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If you're hoping for some good news about the post-All-Star break Sixers squad, I'll advise you to stop reading right here.
It was more of the same for the struggling Sixers, who extended their road loss streak to seven games after dropping tonight's matchup, 94-87, to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Down by as many as 19 points to one of the worst teams in the Western Division, the post-All-Star Break Sixers looked like they were content with producing another loss carbon-copied from the team's first half struggles.
The Timberwolves mauled the Sixers in the paint in the first half, notching 26 of their 56 points underneath the basket and pulling down 30 rebounds to Philadelphia's 15. Lavoy Allen and Spencer Hawes combined for seven points on 3-for-8 shooting, and were absolutely outmatched by Minnesota's Nikola Pekovic.
So, faced with yet another unsavory, underperforming rotation, Doug Collins did what Doug Collins had to do.
He threw Kwame Brown into the rotation after the halftime intermission.
Even crazier still, it actually seemed to work.
Brown was able to body Pekovic in the lane more effectively than Hawes or Allen, due in large part to the fact that Brown is, well, larger.
At the same time, things began to click offensively for the Sixers behind a second-half surge from Evan Turner and Damien Wilkins.
Turner hemorrhaged scoring production in the third quarter, scoring 16 of his 19 points in that particular 12-minute period.
The veteran Wilkins tallied 13 points of his own -- a season-high in a Sixers uniform.
The Turner / Wilkins backcourt duo was able to buoy the sinking Sixers ship, albeit temporarily.
Unfortunately, it was what the Sixers couldn't do that doomed them in the end.
Despite Brown's limited effort, no Sixer could stop Pekovic. The one-man Montenegrin band finished his monster night with 27 points on 9-for-16 shooting and pulled down 18 boards for the Timberwolves.
Others aboard the Sixers struggle bus?
Nick Young: Struggled from the floor (1-for-7) AND the charity stripe (4-for-9).
Lavoy Allen: Struggled to develop a solid presence in the paint.
Spencer Hawes: Struggled offensively (3-for-9) and in the paint as well.
Arnett Moultrie: DNP - Coaches' Decision after averaging 20 minutes per game in the team's three games before the All-Star Break.