Listless Sixers fall to the Pistons
Three days ago, the Detroit Pistons lost to the Memphis Grizzlies on Matt Barnes' desperation three-pointer with 1.1 seconds left.
Three days ago, the Detroit Pistons lost to the Memphis Grizzlies on Matt Barnes' desperation three-pointer with 1.1 seconds left.
Motivated and well rested after that loss, the Pistons were determined to put that heartbreaker behind them. So the 76ers were up against it from the start.
Detroit aced the test, shaking off a Sixers squad that showed some spunk in the second quarter, but couldn't stop Reggie Jackson or Andre Drummond - or anyone else for that matter.
Jackson had 21 points and Drummond added 18 points, 16 rebounds, and four blocked shots as the Pistons rolled over the Sixers, 107-95, Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center.
The loss dropped the league's last-place team to 1-23 and extended their latest losing streak to five games. The Sixers schedule doesn't get any easier with three consecutive road games at the Toronto Raptors (Sunday), Chicago Bulls (Monday), and Atlanta Hawks (Wednesday).
But Friday's game marked the Sixers debut for Kendall Marshall.
The point guard started the game and finished with five points on 2-for-4 shooting. He also had six assists and one rebound in 16 minutes, 22 seconds. The Sixers had the fourth-year guard on a minutes' restriction.
But even in those limited minutes, Marshall's command of the offense was obvious.
"You saw what I saw," said coach Brett Brown, who received a two-year extension Friday morning.
"From my sideline, you appreciate letting the players run their team," Brown added. "I don't have to call a play every play. I hate coaching like that. He can feel that side of the game and find Jahlil [Okafor] or hit Nerlens [Noel] on a roll."
Marshall signed a free-agent deal with the franchise on Sept. 8 after spending last season with the Milwaukee Bucks. His time on the court in Milwaukee was short, though.
The Virginia native tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in January and hadn't played until Friday.
"T.J. [McConnell], [Isaiah Canaan] and Tony [Wroten], I think they've all done a great job, thus far," Marshall said. "Hopefully, I can just be another piece of that puzzle. You know, bring a different characteristic to the court, help get Jah going and help get Nerlens going."
Okafor led the Sixers with 22 points. Robert Covington (18 points, nine rebounds) and Noel (10 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks) were the team's other double-figure scorers.
However, this night was all about the Pistons, who had all five starters score in double figures.
Philly's Marcus Morris had 21 points and eight rebounds for Detroit. Ersan Ilyasova added 15 points and eight rebounds, while Kantevious Caldwell-Pope finished with 13 points.
"I think what makes them so good is how athletic they are, and how much they run," Noel said of the Pistons. "I know at halftime, they had 21 points off our[first half] turnovers [14]. That's not a good statistic for us. But they move that ball.
"They have a great team that likes to move and run and hit opens. Solid."
The Pistons scored the first 11 points and later had a commanding, 35-11, lead with 1 minute, 23 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Sixers pulled within four points (44-40) with 4:17 left in the second quarter. But the Pistons lead grew to 13 points (56-43) late in the half. They went on to extend their lead to 29 points in the third quarter of the rout.
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