Hawks-76ers Preview

By TAYLOR BECHTOLD
Posted Dec 20 2012 9:31PM

After struggling in three consecutive games, the Atlanta Hawks are focused on getting back to their winning ways.

It might be a good time to be catching the Philadelphia 76ers, who could be without their top two scorers.

The Hawks will try for their sixth win in seven road games Friday night when they meet the stumbling 76ers, losers of five straight.

While they've dropped back-to-back games at home, the Hawks own the best road record in the Eastern Conference at 7-3. Atlanta (15-8) was riding high in winning 11 of 13 before stumbling through its last three games with two losses and an overtime win over league-worst Washington.

Golden State handed the Hawks their worst defeat of the season, 115-93, on Saturday and Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook combined for 68 points in Oklahoma City's 100-92 win at Atlanta on Wednesday.

"We're not a team that's going to lay down, but we've had a couple of tough games here," guard Kyle Korver said. "We definitely have to get better and we have to learn from these losses."

Atlanta, though, has played much tighter defense on the road, giving up 90.3 points per game compared to 97.2 at Philips Arena.

The Hawks have a chance to continue their success on the road against a Philadelphia team that has not had point guard Jrue Holiday for the past four games due to a foot injury. Holiday, who leads the 76ers with averages of 18.4 points and 8.9 assists, is a game-time decision.

Making matters worse, second-leading scorer Evan Turner (15.1) is also a game-time decision after leaving Wednesday's 125-103 loss at Houston with a left ankle injury.

After a 10-6 start, Philadelphia has lost eight of 10 in December.

"When you put a loss behind your name as a coach, they don't ask who played in the game," coach Doug Collins said. "There is no asterisk that says you're undermanned."

Dorell Wright has helped pick up some of the slack, averaging 22.5 points and shooting 15 of 33 - 10 of 20 from 3-point range - in his last two games.

Thaddeus Young, though, will try to get back on track after averaging 13.6 points over his last five games. He had been averaging 18.7 in his previous nine.

The low-scoring 76ers (12-14) have reached 100 points in consecutive games, but they've given up an average of 114.3 in their last three.

Jeff Teague will try to take advantage of the 76ers without their starting point guard after scoring a team-best 19 points against the Thunder.

Josh Smith is averaging 19.4 points in his career at Philadelphia, tied for his best mark in any opposing city. Smith scored 34 points in Philadelphia in the teams' last meeting, a 95-90 76ers win March 31.

Korver has played a key role in Atlanta's success on the road, averaging 13.0 points while shooting 24 of 40 (60.0 percent) from 3-point range.

Atlanta could be without guard Devin Harris, who missed Wednesday's game with a left foot injury, as it tries to snap a five-game losing streak against Philadelphia and hand the 76ers their first six-game skid since March 30-April 9, 2010.

Guard Lou Williams will be facing his former team for the first time signing with Atlanta in the offseason. Williams, third on the Hawks with 14.3 points per game, spent the first seven seasons of his career with Philadelphia.

Young's double-double leads 76ers past Hawks 99-80

By DAN GELSTON
Posted Dec 22 2012 12:19AM

PHILADELPHIA (AP) Jrue Holiday returned from a sprained foot and the 76ers returned to form.

No doubt, the steady point guard makes the Sixers go.

All they need now is a healthy Andrew Bynum - and the injured center vows he's on the way back.

Thaddeus Young had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Evan Turner scored 21 points to help the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Atlanta Hawks 99-80 on Friday night.

Holiday had 11 points and seven assists after sitting out four games with a sprained left foot. With Holiday back running the offense, the Sixers led by as many as 22 points and snapped a season-worst five-game losing streak.

"I think you can see the difference that Jrue makes in our team," coach Doug Collins said. "He just gives us a settling presence. Offensively, things are smoother."

Jason Richardson scored 17 points and the Sixers held the Hawks to 39 percent shooting. That was a 6 percent dip off Atlanta's average.

"We can score when we need to," Holiday said. "But it's just locking up our defense. We tried to take guys out of the game and we succeeded."

The Sixers learned before the game that Bynum, their 7-foot center, had been cleared to start a six-step rehabilitation process. There is still no timetable for when he can return to play from bone bruises in his knees. Bynum said he was confident he would play this season.

Expected to contend in the East with Bynum, the Sixers are under .500 (13-14) and clearly need their rested and recovered big man to make a run in the playoffs.

Josh Smith led the Hawks with 17 points and Lou Williams scored 13.

Williams averaged 11.3 points during seven years with the Sixers and led the team in scoring last season with 14.9 points a game.

His signature moment came in Game 4 of a first-round playoff series in 2011 against Miami when he helped the Sixers avert a sweep with a go-ahead 3-pointer from the top of the arc over a lunging Dwyane Wade with 8.1 seconds left that lifted Philadelphia to an 86-82 win.

When the Sixers decided to clean house and make the move to get Bynum from the Los Angeles Lakers, Williams, Elton Brand and Andre Iguodala all went elsewhere.

The Sixers were cruising until the third quarter when Williams showed that quick scoring punch off the bench that made him so valuable for them. He hit two straight 3-pointers, then sank two free throws to pull the Hawks within eight after they were down by 16.

With no other scoring options for the Hawks on this night, Atlanta's run didn't last long. The Sixers stormed back in the fourth, and consecutive 3-pointers by Spencer Hawes and Richardson pushed the lead back to 20. Hawes had 12 points and eight rebounds.

Williams stuck around after the game and posed near the stands for pictures with friends and family. He made his NBA name in Philadelphia, but the former Georgia high school star was happy at home.

"If I wasn't going to be here, I wanted to be there," Williams said. "I landed on my feet."

