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Thaddeus Young, SF 36 MIN | 5-12 FG | 1-3 FT | 10 REB | 1 AST | 4 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 11 PTS | +11Thaddeus Young, what a sight for sore eyes you are. After missing six games with a problematic hamstring, the tweener notched a double-double, and snatched four steals in his return to action. The Sixers are much better, and much more watchable, when he’s out there. |  |
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Evan Turner, SF 41 MIN | 7-18 FG | 7-7 FT | 6 REB | 8 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 3 TO | 21 PTS | 0Sunday was a teachable game for Evan Turner, whose shot selection, like that of the many of his teammates, can be head-scratching at times and down right maddening at others. Against the ‘Bockers, Turner scored 21 points on a reasonably efficient 18 shots, but was just 1-of-9 on attempts that came from outside seven feet. There’s a lesson in there that I’m sure will be ignored. |  |
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Jrue Holiday, PG 44 MIN | 12-24 FG | 3-4 FT | 5 REB | 5 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 4 TO | 30 PTS | +9Jrue Holiday: Knick killer. After dropping a cool 30 points on Carmelo and Co. tonight, Mr. Holiday is averaging 27.3 points and 6.5 assists on 54.3% shooting in four games against the Knicks this season. As for tonight: Holiday was excellent down the stretch, scoring 11 in the fourth quarter on a trio of 3-pointers. He was very good. It wasn’t enough. |  |
By the Numbers
The Sixers outscored the Knicks in the paint 50-34, and held New York to 8-of-33 from 3-points.
Quote of the Game
“Unhappiness is best defined as the difference between our talents and our expectations.”
-Edward de Bono
Parting Shots
For the second time in as many nights, the Sixers were treated to a lesson on the impact a star-level player has on a basketball game—and a reminder that a player like that isn’t currently on their roster. (Or, just maybe, he isn’t quite there yet.)
Despite a 30-point effort from Jrue Holiday, a 21/8/6 line from Evan Turner, and the return of Thaddeus Young from a hamstring-mandated sabbatical, Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks led for most of the evening, at times by as many as 20 points, and dispatched the Sixers to end their season-high four game losing streak while extending the Sixers’ skid to five.
The takeaways: Carmelo Anthony struggled from the floor, managing just a 6-of-18 mark, but gritted/gutted/(other synonym for “grit”-ed) his way to 29 points. He took 18 free throws, and hit all but two of them. For the second time in as many nights, with the Sixers keying on the star, a second banana burned them. After letting Dwyane Wade score 33 on 14-of-18 shooting on Saturday, Amar’e “I’m alive and actually playing good basketball” Stoudemire scorched the Sixers for 22 points, missing just one of his ten field goal attempts.
A good blueprint for beating the Knicks: don’t let Amar’e Stoudemire shoot 9-of-10.
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