(Sports Network) - The Philadelphia 76ers snapped a seven-game losing streak
on Saturday, but won't have long to bask in the glory of it. They head to
Washington to meet the Wizards Sunday night at the Verizon Center.
The Sixers overcame a 16-point hole in the first half, and a double-digit
deficit in the second half to defeat the Golden State Warriors, 104-97,
Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center.
"Great, great win for our team," said head coach Doug Collins. "We said
tonight, let's have something good happen and let's try and build on it.
You've got to win at home and I was so happy for our guys to play like this in
front of our crowd."
It was Collins earlier in the week questioning his team's effort in a dreadful
home loss to the Orlando Magic. There would be no questioning on Saturday
night.
Evan Turner was one assist shy of a triple-double with 22 points, 10 rebounds
and nine assists. He posted those scoring totals on 10-for-15 shooting. Jrue
Holiday netted 27 with seven assists, but did commit eight turnovers. Thaddeus
Young only scored 14, but pulled down a career-high 16 rebounds.
The Sixers return home Tuesday to face arch-rival Boston Celtics then go three
on the road through the South, taking on the Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat and
Magic.
The Wizards lost their second in a row on Friday when the New York Knicks
rolled out of the nation's capital with a 96-88 victory.
Washington pulled within one on a Bradley Beal 3-pointer with four minutes to
go, but the Wizards didn't score a field goal the rest of the way.
"We got to get a shot attempt, but we didn't," said head coach Randy Wittman.
"Our guys battled. I don't have a complaint with that."
Beal was sensational. He scored a career-high 29 on 10-for-21 shooting,
including 4-for-7 shooting from long range. Beal led the team with 11 rebounds
to boot.
"You can see how calm I am and being relaxed," said Beal. "I'm not pressuring
myself and my teammates do a great job setting me up to be able to make plays.
Coach and my teammates as well, do a great job setting me up and putting me in
position to make those plays. My confidence is sky high, ever since January
on."
Both losses during Washington's recent slide came at home, but the Wiz are
13-17 in their own building this season.
The Sixers won this season's only matchup, a 92-84 home victory on Jan. 30.
Philly has won four of the last five and six of the last nine in this series,
but is 1-5 in Washington over its last six.
The Sports Network