Farewell Korver

Ed Stefanski has made his first major move as GM and it was to trade Kyle Korver in an obvious salary cap-reducing move. The Sixers take back Gordan Giricek and a first round draft pick (that we might not exercise for 7 years). I personally am a little upset. I know some people didn't like the contract Korver had but it was not that bad when he was playing to his strengths (spotting up along the perimeter, making hustle plays, embracing the 6th man role). The problem is that this team cannot afford to stock up with great role players when they don't have any core franchise guys in place. We clear more money, still have to sign Iguodala (we are planning on that still right?), and still have to decide what to do with Miller. Rebuilding 101 states that you need to gut your team of all guys not on their rookie contracts or not providing obvious benefits if you plan to turn the team over. Korver unfortunately suffered on the "business" end of the NBA. He's a good player for his strengths. He never tried to do too much and he played hard to make up for what he lacked in natural ability. He's also a great person and one that will be missed in Philly. After Iverson, it was possible that Korver was the next fan favorite. Can't stay attached to guys on the roster when the team is not in contention of anything. Good luck to you Kyle. Utah will give you a nice shot at something bigger.

Sixers Playing Strong Lately

If you've tuned out during the holidays, let me remind you that the Sixers have won 7 of their last 10. It's overall team play, sparked by special performances by Iguodala and Miller, that have keyed this. I know many are wondering if Andre Miller is stepping up his play to market himself for trades but you can't focus on that. The NBA is a business and if he gets traded, he gets traded. He know that but has to play through it anyway. The bottom line is that it's more fun to win than to lose so why would he not put forth his best effort night in and night out to help the team win? I'm happy that he's currently playing great. This team is developing the identity I said they so poorly lacked at the start of the season. They are scrappy, they know they have to fight for every last inch, they know they have to cut down turnovers, play great defense, and have resiliency down the stretch. Check out the evidence - they have the 6th best defense in the league, that's right behind teams like Detroit, Boston, and San Antonio. You've also seen Iguodala drain a game winner at the buzzer and the team rally after the Heat cut their lead to 3 late in the game. Those are all signs of maturity that weren't there at the start of the season. Of course, the Sixers are still only 12-16 and not a true threat to any elite team, but they are progressing and developing guys and that is what you want.

In Defense Of Dalembert

I myself have been harsh at times over the play of Samuel Dalembert. As a Sixer fan, can you really blame me? He was given a large contract that many felt overstated his value and he is currently the highest paid player on the team. Many people complain over his court awareness, discipline, seeming lack of go-to moves, and general basketball IQ, but it's hard to argue the Sixers are better off without him. He definitely changes the game when he is on the floor because of his shotblocking ability. One of the easier things to do as a "shotblocker" is rotate from the weak side to block a shot - the opponent doesn't account for you rolling over. This is how Dalembert racks up most of his blocks and that's fine because you start to make the opponent coming into the lane think about you and alter their shot. Good centers have this effect on opponents. It's even better when you can guard your man straight up and block his shot if he pulls up for a jumper. Against Minnesota, Dalembert had 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 blocks - those blocks coming in a variety of methods and the final one turning away a possible tying basket with 15 seconds left. Sammy also shot 5-8 from the field and was 8-8 from the line.

My point is that it's time for most fans to start looking closer at Dalembert and stop accusing him of the faults that you did a couple of years back. He has progressed but most people are not paying attention this year to notice. The Sixers are an absolutely better team with him on the floor. He does not make me half as nervous when he pulls up for a 10-footer or backs down a man in the lane and floats a turnaround hook shot. I won't sit and argue that every night he justifies his contract, but on this team - a team who will be $15 million under the cap this summer - what is the big issue? He's not dead weight. He's not sitting the bench injured and making a fortune. He's contributing nightly. Consider this comparison:

S. Dalembert $10.25mill / 11.2ppg / 8.9rpg / 2.5blk pg / .54FG%
Jermaine O'Neal $19.73mill / 15.3ppg / 7.9rpg / 1.6blk pg / .44FG%

Now I know O'Neal is relied on more in that offense and has been banged up but who would you rather have for the money? It may be time for more people to give Dalembert a new chance.

