Sixers fade in second half of loss to Celtics

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Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Posted: 9:48 p.m.Updated: 11:20 p.m.

By Reuben Frank
CSNPhilly.com

BOX SCORE

BOSTON -- They couldnt play much better in the first half. They couldnt play much worse in the second. And with the playoffs less than two weeks away, the Sixers realize that one terrific half just isnt enough to topple the NBAs best teams.

The Celtics scored the first nine points of the third quarter and held the Sixers without a basket on 15 consecutive possessions, turning a tight game into a 99-82 rout at TD Garden Tuesday night in a possible first-round playoff preview.

The Sixers led 49-47 with 1:24 left in the second quarter on a Jodie Meeks three-pointer from the left corner. The Celtics then outscored the Sixers 7-1 the rest of the first half and opened the third quarter on a 9-0 run to take a 13-point lead.

We were definitely satisfied with the first half, Elton Brand said. Then it was like they took our best punch and then it got away from us at the beginning of the third quarter. They hit some shots, we didnt execute on our end, we cut it to four, and then it was like we kind of ran out of juice.

Thanks to the Knicks win over the Raptors in New York, the Sixers magic number to clinch the No. 6 seed in the East remained at five. The Sixers, now just half a game ahead of the Knicks, can reduce that magic number to three when they face the Knicks at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Center.

The Sixers took 42 shots in each half. They made 21 in the first half (50 percent) and just 12 in the second half (29 percent).

I thought when we needed to get stops, we got stops, multiple stops, Kevin Garnett said. After that, it was pretty much over.

The Sixers did not shoot well but they battled. They whittled the Boston lead down to four at 64-60 with four minutes left in the third quarter and were still within eight early in the fourth before another Celtics surge built the lead to as much as 21 late in the game.

This one boiled down to one thing. The Celtics turned up the defensive intensity after halftime, and the Sixers couldnt make baskets.

They had two or three really great defensive spurts, Sixers coach Doug Collins said. Thats what championship teams dothey might not play it for 48 minutes, but theyre going to lock it down for stretches and win those five-minute skirmishes and I thought they won two five-minute skirmishes in the second half, which really gave them separation.

Other than rookie guard Evan Turner, who returned to the rotation with an eye-opening 21 points, nobody on the Sixers made shots.

Thaddeus Young shot 4 for 10 from the field, Brand 5 for 11, Jrue Holiday 4 for 12, Spencer Hawes 3 for 14 and Andre Iguodala 3 for 8.

After halftime, Hawes, Brand, Holiday, Young, Iguodala and Meeks shot 8 for 35. Thats 23 percent.

They just lock in on you, Collins said. They guard the paint and make you shoot those jump shots. They do a good job of rotating. They just know where to be. They cover each other, and they can swarm. They challenge shots and they dont give you anything easy. Theyre a great, great defensive team.

There were 19 lead changes and 10 ties in an engaging first half before the Celtics took the lead for good at 52-49 with 40 seconds left before halftime on Paul Pierces layup and free throw.

I really liked the way we played in the second half, Pierce said. Came out in the third quarter with more of a sense of urgency, a lot more solid on defense. Were trying to build going into the playoffs, try and gather some momentum. You never knowwe may face the 76ers in the playoffs, so its good to get this win.

Their second straight loss after three wins in a row dropped the Sixers to 40-38 with four games leftall at home.

They followed their 3-for-17 third quarter in Milwaukee Saturday night with a 5-for-20 third quarter Tuesday night. Theyve scored just 28 points in their last two third quarters, shooting 8 for 37 along the way.

Holiday shot 4 for 4 in the first 7 minutes, then missed his last seven shots and didnt score again.

The only bright spot was Turners return to the rotation with Lou Williams out for the rest of the regular season with a strained hamstring.

Turner made nine of 14 shots in scoring within two of his career high. He added five assists and three rebounds in a generous 29-minute run.

We put the ball in his hands a lot, Collins said. He was aggressive, he attacked, he played great. I was proud of him. He was terrific.

Nobody else scored more than 12 for the Sixers. Brand had 12 points, five rebounds and three blocks, and Holiday (11), Iguodala (10) and Meeks (10) also reached double figures.

Recent acquisition Antonio Daniels had four points and a turnover in an eight-minute run in his first NBA game in nearly two years.

Pierce led a balanced attack for Boston with 18 points, with Garnett (14), Rajon Rondo (16, 11 assists) and Ray Allen (13) also in double digits.

The Celtics made 53 percent of their shots, shooting over 50 percent in both halves. They had 29 assists on 40 baskets.

The Sixers7-8 in their last 15still need two wins to clinch the franchises first winning season since 2004-05.

The Celtics, who won three of four from the Sixers this year, improved to 54-23 with five games left. Theyre tied with the Heat for the No. 2 spot in the East, three games behind the Bulls.

We learn, Collins said. We learn every night we play a team like this. I told our guys we want to keep growing every single game. Thats why coming down the stretch of these games gives us a blueprint for what we have to continue to do to find out how to beat these teams.
E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com

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