POINTSHAVERS.COM 5/01/09 - For suspended Dwight Howard and Orlando Magic Fans, yesterday's outcome was a welcome surprise. For Sixers fans, the outcome was hard to believe. But for NBA bettors, the outcome was way to familiar.
In Game 6 of the NBA Quarterfinals, the Magic defeated the Sixers 114-89 to advance in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. The Magic outlasted the Sixers 4-2 in a seven game series that the Sixers briefly commanded with an early 2-1 lead.
And in a first round series where NBA experts thought that the Magic would dominate, Orlando seemed have problems scoring all series long. So instead of settling for jumpshots, Orlando had to rely on their defense to hold back the surging Sixers who were pushing the Magic to the brink of elimination.
Prior to last night's catastrophe, the Sixers had given up only 93 ppg to the Magic. But last night, the Magic erupted for 114 points en route to a 25 point runaway at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, PA.
Down 2-3 and facing elimination, the general consensus was that the Sixers would come out and play with a lot of energy at home. Moreover, history suggested that the game would be extermely competitive. With the exception of Game 5, every other game in the series had been decided by 10 points or less; and the Magic were playing without All-Star (C) Dwight Howard and Starting (SG) Courtney Lee.
Even more peculiar, the Magic played most of the game without their leading scorer Hedo Terkoglu who was ejected in the 2nd quarter with his second technical foul. So, it seemed like the Sixers had an excellent chance to win the game.
But the Sixers never got within arm's reach of the Magic and played one of the most uninspired games of basketball in the entire NBA season.
"We had no answer", DiLeo said. "They had the first punch and we never had a counterpunch."
NBA coaches normally don't throw around boxing analgoies; but, we are talking about the hometown of Rocky Balboa, so I guess it's commonplace in Philadelphia. But yesterday's game was more similar to the Mike Tyson vs Michael Spinx Fight.
In that particular fight, Spinx was a walking punchng bag for the Mike Tyson. Not only did Spinx have no counterpunch, but he was never even touched the heavyweight champ. The fight lasted only 1 minute and 23 seconds and Spinx never even saw the second round.
Moreover, the more accurate boxing anology should have been "We threw in the towel."
And much like Michael Spinx, Coach DiLeo will more than likely disappear...never to be heard from again as NBA coach for the Sixers.
Did the Sixers tank the game? We'll never know....but the silence from Igoudala, Dalembert, and several other key players is deafening.
"Fool me once..." as the popular saying goes.
In Game 6 of the NBA Quarterfinals, the Magic defeated the Sixers 114-89 to advance in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. The Magic outlasted the Sixers 4-2 in a seven game series that the Sixers briefly commanded with an early 2-1 lead.
And in a first round series where NBA experts thought that the Magic would dominate, Orlando seemed have problems scoring all series long. So instead of settling for jumpshots, Orlando had to rely on their defense to hold back the surging Sixers who were pushing the Magic to the brink of elimination.
Prior to last night's catastrophe, the Sixers had given up only 93 ppg to the Magic. But last night, the Magic erupted for 114 points en route to a 25 point runaway at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, PA.
Down 2-3 and facing elimination, the general consensus was that the Sixers would come out and play with a lot of energy at home. Moreover, history suggested that the game would be extermely competitive. With the exception of Game 5, every other game in the series had been decided by 10 points or less; and the Magic were playing without All-Star (C) Dwight Howard and Starting (SG) Courtney Lee.
Even more peculiar, the Magic played most of the game without their leading scorer Hedo Terkoglu who was ejected in the 2nd quarter with his second technical foul. So, it seemed like the Sixers had an excellent chance to win the game.
But the Sixers never got within arm's reach of the Magic and played one of the most uninspired games of basketball in the entire NBA season.
"We had no answer", DiLeo said. "They had the first punch and we never had a counterpunch."
NBA coaches normally don't throw around boxing analgoies; but, we are talking about the hometown of Rocky Balboa, so I guess it's commonplace in Philadelphia. But yesterday's game was more similar to the Mike Tyson vs Michael Spinx Fight.
In that particular fight, Spinx was a walking punchng bag for the Mike Tyson. Not only did Spinx have no counterpunch, but he was never even touched the heavyweight champ. The fight lasted only 1 minute and 23 seconds and Spinx never even saw the second round.
Moreover, the more accurate boxing anology should have been "We threw in the towel."
And much like Michael Spinx, Coach DiLeo will more than likely disappear...never to be heard from again as NBA coach for the Sixers.
Did the Sixers tank the game? We'll never know....but the silence from Igoudala, Dalembert, and several other key players is deafening.
"Fool me once..." as the popular saying goes.