SIXERS: 2008-09 Season Recap

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2008-09 Season Recap

With the 2008-09 season now in the books, Sixers.com takes a look back at some of the biggest games and moments that defined this year's campaign.

April 24, 2009:Orlando Magic 94 Philadelphia 76ers 96

The final seconds of Game 3 found the Sixers in a similar position against Orlando, this time at the Wachovia Center. With the team inbounding the ball just in front of the Magic bench, both initial options were locked down. In the corner was Thaddeus Young, who received the pass, drove past Rashard Lewis and ultimately put up the game-winning lay-up around Dwight Howard. The Magic, with no timeouts, watched as a three-quarter court shot by Lewis go wide right.

"They pretty much gave me the whole left side. Everyone knows what happens when I go left," Young said. "That's the biggest shot ever for me."

April 19, 2009: Philadelphia 76ers 100, Orlando Magic 98

An 18-point comeback already in the books, Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs at Orlando was now locked at 98 with just over 12 seconds remaining on the clock and the Sixers called a timeout to draw up one last play. The subsequent inbounds pass went to Andre Iguodala, who was locked in a one-on-one match-up with Hedo Turkoglu. A quick slash to the middle of the court, Iguodala put up an 18-footer that found the bottom of the net with 2.2 seconds left.

"I think my teammates expect me to make big plays, and I have to make them for me to be a leader on this team," said Iguodala, who finished with 20 points.

Turkoglu would miss a three-point attempt at the buzzer on the other end of the court giving the Sixers the first game of the series in "Dre-matic" fashion.

April 4, 2009: Detroit Pistons 90, Philadelphia 76ers 95

The beginning of April saw the Sixers go five games over .500 by improving to 40-35 (a 28-17 run after they started the season 12-18) with the victory over the visiting Detroit Pistons. More importantly, the team clinched its second playoff berth in as many seasons behind Andre Iguodala's season-high 31 points, 15 of which came in the first quarter, and Andre Miller's triple-double (21 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds).

"It's really sweet the way this has gone," Iguodala said. "From getting counted out to being right back into position and clinching a playoff spot."

March 23, 2009: Philadelphia 76ers 114, Portland Trail Blazers 108 (OT)

Box Score | Postgame Report | Highlights

The Sixers were finishing a brutal West Coast road trip, the game against the host Blazers marking the fifth game in seven nights and a red-eye flight back to Philly looming. So of course this game would be decided in overtime.

But the Sixers didn't give up and pulled out the victory behind successive defensive stands against Brandon Roy down the stretch, to go with 25 points apiece from Thaddeus Young and Andre Iguodala, and 27 points from Andre Miller. The win gave the Sixers a 3-2 record on the second West Coast swing of the season.

"We've had to guard a lot of guys lately. We had Kobe and Dwyane Wade back-to-back," Iguodala said. "What we tried to do is not try to stop a guy, you just try to make them work."

March 17, 2009: Philadelphia 76ers 94, Los Angeles Lakers 93

Box Score | Postgame Report | Highlights | Play of the Day: Iguodala

The second West Coast trip of the season kicked off against the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant, who appeared to have made another "SportsCenter" moment for himself when he hit a jumper over Andre Iguodala with 6.6 seconds left to put the Lakers up by two.

It was what appeared to be a crushing blow to the Sixers, who erased an 11-point deficit going into the final frame, due in large part to a trio of three-pointers by Donyell Marshall (who scored all nine of his points in the fourth quarter).

However, tonight would be different. Iguodala had the ball at the top of the key with Trevor Ariza in his face and launched a three-pointer that found nothing but net and gave the Sixers the win.

"I said, 'I'm going for the game right now,' " Iguodala said. "You just have to have confidence in yourself. It doesn't really matter what you did before. You have to close things out.

"It felt good."

March 13, 2009: Chicago Bulls 101, Philadelphia 76ers 104

Bonus Video – Dr. J Footage

In what was arguably the most anticipated home game of the season, the 76ers returned to their old home for the last professional sporting event in the estimable history of the Wachovia Spectrum and this game did not disappoint the sell-out crowd.

In front of luminaries past and present, the Sixers late defensive stand was capped by Thaddeus Young slam dunk – which gave him a career-high 31 points - to help push Philadelphia past Chicago in a game that featured 16 ties and 16 lead changes.

"Wow," Willie Green said. "It was all I thought it was and more. The fans were very intense. You could feel the energy. It was great to play in that building. It was even greater to come out with a win."

A pre-game tribute featuring alumni from the franchise's 1967 and 1983 Championship teams, as well as a speech by Julius "Dr. J" Erving – who was flanked by Moses Malone, Bobby Jones, Wali Jones among others - and a tribute to the late P.A. Announcer Dave Zinkoff started the game in a manner fitting of the game's billing.

"This is a must-win game, with guys like that in the building," Young said.

