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News » 76ers-Bobcats Preview 2008-11-24


76ers-Bobcats Preview 2008-11-24


76ers-Bobcats Preview 2008-11-24
Philadelphia's Elton Brand got off to a slow start, but he's come up big for the 76ers in their last two games.

Brand and Philadelphia look to win their third straight Monday when they visit the struggling Charlotte Bobcats.

The 76ers (7-6) have won five of their last six, including an 89-81 victory over Golden State on Sunday. Philadelphia shot just 39.8 percent from the field, but still held a 22-point lead at one point before eventually having to hold off the Warriors' late run.

Brand finished with 23 points and 12 rebounds in one of his best games with the Sixers, who moved above .500 for the first time this season. The performance came after he scored the game-winner Friday against the Clippers, whom Brand left in the offseason to sign a five-year deal worth nearly $80 million with Philadelphia.

Brand, who was shooting 42.8 percent entering Sunday, was 10-of-22 from the field against Golden State while recording his seventh double-double. He's averaging 18.8 points in the last six games after averaging 14.4 in the first seven.

"The guys found me in rhythm," Brand said. "It's the same shots I've been shooting all along and they were falling early."

Coach Maurice Cheeks also gave credit for the win to Samuel Dalembert, who had eight points and 16 rebounds. The Sixers, one of the NBA's top rebounding teams, outrebounded the Warriors 54-38. Dalembert is averaging 10.2.

"It was one of his better games," Cheeks said of Dalembert. "His 16 rebounds were big, particularly in the early going. We played the big lineup and it played to our advantage."

The Sixers, who have held three of their last opponents to fewer than 90 points, look to hand the Bobcats (3-9) their fifth straight loss. The struggling team is coming off one of its worst offensive games of the season after falling 79-74 to Milwaukee on Saturday.

Charlotte shot 37.2 percent while scoring its fewest points of the season. Gerald Wallace had 18 points and Emeka Okafor added 16 points and 18 rebounds.

The Bobcats average an NBA-worst 86.7 points and have the league's second-worst shooting percentage at 42.2. Saturday was the third time this season they've been held to fewer than 80 points.

Coach Larry Brown is pleased with the effort. though. Three of the last four losses have been by five points each.

"We're trying to build a culture where we get out and get loose balls and make hustle plays and play with unbelievable energy and then all the other stuff will take care of itself," Brown said. "Maybe it won't happen as fast as we'd like, but when you have to beg guys to play hard you have no shot. When you have a group that competes like we have the last two games, something good is going to happen."

Further hurting the Bobcats is the absence of Jason Richardson (knee), who is expected to miss his sixth straight game Monday. Richardson underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and had the stitches taken out over the weekend. He's averaging 17.6 points.

Philadelphia won two of three against the Bobcats last season. They split the two games in Charlotte.


Author: Fox Sports
Author's Website: http://www.foxsports.com
Added: November 24, 2008

 

 
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