Philadelphia 76ers Blog – Page 59 – NBA Blog

Allen Iverson rules out returning to basketball via the D-League

Allen Iverson is taking a pass on the D-League.

Iverson, the 2001 NBA MVP, has turned down an opportunity to return to basketball with the Dallas Mavericks’ Development League affiliate. He posted a series of tweets on Tuesday explaining his decision to decline an offer from Texas Legends’ co-owner Donnie Nelson to join the team.

“I thank Donnie and Dallas for the consideration,” Iverson wrote, “And while I think the D-League is a great opportunity, it is not the route for me.” …

Moore was in Philadelphia visiting with Sixers owner Josh Harris and CEO Adam Aron about reconnecting Iverson with the 76ers. Iverson led the Sixers to the 2001 NBA finals and is firmly cemented as one of the franchise’s all-time great players. He is the franchise leader in 40-point games (76), 3-pointers (885), and is second behind Hal Greer in points (19,931). He had two stints with the Sixers and last played for them in 2009-10.

— Reported by Dan Gelston of the Associated Press

Sixers sign Shelvin Mack to a second 10-day contract

The Philadelphia 76ers announced today that they have signed guard Shelvin Mack to a second 10-day contract. He signed his first 10-day contract on January 17 and was the 15th GATORADE Call-Up of the 2012-13 NBA Development League season.

Mack (6-3, 207) has appeared in two games for the Sixers this season. In nine total games for Washington and Philadelphia, he is averaging 4.3 points, 2.6 assists and 1.8 rebounds in 16.2 minutes per game.

At the time he left the Maine Red Claws to join the Sixers, Mack ranked third in the D-League in scoring (20.5 ppg) and first in assists (8.0 apg).

Jrue Holiday scores 35, leads 76ers over Knicks

Jrue Holiday showed a couple of his All-Star teammates he belongs.

Holiday scored a career-high 35 points, Nick Young had 20 and the Philadelphia 76ers cruised to a 97-80 victory over the New York Knicks on Saturday night.

Holiday, who at 22 became the youngest Sixers player selected to an All-Star team this week, shot 16 of 25, and had six assists and five rebounds. He’ll be playing with New York’s Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler on the East squad.

”We played well against a good team,” Holiday said. ”We came off really aggressive offensively and played well defensively.” …

Evan Turner also added 20 points for the Sixers, who led from the start and beat the Knicks for the first time in four tries and second in eight games.

The victory should make coach Doug Collins feel better. He left the bench in the third quarter and was diagnosed with a sinus infection and blocked nasal passage…

Anthony needed 28 shots to get 25 points. He has 28 straight 20-point games, tied with Patrick Ewing for second-longest streak in franchise history. Richie Guerin did it 29 games in a row in 1961-62…

Amare Stoudemire had 20 points for New York. Jason Kidd, Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith combined to go 0 for 17. Kidd had zero assists in 15 minutes…

Sixers guard Jason Richardson (left knee) missed his third straight game. Young started in his place. Spencer Hawes replaced Lavoy Allen in the lineup. … A sellout crowd of 20,540 included plenty of Knicks fans.

— Reported by Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press

Jrue Holiday thrilled with all-star selection

Jrue Holiday said that he kept his composure at the Flyers game on Thursday when he found out that he had been named as one of the seven reserves for the Eastern Conference All-Star Team on Thursday.

But when he got home, well, it sounds like that was a different story.

“I was happy,” said Holiday, one of five first-time all stars named by coaches to Eastern Conference team. “Obviously I contained it until I got home and could express it and not embarrass myself in front of the rest of the world.

“But when I got home I was damn near jumping for joy,” Holiday said. “How many people get to play in the All-Star Game?”

— Reported by John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer

Andrew Bynum still healing, has not tried lateral movement yet

Andrew Bynum continues to report progress with his injured knees, but a significant hurdle awaits.

“I still haven’t done lateral movement, and that will be the biggest test,” the 76ers center said before Monday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs at the Wells Fargo Center. “Cutting is the last thing to do, and I think I am building up to that slowly but surely.”

Bynum said he still hopes to make his first appearance this season after the all-star break. He said the most positive development is that he is not feeling pain in his knees.

Bynum, whose only running has come on a treadmill, has been working on shooting and post moves.

— Reported by Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer

Jrue Holiday scores 33 in Sixers OT win over Raptors

After sending the game to overtime, Jrue Holiday single-handedly took over during the extra session.

In the process, the fourth-year point guard continued to make a strong case for his first career All-Star berth next month in Houston. The reserves will be announced on Thursday night.

Holiday had a career-high tying 33 points and 14 assists, including all 12 of Philadelphia’s points in overtime as the 76ers overcame a 19-point second half deficit to defeat the Toronto Raptors 108-101 on Friday.

”I really don’t know,” Holiday said about whether he deserves to play in the All-Star game. ”Obviously, that’s a goal I’d like to have under my belt. If I have to do this every game for us for our team to win, so be it.”

Thaddeus Young added 27 points and 14 rebounds while Spencer Hawes and Lavoy Allen had 12 apiece for the Sixers, who improved to 17-23…

Ed Davis had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors. Terrence Ross and Alan Anderson each scored 18.

