The energy was high, the crowd was pumped as the Philadelphia 76ers opened the 2012-13 season with an 84-75 win over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, Oct. 31, at the Wells Fargo Center.
The Sixers opened the season with a bang as Spencer Hawes led the team in points with 16. Hawes added 12 rebounds for a double-double and also added five blocks, two assists and two steals. New acquisition Dorell Wright and Jrue Holiday posted with 14 points each.
Before the game started, Sixers legends Moses Malone and Dikembe Mutombo were introduced and given standing ovations. It was clear Philadelphia was excited for a new player that was added this season, Andrew Bynum. Although Bynum is currently injured and recovering, his introduction in the beginning of the game with the rest of the team was louder than any other player announced that night.
Many fans at the game were extremely excited for this season.
“The Sixers are going to be undefeated and Spencer Hawes is going to have 200 blocks,” one fan, Brian, said. “And if Bynum can’t come back he will be the team’s biggest cheerleader. I believe they will be the number one seed. I think when Bynum comes back he will have a better afro than Nick Young, but time will tell.”
“I’m very excited about the Sixers season,” another fan, Jeff, said. “Everything is pretty dependent on the health of their new acquisition Andrew Bynum. I’m cautiously optimistic about Bynum’s health, which is the most important thing for the Sixers.”
“It’s going to be a good season and it’s a young team,” another fan, Courtney, said. “I’m a big supporter of Doug Collins and he can coach them just like a young team.”
It was an emotional night as Sixers fans started the season with Andre Iguodala, a former Philadelphia fan favorite, wearing another uniform. He had spent his first eight NBA seasons with the Sixers. Coincidentally, Iguodala was traded to the Nuggets. In true Philadelphia fashion, the fans weren’t as welcoming as they could have been. In the first half of the game a tribute was shown in honor of Iguodala. Clips were shown of him doing his notorious dunks and even the shot that he made to win the game during Game 6 in last year’s playoffs against the Chicago Bulls.
The dynamic duo of Jrue Holiday and Spencer Hawes worked extremely well together during the second half. Head coach Doug Collins kept running plays through them which worked to the team’s advantage. The Sixers shot only 35 percent (30-for-85) and were definitely out rebounded 54-47, but still managed to win their first home opener since 2007 and tip off their season on a high note.
