cavaliers fell 114-75 at home to Chicago on Jan. 20.

With star rookie guard Kyrie Irving out a ninth consecutive game with a shoulder injury, Manny Harris had 18 points off the bench and Tristan Thompson added 12 with 13 rebounds as the Cavaliers shot 34.6 percent and committed 19 turnovers that resulted in 29 points.

"That's one of the worst games we've played in a long, long time," coach Byron Scott said. "We've got another game (Wednesday), and I told them that we must have a better effort than this."

There is a chance Irving, averaging 18.8 points and 5.7 assists, could return for this contest. He was held to 12 points on 4-of-13 shooting in a 103-85 loss at Philadelphia on March 27.

Cleveland's Antawn Jamison went 0 for 10 from the field and finished with three points Tuesday.

Holiday's hot shooting leads 76ers over Cavs

By TOM WITHERS
Posted Apr 18 2012 10:32PM

CLEVELAND (AP) During a break in the second quarter, Philadelphia coach Doug Collins pulled Jrue Holliday aside and ordered his guard to be more aggressive.

Holiday listened and got downright hostile.

He made five 3-pointers and scored 19 of his 24 points in the third quarter as the 76ers kept their hold on the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot with a 103-87 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.

Holiday dropped four of his 3s during a stunning 24-2 run when the Sixers blew open a tight game. Andre Iguodala added 19 points as Philadelphia snapped a three-game losing streak, won for just the third time in 10 games and increased its lead over Milwaukee to 2 1-2 games.

The Sixers needed someone to get hot.

Holiday heated up just in time.

"Once he got it going, he was masterful," Collins said. "He got upset. He thought he got hit a couple of times on drives. I've ordered some "ticked off" cream for the rest of the year."

The Sixers play their final four on the road, including a matchup next week against the Bucks, who lost 121-112 to Washington.

Cavaliers rookie Kyrie Irving scored 9 points in his first game back after missing nine straight with a sprained shoulder. Samardo Samuels and Lester Hudson scored 15 apiece for Cleveland, which has lost 18 of 22 and is running on fumes.

Iguodala added 13 rebounds and Elton Brand had 12 points for the Sixers, who came in just 11-21 since Feb. 13 when they are among the Eastern Conference's top teams.

It's been all downhill since. However, Holiday applied the brakes for one night.

Antawn Jamison's basket with 7:53 left in the third brought the Cavs, who lost by 39 on Tuesday night in Detroit and have been getting blown out regularly, even at 57-all.

Moments later, Cleveland trailed by 22, shot down by Holiday.

His 3-pointer made it 62-59 and the third-year guard made three more long-range shots as the Sixers went on their 24-2 run over a 5:21 stretch to open an 81-59 lead. Philadelphia scored 19 straight with ease during the shocking outburst before Cleveland's Samardo Samuels finally ended the Cavs' drought.

Then Holiday drilled another 3 for good measure, making it 84-64.

Goodnight, Cleveland. Drive safely.

"You kind of feel unstoppable," Holiday said his mindset during his torrid streak. "Every shot's falling. There was one three that kind of popped out and went five feet up in the air and it still fell in."

Holiday went 6 of 6 on 3-pointers and didn't play in the fourth quarter as Collins got some needed rest for his starters, playing their third game in three nights and faced with finishing the season on the road, a tough schedule for any team never mind one battling for the playoffs.

"It was a great win, much needed," Collins said. "Hopefully we can get a little rest. That third game in three nights is not easy to do. All good stuff."

The Cavs ended a stretch of seven games in nine nights and look exhausted. They did get Irving back, but only for 19 minutes.

Cavs coach Byron Scott admitted having some serious apprehension about letting Irving play, but relented to the 20-year-old's wishes after the presumptive NBA rookie of the year was cleared by team doctors.

Scott, who will keep a limit on his young star's minutes, thought Irving "was a little rusty" but was pleased with his overall performance.

Irving didn't wear a protective sleeve on his shoulder, which he first hurt on March 30. He gave the shoulder a good test in the second quarter, when he was sent by sprawling by Elton Brand into the padded basket stanchion after missing a layup.

Irving spent a moment laying on his back before being helped to his feet, a sight that drew a smile from Scott.

"My heart kind of dropped a little," Scott said. "He got right back up, which is a great sign to show me that he was fine. He didn't grab his shoulder or anything. Matter of fact, he started laughing a little bit when Elton grabbed him and asked, `Are you OK."'

Irving didn't mind taking the fall.

"It was a welcome-back kind of moment," he said. "It was good to get it out of the way early."

Irving was relieved to be back on the floor. He understands there's always a risk of getting hurt, but as long as the Cavs have cleared him, he's willing to take it to play.

"I'm going out there to try and win as many games as possible," he said. "It's about competing. I would rather be out there on one leg than on the bench."

Notes: The Sixers had a season-high 32 assists. ... It appears Cavs C Anderson Varejao's season is over. He hasn't played since breaking his right wrist on Feb. 10. Scott said the team hasn't made a decision on whether Varejao will return, but with just five games left, it's unlikely he'll get back on the court until next season. Varejao was having an All-Star-caliber season before getting hurt, averaging 10.8 points and 11.5 rebounds. ... Philadelphia has won five straight over Cleveland. ... The Sixers play at Indiana on Saturday, New Jersey on Monday, against the Bucks next Wednesday before finishing the regular season the following night in Detroit.

