With the NBA in an indefinite hiatus due to COVID-19, we continue our day-by-day look back at the history of the Philadelphia 76ers. We continue down our path into Sixers history every day as we look to fill the void left by the absence of basketball.
Friday’s history lesson takes us back to the 2011-12 team that most Sixers fans look back fondly. However, we aren’t talking about Andre Iguodala or Jrue Holiday or even Thaddeus Young. No, we are bringing you up to speed on the great Jodie Meeks who put on a shooting clinic against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
March 27, 2012
The Sixers were in the midst of a tight Atlantic Division race towards the end of the lockout-shortened season. They desperately needed a win and when they hosted the Cavaliers, it presented an opportunity to get that win. After all, the Cavs were just playing out the string on their schedule and it was a game ripe for the picking for Philadelphia.
The Sixers went on to win relatively easily 103-85, but it was not the usual suspects for Philadelphia. Iguodala was out with an injury, so the Sixers needed somebody to step up. That guy turned out to be Meeks who pumped in a then career-high 31 points while drilling seven of his 10 attempts from deep.
Nobody expected Meeks to have the game that he did, but he stepped up in a big way and he reacted to his big night postgame saying:
I just know I was open. I was relaxed and just shot. I haven’t been shooting as well. But I just tried to take good shots. Any time a shooter sees the ball go in the hole, it gives him confidence.
The win that night moved Philadelphia into first place in the division, but unfortunately, they were not able to stay there. They barely made the playoffs as the 8 seed in the East and they upset the 1 seed Chicago Bulls in Round 1 before falling to the Boston Celtics in 7 tough games in the semifinals. [lawrence-related id=28342,28332,28321]