Knicks beat Sixers for 5th-straight loss

Depending on your perspective, the ten-point loss to the New York Knicks last night was a quality loss.  As a team with no hope to make the playoffs, the Sixers have a real shot at landing a top-five pick (and, dare to dream, the top pick) in this year’s NBA draft.  And we’re now one game closer to someone other than Eddie Jordan steering the ship.

Last night, the Sixers shot only 38.4 percent from the field and 57.1 percent from the line although they outrebounded the Knicks by 16 (51 to 35).  Meanwhile, Lou Williams sat the game out with lower back spasms.

In fact, the team’s three top scorers (Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young and Elton Brand) that were active for this game shot only 10-for-38, or 26.3 percent.

“They spread out the court and we got a lot of rebounds, a lot of offensive rebounds,” said Elton Brand. “We didn’t hit any shots. We got good looks. Guys that took the shots just couldn’t knock them down. We played pretty good defense.”

Eddie Jordan said of Iguodala’s 5-of-22 performance, “He played a ton of minutes the last two nights, a ton.  He does everything for us out there. . . . I mean, come on, he’s human, his shot – anybody’s shot – would look a little weary.”

The Sixers have lost five consecutive games, ten of their last eleven and have compiled a post-All Star break record of 4-12.

Aside from some of the high-profile names mentioned as a replacement for Jordan, such as Jeff Van Gundy, Avery Johnson and Jay Wright, Phil Jasner of the Philadelphia Daily News lists some assistant-coaching names that should get a look.  One of the names that Jasner mentions is San Antonio assistant Mike Budenholzer, about whom Spurs coach Greg Popovich has said that he “would make a fine coach in the NBA,without a doubt.”

Next up for the Sixers: New Jersey at home on Wednesday and the Knicks again at MSG on Friday.

Tags: Andre Iguodala, Avery Johnson, Eddie Jordan, Elton Brand, Jay Wright, Jeff Van Gundy, Lou Williams, Mike Budenholzer, Thaddeus Young