Notebook: Sixers 103, Cavaliers 87

Posted Wednesday April 18, 2012 11:36PM

By Brian Dulik, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: Point guard Jrue Holiday scored 19 of his game-high 24 points in the third quarter, powering the Philadelphia 76ers to a 103-87 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Small forward Andre Iguodala had 19 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists for Philadelphia, while power forwards Elton Brand and Thaddeus Young each scored 12 points. The 76ers moved 2 1/2 games ahead of Milwaukee in the race for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. Center Samardo Samuels and shooting guard Lester Hudson led Cleveland with 15 points apiece. Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving added nine points in his return from a right shoulder sprain.

QUOTABLE: "Sometimes with our team, we're kind of passive. But sometimes, you have to be a little selfish. We needed this win. This was a team we shouldn't have lost to. I think everybody came in with that mindset."
-- 76ers shooting guard Holiday

THE STAT: In the third period, Holiday not only scored 19, he provided the assist on four more hoops -- meaning the UCLA product was responsible for 27 of Philadelphia's 31 points. He made all five of his 3-point attempts in the frame en route to finishing the evening 6-for-6 beyond the arc. "The three-point line was my friend tonight," a smiling Holiday said. "Every shot was falling and everything was going our way." In 216 previous NBA games, Holiday's career high was five 3-pointers. "We caught Jrue in a rhythm, and we kept on finding him," Iguodala said.

TURNING POINT: With the score tied at 57-57 midway through the third, Philadelphia unleashed a 24-2 run to blow out the host Cavaliers. Holiday scored 14 points during the 5:21 onslaught, while Iguodala added six, and center Spencer Hawes and Young each had two. "It seemed like our momentum kind of went downhill," Cleveland coach Byron Scott said. "That's basically how I saw it, and I think also we just kind of ran out of gas." The Cavaliers helped fuel the 76ers' surge by missing 11 of their 12 field goal attempts and committing three turnovers.

QUOTABLE II: "It's all good stuff tonight. Now, the guys can go home and enjoy a little sunshine and have an off-day. It was a great win, much needed. If Indy can help us tomorrow (by beating the Bucks), that's even better."
-- 76ers coach Doug Collins

HOT: The 76ers moved within two victories of clinching their first winning season since 2004-2005. Philadelphia also earned its fifth straight triumph over the Cavaliers and improved to 16-16 all-time at Quicken Loans Arena. ... 76ers point guard Lou Williams had eight points, five assists and no turnovers. He also was a plus-29 in 26 minutes off the bench. ... Iguodala's 13 boards were a season high, while his 12 defensive rebounds were one shy of his career best. ... Philadelphia center Lavoy Allen had four points, five rebounds and a career-high five assists in 29 minutes, while Hawes collected eight points and seven boards in 16 minutes.

NOT: The Cavaliers are 2-13 in their last 15 home games and 7-24 overall since Feb. 22. Cleveland's last victory over a team with a winning record came on March 11 against Houston. ... Cavaliers power forward Antawn Jamison was a minus-15, making him a minus-62 while shooting 5-for-23 over the last two games. ... 76ers center Nikola Vucevic got the start, but was benched after committing two turnovers and one foul in the first 151 seconds. He ended up with zero points, three boards, three turnovers, and three fouls in eight minutes ... Philadelphia center Tony Battie was the only player on either squad to dress, but not play.

QUOTABLE III: "We're just trying to find a way to conjure up energy for 48 minutes. We just have to find a way to compete at a higher level for longer periods of time. That's the bottom line."
-- Cavaliers coach Byron Scott

GOOD MOVE: Though the Cavaliers have long been destined for the NBA Draft Lottery, Irving refused to let his rookie season end prematurely. The No. 1 overall pick returned to action after missing nine games with a sprained right shoulder -- and showed no fear in driving to the basket against the 76ers. Irving did take one hard fall when he was body-blocked by Brand in the second quarter, but landed on his left side and bounced right back up. "Those plays are going to happen and are inevitable," said Irving, who had nine points, three rebounds and four assists in 20 minutes. "It's not going to make me change my game at all."

BAD MOVE: Collins opted to keep Vucevic in the starting lineup, rather than returning Allen or Hawes to the unit, but got next-to nothing from the rookie pivot against one of the worst frontcourts in the NBA. Undersized Cavaliers centers Tristan Thompson and Samuels physically overpowered the 7-footer, giving their team one of its few advantages on the court. ... Cleveland was outworked and outhustled by a 76ers squad that was playing its third game in three nights. Making their performance look even worse, the Cavaliers were only one day removed from a 116-77 loss in Detroit that saw them trail 100-50 after three quarters.

NOTABLE: The Cavaliers' owned and operated NBA D-League team -- the Canton Charge -- opens its second-round playoff series Thursday against the Austin Toros. Game 1 will be played at the Canton Civic Center with a 7:30 p.m. tipoff. Tickets are available for as low as $9. ... Cleveland small forward Alonzo Gee (left ankle sprain) missed his second straight game, but Scott said he could play Friday when the Cavaliers host New York. ... With Gee out, shooting guard Manny Harris started for Cleveland, while Anthony Parker slid up one spot to play small forward. ... 76ers center Craig Brackins remains away from the team for personal reasons.

UP NEXT: For the 76ers, Saturday @ Indiana, Monday @ New Jersey, Wednesday @ Milwaukee. For the Cavaliers, Friday vs. New York, Sunday @ San Antonio, Monday @ Memphis.

• 76ers: --
• Cavaliers: Erden, Gibson

• 76ers: --
• Cavaliers: --

• Lead Changes: 4
• Times Tied: 7

• Arena: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH
• Officials: #43 Dan Crawford, #6 Tony Brown, #60 James Williams
• Attendance: 14678
• Duration: 1:57