• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

76ers try to keep rolling with Pacers in town

Jan 9, 2012 - 3:39 PM (Sports Network) - A pair of the Eastern Conference's most improved teams square off in Philadelphia Monday as the 76ers play host to the Indiana Pacers.

The Sixers earned their fourth straight win on Saturday when Thaddeus Young scored 11 of his 12 points after halftime, and the 76ers used a huge final two quarters to rout Toronto, 97-62, at the Wells Fargo Center.

Andre Iguodala had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Philadelphia, which held a 56-28 scoring advantage in the second half. Jrue Holiday also scored 14 in the Sixers' fourth straight win. Their 5-2 start is their best since the 2000-01 season, when the Sixers won their first 10 games and went to the NBA Finals.

"Thad changed the whole game," Sixers coach Doug Collins said. "With his pick- and-roll defense, he absolutely changed the whole game with his speed."

The Sixers have dominated during their streak, winning by an average of 23.5 points per game thanks in large part to their defense, which is surrendering a league-low 85.6 ppg. Meanwhile, the Raptors' offensive output on Saturday was the lowest in the 15-year history of the Wells Fargo Center and the second- lowest total by any Philly opponent since the start of the 1985-86 season.

"It's all about playing defense. We know we can score. It's all about how we react and how we respond on defense," forward Elton Brand said.

About the only thing that went wrong for the Sixers was an injury to center Spencer Hawes, who left the game in the third quarter with a mid-back strain. Hawes, who leads the Sixers in rebounding, is questionable for tonight.

Indiana is also coming off a rout of its own on Saturday. The Pacers stayed unbeaten at home after Roy Hibbert posted 20 points and eight rebounds to help Indiana dominate the second half in a 99-77 rout of Charlotte.

The Pacers, who beat the Bobcats for the seventh straight time, held a 56-28 scoring advantage over the final 24 minutes.

Tyler Hansbrough contributed 15 points and Darren Collison ended with 14 points and eight boards for the Pacers, who have won back-to-back contests. Danny Granger shook off a sprained left ankle and scored 13 along with teammate George Hill.

"Slow start, strong finish," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. "Our second unit was great again."

At 6-2, Indiana is off to its best start since 2004-05.

The Sixers, who haven't won five in a row since Jan. 31-Feb. 9, 2010, split four meetings with the Pacers last season.