Sixers Drop Home Opener to Miami

By Doug Ammon, Sixers.com

The Sixers fell to 0-3 on the season as the Miami Heat spoiled Philadelphia’s home opener, 114-96. The night began with the official unveiling of the team’s new 3D court projection system along with some striking pyrotechnics to get the home crowd going.

The Sixers provided their own sparks on the court, as they shot a scorching 59.6% from the field through three quarters of play. But once again, they experienced a letdown in the fourth quarter. After trading the lead 15 times through the first 36 minutes of the game, the Sixers entered the final frame trailing by four. Over the final 12 minutes of the game, Philadelphia was outscored 27-13.

For Miami, big man Chris Bosh led all scorers with 30 points, while fellow All-Star Dwyane Wade was held to just nine points due to stingy defensive play by Luc Mbah a Moute and K.J. McDaniels.

Wroten Registers Double-Double

When the Sixers and Heat met in last year’s home opener, Michael Carter-Williams filled up the stat sheet for the Sixers. This time around, it was reserve-turned-starter Tony Wroten who led the way. As the reigning Rookie of the Year, Carter-Williams, remains sidelined with a right shoulder injury, Wroten has filled in well at the point guard position. On Saturday he finished with 21 points and 10 assists, leading the Sixers in both categories.

Before the game Coach Brown called Wroten’s ability to get to the rim a “gift,” and it was on full display against Miami as he dazzled with acrobatic moves around the rim and tough finishes in traffic.

Davies Shines

Brandon Davies finished 7-for-9 from the field for 18 points and didn’t miss a shot until the third quarter in Saturday’s loss to the Heat. Coming off the bench and logging 24 minutes, the second-year forward scored in a variety of ways, knocking down jump hooks, finishing tough layups inside, and hitting a top-of-the-arc three during the third quarter.

“He’s never missed a day. He just goes hard every single day,” head coach Brett Brown said of the hard work the BYU alum has put in since joining the Sixers on the eve of the 2013-14 season. “I give full credit to him.”

Improvement at the Line

A collective bright spot from Saturday’s game was that the Sixers tallied their highest free-throw percentage of the season, converting on 19 of their 26 attempts (73.1%).  Coach Brown has preached an up-tempo style of play offensively, which has invariably led to extra chances at the charity stripe. Tony Wroten led the team with 11 trips to the line, converting on eight of them.

Next Up

The Sixers return to action Monday as they face a tough Western Conference opponent in the Houston Rockets. Tip is at 7pm (EST), and Tickets for the game are still available.