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Sixers stop shorthanded Cavs

Feb 12, 2012 - 6:22 AM Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Jrue Holiday led a balanced Philadelphia attack with 20 points as the 76ers rolled to a 99-84 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Lou Williams added 19 points, Thaddeus Young had 16, Elton Brand dropped in 11, and Jodie Meeks and Nikola Vucevic each contributed 10 as the Sixers snapped their season-high two-game losing streak.

"It was a big bounce-back game for us. We had to have it," said Brand. "It was as much of a must-win as we've had this season. We lost two tough games in a row, so we wanted to win this game."

Antawn Jamison paced the undermanned Cavaliers with 20 points, while Ramon Sessions and Alonzo Gee had 19 and 17, respectively, in the Cleveland's second straight loss and its sixth in the last nine games.

Cleveland was playing its third straight game without its No. 1 pick Kyrie Irving because of a concussion. The Cavs were also without guard Anthony Parker (lower back spasms) and center Anderson Varejao (broken right wrist).

"Like I told the guys, this is the NBA, guys get hurt. It provides opportunities for other guys and you just have to be ready to play," Cavaliers head coach Byron Scott said. "Hopefully, we'll get over this little hangover tonight and be ready to play Wednesday."

Cleveland recorded the first points of the game with an Omri Casspi runner before Philadelphia reeled off a 12-3 run.

The Cavaliers, though, responded with a 12-4 swing to take a one-point lead, 17-16, with less than three minutes left in the opening frame.

Sessions sank a jumper after a Vucevic layup to put Cleveland back on top, but that would be the last time the Cavaliers would have the lead.

Philadelphia recorded the final three points of the first and held a 21-19 advantage after one. The Sixers then opened the second quarter with nine straight points, part of an 18-4 spurt, to jump out to a 39-23 cushion.

Williams tallied seven straight Philly points in the run, while Gee scored all four of the Cavaliers' points.

The Sixers held a double digit lead for the remainder of the half, leading by as much as 21 points en route to a 58-41 halftime advantage.

Cleveland never got closer than 13 in the third quarter before taking a 79-60 deficit into the fourth, where they trailed by as much as 21.

Game Notes

Philadelphia improved to 6-4 on the road this season, while Cleveland fell to 5-7 at home...The Sixers' bench outscored the Cavaliers', 50-32...Cleveland held a 52-40 advantage on the glass and outscored Philadelphia, 44-40, in the paint.