Sixers Beat Wolves to Complete Season Sweep

Boy do I not want to recap that one.

There are nights--many nights--when I wonder what is being accomplished this season. This team looks no better than it did two months ago, and that doesn't bode well for the future.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>I see no real positives in losing to Philly twice. Don&#39;t talk to me about ping pong balls. Sixers are awful and this was embarrasing again.</p>&mdash; John Meyer (@thedailywolf) <a href="https://twitter.com/thedailywolf/status/561350427946807296">January 31, 2015</a></blockquote>

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Tonight it was a putrid second half with an absurd number of turnovers (21 on the game, most after half time) that cost them a game in Philadelphia., They have now lost to the Sixers twice this season, an accomplishment that would have seemed astonishing at the start of the year.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Can&#39;t fathom where the &#39;development&#39; is in all this. Sixers waayy ahead of Wolves on development curve and they shouldn&#39;t be</p>&mdash; Key Sang (@Phantele_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Phantele_/status/561348804788899840">January 31, 2015</a></blockquote>

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The Wolves were able to ride Nikola Pekovic for much of the first half of this one, as the Sixers had nobody who could deal with his size and strength. Despite that, they trailed by two at the break as we saw what happens when the league's worst offense (Sixers) faces the league's worst defense (Wolves). The defense lost, as the Sixers shot nearly 60% in the first half, and finished the game at 50% shooting, something that I doubt has happened more than a handful of times for them this season.

In the 2nd half, the Sixers exerted some ball pressure and clogged the lane, and the Wolves could not figure out how to get Pek the ball. As a result their offense stagnated completely in a hail of turnovers and crappy shots.

Really, there is nobody who distinguished themselves tonight. Kevin Martin led the team with 19, and shot 5-18 from the floor. Gorgui Dieng actually finished with a double-double, not that you would have noticed. Thad Young was atrocious on his return to Philly, committing five turnovers, several of them egregious.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Thad handling in transition is an adventure I could do without.</p>&mdash; canishoopus (@canishoopus) <a href="https://twitter.com/canishoopus/status/561341703089815552">January 31, 2015</a></blockquote>

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This team is brutally difficult to watch sometimes, and there are so many ways to point the finger. I am really at the end of my rope with Flip's coaching however, as the team simply is not getting any better, and the defense in particular, an area where the coaching should have some effect, remains truly abysmal.

Enough.

Notes

• Andrew Wiggins had a relatively poor game, looking very quiet throughout and starting 3-9. He got aggressive late, to marginal effect, and finished 7-16 for 15 points. He also struggled mightily defensively, especially in the first half where he was getting beat off the dribble time and time again. There are still times when he looks good going to the basket, but he's really been struggling to effect games lately.
• Zach LaVine twisted his ankle in the third quarter, came back for a couple of minutes in the 4th, but had to leave the game again. Looks like it's not too serious, but we'll see if it causes him problems going forward.
• Michael Carter-Williams had a triple double. Cause why not?
• The Sixers started players by the names of Robert Covington and JaKarr Sampson.
• The Wolves are now 8-38 on the season. I'm bereft.