PHILADELPHIA (AP)—Elton Brand(notes) hit a 12-foot jumper with 7 seconds remaining to lift the Philadelphia 76ers past the New Jersey Nets 93-92 in an exhibition game Friday night.
Marreese Speights(notes) scored 16 points, Lou Williams added 15 and Brand and Andre Iguodala(notes) 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(notes) scored 11 points and Thaddeus Young(notes) had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Sixers.
Chris Douglas-Roberts(notes) scored 20 points, Brook Lopez(notes) added 18 and Terrence Williams(notes) 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.
“Even though it was a preseason game, it was fun to get a win on a shot like that,” Brand said. “It was a win and it’s a confidence-booster for me.”
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.
“Elton really was a horse in there,” Philadelphia coach Eddie Jordan said. “He’s still trying to find his rhythm. He’s trying to force the issue.”
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.
“It was terrible,” Speights said of the call. “I kind of got my arm wrapped around him and he just fell.”
There were 55 fouls called, 34 on the Nets.
“They’re very inexperienced,” New Jersey forward Eduardo Najera(notes) said of the officials. “The flow of the game is the same, but they have to adjust and we have to adjust. It’s no big deal now. I think they’re doing a great job.”
NOTES: The Sixers were without F Stromile Swift(notes) as well as Gs Rodney Carney(notes) and Royal Ivey(notes). All three had a left hamstring strain. … Gs Courtney Lee(notes) (sore left foot) and Keyon Dooling(notes) (hip surgery) missed the game for the Nets.
Liberty Ballers
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Where is your Ace Player right now? Devin who? Courtney Lee who? Rafer Alston who? they are useless. . . .
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