NBA Recap: Andre Iguodala sizzles as the Philadelphia 76ers drop the Denver Nuggets 110-99
Venue: Wells Fargo Center
Date: Sunday, January 30, 2011
Teams Status: Philadelphia 76ers (21-26) - Denver Nuggets (28-19)
Leading Scorers: Andre Iguodala (Sixers) - Chauncey Billups (Nuggets)
On Sunday night, Andre Iguodala played one of his finest games of the current season as he registered team-high 24 points to push the Philadelphia 76ers past the Denver Nuggets, 110-99. Iguodala also contributed seven assists,
four steals, and three rebounds as the Sixers finished their second consecutive month with a winning record.
Head coach of the Sixers Doug Collins stated, "The team I know I have had all year showed up once again today."
Thaddeus Young came off the bench with 21 points, one assist, and 7 rebounds for the 76ers, who had six players in double figures.
Elton Brand scored 15 points, single assist, and 5 rebounds; Jodie Meeks finished with 12 points while Evan Turner totaled 11 points for Philadelphia, who swept the season series against the Nuggets for the first time since 2002-03.
Chauncey Billups posted a game-high 27 points for the Nuggets. Unfortunately for the Bronchos, he was scoreless in nearly four crucial minutes of the final stanza. J.R. Smith scored 23 points and 9 rebounds in the season’s nineteenth
defeat of Denver.
Philadelphia finally managed to successfully close a game for once. Instead of coughing up the double-figure lead in the final stanza, which has been a trend this fall, they kept the pressure on and played a relatively close game
in the final six minutes to seal a victory. The Sixers dominance was complete and utter throughout the game as they committed only 11 turnovers.
Both teams stated the contest with full velocity and headed with a 34-32 score into the second quarter, advantage Denver.
In the second quarter, despite a sloppy start, Philadelphia managed to further consolidate their position in the game and took a 54-51 lead into the third.
Forward Elton Brand said, "We pushed back from their initial push. Then we got a lead and took control of the game."
Philadelphia extended their offensive play to the third quarter. They continued to trouble the Denver backline time and time again and grabbed a double-digit lead (82-72) by the end of the third quarter.
Denver fought hard to close the gap in the fourth quarter and cut the deficit to 89-82, with 8:52 left in the final buzzer. However, the Sixers retaliated to restore their double digit advantage and fished the game at 110-99.
Carmelo Anthony, the star Denver forward said on the loss, "In the first quarter, I felt good. The second quarter, just sitting out for nine or 10 straight minutes, my knees tightened up on me. I was not really able to find my
rhythm. No excuses, though."
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