Nets-76ers Preview
(AP) -- As the New Jersey Nets continue to struggle on the road, the Philadelphia 76ers are again a disappointment at home.
Both teams hope to reverse those trends for at least one night when the Nets look to avoid a fifth straight road loss and hand the 76ers a fourth consecutive defeat overall Saturday.
After winning four games away from home last season, New Jersey (5-10) won two of its first four on the road before losing four in a row.
Coming of an impressive 107-101 overtime win over Atlanta on Tuesday, the Nets fell 89-83 at Boston the next night. Devin Harris scored 20 points, Anthony Morrow had 18 and Kris Humphries added 11 rebounds as New Jersey managed 37 second-half points.
The Nets have been held to fewer than 90 points in three of four road contests.
Though New Jersey went 0-4 against the 76ers last season, both meetings in Philadelphia were decided by a combined 14 points.
Those were two of Philadelphia's 12 home wins last season - half of its home win total from 2008-09.
The 76ers (3-13) are 2-4 at home, beating Milwaukee 90-79 at Wells Fargo Center for their most recent victory Nov. 19.
Thaddeus Young had 23 points and Lou Williams added 19 in that contest, but the pair combined for 15 in Friday's 99-90 loss at Miami.
Philadelphia, which received 21 points off the bench from Jodie Meeks and 20 from Andre Iguodala, trailed by two after three quarters but succumbed to a 12-2 Miami run. The 76ers have lost by fewer than 10 points eight times.
"They put so much work into this," coach Doug Collins said. "It just rips at my gut that they can't taste a win."
The 76ers have a good chance to get over the hump against the Nets, who averaged 87.3 points and shot 41.9 percent versus Philadelphia last season.
Injuries and illness kept Harris out of all four games against the 76ers in 2009-10. The Nets point guard has averaged 23.5 points on 15-of-27 shooting in his last two contests.
Though New Jersey has struggled, Humphries has played well of late. The journeyman forward has averaged 10.0 points and 11.9 rebounds in eight games since joining the starting lineup.
"You've got to put yourself in the position where you can get the most opportunity, try to perform and help the team do well when you're out there," Humphries told the Nets' official website. "And hopefully you get the opportunity and the minutes. Other than trying to be ready and play hard and do what they ask you to do, there's not much you can do."
Iguodala has averaged 18.4 points in 12 home games versus New Jersey and 20.0 in his last three contests overall.
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