Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Magic come back to keep 76ers winless
PHILADELPHIA » Serge Ibaka sank two free throws with 1.4 seconds to snap a tie game and send the Orlando Magic to a 103-101 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night.
The Magic rallied from an 18-point deficit to win for the first time in four games this season.
Sixers center Joel Embiid lost his dribble at the top of the key and Orlando snagged the ball with 5.7 seconds left. Sixers guard T.J. McConnell was whistled for a flagrant foul on Ibaka’s layup attempt. Ibaka made both and the Magic retained possession and kept the Sixers winless.
Embiid had two costly turnovers in the final minute for the Sixers.
Ibaka scored 21 points and Nik Vucevic had 24 points and 14 rebounds.
Perimeter scoring the goal of Ilyasova deal
The 76ers were two games into an already familiar season when they acquired 6-10 forward Ersan Ilyasova from Oklahoma City Tuesday. His strength? “The first thing that should come to all of our minds is that he can shoot,” Brett Brown said, stopping right there. A second or two later, he said, “I’m purposely pausing.”
The Sixers sent forward Jerami Grant to the Thunder for Ilyasova and a protected first-round draft choice that eventually may be reduced to two secondround picks. Ilyasova was not in uniform when the Sixers hosted the Orlando Magic Tuesday, and may not be with the team Wednesday night in Charlotte. As per the players’ association agreement, he will be with the Sixers before they host the Cleveland Cavaliers Saturday.
The coach-to-English translation of Brown’s scouting report was not immediately clear. But after having lost 201 games in his first three-plus seasons as the Sixers’ coach, it was assumed that he welcomed a player with the ability to, as insiders say, put the ball in the basket.
Though never a threat for a scoring title, the ninth-season NBA pro has shot .370 from threepoint range. In 2011-2002 (.460) and 2012-2013 (.450), while playing for Milwaukee, Ilyasova finished among the top five in NBA three-point shooting percentage.
He has played in 530 games, averaging 11 points and six rebounds. In seven of his last eight seasons, he has shot 40 percent or better.