Dwight Howard Out for Game 6

After what was a blatant elbow and a bullshit game 5 thanks to the referee’s and their love for the home team Magic, the NBA has finally handed down the correct punishment in the form of a Game 6 suspension for Magic center Dwight Howard.  Early in the game while tangled with Slammin’ Sammy Dalembert, Dwight became a little unruly and swung a vicious right elbow connecting with the back of Sammy’s noggin.

The refs at the time called a technical, meaning that they did indeed see the play, but decided not to call the required flagrant foul and ejection from the game for any contact above the shoulders.   This is what the rulebook says (bolded):

k. A technical foul, unsportsmanlike act or flagrant foul must be called for a participant to be ejected. A player, coach or trainer may be ejected for:
(1) An elbow foul which makes contact shoulder level or below
(2) Any unsportsmanlike conduct where a technical foul is assessed
(3) A flagrant foul where unnecessary and/or excessive contact occurs
EXCEPTION: Rule 12A–Section V–l(5)
l. A player, coach or trainer must be ejected for:
(1) A punching foul
(2) A fighting foul
(3) An elbow foul which makes contact above shoulder level

Pretty happy the league stepped in here and made the correct call. I’m almost certain the Sixers would have won Game 5 had Dwight Howard been ejected early on. Magic swingman Courtney Lee will also be out for Game 6 after receiving another bow from his own teammate Dwight Howard later in the game.

Damn Dwight, keep dem bows to yourself homie.

Sixers vs Magic – Game 2 Preview

Tonight YOUUUUUUR Philadelphia 76ers look to come back to the Wachovia Center on Friday with a 2-0 series lead.

Can they do it?

Absolutely.

Will they do it?

Absolutely not.

Dwight Howard will be in the line up tonight even with his blurry eye suffered in game 1, and don’t expect him to miss 10-12 minutes like game 1 when the Sixers went on their run to cut the 18 point deficit into a 2 point deficit.

Look for the Magic to play Howard 40 plus minutes, play determined basketball and unfortunately for our Sixers coast to an easy game two victory and tying the series 1-1.

Slammin’ Sammy Dalembert, Helping Team the Only Way He Knows How

Bitch Slapping Dwight Howard in the eye that’s how!  

Magic center Dwight Howard said he will visit an eye doctor later today to examine his right eye but he doesn’t expect his vision issues to cost him any game or practice time.

Howard was eye raked across both eyes while soaring for a loose ball with Samuel Dalembert.  Sammy, obviously knowing he was not going to grab the rebound over the Magic’s beast in the middle, took the cheap way out and performed his best wrestling move.  Sammy used the eye-rake which was made famous a ways back my Mankind, aka Dude Love, and went right for Superman’s only penetrable body part, his eye socket.

Howard Dwight told the Daily News that he suffered no pain or blurriness in either eye but was seeing spots in front of his right eye when he closed it.

Just when I close it, it’s a whole bunch of flashing lights and stuff.  I’m not worried.

After a light practice shooting free throws with assistant Patrick Ewing, Howard said he doesn’t expect to miss any practice or game time. The teams meet again in Orlando Wednesday night where the Sixers look to shock the world.

So You’re Sayin’ There’s a Chance

An amazing comeback, injecting faith into a city, and a superstar FINALLY starts taking steps in full realizing that expectation.  The Sixers came back from an 18 point second half deficit to literally steal game one from the Orlando Magic Sunday night in Orlando.

Andre Iguoladala, who has never been fully accepted as the true superstar status that was projected on him when the other A.I left and he signed the big money contract, finally had his defining moment as the Sixers number one man, hit the game-winning fade away jumper with 2.2 seconds to go, a mere minute after Iggy missed two clutch free throws that would’ve then given the Sixers they’re first lead of the second half, as well as adding more fuel to the fire of doubt that Sixers fans have had since Iggy signed the big money contract.

“We discuss this all the time: We think Andre is a very, very good basketball player, knocking at the door of the All-Star Game,” general manager Ed Stefanski said. “I don’t think the people have embraced him as that kind of player.”

A.I and the Sixers get back to action Wednesday night at 7pm in Orlando for game 2 of the best of seven series.

Oh and in case you happened to miss the final few minutes, Youtube always has us covered, enjoy.

Sixers Magic Playoff Preview

After winning in overtime last night against the Cleveland Cavaliers “B” squad, combined with the Bulls losing to Toronto, yourrrr Seventy Sixers clinched the Eastern Conference’s six seed and a first round match up with the Orlando Magic.

