In this, the 19th game of the season, the Sixers have put together their best half of basketball thus far in 2010. Count with me on your fingers.
1. Shooting…..56.8% FG – Check
2. Rebounding….87.5% DReb% – Check
3. Defending…..46 points for Hawks – Check
4. Stay out of foul trouble….No starters with more than 1 foul – Check
5. Bench play…..24 bench points – Check
The Sixers biggest lead of the half was 18, led by 9 first quarter points from Spencer Hawes and 8 second quarter points from Marreese Speights. Elton Brand has been commanding the glass, snagging 8 boards in the first half. Jrue Holiday, Louis Williams, and Andre Iguodala have been sharing nicely, passing the ball well for 13 assists between them.
Evan Turner showed me something in the second quarter too, being more assertive on the offensive end starting with a fast break dunk on an Iguodala pass. His demotion could spur him to action and get him back in the starting lineup sooner rather than later.
The Hawks ended the half on a 14-4 run when they starting hitting their open shots, but the Sixers still take an 8-point lead into the locker room on the road. Watch out for a third quarter collapse, but Philly is looking like a good bet for beating the 6-point spread and notching their third straight win.