76ers stop Nets to reach playoffs
NEWARK. N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers clinched the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference onmonday night, moving into a tie with the Knicks and still vying for the dubious honor of finishing seventh.
Thaddeus Young scored all 15 of his points in the second half to help the 76ers defeat the Nets 105-87 and make the postseason for the second straight year. The Sixers’ win eliminated the Milwaukee Bucks from playoff contention.
“I just told them how proud I am,” 76ers coach Doug Collins said. “You look at our team last year. We were a .500 team and now we’re four games over. The guys really came back strong. The thing I was happy about is that they got it to within one but we sustained our composure.”
It was a milestone night for the Nets as they played their final game in New Jersey, following a 35-year run and before a move to Brooklyn. But it was a much more productive night for the visitors, whosecured one of the conference’s eight places in the postseason.
What remains is the question: Would it be better to finish eighth than seventh? The way things look now, it appears that the team finishing lower might have a better chance in the first round, likely drawing a matchup with the Bulls rather than the Heat. In any event, with the Knicks and Sixers each 34-30, there still is a mathematical possibility of tying the Magic (36-28) for the sixth spot.
Anyway, that was not a worry for the 76ers, who had been reeling lately, having lost eight of 11 in a stretch and having witnessed rumors of dissension.
Jrue Holiday and Elton Brand also scored 15 points and Andre Iguodala had 14 points and nine assists for the 76ers, whoheld off a rally by the Nets.
Deronwilliams did not play for the Nets because of a calf injury. Thehomesidewas boosted by a rare big and partisan crowd and cut the deficit to one point during the third quarter. But it was Philadelphia’s night.
When the Nets left Long Island and crossed the Hudson 35 years ago, they sought identity, stability, prosperity and adventure. They sure had adventure.
Monday night they celebrated the two trips to the NBA Finals, led by Jason Kidd, and there was the long-term brilliance of Buck Williams. Fans roared at video messages from those two men, and from Vince Carter, Kenyon Martin and Brian Scalabrine.
Monday night also was an occasion to remember the night Carl Lewis mangled the national anthem and the time when Charles Barkley of the 76ers spat at a heckler and hit a little girl instead. There was the occasion when Chris Morris sat on the bench wearing one sneaker monogrammed “PLEASE” and the other monogrammed “TRADE ME.”
And there was the firestorm over Kenny Anderson having missed a practice. The reaction left teammate Derrick Coleman incredulous and exasperated with the media, causing him to utter the phrase that perhaps best serves as the Nets’ New Jersey epitaph, “Whoop de damn do.”
No hard feelings. Anderson was among the alumni invited back and honored during halftime. So was Coleman. “I said it off the top of my head,” Colemantold reporters with a laugh Monday night, referring to his famous quote. Looking across the room at Anderson, he shouted, “It’s all your fault!”