Febuary 13, 2009: Sophomores 122, Rookies 116

Video: Highlights

Those NBA sophomores put six players in double figures and, yes, Thaddeus Young was one of them.

The Sixers' forward scored 13 points, grabbed four rebounds and shot 6-for-7 from the floor in 21 1/2 minutes as the sophomores rolled to a 122-116 victory over the rookies in the NBA's annual showcase pitting second-year players against their first-year conterparts.

Febuary 9, 2009: Phoenix Suns 91, Philadelphia 76ers 108

Phoenix came to town with the formidable frontcourt tandem of Amar'e Stoudamire and Shaquille O'Neal, but it was Sixers rookie Marreese Speights who made more field goals (11) than the two aforementioned Suns players combined (10).

In what could largely be called his coming out party against one of the decade's most dominant Western Conference teams, Speights poured in a career-high 24 points, 16 of which came in the second quarter – including a stretch where he personally rolled off 10 straight points.

Not to be outdone, Thaddeus Young scored 14 points in the first quarter (and finished with a team-high 25), while Andre Iguodala chipped in with 22 points.

"We're running all our options and finishing out plays," Iguodala explained. "Marreese Speights was able to show what he can do, and Thad got us going."

January 16, 2009: San Antonio Spurs 87, Philadelphia 76ers 109

It was a loss at the buzzer in San Antonio that triggered the season-high seven game win streak that followed, and it was only fitting that during that time the Sixers were able to face off against the Spurs again – this time in Philadelphia.

January 14, 2009: Portland Trail Blazers 79, Philadelphia 76ers 100

Philadelphia built a 22-point lead at halftime and didn't look back, helped in large part by Andre Iguodala, who had a spectacular all-around game with 29 points, six assists, four rebounds, two steals and only one turnover in nearly 38 minutes.

"I try not to think about that," Iguodala said. "I think I know my value to the team. I think everybody in the locker room does, as well. My job is to go out, try to play at a high level, get us to where we need to be."

In this one, five subs combined for 36 points, with Lou Williams contributing 14 and Marreese Speights 13. Meanwhile, Andre Mille added 12 points, six assists, five rebounds, while Thaddeus Young added 11 points of his own.

January 6, 2009: Houston Rockets 96, Philadelphia 76ers 104

There is getting out on the break and then there is the Sixers style of up-tempo basketball, which was on full display against the visiting Rockets.

"When we're energized and the crowd is behind us, we're a scary team to play," Lou Williams said.

Philadelphia exploded for 29 fast-break points (to Houston's nine) and the Sixers cruised to a victory over Houston, which was bolstered in large part by rookie Marreese Speights' 15 points (six of which came off dunks), eight rebounds and four blocked shots. One of those dunks was an important put-back slam with 1 minute, 39 seconds left. Iguodala led the way with 28 points while Williams had 15 points and eight assists.

"We're just trying to win games, [and] we're starting to find our way," Iguodala said. "It starts with the defensive end. It has nothing to do with offense. Get stops, get out on the break, get easy baskets; from there, a layup here, a free throw there, and it opens it up."

December 5, 2008: Philadelphia 76ers 96, Detroit Pistons 91

Box Score | Postgame Report | Postgame Quotes | Video: Highlights

The Sixers first meeting against Allen Iverson as a member of the Pistons was dramatic, with Philadelphia coming back from being down by as many as 11 points in the fourth quarter to defeat Detroit.

The comeback included a stretch in which Donyell Marshall scored eight points - including a big three-pointer with 35 seconds left - Andre Miller scored seven, and Lou Williams came alive for 14. They did it by hitting eight of 10 free throws in the frantic last 1:17 and scoring 38 of the game's final 60 points. And after turning the ball over 10 times in the first half, they committed only one the rest of the way.

"When you're down, you try to create a spark off the bench," Williams said. "We were playing with a lot of energy, we created some stops and that's how we got the win. It is a big win for us."

October 31, 2008: New York Knicks 87, Philadelphia 76ers 116

Box Score | Recap | Video: Highlights

The Sixers first win of the season came in resounding fashion, putting together a complete performance that resulted in a 29-point pasting of the New York Knicks. Elton Brand exploded for 14 points in the first quarter and finished the game with 24 on 12-19 shooting, while adding 14 rebounds.

"I wanted to assert myself from the beginning," Brand said. "We weren't going down 0-2. We wanted to set the tone early; that was exactly what we wanted to do, what I wanted to do personally. We wanted to just step on them, because that team can put up points. Once you get the lead, keep scoring; put the throttle on them, keep putting it."

The contributions came from everywhere: Andre Miller finished with 20 points, eight assists and seven rebounds; Willie Green hit his first seven shots and finished with 18 points on 8-10 shooting; Lou Williams, added 15 points; Andre Iguodala, did a little bit of everything, contributing seven points, seven assists and six rebounds.

2008-09 News and Features