Broad Street Baller: Tough night for Sixers fans in loss to Celtics

Carly Pendergast, 15, and her dad, John, encouraged Sixers fans to “Show Ya Love” Wednesday night. Dan Geringer / Daily News Staff
Carly Pendergast, 15, and her dad, John, encouraged Sixers fans to “Show Ya Love” Wednesday night. Dan Geringer / Daily News Staff
By BROAD STREET BALLER as told to DAN GERINGER, Daily News Staff Writer
Posted: May 18, 2012

Pumped for the young Sixers to run the ancient Celtics’ legs ragged, Broad Street Baller’s hopes were stomped as Rajon Rondo and his rejuvenated mates romped Wednesday night, 107-91, before a stunned Wells Fargo Center crowd.

“Rondo set the tone and was able to do whatever he wanted,” said Zane “Dr. Z” Major Sr., 55, of Olney, who was a 2-guard/small forward at St. Joe’s and used to scrimmage against Doug Collins when the Sixers practiced there back in the day.

“We needed better defensive stops — double down on Garnett and push Rondo off the ball. This was the Rondo show. Defense! Defense! Defense! Where is it? Who will lead us? As a fan, I’ve got to believe Game 4 will be different. Garnett, Rondo and Pierce — over 70 points! That can’t happen again.”

SHOW YA LOVE: Carly Pendergast, 15, of Southhampton, who came to the game with her dad, John, and her red-and-blue “SHOW YA LOVE” poster, had already experienced a Philly sports fan’s roller coaster of emotion, watching her Flyers get eliminated by the New Jersey Devils and, a couple of nights later, seeing the Sixers beat the Bulls to advance to Round 2.

Her dad believes that the Sixers will eventually take the Celtics because “we’re a lunch-pail team with a helter-skelter running style that will wear the Celtics down. Of course, watching our half-court offense is like sticking knitting needles in your eyes, so we have to play strong defense and run our offense off of it to win.”

FLAVOR FLAV FAN: James “Big Daddy” Brister Jr. of Upper Darby, a nearly 500-pound dancer who pumps up the Sixers’ “crazy-fan section” and the crowd with his trademark bare-belly shake, was dressed to kill Wednesday— wearing a huge Flavor Flav clock on a chain around his neck, a Viking helmet with horns and fabulous gold-winged shades.

“We let Rondo run wild. Garnett hit everything, which is rare. We let Boston bully us,” he said after his beloved Sixers were crushed. “After you get beat like that, you got to show your heart. Friday, that’s what the Sixers got to do.” n

Email Broad Street Baller at baller@phillynews.com.

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