The 76ers (26-29) had a terrible first quarter, their worst of the entire season. A ten point quarter is not what the doctor ordered, but it's what they had to contend with from the beginning of the second quarter going forward.
Credit must be given to Memphis since they have played great basketball since a not-so-great start to their season. The Grizzlies sit only a half-game out of a playoff spot in teh Western Conference which is saying alot of this team and they have beaten some top teams in the process.
Oklahoma City, Denver and Orlando are among the victims in this recent surge by the Grizz, a stretch in which they've gone 12-3 in their last 15 and apparently are working harder now than they have at any point this season and are getting O.J Mayo back from a drug suspension which could only make this team better if he comes back with the right attitude.
It was a constant uphill struggle for the Sixers and to their credit, they made the game close but Philadelphia just didn't get the scoring needed from the starters to compete with the explosiveness of the Grizzlies starting five.
Memphis got 75 points from their starters compared to only 46 from the Sixers. It was the bench that brought the scoring punch last night for Doug Collins' team.Lou Williams and Thad Young combined for 41 points off the bench which is amazing since the starters only scored five more points than Young and Williams did and we're talking about the output of five guys compared to only two.
The scoring balance has been one thing that has been inconsistent for Philadelphia this season as it seems like the expectations on a night to night basis from different players fluctuate wildly, but finding the perfect balance is a challenge that Collins has had to work on this entire season.
One night of shaky play doesn't change the fact that the Sixers are still trending upward, even though a win against the Rockets going into the All-Star break is virtually a must-have.
Photo Courtesy of the Associated Press
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