Philly Sports Jabronis
By Doug Ammon, Sixers.com
Friday night, Sixers fans at The Center were treated to an old-fashioned slugfest.
The Sixers (15-40) and Kings (22-42) played like two prizefighters that just kept taking hits and getting back up. Just like the boxer most synonymous with Philadelphia, the Sixers did their best Rocky impression, coming from 16 down in the third quarter to gut out a 114-107 win.
At the 2:17 mark of the third quarter, the Sixers took an 81-80 lead, eventually working their lead up to six by the end of the frame. The squad kept delivering the punches until Nerlens Noel provided the TKO with two clutch free throws to put the Sixers up seven with 3.5 seconds left.
Times had been tough for Robert Covington going into Friday’s contest, as the Sixers’ leading scorer hadn’t scored more than 16 points since February 9. But against the Kings, Covington had 17 by the five-minute mark of the second quarter. He never looked back after the hot start and finished with a team-high 24 points, going 6-for-12 from behind the arc.
Rookie of the Year candidate Nerlens Noel had his hands full all night with fellow Kentucky product DeMarcus Cousins and finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, a block, and a steal. It was his 12th double-double on the season, the most among all rookies. Converted power forward JaKarr Sampson also had a nice game from the two guard position. His 10 points were his most in his last 10 games, he also added three assists and two rebounds.
If the Sixers were Rocky, DeMarcus Cousins was a one-man Ivan Drago. The Kings center battled for his fifth straight double-double, with a game-high 39 points and 24 rebounds. His 39 points tied a season-high, while his 24 rebounds were a career best.
Cousins had 22 points and 15 rebounds at the half, which gave him his 13th 20-point, 15-rebound game of the season, the most in the NBA. The 6’11”, 270-pound frame of Boogie makes him a load to deal with on both sides of the floor.
Kings forward Rudy Gay added 24 points and Derrick Williams contributed 15 points off the bench.
Sixers Bench Provides a Serious Spark
Jerami Grant, Hollis Thompson, and Ish Smith all scored in double figures off the pine. Grant had 13, Thompson and Smith dropped 10, and the three shot a combined 44.4% from the field.
Henry Sims saw his first action in three games and added a healthy eight points and four rebounds off the bench. His energy was infectious throughout his 12 minutes on the floor.
“I saw that second group, Jerami, Ish, Henry, and Hollis come in and took them to the four minute mark of the third quarter when I usual pull them around seven. They really did a good job though,” said head coach Brett Brown.
Inside the Numbers: 114
The Sixers’ 114 points were the most they have scored in a non-overtime game this season, and by far the most they have scored in a win. Seven Sixers scored 10+ points.
