Game 55 (2-26-13): Sixers (22-32, 16-14H) vs Magic (15-41, 6-21A)

[bholly]

VS.
Philadelphia 76ers - Orlando Magic

Location: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
Date: Tuesday, February 26th, 2013
Time: 7:00 PM EST

A season that began with so much promise for the Philadelphia 76ers has fallen to its lowest point during their latest losing streak.

While Andrew Bynum doesn't appear ready to provide a lift anytime soon, a home date against the free-falling Orlando Magic may help the 76ers get back into the win column.

The Magic will try to snap a 10-game road losing streak -- their longest such skid in seven years -- on Tuesday night when they visit Philadelphia in a meeting between teams with five-game losing streaks.

At 10-6 heading into December and hopeful that Bynum would return soon, the 76ers were feeling optimistic. Bynum, however, has yet to play for Philadelphia because of discomfort in both knees, and while he's practiced with the team recently, the 7-footer is still without a timetable for his return.

In the meantime, the 76ers (22-32) fell to a season-worst 10-games under .500 with a 99-93 loss at New York on Sunday. Philadelphia also dropped four games behind Milwaukee for eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

"We'll stretch some pieces of the game together, but we have not been able to play a complete game," coach Doug Collins said.

Collins' club should have its best chance in a while of putting together a complete effort Tuesday. The 76ers held short-handed Orlando to season lows in points and field-goal percentage (33.8) in a 78-61 victory on Feb. 4.

The Magic (15-41) have lost 28 of their last 31 following a 118-94 defeat to Cleveland on Saturday. They're mired in their longest road slide since dropping a franchise-worst 16 in a row in Jan. 27-March 21, 2006.

"We're trying to play the best that we can and that's what you want to do," coach Jacque Vaughn said. "Each time you step on the floor you do your job."

E'Twaun Moore led the way with 18 points as the Magic were without injured starters Glen Davis, Jameer Nelson and Arron Afflalo in the first meeting with Philadelphia. Orlando will be undermanned again, with only Afflalo -- the team's leading scorer (16.8 points per game) -- expected to play this time around.

Rookie Maurice Harkless may help pick up the slack, having scored 17.3 per game on 51.1 percent shooting in his last three.

The Magic, though, have averaged 88.0 points and shot 25.0 percent from 3-point range during their skid. They made just 1 of 12 from beyond the arc in the first meeting with the 76ers.

Philadelphia has experienced its own struggles on the offensive end, averaging 85.8 points -- 6.4 below its season average -- over its last eight games.

With points hard to come by, the 76ers hope Jrue Holiday can continue his latest hot stretch after he's scored 51 on 20-of-35 shooting in his last two games.

Evan Turner has averaged 18.5 points but shot 40.3 percent in his last four contests, while Spencer Hawes -- who's shooting 34.8 percent during the team's skid -- had one of his best performances with 21 and a season-high 14 rebounds against the Magic.

Philadelphia's win earlier this month was only its third in the last 16 meetings, including the first round of the 2009 playoffs.

Injury Report:

Philadelphia:
Jason Richardson, G: Out (knee)
Andrew Bynum, C: Out (knee)

Orlando
Al Harrington, F: Possible (knee)
Glen Davis, F: Out (foot)
Hedo Turkoglu, F: Out (suspension)
Jameer Nelson, G: Day-to-day (knee)

[2-ONE-5]

gonna be another boring game but cant see a loss here. line is at 9.5 and i think thats a cover

[sixer04fan]

What a thrilling first half between two great teams...

[FNM BOY]

if they keep this paste there will be a 4 game losing streak on the way......I aint mad either....lottery bound!!!

[SeoulBeatz]

Spencer and Lavoy....

a combined 6 points and 3 rebounds.... in 33 minutes.

and doug still refuses to play moultrie....

[Korman12]

lottery ahoy

[Mandrew]

This is painful. Harkless and Vuc are seeing big minutes and producing since they left. I will always cheer for the Sixers, but its hard to cheer for so many of the Sixers' players, especially when there's such high turnover.

[Mandrew]

Are we really about to get blown out by the Magic on our home court?

[thevcballer]

... This hurts

[bholly]

Upcoming schedule:

@Chi
vsGSW
@Was
vsBos
@ATL
@MIA
@ORL
vsBKN
vsIND
vsMIA
vsPOR
@LAC
@DEN

Are we even winning 2 games in that stretch? We're dogs in all except vsPOR, right? We could be in the early stages of a very long losing streak.

[sixer04fan]

This is miserable

[NewEraFt.ET12]

TThis team is pathetic. All these players are entitled losers who dont want to put in the effort to win games. Its so sad when you have to put in wilkins and ivey to get effort. Night after night this team gets physically abused an does nothing about it. Whats the point of building a team with tons of size if they dont kow how to use it? All our players outside of thad and occassionaly evan are afraid of contact. u cant play finesse b ball and expect to win. Wondering how long until Doug quits.. hopefully before the season ends

[NewEraFt.ET12]

Why does Doug play the two retards lavoy and spencer? they dont know how to set picks or score down low and they never will be able to. play moultrie atleast he goes up with force and has size also kwame is a big body. Spencer and lavoy are the definition of hopeless

[McPeak92]

tank nation

[PaSj]

I bet Mike Jordan is feeling a lot better about his team nowadys