Sixers get off to Grizzly start, fall in Memphis

MEMPHIS - The drought lasted too long and the deficit grew too wide. The 76ers started the game by missing 14 of their first 17 shots while allowing the Memphis Grizzlies to make 11 of their first 15. And no matter how valiant the effort was to overcome a deficit that grew to as many as 21 in the first quarter, there just wasn't enough time, or healthy bodies, to get the Sixers a come-from-behind win.

Playing without Elton Brand, who sat due to a sprained right thumb, and mix-matching lineups all night, the Sixers couldn't overcome that slow start and dropped their fourth in a row and sixth in eight games, 89-76, to the Grizzlies. The Sixers, who play in Houston tonight in their final game before the All-Star break, are 20-13. Memphis improved to 19-15.

Coach Doug Collins, in an effort to bring some spark to an offense that has been anemic lately, started seldom-used forward Andres Nocioni for Brand. It didn't help as the team was outscored 30-10 in the first quarter. They also scored just 16 in the fourth, making it the eighth time in the past 18 quarters that the Sixers have scored fewer than 18 points.

"That was a horrible start," Collins said. "We dug ourselves a huge hole. We fought out, but just mistakes at the wrong time . . . defensive mistakes, turnovers. Once again we hold a team to under 40 percent shooting [39.7 percent]. We are just struggling mightily to try and score."

And a problem that is quickly becoming a catastrophe arose again as the Sixers got to the free-throw line just eight times compared to 29 for Memphis. The Grizzlies' Rudy Gay (14 points) went to the line one more time than the entire Sixers team. In the past two games, including Sunday's loss in Minnesota, the Sixers are 14-for-18 from the line while the opponents are 44-for-55.

It appears as if the Sixers are getting into the paint as much as they had earlier in the year, but they aren't creating the contact they used to. It appears that too many times players are making finesse moves as opposed to stronger ones that usually create collisions.

It's hard to win when you're outscored by 15 from the foul line, and your usually reliable bench scores just 21 points on 7-for-34 shooting.