Sixers Look To Take Care Of Business Against Charlotte
By Spike Eskin
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – After losing three games in a row to some the Eastern Conference's top teams (Miami, Chicago, Indiana), the Sixers have a chance to take advantage of a the worst team in the conference, the Charlotte Bobcats.
The Bobcats (7-36) have the worst record in the NBA by a three game margin, have the worst offense in the NBA, and give up the third most points in the league.
Charlotte has begun a complete rebuild, and the youth movement starts with their two lottery picks, combo guard Kemba Walker and center Bismack Biyombo. Biyombo is the youngest player in the NBA and perhaps the most inexperienced. His raw physical ability and potential as a defensive force made him the 7th pick in the 2011 draft. Though his offensive game is still non-existent, he's been blocking shots (2.9 per game) and grabbing rebounds (10.7 per game) with consistent minutes (30 per game) in the team's seven games this month. Walker's rookie season has been inconsistent, playing behind arguably the team's two best players, Gerald Henderson and D.J. Augustin. He's coming off of one of his worst games of the year, shooting just 1-7 in 12 minutes in a win against the Raptors.
The Sixers will continue to find a way to get both Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner involved in the offense in the same game. Both players are more effective with the ball in their hands, and when one dominates, the other player tends to disappear. Jrue Holiday had a season high 30 points in Saturday's loss in Chicago, while Evan Turner had his worst game as a starter, scoring just six points, grabbing two rebounds, and recording two assists while turning the ball over three times.
Though the game against the Bobcats shouldn't present the same kind of challenge that Miami and Chicago did, the Sixers will need to get into the habit of putting together four full quarters of good basketball. The loss against the Heat saw the Sixers get down as many as 29 points in the first half, before battling back in the second. The loss to Chicago saw the Sixers get off to a hot start, but wither in the second half.
The Sixers have won both meetings with the Bobcats so far this season, an 89-72 victory in Philadelphia on January 27th, and a 98-89 win in Charlotte on February 13th.
After tonight's game in Charlotte, the Sixers have two key Atlantic Division matchups against the Knicks on Wednesday, and Boston on Friday. Both teams will be looking to avenge big losses to the Sixers.
Tonight's game can be heard live on 94WIP at 7pm.
Listen to KYW's Matt Leon and the Bob Cooney of the Daily News preview the game:
