After struggling for much of the series–and the one that preceded it–Brand was large tonight for the Sixers. With 2:09 left, after KG cottoned a jumper to silence the “DEFENSE” chants echoing through the Wells Fargo Center and breath new life into beleaguered Boston, Brand buried a j to give the 7-6 a 78-69 lead and effectively ice Game 6.

Iguodala’s shot was absolutely brutal on Wednesday — he missed a few free throws in a way that would get a kid cut from most middle school basketball teams — but his defense was stout, he attacked the rim, and he came through when the leverage was highest.  Up six and on the line with under a minute left he drained a pair of FTs. Shades of the last series’ Game 6.

The final numbers aren’t overwhelming, but Spencer turned it on in the back end.  As the Sixers took and protected the lead after the half, he scored seven points on four shots.

Entering the game shooting just 32 percent from the floor in the series, Turner had a (slightly) more efficient offensive night than we’ve come to expect and continued to do work on the glass.

Holiday was outstanding tonight.  He flummoxed the unflummoxable Rajon Rondo — who had absolutely owned the series first five games–and was perfect from the line on a night when the rest of the 76ers decidedly weren’t.

With Allen Iverson in the house, the hope was that his spiritual successor would recover from a sub-par Monday with a big performance.  Well, that didn’t quite happen, but ll the same, Lou, after a miserable first half, was 4-of-8 from the floor after the half.

Thad struggled all game, and didn’t play a minute after the half.

Jodie Meeks did about as much to help the team win as I did tonight.

The defense was there – the Sixers, via ESPN Stats and Information, held the Celtics to under 40 percent shooting from inside five feet — but he didn’t do much on the offensive end.  We’ll take it.