The Sixers are getting closer.
At least that’s the analysis from head coach Brett Brown after the Sixers lost to the Portland Trail Blazers, 114-104, on Monday night for their 14th straight loss to start the season (see Instant Replay).
Brown came to this conclusion after watching his team take a lead into the half and score 70 points in the paint against a big Portland team that ranks third in the NBA in rebounds. Moreover, Brown’s Sixers committed a season-low 10 turnovers and shot 50 percent from the field.
“We’re not that far away. I genuinely believe that,” Brown said. “I believe this team is starting to see bits of things coming together. Nobody is rolling over or pointing fingers.”
But once again, the numbers didn’t add up for the Sixers. Yes, they got 70 points in the paint, but only 12 of those came off rebounds. And sure, the Sixers shot 50 percent from the field, but they did not make a single three-pointer.
Though the Sixers had a season-low of 10 turnovers in Monday’s loss, guards Michael Carter-Williams and Tony Wroten combined to take 42 of the team’s 84 shots.
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In other words, the Sixers dotted the eyes but didn’t cross the tees.
“When you look at it this moment, our better players are not our better three-point shooters, so you’re caught between a rock and a hard place between trying to figure out ways to score,” Brown said. “For me, it’s run. It’s pace.
“You look at the stat sheet, we had 70 points at the rim -- that’s a massive number -- and we were 0 for 8 from three. We didn’t make a three and that is incredibly rare in an NBA game.”
Carter-Williams led the Sixers with 24 points and Wroten added 20, but that was because of the team’s playground-style of offense. Wroten took 15 of his 18 shots in the paint and went 0 for 3 from three-point range. Carter-Williams took 17 of his 24 shots in the paint and went just 1 for 7 outside of 15 feet.
With a lack of shooters and a frontcourt that couldn’t match Portland’s size, the Blazers didn’t extend the defense too far outside of the paint.
“We have to attack,” Wroten said. “We don’t have too many bigs and we don’t have too many shooters, so we have to attack.”
The Blazers’ size was lethal against the Sixers. LaMarcus Aldridge scored a game-high 33 points on 13 for 20 shooting with 11 rebounds -- six of them offensive. Meanwhile, Aldridge hit 6 of 7 from beyond 15 feet, including a three-pointer.
Aldridge, Robin Lopez, Chris Kaman and Joel Freeland helped the Blazers get 18 offensive boards. Considering that the Sixers got 22 defensive rebounds, missed shots by the Blazers were as good as a 50-50 ball.
“We were spread thin,” Brown said. “Nerlens (Noel) had a pretty good night. But when you write your story tonight, everyone will head right to the offensive rebounds. They had 25 points on put-backs. That’s a huge number. For the most part we’ve been doing well in that aspect, so I wish we had a bigger body to rebound.”
Noel played 33 minutes off the bench and had five rebounds, which was topped on the Sixers by Carter-Williams’ seven boards. Noel shot 6 for 7 for 12 points.
Next, the Sixers host the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night before the Dallas Mavericks come to town on Saturday night. Can they make up for the 53-point loss in Dallas with a victory at home?