The Sixers lost all three matchups versus the Magic this season and going into this series, there isn’t much that indicates the Sixers have a chance. But I feel the Sixers could make a series out of this. I’m not calling an upset, cause of seven words; Samuel Dalembert will be covering Dwight Howard, so unless Howard can do us a favor and get Dalembert into foul trouble early, he should dominate from opening tip of game 1 through the entire series, and he will be the deciding factor.

But with the return of Thaddeus Young to the lineup for the final two games will help him get his rhythm going into the playoffs and he will provide a boost and a spark that was missing during his injury. The Sixers will steal a couple games and make it a series, but I’ll take the Magic in 6.

Celts Win 9th Straight

‘The Truth’ Paul Pierce scored 17 of his 24 points in the third quarter to lead the Boston Celtics to their ninth straight win, 107-88 over the Orlando Magic on Monday night.

Ray Allen added 21 points, Rajon Rondo had 16 points with 12 assists and KG scored 15 points for the Celts (17-2) in a win over a top Eastern Conference rival.

Rashard ‘Dagger’ Lewis paced Orlando (13-5) with 30 points. Hedo Turkoglu had 19 and Dwight ‘Superman’ Howard, had 14 points with 15 boards and four blocked shots.

Sixers Lose 4th Straight

So the game on Wednesday night was pretty sicko sitting in my girlfriends luxury box and it was one hell of a game.  Dwight Howard did not dissappoint as he is a manchild and Elton had flashes of excellence as well.  Too bad Rashard Lewis had to bang that 3 ball from the corner in the final few seconds to give Orlando the victory.

And on to Sunday’s loss.

Ben Gordon scored 21 points, Drew Gooden had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and the Chicago Bulls rallied from an early deficit for a 103-92 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.

Bulls number one pick Derrick Rose contributed 18 points and 10 assists and reached double figures in assists for the first time in his young career. Former Sixer Larry Hughes had 16 points for the Bulls (8-9), who won for only the third time in 10 games on the road.

Elton Brand had 21 points and 12 boards, and Thaddeus Young added 17 points for the Sixers, who have lost four straight to fall to 7-10. Andre Miller had 15 points and 10 assists, and Willie Green chipped in with 12 .

Philadelphia scored a season low 78 points in a 24 point loss at Boston on Friday and has been held below the 100-point mark in seven straight games.  Next up for the Sixers are the Chicago Bulls again tomorrow night from Chicago.

KIA NBA Shootaround : Orlando Magic @ Philadelphia 76ers

YOUR Philadelphia 76ers host Dwight ‘Superman’ Howard and the Orlando Magic tonight from the Wachovia center coming to you live at 7:30 PM on ESPN and Comcast Sportsnet.

I will be in attendance in a lovely luxury box thanks to my wonderful girlfriend and her father as the Sixers look to move above .500 again this season.  Should be a great game between two of the best bigs in the East in Elton and Dwight.  Pretty excited to see Dwight in person as it will be my first time ever, not to mention Elton as I have yet to make it down to a game this season.  Hopefully this will be the first of many.

Enjoy the game, I know I sure will and everyone have a Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy the food, football and beers.  I will be back and ready to post come Monday morn barring an unforeseen sports happenings that I need to rant about.

LET’S GO EAGLES for fucks sake! Arizona Cardinals at the Birds, tomorrow at 8:15 pm on NFL Network.

Larry Brown and the Bobcats Beat the Sixers

Charlotte Bobcat guards DJ Augustin and Raymond Felton combined for 48 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds in their third game starting together, and the Bobcats beat the Sixers 93-84 Monday to snap a four-game losing streak.

Elton Brand had 18 points, but made only 6 of 13 shots and fouled out with less then a minute to go.  Thaddeus Young was held to six points on 2-of-10 shooting.  Andre Iguodala added 17 points for the Sixers, who shot 40 percent and had their two-game winning streak snapped.

Next up for the Sixers are the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night from the Center.

Heat Torch Sixers

D Wade scored 29 points, rookie Mario Chalmers set a franchise record with 9 steals, and the Heat scored 12 straight points in the fourth to pull away and go on to beat the Sixers 106-83 on Wednesday night.

Wade added seven rebounds, six assists and five steals. Michael Beasley finished with 17 points, and Shawn Marion, who sported the mask to protect his broken nose, added 12 points and seven rebounds for Miami.

Thaddeus Young scored 12 of his 19 points in the first quarter for Philadelphia, which got 16 points from Lou Will and a double double from Elton Brand (12 and 12).  Andre Miller finished with 11 points and six assists for the 76ers (2-3), while Iggy who has been struggling to find his rhythm of late was held to only two points.

Next up for the Sixers is Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic tonight from Amway Arena.