Philadelphia 76ers

71

FinalRecap | Box Score

88

Utah Jazz

	JaKarr Sampson, PF 21 MIN | 1-3 FG | 0-2 FT | 2 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 2 PTS | -17Two points on one thunderous dunk is not enough from your starting PF.
	Nerlens Noel, PF 32 MIN | 2-5 FG | 1-1 FT | 10 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 5 PTS | -14A solid game overall, but I would like to see Noel be more aggressive on offense and start looking at the rim immediately after he catches it,  That may take some time.  He left the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury but returned and started the fourth.  According to multiple reports, Noel had X-rays taken after the game and appeared to be walking fine when he left.
	Robert Covington, SF 36 MIN | 5-10 FG | 5-8 FT | 9 REB | 0 AST | 1 STL | 2 BLK | 1 TO | 17 PTS | -25It was an interesting night for Covington.  #33 was shut out in the 1st Q when the Sixers scored only 12 points.  He recovered to put up 5 points in the 2nd Q and then led the Sixers 3rd Q 15-2 push with 8 points. Still, Covington has to be the guy who steps up and gets buckets when the team is struggling on offense and he was MIA in the 1st Q.
	Henry Sims, C 32 MIN | 4-9 FG | 2-2 FT | 8 REB | 0 AST | 1 STL | 2 BLK | 1 TO | 10 PTS | -8A near double-double for Sims was tainted by two ill-advised 3PAs and some sluggish defense. Sims also did not attempt a shot in the 1st Q.
	Michael Carter-Williams, PG 37 MIN | 2-20 FG | 3-4 FT | 4 REB | 6 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 6 TO | 8 PTS | -14Night’s like this (2-20 on FGAs and 6 TOs) are the reason why his critics out there belive MCW is NOT the PG of the future for this franchise.

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With the 12^th pick in the 2014 NBA draft the Sixers picked Croatian native Dario Saric. With his current contract situation Saric will continue to play for Anadolu Efes of Istanbul, Turkey for possibly as long as two years while his NBA rights are assigned to the 76ers. As we all know, Saric has been making some big news over in the Euro League as Saric (20 yrs. Old) won the Euroleague’s MVP award for the month of November and became the youngest recipient of the that honor.

“It took a lot of practice and a lot of work to win such a special award as this,” Saric told Euroleague.net.  “It is very important to me, I am very happy to win it. It is amazing and a part of my dream has come true.”

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Philadelphia 76ers

96

FinalRecap | Box Score

88

Orlando Magic

	Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, PF 27 MIN | 4-9 FG | 0-0 FT | 4 REB | 0 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 3 TO | 9 PTS | -5If you look just at the box score, it reads like Luc was his solid self last night.  But I can tell you that he only scored 2 points during the big push n the 3rd Q and was completely MIA during the 4th Q — 0 points & 1 reb.
	JaKarr Sampson, PF 17 MIN | 2-5 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 5 PTS | +1Sampson started in place of the ill Hollis Thompson, but received limited minutes last night.  His 3-ball in the mid-3rd Q ignited the 76ers huge run in the 3rd Q.  Overall I thought Sampson played solidly and he showed a couple nice moves on offense.
	Nerlens Noel, PF 32 MIN | 5-13 FG | 3-3 FT | 12 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 3 TO | 13 PTS | -8Noel had some awkward moments last night — like when he was wide open under the rim in the 3rd Q, but shot the ball in to the underside of the backboard — but overall it was a very nice night by #4 (double-double). He only scored 3 points in the 2nd half and spent a good deal of the 4th Q on the bench.  However his defense and rebounding were key to the big push.
	Robert Covington, SF 40 MIN | 4-11 FG | 2-3 FT | 10 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL | 2 BLK | 1 TO | 11 PTS | +6A double-double by Rob was a big boost for the 76ers last night, but IMO #33 looked hesitant at times to shoot the three.  Let it fly Rob, let it fly.
	Michael Carter-Williams, PG 36 MIN | 7-12 FG | 6-8 FT | 4 REB | 6 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 6 TO | 21 PTS | -6Outside of his team high 6 TOs, I really loked what I saw from MCW last night.  He cut back on his 3PAs; distributed the ball nicely and took advantage of what scoring ops the Magic defense gave him.  His 9 points in the 4th Q helped the Sixers seal the win.

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This edition of “Fo’ with the Foes” – Philadunkia’s advanced scouting series, which with the help of an accomplished journalist from around the NBA beat or blog world, previews key upcoming 76ers games – features tonight’s opponent, the Charlotte Bobcats, who are unexpectedly awful this season (6-19) and feature Lance Stephenson who is currently the subject of numerous NBA trade rumors.

After the jump, I’ll look at Fo’ key items for tonight’s game. Additionally, we’ll get a little more insight into this Charlotte team the Sixers face tonight from our colleague Spencer Percy at queencityhoops.com, as Spencer will answer Fo’ questions on his Hornets squad from us here at Philadunkia.

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Unless you have fallen “off the grid” in the last 48 hours, you are aware that Boston Celtics General Manager Danny Ainge listened to offers from a number of NBA teams for elite point guard Rajon Rondo.

It’s not official yet, but it is being reported that the front runner in these rumored talks, the Dallas Mavericks, have struck a deal for Rondo and willing send at least one future first-round pick; a 2nd round selection; Jameer Nelson and slowly developing power forward Brandan Wright to Beantown in exchange for #9.

Any way you slice it, Rondo leaving Boston is a good thing for the 76ers, and being traded out of the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference even, is a nice boost for the rebuilding process of the Sixers.

