Igcredible

Here were my texts starting midway in the third:

• If Sixers could box out they'd be up by 30.
• Sixers blowing it.
• Sixers suck.
• Sixers awful. Total shit.
• Totally choking now.
• Sixers will be booed off the court when they lose this game.
• Miracle!

Check out this stat: Sixers were crushed on the boards, 56 to 33. The Sixers only had FIVE second chance points, the first coming with 8 minutes left in the game, and the Bulls had 29 second chance points. 56 is the most rebounds ever allowed by the Sixers in a playoff game. Their shooting in the second half was brutal but yet somehow they still won the game.

The Sixers were assisted in the win by the Bulls who were stupid enough to pass it to Omer Asik when they were trying to run out the last ticks on the clock. The Sixers immediately fouled Asik and he immediately bricked 2 free throws. Iguodala got the rebound and took it right at him at the other end and drew a foul. Iguodala MIRACULOUSLY drained 2 huge, clutch free throws with 2.2 seconds left for the 79-78 win.

So the Sixers clinched the series thanks to Andre Iguodala's late game free throw shooting. Exactly what he's know for, right? (33% shooting from the line in the final 3 minutes of games) And the Sixers actually won 3 of this series' games by single digits. Exactly what they're known for right? In the regular season the Sixers were 2 and 25 when they were behind entering the 4th quarter, but versus the Bulls they were 2 for 2.

On to hated Boston.

There's always next year x 100

Flyers had more talent, had the "better" coach, blah blah blah. Yet once again they were easily disposed of by a team that played better as a team. The Devils outworked, outplayed, and outsmarted the Flyers in all but 2 periods in 5 games.

There are too many players to blame for this dismal showing so I'll just say everyone from the coach down to the players watching in the pressbox is to blame. You may have other ideas in the comments.

Flyers play like chumps, Lose to Devils, 4-2

Game 4 was pretty much the same story as game 3: The Flyers were forechecked into oblivion, turned the puck over about a hundred times, spent most of the game bottled up in their own end, and were doubled up in shots. Thanks mostly to an outstanding effort by Bryzgalov, the game remained tied until late in the second when Zubrus scored after Henrique won yet another battle for the puck in the corner. In the third period, Zubrus added an empty net goal to seal the victory. He also took a cheap headshot from Claude Giroux at the end of the second period, a possible suspension worthy offense.

It is hard to pinpoint any real goats when all Flyers skaters were completely dominated, but Grossman, Jagr and Simmonds had especially poor games. Like us fans, Laviolette could only yell and scream in frustration at the team. His go to tactic of calling a "crucial" time out was ineffective for the third straight game.

Flyers lose again

Flyers have more talent, Devils have the better team. Oh well.

I don't feel like writing a recap.

Sixers win!

The Chicago Bulls played a third quarter like the Flyers played the second and third periods and got outscored 36-14. Pretty impressive Sixers. Of the starters, Holiday and Turner did the majority of the damage with Williams being great off the bench and Allen chipping in with a lot of quality minutes. So with the 109-92 win, the Sixers even the series with the Derrick Rose-less Bulls.

At least someone had a good night. (The Phillies also beat the Braves 4-2, but it ain't the playoffs...)

Terrible

How can a team go from looking like world beaters to looking like the Toronto Maple Leafs in the span of 2 days? And the ironic part of this horrible effort is that Bryzgalov played great. If not for him it would have been another 10 goals against game.

The Flyers for a change came out on fire and scored early thanks to a bad angle shot by Read. Briere put another off the crossbar and the Flyers had several other good chance. After one period the Flyers were up 1-0, but they still were really sloppy and gave up a lot of good chances to the Devils.

The second was brutal the entire period except for Bryzgalov. The Flyers only 2 shots of the ENTIRE period came in the final minute. The majority of the period was played in the Flyers end. Absolutely pathetic. The second intermission did nothing to change things and it was only a matter of time before the Devils scored. And then they deservedly scored another, and then another. And then an empty net goal to make the final 4-1. The Flyers did nothing in response.

The Devils dominated the final 2 periods and deserved to win the game by 8 to 1 or more. Seemed like the Flyers thought they'd just have to show up (just like they thought in game 4 vs. the Penguins) and they'd just waltz to victory. Doesn't anybody ever learn?