New York, New York...Thanks for the Wins!

I'm sitting here watching the Sixers vs. Rockets game and the Sixers are winning in every facet of the game. Iguodala just threw down an incredible breakaway windmill dunk. I like the potential of a 3-game win streak going here...

Anyway, it was a nice weekend with beating the Knicks on back-to-back nights by a combined 39 points. I was there on Friday and the Sixers just flat out played better. It was one of those nights where nothing in particular happened. Dalembert had a nice game overall with 20 points and 8 boards but the Sixers just played great as a team.

Saturday night the Sixers won again, beating the Knicks at MSG in grand fashion. Due to a prior commitment, I was not able to watch this one but had my eye on the score throughout via the good old phone updates. I've seen the Sixers play a great first half this year and then let a lead melt away, but this appeared to be in hand throughout the second half as well. (Sidenote: the Sixers are up 26 right now at the end of the 3rd and looking pretty good. McGrady is now out with a sprained ankle but if he plays next game we'll know how serious it was.) What I've noticed in the past couple of games is that Korver is getting his rhythm back and it's very good news. Andre Miller has looked good also. He has been shooting with efficiency and really distributing the ball well. In the end, it's been about the Sixers' attention to defense and creating a good amount of turnovers that have led to easy offense.

One more thing about Saturday's game...I had a lot of respect for David Lee as a player because he is gritty and a good rebounder. But now, after that cheap flagrant foul on Lou Williams, which broke Lou's toe, I'm finding him to be a bit of a thug. He was mad that Lou kept shredding the weak Knicks defense and took it out on him while he was in the air defenseless. Really should have warranted a Flagrant Type 2 but I think the win will be worth it in the end. What's with the Knicks? They made an offseason trade that hasn't done much of anything and would probably really like that Eddy Curry trade back too. People picked the Sixers to finish dead last in the East this season and, while it's far too early to make bold claims, it's seeming that most people would rather be in the Sixers' shoes than the Knicks. Sixers are playing inspired ball with a young team and they will have $15 million or more in cap room after the year. Too early to tell really. All in all, one of these days I want to pull off attending the full Sixers-Knicks home and home series.

Goodbye Billy King!

I had wanted to touch on the past couple of games but today's news is certainly more noteworthy. Billy King's 10-year tenure as the Sixers' GM is over. While many Sixers fans have been calling for his departure for years now, the move comes at a surprising time. King finally sucked it up and traded Iverson last year and bought out Chris Webber's contract, moves that indicated he'd finally realized the need to blow up the current team and rebuild. He was even kept through the draft and helped make the selections and (unsuccessfully) attempted draft night trades. Everyone expected the Sixers to be in the position they are now. In fact, some people are quietly admitting that they are playing better than even thought and King is let go. The man who is in the middle of orchestrating the breakdown and rebuild of the team will not be here to see it through to completion.

Ed Snider has stood by King for many years and even appointed him the President of the team after the spot had been vacant for a couple years following Croce's resignation. Now I admit that I haven't been the biggest fan of King because he seemed slightly more like a puppet than a GM. When he first arrived, with Larry Brown, you got the feeling that Brown was influencing the moves. You think King would have really signed Greg Buckner, a defensive minded role player in the Larry Brown style, to that contract on his own? Now I fully blame him for the signings of Lee Nailon and Kenny Thomas, the trades for Van Horn and Glenn Robinson, and passing on Dirk Nowitzki and Paul Pierce in the '98 draft in favor of Larry Hughes (Like Brown didn't want Paul Pierce?? A stud from Kansas, the very team Brown coached to a championship had to be his pick over a young high schooler who he typically hates). I can't blame him for the signing of Dalembert like most people do because he had to do it. Sammy was a restricted free agent and everyone knew the Hawks were in the market and clearly drove his price up. At the time, there were no centers around and he had just showed promise by averaging close to 12 points and 13 rebounds in the playoff series against the Pistons.

