One night after a victory, Sixers return to losing
One night, the shorthanded 76ers can look invincible, holding off the charging Brooklyn Nets. The next night, the Sixers can look like a squad unable to elevate its play when it matters the most, surrendering 73 second-half points to the Detroit Pistons.
One night, the shorthanded 76ers can look invincible, holding off the charging Brooklyn Nets. The next night, the Sixers can look like a squad unable to elevate its play when it matters the most, surrendering 73 second-half points to the Detroit Pistons.
At this point, that shouldn't come as a surprise. Just over 24 hours after a thrilling win over the Nets on Friday, the Sixers lost, 125-111, to the Pistons on a night in which the franchise retired the No. 4 jersey of the late Dolph Schayes, a Syracuse Nationals and Sixers legend.
The setback at the Wells Fargo Center dropped the Sixers to 9-57. They haven't won back-to-back games since triumphs over the Pistons and Knicks on March 18-20, 2015. The Sixers have yet to beat a team with a winning record this season.
The Pistons (34-32) took command of the game with a 15-2 run that gave them a 100-89 cushion with 9 minutes, 39 seconds left. The Sixers pulled within five points with 5:13 left, but that was as close as they got.
"I see a team that's good to begin with, going to another gear," Sixers coach Brett Brown said of the Pistons. "We've seen that a lot this year."
The Sixers dressed only 10 players. Center Nerlens Noel, power forward Carl Landry, and reserve power forward Elton Brand were the only post players available.
The Sixers announced Friday that power forward Jahlil Okafor is out for the season with a meniscus tear in his right knee. Forwards Jermani Grant (concussion), Robert Covington (concussion protocol), and Richaun Holmes (strained right Achilles) were sidelined after suffering game-ending injuries Friday night.
Grant could return Tuesday against the Nets at the Barclays Center. Covington will be sidelined for a "few games," Brown said.
"We don't know the duration of that. We don't believe he will play in our next games."
Holmes will be out for seven to 10 days - or more.
"When I heard that time frame you always anticipate it's going to be longer than that," Brown said. "We all should anticipate it's going to be longer than that."
Covington was transported to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and was checked for a possible neck injury after being accidently kicked in the head by Grant. He left the hospital at 1 a.m. Saturday. Covington and Grant were both momentarily knocked out after colliding on the court Friday night and being hit by others. Covington even momentarily lost feeling in his finger.
"I just have small symptoms of [a concussion]," he said of having headaches. "I passed the first phase. Now I just have to take it day-by-day."
On Saturday Reggie Jackson led all scorers with 24 points. The Pistons point guard also had 10 assists. Center Andre Drummond added 19 points and 15 rebounds for his 55th double-double of the season.
Isaiah Canaan led the Sixers with 22 points. Fifteen of the shooting guard's points came in the fourth quarter. Carl Landry added a season-high-tying 18 points.
Canaan had to be separated from Pistons backup point guard Steve Blake in that quarter. The two started jawing after Canaan scored a corner three-pointer over Blake moments earlier. Trying to draw an offensive foul, Blake fell to the floor as Canaan got in position to shoot. Then the talking began again as the two stood chest-to-chest near the Sixers' three-point line during a break. They were separated and called for double technicals.
"I just told him to stop flopping," Canaan said. "It carried over once we got the ball. He ran up on the face. Man, I don't take that. Ain't nobody going to just run up on me, and I don't do anything."
This was also a night to celebrate Schayes. There were video tributes honoring the former star, who died Dec. 10 of cancer at 87.
At halftime, the team raised Schayes' No. 4 banner to the rafters. Noel will still wear the No. 4 to honor Schayes.
Schayes scored 18,438 points and grabbed 11,256 rebounds during his 16-year career with the Syracuse/Sixers franchise.
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