Elton Brand’s Jumper Lifts 76ers Over Nets

by

Oct 9, 2009

PHILADELPHIA — Elton Brand hit a 12-foot jumper with seven seconds remaining to lift the Philadelphia 76ers past the New Jersey Nets 93-92 in an exhibition game Friday night.

Marreese Speights scored 16 points, Lou Williams added 15 and Brand and Andre Iguodala had 13 each for the Sixers, who improved to 3-0 in the preseason for the first time since 2004. The Sixers registered consecutive wins over Toronto earlier in the week.

Jason Kapono scored 11 points, and Thaddeus Young had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Sixers.

Chris Douglas-Roberts scored 20 points, Brook Lopez added 18 and Terrence Williams had 12 for the Nets, who fell to 0-2 in the preseason.

The Sixers had to be encouraged by the play of Brand, who was restricted to only 37 games over the past two seasons by injuries. Brand has scored 30 points in three preseason games.

Brand ruptured an Achilles' tendon two years ago with the Los Angeles Clippers, then signed as a free agent with the Sixers before last season. But he was limited to 29 games with the Sixers largely because of season-ending surgery on his shoulder.

New Jersey built a 16-point lead late in the third quarter but watched the Sixers get within 77-76 with 4:22 remaining on two free throws by Speights.

Kapono hit a 3-pointer from the baseline to tie the game at 88 with 58.1 seconds remaining.

Lopez came through again with a tip-in to push the Nets back on top 90-88.

Iguodala responded with a three-point play with 17.9 seconds left for a 91-90 lead. Douglas-Roberts then gave the Nets the lead with 12.7 seconds left before Brand's basket sealed the win for Philadelphia.

Though the game was choppy at times, neither team leveled much of a complaint against the three replacement referees until late in regulation. With 3:38 remaining, Speights threw Lopez to floor and the Nets bench stood up and complained. The referees huddled briefly at midcourt and then whistled Speights for a flagrant foul.

There were 55 fouls called.

Notes
The Sixers were without F Stromile Swift as well as guards Rodney Carney and Royal Ivey. All three had a left hamstring strain. … Guards Courtney Lee (sore left foot) and Keyon Dooling (hip surgery) missed the game for the Nets.

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