Sixers finally end their slump

The 76ers won.

It had been 25 days and 12 games since those words were last accurate.

It would be nice to say the drought ended with a hard-fought win over a competent opponent, but it did not. Tonight at the Wachovia Center, the Sixers destroyed the very bad Golden State Warriors, 117-101.

The Sixers led by 31 points in the third quarter.

Tonight, Golden State couldn't defend a trash can, let alone a crossover-ready Allen Iverson (20 points) and a spring-from-the-floor Thaddeus Young (26).

The victory, which ended a 12-game slide, is the Sixers' first since beating the Charlotte Bobcats on Nov. 18.

The Sixers improved to 6-18. The Warriors, led by reserve Corey Maggette's 24 points, dropped to 7-17.

In front of a crowd of 12,795 - which looked like thousands fewer - the Sixers, not known for their interior muscle, outrebounded the Warriors, 58-26, and outscored them in the paint, 56-24.

The game became a laugher in the third, during which the Warriors scored 11 points, the Sixers 26.

Andre Iguodala was the only Sixers starter not scoring with video game-like efficiency. He finished with 14 points on 4-for-20 shooting. Iguodala missed a few minutes in the first half with a bruised rib. X-rays were negative.

The Sixers led the Warriors, 36-24, after one quarter.

One statistic told the difference: points in the paint. After the first period, the Sixers were ahead in that category, 24-2. Inside the paint, the Sixers made 12 of 21 shots, the Warriors 1 of 6.

On the first two possessions of the second quarter, the Sixers got a spin layup from Young and then a quick steal and a transition lay-in by Young.

That made the score 40-24, a 16-point Sixers advantage, but that lead did not seem safe. In Friday night's loss to the Houston Rockets, the Sixers were ahead by 27-10.

For the Sixers, it seemed the rest of the second quarter would be telling: Could they extend the lead? Or would the Warriors hang around?

The Warriors hung around. They did not close the gap, not much at all, but the Sixers did not pull away, either.

The Sixers were ahead at the half, 71-57. There was not much defense being played.

The difference at the break was still points in the paint. The Sixers had 44, the Warriors 18.

Young scored 23 points in the first half on 11-for-15 shooting. He put himself on the left block, demanded the ball, and scored nearly every time he touched it. Sixers center Samuel Dalembert scored six points and grabbed eight rebounds in the half. Reserve power forward Elton Brand scored nine points in nine minutes on 4-for-4 shooting.

Iverson scored 14 points in the half and had one old-time crossover to the hoop - he made the shot, plus the foul. He finished the half 5 for 7 from the field.

The only Sixers starter who couldn't find a few buckets was Iguodala, who was 0 for 8 in the first half, scoring four points on free throws.