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Ugly: Philly delivers Brooklyn its sixth straight loss, 105-95

By Anthony Puccio
Philadelphia 76ers v Brooklyn Nets Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

The NBA’s two worst teams faced off in a matinee affair Sunday at Barclays Center. Both the Brooklyn Nets (8-28) and the Philadelphia 76ers (10-25) had a golden opportunity to steal a win and see some progress through the rebuilding process.

It was a flip-flop kind of game as both teams went on their runs – Brooklyn in the first half and Philly in the second half, which essentially did Brooklyn in, 105-95. They outscored the Nets 59-38 in the second half, led by Joel Embiid who scored 20 points in 24 minutes.

The Nets have now lost six straight games and two straight to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Although there is no such thing as an “easier” game when your record is 8-27, the Nets had plenty of opportunities to assert themselves against the lowly Sixers in the first half. They were extremely sloppy and it started with starting point guard Isaiah Whitehead, who had five turnovers in his first nine minutes of action.

The team had 14 in the half alone.

It didn’t hurt them too much, at first. Brook Lopez scored 18 points in the first half and led the Nets on a 9-0 run to close out the half, giving them a 57-46 cushion.

The lead didn’t last more than four minutes into the second half.

The Sixers went on a 13-0 spurt to start the second half and grabbed their first lead of the game. It was a 20-point turnaround less than nine minutes into the third quarter, which gave Philadelphia its largest lead of the day at nine. They flipped an 11-point deficit into a five-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, outscoring Brooklyn 32-16.

And so, as we often say, it was a ballgame again thanks to the third quarter woes.

Both teams stayed close, exchanged buckets and went on mini runs through the first six minutes of the fourth. At the five-minute mark, the Sixers went on a 13-0 run and notched a 14-point lead, their largest of the night.

Robert Covington nailed the dagger with a wing extended 3-pointer with two minutes left to cap off the 13-0 run.

Brook Lopez (26 points) was held to just two points in the fourth quarter, while the Sixers outscored the Nets 27-22 in the final frame and 59-38 in the second half.

It wasn’t Lopez’s fault the Nets lost this one, but rather the sloppy play once again at the point guard position with Jeremy Lin sitting out. The Nets committed 22 turnovers and 20 assists, failing to get any sort of offensive rhythm going. Isaiah Whitehead had six turnovers and Sean Kilpatrick had five. Justin Hamilton and Trevor Booker were the only active players that did NOT commit a turnover.

Once again the offense was good enough in the first half and shot 6-of-12 from deep, but finished the game just 10-of-27 (4-of-15 in 2nd half).

POSITIVES?

  • Justin Hamilton has found his game again, so it appears. JHAM has hit 8 of his last 14 3-pointers after shooting an abysmal 3-of-26 from deep in the month of December. Blame the contact lenses.
  • Caris LeVert continues to impress with limited playing time. Coming off a career-high 19 points, LeVert finished with six points, three rebounds and two assists in 21 minutes (plus-10. The numbers may not speak much, but you can sense he’s much more confident and aggressive handling the rock.
  • The bench scored 48 points (but the starters only scored 47).

NOTES:

Trevor Booker was deemed out for the remainder of the game in the third quarter after suffering a left hip contusion. Then, the Nets activated him and he returned late in the fourth quarter.

Yogi Ferrell, waived last month in favor of Spencer Dinwiddie but still with the Long Island Nets, will be part of a tryout Monday for the 76ers. Others in the workout include former Net Jordan Farmar, former Net antagonist Nate Robinson and D-Leaguers Briante Weber, Cat Barber and Chasson Randle.

Next up: Tuesday, home vs. Atlanta.

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