76ers bounce back from opener, top Bucks
October 31, 2009
PHILADELPHIA (AP)—Andre Iguodala(notes) scored 19 points, Elton Brand(notes) had 17 and thePhiladelphia 76ers bounced back from a dismal opener to beat the Milwaukee Bucks99-86 on Friday night.
Samuel Dalembert(notes) had 10 points and 12 rebounds to help the Sixers look sharpin their home opener.
The Sixers have almost been forgotten in Philadelphia with the NewYork-Philly NFL/World Series doubleheader set for Sunday. Brand gave fans areason to care, grabbing rebounds and scoring key baskets in a third-quartercomeback.
Michael Redd(notes) and 20-year-old rookie guard Brandon Jennings(notes) led the Buckswith 17 points each. Milwaukee was the last NBA team to start the season.
Philadelphia 76ers guard Andre… AP – Oct 30, 10:09 pm EDT Milwaukee Bucks forward Ersan … AP – Oct 30, 10:09 pm EDT
Philadelphia 76ers center Samu… AP – Oct 30, 10:08 pm EDT
Philadelphia 76ers' Jason … AP – Oct 30, 10:07 pm EDT
Philadelphia 76ers center Samu… AP – Oct 30, 8:21 pm EDT
Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael … AP – Oct 30, 8:21 pm EDT
Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon … AP – Oct 30, 8:20 pm EDT YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index = 6; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_lazy_images = [http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091031/capt.e25f94deb2094dc9a323069f9f45b6c6.bucks_76ers_basketball_pamp105.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=310&hc=344&q=70&sig=UfogQaj_FwQRmXWZAg__Yw--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091031/capt.f4da5f3e99634b1593787278a4419933.bucks_76ers_basketball_pamp104.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=40&yc=1&wc=332&hc=369&q=70&sig=MZkN6QPf3e4WikcjoUJIyA--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091031/capt.52dcc403041546579b8532a586ef672d.bucks_76ers_basketball_pamp107.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=295&hc=328&q=70&sig=8IGNSjoB1V8HcnDVLl2LAA--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091031/capt.dddab4b04c2340a09f90c30cb6875165.bucks_76ers_basketball_pamp103.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=10&yc=1&wc=368&hc=409&q=70&sig=gKCMOO94V.vK4kOx4e1BIQ--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091031/capt.ba315cc50f0e43739fdd0124337d5aea.bucks_76ers_basketball_pamp102.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=13&yc=1&wc=369&hc=410&q=70&sig=5arPLMdH6r_07yxs9SGTRg--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091031/capt.235ef5b732f84460a95d749e331c5e36.bucks_76ers_basketball_pamp101.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=69&yc=1&wc=275&hc=305&q=70&sig=CpEu4CBpCT9zS1eswEFmvg--]; YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(window,load,YAHOO.Sports.articleLazyLoadCarousel.init); 1 of 7 Mil-Phi Gallery function prev_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index > 0) { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index – 1); } else { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index); }}function next_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index 0) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next); }*/}function goto_photo(p) { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { for(i = 0; i < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos.length; i++) { if (i == p) { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, ); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, none); } } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page) { YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page.innerHTML =(p + 1); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = p; } } update_buttons();}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init = function () { YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_prev, click, prev_photo); YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_next, click, next_photo); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = 0; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page = YAHOO.util.Dom.get(carousel_page); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos = YAHOO.util.Dom.getElementsByClassName(item, div, leadphoto); if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { goto_photo(0); }}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init();
The Sixers turned around an atrocious performance in the opener againstOrlando that saw them trail by as many as 31 points.
The Bucks, who have finished last in the Central Division all five seasonssince the NBA’s realignment, blew a 47-41 halftime lead, then slicedPhiladelphia’s lead to five points late in the fourth.
Jason Kapono(notes), acquired from Toronto to give the Sixers the long-range boostthe worst 3-point shooing team in the league needed, nailed a 3 and Iguodalasank a 17-footer during a 10-0 run that helped the Sixers start to creep away.
Iguodala picked up his game after a three-basket, eight-point clunkeragainst the Magic. Coach Eddie Jordan said before the game he wasn’t going to beconcerned with one bad outing. He had to like the effort in this victory.
Brand wasn’t $80 million good, but it was a chance to show the home fans hecan do more than look good in a suit on the bench. He was all over the court inthe third quarter, disrupting the Bucks and wiping out their halftime lead.
Brand’s steal led to him making two free throws. He made a jumper that gavethe Sixers their first lead of the second half, then hit a pretty fade that tiedthe game after the Bucks briefly went ahead.
Lou Williams put the Sixers ahead for good at 56-55 with two free throws.The Sixers went 19 of 20 from the line in the quarter.
The Bucks played without guard Carlos Delfino(notes), suspended one game for hisrole in an altercation during a preseason game.
The Sixers only tinkered with their roster in the offseason—point guardAndre Miller(notes) was the biggest defection—but it’s a whole new atmosphere at theWachovia Center. Yes, even with discounted $10 upper level tickets available, itwas still a mediocre crowd at the opener in a city whipped into World Seriesmadness. But the organization took action off the results of a fan survey thatproved there was too much unwanted noise during games.
The Sixers quit blasting rap and dance music through the arena during play.The in-game entertainment was scaled back. Their public address announcer, whoused to gratingly yell “Iguo-dala-dala-dala-dala!” after one of his baskets,now says the name in concise fashion.
What a welcome and quickly noticeable change.
NOTES: Iguodala addressed the crowd before the game and told them the Sixerswill “continue to strive for that No. 1 goal and that’s to win thechampionship.” … One fan with a courtside seat stormed over to security tocomplain because a cameraman was blocking his view. “I paid $1,800 for thatseat!” he said.
