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!