One Last Spectrum Memory

``Good Evening, Ladies and Gentleman--and Welcome'' was the way ``The Zink,'' legendary announcer Dave Zinkoff would meet and greet the fans when they entered the Spectrum.

While Zink is now calling plays in a higher arena, this was the night the Sixers commemorated him and others of an era gone by, playing for real against longtime rival Michael Jordan’s old team, the Chicago Bulls.

And while neither of these teams figures to do anything memorable this season, at least the game lived up to the magnitude of the occasion. Leading by 13 points early in the fourth the Sixers saw the Bulls come to life and take the lead, before Andre Iguodala’s free throw and Thaddeus Young late dunk saved the night, 104-101.

Young posted his second straight solid performance, scoring a career high 31 points, Iguodala was next with 25, while Andre Miller added 13 and handed out 13 assists. And don’t forget big man Samuel Dalembert, who hauled down 19 rebounds and blocked Bulls’ rookie sensation Derrick Rose’s attempted game-winner in the final seconds.

Rose still wound up leading the Bulls with 20, while former Sixer John Salmons, Kirk Hinrich and Brad Miller scored 14 apiece.


The evening got off to a rousing start with saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, in tribute to the late Grover Washington Jr. , played a moving rendition of the National Anthem.

Then it was time for the introductions of representatives of the franchise’s two championship teams who played in the building, 1967 and 1983. Only Wali Jones turned out for the late Alex Hannum’s ’67 team, which starred The ``Big Dipper,’’ Wilt Chamberlain, along with Hal Greer, Chet “The Jet’’ Walker, Luke Jackson and sixth man Billy Cunningham.

The ’83 champs, coached of course, by Cunningham, were represented by starters Marc Iavoroni, Moses Malone and the incomparable Julius Erving, sixth man Bobby Jones and reserves Earl Cureton, Franklin Edwards, Clemon Johnson and Reggie Johnson.

With impressionist Joe Conklin sounding Zink-like, the introduction were completed, before Doctor J. stepped to the podium to speak for the players. ``On behalf of those here tonight and hundreds of other Sixers who have been a part of this franchise’s history, I’d like to say thank you to the fans of Philadelphia and fans all over the world,’’ said Doc. ``More than two decades ago at my retirement I was able to stand here and issue a challenge to the franchise—to become a better franchise.

``I think they’ve done everything here but win a championship. Now I’d like to issue a new challenge to the players here—who one day will be old like us—to be great ambassadors and play hard.

Shortly after that Young became the first player to score in the Spectrum since the Sixers moved across the street in 1996, only to see Chicago’s Joachim Noah throw down the first dunk.at the other end.

The Bulls used that impetus to grab as much as a 22-16 lead late in the period, before Lou Williams’ shot at the buzzer cut it to 23-22 after one.<

Philaddelphia began to tighten up at the defensive end in the second, taking a 36-33 lead on baskets by Iguodala and Young. Chicago battled back to tie on Brad Miller's dunk, only to see the Sixers counter with a 9-4 spurt, going up 45-40 on A. Miller's jumper. At the half, though, it was down to 48-47.

The game remained tight into the third, the lead see-sawing on virtually every possession. But late in the period the Sixers went on a 9-0 run, seizing their biggest lead of the night, 76-67on Young’s three-point play, followed by Miller’s putback. They still weren’t done, converting a steal into an Iguodala hoop, as they finished off a 13-2 run to head to the fourth up 80-69.

Maurice Speights promptly increased that to 82-69, putting the Sixers suddenly on the verge of a rout. Speights followed that up with a pair of dunks, the latter coming down straight on Rose’s head.>

But Chicago wouldn’t go away, outscoring Philadelphia 13-4 over the next two minutes former Sixers Tim Thomas draining a 3-pointer that cut it to 86-82 at the 7:54 mark. Moments later it was tied, 88-88, when Thomas buried another from behind the line.

Now it was the Sixers turn to respond, with Young scoring in close, then Samuel Dalembert snatching an offensive rebound, then swishing one from the corner when left unchallenged. Again the Bulls had the answer, as the clock ticked inside two minutes knotted, 96-96.<

A. Miller’s free throw put Philly ahead. Then, after Thomas’ driving layup spilled out, Miller sank two more at the stripe. .B. Miller followed up his own miss to make it a one-point game, only to see Iguodala drive for two, then block Ben Gordon’s potential game-tying trey at the other end. But on the ensuing possession Gordon followed up a desperation Thomas missed 3-ball with a 3-pointer to tie it again, 101-101.

When Iguodala hit just one of two freebies at the other end, the Bulls had the ball down 102-101 with 22.1 seconds remaining. Six other times this year in similar circumstances the Sixers had managed to lose. But this one would not get away, as Dalembert rejected Rose’s driving layup attempt, sending Young away for an uncontested slam.

When Gordon’s heavily contested 3-pointer in the dying seconds spilled into Dalembert’s arms, the 2009 Sixers had given the Spectrum a fitting going away present victory.<