In my mind, King's finest moment was in '98 when he traded Eric Montross and Jerry Stackhouse, a good player who couldn't have been successful next to Iverson long-term, for Aaron McKie and Theo Ratliff. These players, along with Iverson, were the core of Sixers' rebuild and string of playoff runs - culminating in the 2001 season when the Sixers went to the Finals and McKie won the Sixth Man award and Ratliff was traded to bring in Mutombo who won Defensive Player of the Year. (Random sidenote about Stackhouse: Does anyone remember in 2001 when he averaged close to 30 ppg? Probably not but he did.)

Anyway, I'd be interested to see what incoming GM Ed Stefanski's first order of business is. I would like him to retain Cheeks and supply him with players that can develop and compete within 2 years. Cheeks does not deserve to be fired when he does not have the true means to win with this team. I'm all for shopping around guys like Andre Miller and Dalembert who might bring in prospects, picks, or extra cap relief.

Notes on the Jazz Game

I don't want to spend much time commenting on the game last night against the Jazz because it went as expected. Last year, the Sixers beat the Jazz at home and it was surprising to see quite frankly. This year, the Jazz are a better team and the Sixers are a worse team so the outcome was easy to figure. I just want to note that Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer are going to be a formidable duo in this league for a while. Boozer has great size/strength and also a nice touch from either hand. He really asserts himself in the lane. Williams has matured quickly and it's nice to see a true PG developing - someone in the likeness of a Jason Kidd. Jazz fans should notice a strong resemblance to a former great duo they used to have - Stockton and Malone.

Imagine if Boozer hadn't fled Cleveland just a few seasons ago but actually stuck around and continued to play with LeBron. Hard to say that team wouldn't be the class of the East.

I'm heading to the Wizards game tomorrow. Sixers are right in the middle of a '5 games in 4 nights' stretch but I think they have a shot tomorrow. Gilbert Arenas is out and having Korver back now could make a difference.

Sixers Come Up Just Short

This picture says it all - how the Sixers have a lack of a reliable go-to scorer in crunch time. They lost to the Warriors in overtime last night despite having a 12-point lead at halftime. They shot well, rebounded well, played nice defense, and hustled in the first half, however, several of those elements did not carry over to the second half. Iguodala settled for a jumper at the end of regulation from a spot that he's not in love with but came back to put them up by one with a superb driving, hanging, high-off-the-glass basket with under a minute in OT. After the Warriors took the lead on a 3-pointer by Kelenna Azubuike (yes, Kelenna Azubuike), the Sixers went to Lou Williams for the needed basket with about 6 seconds left. Now I don't necessarily have a problem with the ball going to Lou here. Iguodala had his chance and usually will get his number called, and sometimes there will be plays set for Korver when he is available, but after them Lou is the next best option because of his speed and ability to create (you could argue Willie Green but he seems to have a lot of turnovers while driving and hadn't shot well). Lou looked like he had an angle to the basket and the speed to get around Monta Ellis, but he slipped on something and tossed the ball futilely at the basket. It was weird being there and having it just kind of end awkwardly, the crowd really didn't seem sure about what happened since it looked like he might have gotten fouled. No foul. Game over.

This team has been in a few spots this year where they have needed one shot at the end of the game. It succeeded in Chicago and against Portland, but not last night and not the other night at Detroit. Just tough when so many games are ending up close and that one go-to type of player could key it for us.

Another thing I'm starting to notice that is troubling is the play of Rodney Carney. It does not seem as if he has progressed in the past year. He still does his drive floater and dunks from the wing. He also still has his hustle but he has not stepped up to take it to another level on defense and lock out guys on the wing. They seem to be able to drive around him and consistently make plays. I'm not surprised he's starting to lose more and more minutes to Thaddeus Young. Something to monitor when the rumors have started about packaging him with Miller in some trade offers...

Rollins NL MVP!

Congratulations to Jimmy Rollins who won the NL MVP today. Although he didn't have all of the numbers of Matt Holliday in regards to average, HRs, and RBI, he achieved some significant milestones this year. He also played in every single game and played a valued position (also getting a Gold Glove). Perhaps the thing he will most be remembered for was famously claiming the Phillies were the team to beat and then leading them all year and winning the division on the last day from the reigning champ Mets. Congrats Jimmy!

