Dalembert's nine solid minutes of tough on-ball defense not enough, Sixers fall
The 76ers secured the moral victory in Game 2 by holding Dwight Howard to only a modest 11-point, 10-rebound double-double, but took the demoralizing loss on Wednesday 96-87 to the Magic.
Andre Miller led the way with 30 points for the Sixers, who out shot the Magic from the floor, but Orlando took the edge on the free throw line making 22 shots to Philly’s 12.
Samuel Dalembert and Theo Ratliff combined for nine fouls and a hard-earned five points. Dalembert now has eight fouls and nine points in just over 26 minutes of play in the two playoffs games.
“I’m guarding Dwight-freakin’-Howard and the refs are calling everything on me,” said Dalembert. “My flying D-Bear roundhouse foot-punch isn’t actually a foul…or at least it shouldn’t be. It’s the only chance anyone has at stopping guys like Howard and Chris Paul.”
Miller quits denying Richard Pryor comparison, just goes with it
Andre Miller has fended off Richard Pryor comparisons ever since his former Cavaliers teammate Bimbo Coles made the obvious discovery back during the 2000-01 season. The Sixers guard finally relented and will fully embrace his likeness to the late, great Pryor by growing out his hair and beard while maintaining the comedian’s trademark hilariously surprised look on his face the entire game.
“I never really saw it to tell you the truth,” said Andre Miller following the 76ers’ 111-119 loss to the Warriors on Friday. “After like ten years of everybody saying it, I figured I should just go with it. I might have to cut down on grinning the whole game if the fans want me to put up more than ten points though.”
Iguodala's single-double can't stop Hornets
Chris Paul dumped 27 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds on the 76ers for his league-leading fifth triple-double of the season as the Hornets offed the Sixers 101-86. Though Paul also came away with a game-high seven steals, the Sixers were more concerned about how quickly their manhood disappeared after each of his circus shots and passes.
“He was making us look like little [expletives] out there, for real,” said 76ers center Samuel Dalembert. “You saw me try and kick him in the nuts out there….and this little koala bear-lookin’ dude still made the shot.”
Hornets forward Peja Stojakovic added to the embarassment by hitting six three-pointers on a night when the Sixers hit only two as a team.
“Ya’ll can keep chirpin’ in my ear with all that mess about us needing to hit more threes, but that’s not what we do here,” said Sixers guard Andre Miller. “Layups win games. Not free throw shooting or all that three point nonsense…it’s layups. We hit layups in Philly. When you think we’re gonna hit you with the big three, we switch it up on you and stuff that layup down your throat. Layups man…lay…ups.”
The Sixers will head to Houston to face the Rockets on Wednesday.