Young Powers Sixers Past Winless Nets, 82-79
The New Jersey Nets had every chance in the world to earn their first win of the season, but their misery continued as the Philadelphia 76ers eked out a win over the Nets on Wednesday night, 82-79.
Sixers PF Marreese Speights converted the go-ahead and-1 with 1:10 remaining in the game, and the Nets missed three shots in the final minute to give the Sixers the win.
“This was a very big win,” said Thaddeus Young, who led the Sixers with 20 points. “We definitely didn’t want to lose three in a row and we definitely didn’t want to give them their first win. We didn’t want to be the only team they beat. When a team hasn’t won like that, it’s a trap game and we didn’t want to fall into the trap.”
The Sixers took an 80-79 lead on Speights’ three-point play, then the Nets’ Brook Lopez drove to the basket with 14 seconds left in the game and missed a bunny shot, after seemingly being fouled by Sixers center Samuel Dalembert.
“I spun. I got stuck deep under the basket,” Lopez said. “That’s why it got wedged in between the backboard and the rim. If I would have just started my move higher, I would have been all right.”
Nets coach Lawrence Frank understood the no-call.
Sixers coach Eddie Jordan said positive things about Speights after the game, as he continues to tinker with his rotations in the early part of the season. Some Philly fans have been calling for Speights to start ahead of either Dalembert or PF Elton Brand, who’s looking more like an $80 million albatross with each passing day.
“[Speights] has great swag, great confidence right now,” Jordan said. “He’s a terrific shooter and he was able to also finish inside. He was making plays. His confidence is soaring.”