What A Game!

What a great game last night. More people should have been there to witness it but for those of us who were, it was great. The announced attendance was 11,483 which means that there were about 9,000 more fans that could have witnessed something fun and special. It did not, however, start out all that special . The Sixers were losing by 18 at half and were only shooting 30%. Apparently a rousing halftime speech (i.e. tirade) by Cheeks got through to the team. They did go down at one point by 25 in the 3rd but then Lou Williams entered the game....

I know many people saw what Lou did in the summer leagues and had some seriously guarded optimism. Could he maintain that level of play? Many early season indications are that he can indeed play at a high level in the NBA and it's exciting to see the pick start to pan out. He has come into some games already this year and given a great boost to the team when they've needed it. He came in and was hitting shots, getting steals, dishing assists, and just being a playmaker in general. The crowd was really responding well to his play too. He finished the game at +15 (gotta love the new +/- stats!).

It was a strange night in general because Dalembert got in early foul trouble and couldn't stay on the floor and the Sixers were already without Korver. Miller was replaced by Williams and it was interesting to see the lineup of Williams, Ollie, Young, Smith, and Iguodala making it happen. Check out that average age when you take away Ollie. At one point in the 4th I got a text from my buddy stating, "Win or lose, gotta love the heart of the young guys". He was right, it was great to see them step up and give the effort and play as a team and get rewarded for it. You cannot get down on this team and demand to much from them, nor can you wish them to tank for picks. You want them to progress and develop and last night was a great step for a lot of guys and the team psyche as a whole. I especially loved the defense they started playing and the discipline they exhibited to shift with the passing and not take stupid fouls. After LaMarcus Aldridge posted up a few times on Smith, Cheeks reinserted Dalembert who did a wonderful job of denying Aldridge on the next possession. Kudos to Iguodala for stepping up and hitting not only the go ahead free throws but also the jumper with about 30 seconds to go that put them up 3. Great postgame vibe and it was neat to see Iguodala giving the fans who were there some love by heading into the stands. Definitely will be one of the more memorable games this season.

The Season So Far

I haven't been able to post a lot of material lately due mostly to me being busy and out of town but I've still paid close attention to the team. They say the easiest teams to comment on consistently are ones that are either good or bad; mediocre teams are tough to write about because there is no consistency. I'm stating plainly that this Sixers team is expectantly less than mediocre. We knew that going into the season. The things that have plagued them in the early-going are the obvious factors of no depth, no consistent scoring threat, and no semblance of a half-court offense. They can certainly score on the fastbreak but the more I think about it, what NBA team can't score on a fastbreak?? I know some teams like the Suns and Mavs use this as a strategy and truly excel at it but most teams certainly have the ability to score on a break. I just don't see who on this team can carry us in scoring down the stretch when we need a basket. Andre is not yet at the point where he can create his own shot through defenders AND drain it from most places on the floor. He seems to do only one of the two. There have been times where Lou Williams has taken big shots down the stretch and this is mostly because he has the hot hand at the time. Now Korver is out with this groin injury.....

Tangent Warning: To tell you the truth, I was worried about this injury in the preseason because those things linger. It's clear it's bothering him if now he is missing the most significant time of his career. I don't necessary think that's what is contributing to him missing shots more so than before though. I think his play right now is a factor of what they are forcing him to do each night. Korver is not Rip Hamilton with an ability to run off screens and knock down all kinds of mid-range jumpers nor is he Kobe or Iverson with the ability to consistently hit off-balance shots. Korver is best used in penetration-kickout plays where he can get a good look and set shot from the perimeter. Right now he's not being used in that regard. Don't put blame on him when he's not in a great position to succeed.