Jose Calderon chipped in 13 points and Kyle Lowry had 11 points and 11 assists before fouling out for Toronto, which fell to 4-17 on the road. The Raptors lost their fourth in a row.

— Reported by the Associated Press

76ers sign guard Shelvin Mack to 10-day contract

The Philadelphia 76ers announced today that they have signed guard Shelvin Mack to a 10-day contract. He is the 15th Call-Up of the 2012-13 NBA Development League season. Mack will wear #14.

Mack (6-3, 215) was originally the 34th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by Washington. He spent all of last season with the Wizards being waived prior to the start of the 2012-13 season. Mack re-signed with Washington on Christmas Day and appeared in seven games before being waived on January 7.

In 71 career games with two starts, Mack has averaged 3.8 points, 2.2 assists and 1.5 rebounds in 13.0 minutes per game while shooting 40.0% from the floor, 29.1% from 3-point range and 70.5% from the line. For his career, he has a 2.75 assist-to-turnover ratio.

In 14 games for the Maine Red Claws of the D-League this season, Mack averaged 20.5 points, 8.0 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.43 steals while shooting 46.2% from the floor, 41.8% from 3-point range and 89.6% from the line. He ranks third in the D-League in scoring and first in assists.

Additionally, the 10-day contract guard Maalik Wayns signed on January 8 has expired. He appeared in 21 games for the Sixers, averaging 2.7 points and 1.0 assists in 7.9 minutes per game.

Hornets looking good, beat Sixers 111-99

The young New Orleans Hornets are growing up in the new year.

Greivis Vasquez scored 23 points, Eric Gordon added 19 and the Hornets beat the Philadelphia 76ers 111-99 on Tuesday night. After losing 13 of 16 in December, New Orleans has won five of eight in January.

Ryan Anderson had 14 points, Xavier Henry scored 11 and Anthony Davis 10 for the Hornets, who are still last in the Western Conference at 12-26 – including matching 6-13 records at home and on the road.

”We’re getting healthy now, and we are becoming a team now,” said Vasquez, who added nine assists. ”We have guys who can just get out there and go. And I think our best weapon right now is our energy, because we’re so young.”

Jrue Holiday led the Sixers with 29 points and 11 assists. Nick Young and Evan Turner added 14 points each while Thaddeus Young scored 12.

The Sixers have been inconsistent all season and this game was further proof following a resounding 107-100 victory Saturday over Houston. Philadelphia still hasn’t won consecutive games since a three-game streak from Nov. 25-30.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Jrue Holiday scores 30, Sixers beat Rockets

The 76ers found the fresh start at home they wanted.

Jrue Holiday scored 30 points, Thaddeus Young had 18 points and 12 rebounds and the Philadelphia 76ers snapped a five-game losing streak with a 107-100 win over the Houston Rockets on Saturday night.

Jason Richardson scored 16 points for the Sixers, who finally return home for a lengthy stint as they try to play their way back into the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Sixers opened a stretch of 12 home games in the next 13 and hope they can start to offset a miserable 2-6 road trip that stretched over the new year. They played 12 of 15 on the road dating back to Dec. 14…

The road woes are one reason the Sixers are only 6-16 after a nice 10-6 start to the season. But it’s turned into crunch time quickly for the Sixers as they as try and get back to .500 in the next month before the hopeful return of injured center Andrew Bynum.

James Harden led the Rockets with 29 points and Chandler Parsons had 23. Jeremy Lin missed 11 of 13 shots for seven points en route to Houston’s third straight loss…

Houston’s cold stretch was uncharacteristic of a team that was second in the NBA in scoring (105.60 points) behind Oklahoma City. The Rockets only shot 30 percent from 3-point range (8 of 32) and had no answer to stop Holiday en route to their third straight loss.

— Reported by Dan Gelston of the Associated Press

Amir Johnson leads Raptors past slumping 76ers

After finishing off a long stretch of games with another deflating defeat, the Philadelphia 76ers are finally getting a chance to rest.

Jrue Holiday, for one, couldn’t be more excited.

Amir Johnson had 19 points and 12 rebounds, Jose Calderon added 14 points and 11 assists, and the Toronto Raptors never trailed in a 90-72 victory over Philadelphia on Wednesday night, handing the slumping 76ers their fifth straight loss.

Holiday and Thaddeus Young each scored 16 points and Evan Turner had 10 as the Sixers set a season low in points and lost for the 13th time in 16 games. Philadelphia has played 12 of its past 16 on the road, winning just twice…

Starting for the first time since Nov. 7, Toronto’s Landry Fields set season highs with 10 points and 11 rebounds…

DeMar DeRozan scored 19 points and Ed Davis had 17 for the Raptors, who had lost six of their previous seven meetings with Philadelphia, including three straight…

Philadelphia’s Jason Richardson did not play because of a sore wrist. Collins said he gave Richardson, who has missed time with back and ankle injuries this season, ”a San Antonio Spur day.”

— Reported by Ian Harrison of the Associated Press