The Sixers are ready for their disappointing season to end.
Just ask Spencer Hawes.
“It is just going to be good to get it over with,” Hawes said. “With all the expectations we had coming in and then the way the season has gone it will be nice to take the positives going forward and flush the rest of it. It was a tough year on everybody; us [and] the fans, anyone involved with the organization,” (see story).
Now, here's a recap of Tuesday night's action in the NBA:
Blazers lose 12th straight
LOS ANGELES -- Caron Butler scored 18 of his 22 points in the third quarter, and the Los Angeles Clippers routed the Portland Trail Blazers 93-77 on Tuesday night for their sixth straight victory.
Blake Griffin added 16 points, DeAndre Jordan had 10 points and nine rebounds, and Chris Paul had 11 assists for the Pacific Division champions, who finished their home schedule with a 32-9 record. They end the regular season on Wednesday at Sacramento, and another win would ensure the Clippers have home-court advantage to start the playoffs.
Will Barton scored 17 points and Joel Freeland added 13 points for the Blazers, who never led while losing their 12th in a row.
The Clippers were dominant in the paint (46-30) and on the boards (51-33) while wrapping up the season series 3-1 (see full recap).
-The Associated Press
Raptors cruise past Hawks
ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Hawks want to be well-rested for the playoffs.
They certainly didn't use up any energy Tuesday night.
DeMar DeRozan scored 30 points, Rudy Gay added 22 and the Toronto Raptors ran all over the playoff-bound Hawks, 113-96.
The Raptors made two-thirds of their shots in the first half, sprinting to a 68-51 lead as DeRozan scored 19 points and Gay chipped in with 17. Atlanta went mostly with backups, showing no sense of urgency to claim the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference.
"I'm going to err on the side of caution," Hawks coach Larry Drew said.
Atlanta fell into a tie with Chicago for the fifth spot. The teams finish the regular season on Wednesday, with the Hawks traveling to New York to face the Knicks, while the Bulls are home against lowly Washington. Chicago holds the tiebreaker (see full recap).
-The Associated Press