.....anyway, the team is understandably struggling and this is what was fully expected. It's not fair to overlook some highlights and strengths though. I do like how this team is playing overall better defense than we've seen in the past few years. Cheeks has gotten them to subscribe to a system he's probably been trying to implement for years. They are forcing some people into some tough shots, blocking shots, and getting decent rebounding (yes, that is mostly from the addition of Reggie Evans who is also being asked to perform in a role that's not his strength but I appreciate the effort). They still have to identify where guys are succeeding on the floor and react to that like in the case of Mo Peterson the other night.

It's a shame to see the Wachovia Center so empty but you can understand the reasoning. We shouldn't be surprised by this. Teams who struggle don't get crowds. Even the Sacramento Kings finally broke their long standing sell-out streak this season. Actually the Hornets draw less than the Sixers but they deserve more fans with the way they are playing in that division. I'm heading to the Portland game tonight for the first of many tickets I have this year. Trying to do my part people!

First Game, First Loss

I didn't find the need to give a preseason projection of the Sixers because of the overwhelming consensus that they will be a mediocre to bad team. This is expected and we cannot get mad about it. This team will struggle throughout the course of the season. They do not have a true identity and that is something people look for. They aren't known for offensive flash, defensive lockdown, fast-breaks, shooter's touch, etc. They have people that can exhibit those various qualities but no overall team identity. They have young talent that is developing and need to focus on making sure everyone matures and grows during the season. Cheer for them to win because that is the best way for this team to grow - to experience ups and downs and fighting in the 4th and holding leads etc.

That being said, I enjoyed the opnener last night. I was watching for a couple things in particular: how Dalembert looked back from injury, what role Reggie Evans played, how Jason Smith did, and minor other things that will take time to sort out. Specifically I wanted to see if the team as a whole looked like they knew it was the first game and played that way. Had the coaching staff prepared them well enough? We knew the constants - that Miller would do his thing, that Iguodala would have his typical numbers with probable increase in turnovers, and that Korver would do his typical thing that I really embrace off the bench. Those were spot on. Getting back to the others, I found I was impressed with Jason Smith as a whole. Yes, he missed cuts and was overwhelmed at points but I liked his effort and his ability to adjust and keep fighting. By the end of the year, we will be happy we got him and he will gain much more this season than Thaddeus Young. Dalembert was his typical self, taking a few ill-advised jumpers that are not his game, blocking shots, and playing with energy but I was a little worried he might not be ready to be back. Remember Marc Jackson's stress fracture a few years ago? It took him a while to come back. Hopefully this isn't something that lingers because I want him out there and I want him commanding the paint and stepping up. Reggie Evans I loved. Finally we have a pure rebounder that has that nose for the ball. Amazing how he has 15 rebounds in 22 mins of play. I can guarantee I'll be marveling at his rate all year. The only thing is that he's probably best suited for 22 mins off the bench and not in a starter's role. Overall, nice comeback, effort, and sharing of the ball. the only problem was what happened to get them behind so much so fast. Was it lapse of judgment? Mismatches? Poor shooting? Hard to say. This teams will struggle for stretches in games all year. I just hope they have the will and the determination to fight through it and bear down and develop for the future.

Calm Down

I find the need to clarify a couple things before moving on. Apparently some people are up in arms about opinions expressed on here. Calm down people. When I list MY favorite NBA moments, I can have anything on there I want. Am I saying Iguodala is THE GREATEST dunker? By no means. Am I saying the Sixers' Finals game was the greatest game ever played? Probably not, but it was my favorite. I enjoy all of the comments because they lead to great discussion. To further calm down a few people (but maybe fire up others), I will say that I find Vince Carter to be the greatest in-game dunker of all time. His highlights are ridiculous and he has a boatload of them. That said, I still find the Iguodala dunk to be my favorite for various reasons. Dispute it all you want, but I love it.

I also will go so far as to say that dunks in "big" games don't necessarily make the dunk more of a highlight. A great dunk happens anytime. It's still only worth 2 points in the end. Yes, it has the ability to fire up the crowd and shift momentum, but the athletic aspect of it can happen anytime. To me, the most clutch dunk was Dwight Howard's last year that was an in-bounding alley-oop over Duncan at the buzzer to win it. That was just awesome.