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Boston Celtics

105

FinalRecap | Box Score

87

Philadelphia 76ers

	Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, PF 26 MIN | 4-10 FG | 1-2 FT | 6 REB | 2 AST | 2 STL | 1 BLK | 4 TO | 9 PTS | -4Luc was Luc last night. Now go massage Joel’s foot.
	Nerlens Noel, PF 29 MIN | 9-12 FG | 1-1 FT | 8 REB | 4 AST | 3 STL | 2 BLK | 3 TO | 19 PTS | -2Put asisde the near double-double that Noel posted on 75% shooting. What impressed me the most last night was that #4 was aggressive on offense and looked for his shot.  Too many times early on this year Noel has caught the ball in decent position and has not even looked at the basket before passing the ball.  Hopefully ast night is the start of a new trend on offense for Noel.
	Robert Covington, SF 29 MIN | 4-15 FG | 3-3 FT | 6 REB | 2 AST | 2 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 13 PTS | -3I thought covington missed on a lot of clean looks last night, but I did like that he kept firing away when the opportunity came to him.  Great shooters keep shooting even on bad nights
	Michael Carter-Williams, PG 29 MIN | 5-12 FG | 2-4 FT | 5 REB | 6 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 5 TO | 13 PTS | -4Yes MCW shot nearly 50% from the field and handed out 6 dimes, but your starting PG can not own a 1:1 assist to TO ratio (5 turnovers last night) if you are going to win in this League.  He als0 needs to stop shooting threes — period.
	Hollis Thompson, SG 21 MIN | 1-3 FG | 0-0 FT | 4 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 2 PTS | -6Can someone tell me how this clown continues to hold on to a spot in the first-five?

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This Saturday edition of “Fo’ with the Foes” – Philadunkia’s advanced scouting series which with the help of an accomplished journalist from around the NBA beat or blog world, previews upcoming 76ers’ games – features tonight’s opponent, the Memphis Grizzlies, who defeated the Charlotte Hornets last night; have won 3 straight; 7 of their last 10 games and are currently in first place in the Western Conference.

After the jump, I’ll look a Fo’ key items for tonight’s game.  Additionally, we’ll get a little more insight into this Memphis team the Sixers face tonight from our colleague Chip Crain at 3 Shades of Blue.com, as Chip will answer Fo’ questions on his Grizzlies from us here at Philadunkia.

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Philadelphia 76ers

79

FinalRecap | Box Score

95

Atlanta Hawks

	Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, PF 29 MIN | 5-9 FG | 0-1 FT | 2 REB | 0 AST | 5 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 12 PTS | -20Luc recovered from a 1-4 start to post a decent game. He scored 7 points in the 2nd Q and had a tremendous block on Al Horford during that quarter.  Still, I don’t understand how this guy is getting 30 mins. a night. He’s an average NBA player and is not part of the long range plan for this team.  I’d rather see his minutes go to one of the young cats.
	Nerlens Noel, PF 34 MIN | 3-7 FG | 2-4 FT | 5 REB | 3 AST | 0 STL | 3 BLK | 2 TO | 8 PTS | -13I have only a couple notes for Noel last night. In the 2nd Q he rejected DeMarre Carroll ‘s 5-footer and he scored with a nice lefty lay-in during the early 3rd Q. What has become painfully obvious to me and was very apparent on several Hawks’ posessions last night, is that outside of blocking shots, #4 is struggling to adjust to the NBA game on the defensive end.
	Henry Sims, C 13 MIN | 0-3 FG | 1-2 FT | 4 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 1 PTS | -9Ewwwwwwwwww…Henry’s season low tick produced this quote from Brown, “We just went small ball. There is nothing to read into there.”
	Michael Carter-Williams, PG 38 MIN | 4-7 FG | 0-0 FT | 10 REB | 9 AST | 0 STL | 2 BLK | 9 TO | 8 PTS | -15Yes, MCW posted yet another near triple double, but he also turned teh ball over 9 times. NINE! This franchise will never succeed (at any level) when it is being run by a PG who is that careless with the rock.
	Hollis Thompson, SG 36 MIN | 3-7 FG | 1-1 FT | 5 REB | 4 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 8 PTS | -13Not a bad night from my least favorite 76er.

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This edition of “Fo’ with the Foes” – Philadunkia’s advanced scouting series which with the help of an accomplished journalist from around the NBA beat or blog world, previews key upcoming 76ers games – features tonight’s opponent, the Atlanta Hawks who are a riding a hot streak right now having won 7 straight games, and 9 of their last 10.  Still, I like the 76ers chances of stealing a win tonight for reasons that I will discuss after the jump.

(I can’t believe I just typed that line.)

After the jump, I’ll look a Fo’ key items for tonight’s game. Additionally, we’ll get a little more insight into this Atlanta team the Sixers face tonight from our colleague David Menze at Soaring Down South, as David will answer Fo’ questions on his Hawks squad from us here at Philadunkia.

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In case you stepped away from the season of the “double tank” for the weekend, you should know that the 76ers have won 2 out of their last 3 games and now stand at .500 in the month of December.  We realize that both victories came against fellow NBA bottom dwellers Minnesota and Detroit and with a simply brutal schedule ahead of Brett Brown’s team this month, we don’t see these good times lasting past this week.

Still, today we’re going to look at three positive items we have seen over this recent four game stretch in which the Sixers picked up two wins; got beat by the defending champs in respectable fashion and suffered a highly competitive loss to the vastly superior OKC Thunder.

Believe or not we had a hard time limiting this post to just three items.

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