Sixers upend undermanned Hawks, 92-84
It was another solid opportunity for the 76ers to snap a losing streak. The Atlanta Hawks came to town minus three starters in Kyle Korver, Paul Millsap, and DeMarre Carroll. Those three players combine to average 41.1 points for the NBA's top team. The Sixers took advantage, winning by 92-84 Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Center.
It was another solid opportunity for the 76ers to snap a losing streak.
The Atlanta Hawks came to town minus three starters in Kyle Korver, Paul Millsap, and DeMarre Carroll. Those three players combine to average 41.1 points for the NBA's top team. The Sixers took advantage, winning by 92-84 Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Center.
The victory improved the Sixers to 14-49 and snapped their four-game losing streak. Meanwhile, the Hawks (49-13) lost for the first time in seven games.
This isn't the first time the Hawks rested three starters against the Sixers. Atlanta was without Jeff Teague, Millsap, and Carroll when they beat the Sixers, 105-87, here on Jan. 13.
Sixers center Nerlens Noel said his team took Atlanta's resting players personally.
"We always do," Noel said of teams resting their standout players against them. "I think it's been said before. We are a team that's not going to lay down.
"We are going to come in and give it our all, and play with high energy and play hard Philly basketball."
The teams played through 18 lead changes and 11 ties. The Sixers took the lead for good on Isaiah Canaan's three foul shots that made it an 85-83 game with 4 minutes, 1 second remaining. Then Nerlens Noel added a layup and later a foul shot to give the Sixers a five-point cushion.
After a Kent Bazemore foul shot, Luc Mbah a Moute's three-pointer gave the Sixers a 91-84 cushion with 1:05 left. They ended the game on a 10-1 run.
Mbah a Moute, a power forward, and reserve guard Hollis Thompson led all scorers with 19 points apiece. Thompson also had nine rebounds. Noel had 11 points, a career-high 17 rebounds, 5 steals, and a blocked shot.
Teague paced the Hawks with 17 points.
Sixers shooting guard Jason Richardson sat out Saturday's game to rest his left knee. The 34-year-old returned to action last month after not playing since January 2013 due to two knee surgeries. Richardson does not play on back-to-back nights.
Before the game, the Sixers claimed Glenn Robinson III off waivers.
The rookie small forward had been released by the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday.
"Excited to have him," Sixers Brett Brown said. "We liked him. We paid attention to him in the draft. You know part of the plan is identifying young people, who have a chance to be keepers.
"He ticks a lot of boxes in regards to it kind of being a no-brainer on why we would be interested in him."
The 6-foot-7, 222-pounder was unable to get valuable playing time in Minnesota with Andrew Wiggins, Shabazz Muhammad, and Chase Budinger in front of him. As a result, he averaged 4.3 minutes, 1.2 points, and 0.6 rebounds in 25 games with the Timberwolves. Robinson had only played in two games since the start of February.
His father, Glen Robinson Jr., was a Sixer from July 2003 to February 2005. He also won a championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2005. At the time, Brown was a Spurs assistant coach.
"We're look forward to having him," Brown said.
Honoring Wilson. The Sixers wore white T-shirts with the words "OFFICER WILSON" in blue lettering in honor of slain Philadelphia police Officer Robert Wilson III. Wilson was gunned down during an attempted robbery at a North Philadelphia GameStop on Thursday.
"It's a good thing for us to pay tribute to a guy that put his life on the line for the City of Philadelphia," Robert Covington said.
"It's sad to see," Covington went on to say. "I know his family is paying for this loss. But this guy paid his life to protect the people and the city he loves. It's crazy."
@PompeyOnSixers