Check it out:

My Nemesis Is On The Move

Throughout the course of my fanhood, there have been many a foe that I have richly booed as they made their way through Philadelphia. There are those players that you boo because they are the star on the other team, there are ones you boo for being flamboyant or animated, ones you boo because they just stuck a dagger in you and then taunt the crowd, and various other reasons. There has been one player in my lifetime that I have despised more than anyone else and that is one Antoine Walker. I can tell you quite clearly where the hate developed: the 2002 playoff series against the Celtics. That Sixers team was the defending Eastern Conference Champs and dropped to the 6th seed in the playoffs in the last few days of the regular season (thanks in no small part to a "gimme" game they blew in Chicago). This was also when the first round used to be a five game series. Boston took the first two games and the series came back to Philadelphia. The next two games were incredibly memorable because the Sixers won both in thrilling fashion. Game 3 was eeked out thanks to Derrick Coleman somehow dusting it off to tip in a huge basket and Game 4 was won by Iverson leading the way and drilling a pump-fake jumper at the elbow to clinch it. Game 5 back in Boston.

Now I won't go into much detail other than to say the game was close until the 4th and then the Sixers had no shot. The Celts hit every single shot they threw in the air. I was stunned and will never forget it. They scored 42 points in the quarter mostly on 3's. The Sixers, realizing the season was over, pulled their starters but Boston kept shooting. Then it happened. After hitting a 3 in the corner in front of the Sixers bench, Antoine Walker turned around and looked at Iverson and did his trademark shimmy. A classless move that was rewarded with an immediate technical and him being pulled from the game. Afterward during the post-game press conference he looked in the camera and said plainly, "I don't like Philly and so I'm even happier to knock them out". Now as fans, we need something to drive us, to give us motivation to hate an element of our rivals. This did it for me. I always disliked the Celts but now it was stronger, and I viewed Walker as the epitome of our nemesis. Yes it was me taking it to another level but why not? Why not be passionate in your likes AND dislikes?

I've always viewed Walker as overrated and I think his track record is starting to speak for itself. How come he can't latch on anywhere? Dallas didn't want him. Neither did Atlanta, the Celtics again, and now Miami. This is a man who, supposedly in the prime of his career, had the lowest FG% of any player in the league who averaged at least 8 points. In 2005-06, he was DEAD LAST in the league in plus/minus rating. Try on these career stats for size: FG% - .415/3P% - .325/FT% - .635. Tell me why you're not begging for him to come to your team? He has slow footwork, poor defensive rotation, a propensity to throw away passes to the wing, the desire to hoist 3's at inopportune times, and has famously been suspended by Pat Riley for being overweight. I really don't find the need to go on, I'm done, I've said what I've wanted. He's on the move to Minnesota so at least he won't have as many opportunities to hit the Sixers with another late-game dagger and shimmy and stick it to me more.

Kobe To Be Traded?

Interesting that I would choose to talk about Kobe since I've always been cheering against him most of my life (with the exception being when he suits up for Team USA), but this situation is interesting. It should be even more interesting to those of us in Philadelphia since we seem to follow Kobe so closely. True, we are not thrilled that he calls here home and then, in his words, "came back to rip out their hearts" during the Finals, but this situation should mirror another one we've seen recently. I'm referring to the Iverson trade situation not even one year ago. A lot of the same signs are there: player growing older, team falling from the peak it once enjoyed, a youth rebuiliding movement which does not compliment player's abilities, player finally hinting that they might have to move on, rumors flying everywhere, and constant refusal by both player and management to comment on the situation as it wears on.

There is a third player to join in this discussion and that is Kevin Garnett. A lot of the same things surrounded him prior to his departure from Minnesota. What I find especially interesting is that those three players had/have the longest tenures in the league with one team. Rewind 3-4 years ago and tell me you really thought any of them would end their careers with other teams. Now it's likely it will be a reality for all three. I really find it interesting that no matter what players say, and how much I believe they are truthful about loving a place, they want to contend and win. It throws the whole notion that "all players care about is money" out the window. I know some leave for the money in free agency but I think a lot try to put themselves in successful positions, more so as their careers wind on. Webber, Mourning, Payton, Malone....they all tried to do this and a couple have been successful, others not.