Williams stuck it to his former team on a sweet steal-turned-fast-break-layup in the first half. He was fouled on the play and yelled "Game Time!" to fans in the front row. He converted the three-point play.

But outside of his short burst in the third, Williams was kept in check. He playfully jawed with Turner most of the game - though the familiar "Looouuu!" call at the Wells Fargo Center lost the L and sounded more like boos.

"We miss Lou, dearly," Collins said.

The 76ers also miss Bynum, though the All-Star has yet to even practice with the Sixers. Bynum said his right knee feels fine and there's still some pain in his left knee. An exam on Thursday showed Bynum's weakened cartilage hasn't gotten worse and the potential of surgery is off the table.

Bynum vowed to return, he just didn't know when.

"I really don't know. It's just that I know I will be back," he said. "It's not a career-ending situation."

The Sixers shot 51 percent from the floor, including a solid 42 percent (8 of 19) from the 3-point line, to make up for a 3-of-7 effort from the free throw line.

"I felt like with Jrue back, we're a different team," Turner said.

Notes: The Sixers sent rookie F Arnett Moultrie to their NBA Development League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Moultrie, a first-round pick by Miami sent to the Sixers in a draft-night trade, played in 11 games and averaged 1.3 points. Collins said Moultrie has to get in shape. ... The Sixers fell a point shy of sending their fans home with free fast food. Fans booed the Sixers as they refused to shoot on their final possession. Collins then decided to buy the fans burgers. ... The Sixers tied a season high with 31 assists. ... The Hawks have lost six straight to the 76ers.

Notebook: Sixers 99, Hawks 80

Andy Jasner, for NBA.com
Posted Fri Dec 21, 2012 11:10 PM - Updated Fri Dec 21, 2012 11:43 PM

THE FACTS: Evan Turner scored 21 points while Thaddeus Young scored 18 points and swept 11 rebounds as the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 99-80, Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center. Jason Richardson scored 17 points, Spencer Hawes had 12 points and Jrue Holiday had 11 in his return from a sprained left foot. The Sixers snapped a five-game losing streak and improved to 13-14.

Josh Smith led the Hawks with 17 points while Lou Williams had 13 in his first game against his former team. Kyle Korver also chipped in with 11 points for the Hawks, who fell to 15-9.

QUOTABLE: "We just had so many guys play great for us tonight."
-- Sixers coach Doug Collins.

THE STAT: The Sixers had a season-high tying 31 assists on 44 field goals made. Seven different Philadelphia players had at least two assists.

TURNING POINT: After the Hawks had whittled a 16-point deficit to eight at the end of the third quarter, the Sixers had an immediate response. Turner scored consecutive baskets to open the fourth and the lead eventually swelled to 22.

HOT: Turner shot 10-for-17, Richardson was 7-for-12 and Young was 9-for-16. The Sixers shot 51.2 percent overall.

NOT: Al Horford missed eight of his 10 shots and wound up with just seven points for Atlanta.

QUOTABLE II: "Offensively and defensively, we didn't do anything right. We were just a step behind those guys all night."
-- Lou Williams.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Richardson had 17 points, eight rebounds and a season-best seven assists while Young had 18 points, 11 rebounds, five steals and four assists. Turner also played a stellar all-around game with 21 points, six assists and five rebounds.

INSIDE THE ARENA: Former Sixers center Darryl Dawkins was introduced before the game and received a warm ovation from the crowd of 18,061. It was a relatively calm crowd for a while until the Sixers began to pull away in the fourth quarter.

QUOTABLE III: "I felt with Jrue back, we're a different team."
-- Turner, on Holiday's return from a four-game absence with a sprained left foot.

GOOD MOVE: The Sixers' starters played heavy minutes and that was just what they needed on this night. The bench was thin to begin with and the starters were competing at a very high level.

BAD MOVE: Smith has always performed well against the Sixers. With his length and ability to play inside and out, the Hawks probably could have gone to him more, especially early in the fourth when the Sixers made their run.

ROOKIE WATCH: Hawks guard John Jenkins knocked down all three shots for eight points while forward Mike Scott had three points and two rebounds. Sixers guard Maalik Wayns received a DNP-CD. Wayns had been battling a sore foot, which he aggravated Wednesday night at Houston. Meanwhile, forward Arnett Moultrie was assigned to the D-League with the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Moultrie has played sparingly in 11 games this season. "Get in shape and play," Sixers coach Doug Collins said, referring to Moultrie. "That's what he's got to do."

NOTABLE: The Hawks played without guard Devin Harris, sidelined with a sore left foot. ... Hawks coach Larry Drew is still one win shy of becoming the eighth coach in franchise history to reach 100 victories. Through 172 games, Drew would still be the second-fastest coach to reach 100. Lenny Wilkens achieved the milestone in 166 games. ... The Sixers are 5-0 when holding opponents below 90 points this season. ... Turner has scored 20 or more points seven times this season, matching his total from 2011-12. ... Young recorded his sixth double-double of the season. ... The Sixers have totaled more assists than their opponent in five of the past seven games after accomplishing the feat just six times in the first 20 games.

NEXT: For the Hawks, Saturday vs. Chicago, Wednesday vs. Detroit, Friday @ Cleveland. For the Sixers, Sunday @ Brooklyn, Wednesday @ Memphis, Friday @ Golden State.

• Hawks: Harris
• 76ers: Bynum, Moultrie

• Hawks: --
• 76ers: --

• Lead Changes: 3
• Times Tied: 6

• Arena: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
• Officials: #27 Dick Bavetta, #24 Mike Callahan, #72 JT Orr
• Attendance: 18061
• Duration: 1:58