Hakim Warrick scored 32 points and had the crowd buzzing after this dunk in the fourth quarter of Team Philly's 174-167 win over Team DC at Calvin Coolidge High School on Saturday. Photos by Colin A.J. Murphy

Before he became our nation’s 30th President, Calvin Coolidge was a notoriously quiet individual. One story tells of a woman approaching Coolidge at a dinner party and saying, “My husband bet me I couldn’t get three words out of you all night.” His response?

“You lose.”

At Coolidge’s namesake high school in Washington D.C. on Saturday night, Lou Williams, Kyle Lowry, Hakim Warrick and the rest of Team Philly made sure the same fate befell Kevin Durant, John Wall and Team DC, as Team Philly took a 174-167 victory in the latest edition of the “Basketball Never Stops” country-wide tour of NBA player exhibition games. Team Philly benefitted from a scintillating offensive performance by Williams, who led his team with 53 points as the City of Brotherly Love was able to withstand a game-high 56 points by Durant and a late charge from the Chocolate City to secure the victory. Lowry contributed 44 and Warrick 32 for Team Philly, while a late-arriving Wall racked up 38 in the loss.

What was a fast-paced and tremendously entertaining contest between the two cities comes on the heels of another depressing week of news from the NBA, as league commissioner David Stern officially cancelled the first two weeks of the season and has been outwardly pessimistic about the chances of an end to the labor dispute between players and owners.

“If it was up to me we’d be playing already,” said Williams after the game on Saturday night. “The players, we want to play. We want to be on the basketball court. But at the same time we want to be treated fairly and get a fair shake in the deal.”

Whatever “fair” turns out to be—if it does at all—the players were nonetheless able on Saturday to do as they have done all summer by delivering an exciting up-and-down run of dunks and rainbow three pointers, thrilling the small crowd of fans inside Coolidge High School’s gym, and giving us a bittersweet reminder of what we stand to miss in the absence of an NBA season.

HIGHLIGHTS

Still riding the high of a defeat of LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and the rest of Team Melo at the Palestra in Philadelphia last month, Team Philly were able to take their swagger on the road against Team DC, and they were by far the more aggressive team to start the game. They built a double-digit lead shortly into the first quarter on the strength of their fast breaks. Williams managed two consecutive steals and coast-to-coast finishes, the second one coming after he picked Durant’s pocket at the top of the key. The Sacramento Kings’ Jason Thompson, who finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds, was able to break free for a handful of dunks off of nice assists from Williams and Lowry. Even Dionte Christmas—yes, Dionte Christmas—made his name known to the crowd, nailing three consecutive three-pointers to put Philly up 36-22 late in the first quarter.

With Team DC looking flat and needing a shot in the arm, they got it with a minute remaining in the first quarter. John Wall—who was noticeable absent from pregame warmups—finally arrived, and he provided some speed and defense to the til’-that-point listless Team DC.

Despite not entering the building until close to the end of the first quarter, John Wall was still able to notch 38 points, 4 assists, and 4 steals for Team DC.

Still, Team Philly were able to extend their lead behind Williams and Lowry’s hot outside shooting, going up by as much as 27 in the second quarter. A slew of three-pointers by Durant and a handful of Jeff Green dunks allowed Team DC to claw their way to within 10 at 85-75 by halftime. Durant stayed hot from deep in the third quarter, while Wall’s 33 second-half points allowed Team DC to take a 121-119 lead late in the third.

But at that point, the show belonged to Williams. The 76ers guard dazzled the crowd with a burst of explosive dunks in traffic, then followed up by nailing three pointers on four straight possessions in the fourth quarter, nearly bringing the house down in the process. Team DC held close over the final five minutes, but the slow start was simply too much to overcome as the Williams-Lowry-Warrick trio combined for 73 second-half points, 35 by Williams.

The Philadelphia 76ers' Lou Williams unleashed a barrage of dunks, nifty finishes around the rim, and deep three pointers in the second half, scoring 35 second half points en route to a team-high 53 in Team Philly's 174-167 win over Team DC on October 15.

Kevin Durant had a game-high 56 points, but it wasn't enough to overcome to hot shooting of Lou Williams and Team Philly.

This dunk made for two of Lou Williams's 35 second-half points.

BOX SCORE

SNAPSHOTS

View a full photo album of this game. Also be sure to check out our photo galleries from other recent NBA exhibitions in D.C., Baltimore, and Philadelphia.

For more coverage of all of the NBA exhibitions this summer and fall, return to The Voice Sports Blog in full.

To see highlights of this game and others, visit The Mars Reel.

For daily NBA content, visit Hoopspeak and Truth About It.