The Kobe situation would mark the end of an era in LA where they were always in the playoff hunt. The same sentiments are echoed in Minnesota and Philadelphia. The key to returning to that status is how you rebuild. San Antonio has become the Patriots of the NBA in that they have built a great system and find players to fit that system, thus they have contended for 8 years straight now. The Hawks can't get it right no matter how many top-5 picks they get. The one I'm intrigued with is Chicago. It took the Bulls too long to rebuild after Jordan's retirement mainly due to the fact that they made poor personnel decisions such as trading away promising players like Elton Brand, Ron Artest, and Brad Miller for less then equal value. Now they seem to have it right. They have built up a wealth of young, marketable, tradable talent. They are in prime position to put together a package deal for a marquee player. This could be their time with Kobe. The Lakers could take back Deng, Gordon, one of the younger guys (Thomas/Noah), and a pick for Kobe. That's not THAT bad of a deal. And don't start about Kobe not wanting to play in Jordan's shadow. Please, do you know the man? He wants to prove himself better. That destination makes the most sense because it also removes him from the West. Trade him to the Mavs and he will burn LA everytime he comes through. We will probably know soon enough...

Favorite NBA Moments

Now I have been a Sixers fan for 25 years and that means I've been a fan of the NBA at large for just as long. While I am 100% dedicated to the Sixers, I still respect other players (not usually ones from Boston though) and can marvel at good plays. I'd like to take a minute to count down some of my all-time favorite NBA highlights. Obviously there will be a strong Sixers representation because I naturally enjoy those more. I was going to do my favorite all-time Iverson highlights but I will save that for a special that will run the week of his return on March 19th. Chime in with your thoughts.

5. Andre Iguodala alley-oop on Pacers (3/26/06). This is just ridiculous in every sense of the word. Look at the feed by Iverson, the elevation Iguodala gets, the reach Iguodala gets, and the overall finish. Now step back and tell me that's not the greatest in-game alley-oop you've ever seen. Honestly, tell me another.


4. Sixers defeat Celtics 125-124 in 3OT (1/13/06). Now this one was special because I was in attendance for it. It was a shame how many fans left early and missed an incredible finish. The Celts dominated the game but somehow the Sixers roleplayers brought them back and we were able to pull it out on some amazing plays (Korver's shot, Dalembert's alley-oop, Webber's steal). Truly one of the most memorable games I have ever attended. Just pick it up at the 4 minute mark.



3. Tracy McGrady scores 13 points in 35 seconds (12/12/04). This was a finish that you dream about from a fan's perspective. No way the Rockets had a shot to win. None. They were done. Then McGrady caught fire like old school NBA Jam and couldn't miss. The best part was that he was doing it against the Spurs and Bruce Bowen. I love how it was destined to happen too. The turnover goes right to him at the end. Unreal when you sit and think about it.



2. Michael Jordan's final shot (6/14/98). Anyone with any clue of sports knows this one. It's an American classic. It's an indelible image burned into the mind of anyone who's ever called themselves a sports fan. Standing there letting his arm hang almost as if he knew the entire time how famous it would become. I remember watching this and how quiet the room got as if we understood just what it meant.



1. 2001 Finals Game 1 (6/6/01). This remains the greatest single sporting event I have ever watched in my life. That Sixers team fought for every last thing they achieved that year and won the respect of the nation. The Lakers were riding a 19-game win streak, including 11 in the playoffs, and were favored by many to sweep the fatigued Sixers. MVP Iverson would not allow it. He scored 48 points in his first career Finals game and punctuated it with the famous step over Tyronn Lue. Best game I ever watched and favorite all-time NBA moment.

Welcome!

Hello everyone and welcome to the start of something new. This blog was started out of a long desire to air my thoughts on Philadelphia sports, namely the Sixers. I cannot promise to limit it to just that though. We will also be subject to the rants and raves of friends which I have given the liberty to muse about anything. Please feel free to add your comments!