Killer Game

Took me two days to finally write about the game on Saturday night because of how much it irked me. Sixers needed to win that game and will look back on it at some point later in the season and wish they could have it back. The Pacers were without a few of their best players and also had played a double-overtime game the night before in Indiana. The Sixers won in Washington but were coming home. They needed that one. They needed it before they embark on their annual winter road trip that this year might have them go 1-5 (and is that even generous?). They are getting deep into a hole that might not be climbed out of later in the year.

I had a discussion with some people over that final shot by TJ Ford. Point is, he made an incredible play and sometimes you tip your cap to that. The best defenders in the league are not able to stop a bounce back fadaway jumper. That's the shot we want him to take with hardly any time and up by a point. He's a slashing guard so if he drives, he is either getting an easier shot, a layup, or getting fouled. Some advocate to foul there. I must state this clearly: you do not give the NBA's 5th best free-throw shooter a free pass to the line when you are only up by one point. Period. I cannot think of any possible reason to justify this. Anyway, Iguodala got the call for the final shot and he missed. I can't say I'm surprised. My faith in Iguodala has decreased this season. He simply doesn't seem like he will get it done when needed. Frankly, I would have rather had Lou Williams get the final look there because he might be the only player that can create his own shot and he's got range. Maybe next time they'll give him the play.

They needed that one.

Did You Know: Trading MVPs

Did a little research today and learned something interesting and thought I'd share. In the 52 year history that the NBA has awarded an MVP, 8* winners have been traded to other teams. Only one of those, Charles Barkley, won the award AFTER he was traded (he won it with Phoenix the season after the Sixers traded him) so he doesn't really count in this. Besides him, each and every one has gone on to win a title with their new team, except for one. You guessed it......Allen Iverson. Does this bode well for him or not? You decide. I for one hope he gets his and I'm willing to have it count if he does it in his remaining career since he didn't do it in Denver.

*NOTE: Dave Cowens, the 1972-73 MVP, would make it 9 MVPs traded, but he retired after the 1980 season. Cowens came out of retirement and the Milwaukee Bucks traded for him before the 1982-83 season in exchange for Quinn Buckner. So, Cowens was traded, but his career was basically over by that point.

Cheeks Fired As Coach

This is a sad event that I dreaded facing the day Mo Cheeks was brought in to coach the Sixers. He is a legend in this town, yet it's an awkward situation when he is fired as coach of the very team he won a title with in 1983. He was fired because the Sixers simply are horribly disappointing so far this year and he is the obvious scapegoat. It is difficult to say whether or not he deserved the firing, but nonetheless that is the reality. It's quite apparent that the Sixers are underachieving and that Elton Brand is not playing up to the potential we had planned for upon his signing. The Sixers, with all their high hopes, are in last place in the Atlantic Division. Ed Stefanski does not want to sit around any longer and watch this team allow the entire season to slip away. I can't blame him! I sit there every game with little faith that the Sixers will win a quality matchup.

The interesting element here is the decision to have Assistant GM Tony DiLeo assume coaching duties for the remainder of the season. I have always admired the job that DiLeo has performed in regards to Director of Player Personnel and it was obvious his next step was to Assistant GM. I just wonder about the ability he has to coach. Is he going to be a puppet for Stefanski? Recall last year that it was Stefanski who implored Cheeks to give more minutes to the younger players in order to more fully evaluate their abilities. Now I don't know about you, and I've already stated my level of respect for DiLeo and wish him all the success on earth (obviously), but something seems fishy here. I can't say there is a certain other coach I would rather have here right now, but I sure want one with a true game plan, a proven track record of success, and the ability to at least somewhat convince me that the Sixers will make a turnaround soon. The next 3 games, and throw in the last game for good measure, are a pretty easy stretch for the Sixers. They SHOULD win all 4 in total. That will get them back to 13-14 before embarking on their annual late-December-West-Coast-road-trip-thanks-to-Disney-on-ice. Hopefully they have some sort of semblance of a game plan in place to at least make that trip NOT detrimental. I do not want this 4 game stretch to look like more than fool's gold because most people could coach them to wins here. They have just come off a stretch where they had to play 2 of the best 3 teams in the NBA 3 times in 10 nights. It's time for a little relief.

All in all, very sad to see Cheeks go. I wanted him to be successful here and so did every single last Sixers fan. He deserved better and I hope all goes well for him. I'm sorry the players couldn't save him.

Ugh

I just returned from the Sixers defeat to the Cavs and, before I start spilling frustrations, I will acknowledge that the Cavs are 19-3 and light years ahead of the Sixers. But that's exactly what frustrates me, I thought this Sixers team was capable of getting to the same level as the Clevelands and Orlandos of the league. For some reason, they are nowhere near that level. They are plagued with inconsistency, poor shooting, and bad luck. Yes, bad luck. Bad luck follows around teams that do not perform well because things just don't go their way. The Phillies had good luck because they were a good team and things seemed to bounce their way. The Sixers do not resemble anything that looks like a potential playoff team. It's truly a shame I cannot sit here and focus on a quality win that occurred last Friday in Detroit without Elton Brand, and that should have been followed up by a nice home win against the Nets. It's true I expected the Cavs game to be a difficult one for the Sixers, but it's frustrating to be playing difficult games and thinking you need to win so you don't fall further out. Brand was awful tonight (even receiving his first Philly boos). Dalembert has been awful for 2 weeks. That front court is not scaring anyone. The Sixers cannot operate in the half court set because they do not devise plays that allow Brand to create in the low post. They are trying to force a shooting offense with a team full of non-shooters. Their shooting guard can get to the rim and can't finish. They are creating too many turnovers, thus limiting any potential to gamble in passing lanes and jump start the fastbreak offense. When you are playing from behind, due to turnovers and poor transition defense, you limit the amount of things that you can do on the defensive end. Yes, defense is full of schemes just like offense.

Tonight Jimmy Rollins was in attendance, as was Brian Westbrook, DeSean Jackson, Mike Richards, Braydon Coburn, and Bernard Hopkins. Funny because I have not seen this list of Philadelphia stars show up for many other games this year (save for Rollins at the Lakers game but that feeds into my point). This is because they are not coming to see the Sixers. They are coming to see LeBron (and Kobe). Yes, it's nice to applaud the other Philadelphia athletes, especially the one who brought a championship to the city, but wouldn't it be nicer to count them as regular fans? This team will not gain any new fans with how they are playing. They vaulted a couple spots in average attendance over the past week. Wasn't it just a coincidence that they played the Lakers and Cavs in that stretch?

Yes, I am frustrated. I'm frustrated because I expected so much more at this point in the season. I honestly thought the Sixers would be 14-8, 15-7, or something like that at this point. Stefanski said last week that no one ever said this team would get it right overnight. I've been to 8 games so far this season and the Sixers have won 2. Frustration.

Way To Get That One Back Sixers

The Sixers avenged their home loss to the Bulls on Sunday by beating them in Chicago 103-95 in overtime. It was nice to squeak out a win since they should have won the other night and at this point need to get on the ball. Finally Iguodala broke out for a season-high 25 points on very efficient shooting. It appeared that neither team really wanted to win this game with there being a total of 43 turnovers in the game. Thankfully the Bulls had 24 of those. Oh don't worry, I'm not letting the Sixers off the hook for having 19. That has really been an issue this season which is strange to me still. I will admit they are at least winning the takeaway war these days, but in the end, those turnovers need to decrease.

Nonetheless, there is something different about this Sixers team in that they are able to close games out. Elton Brand is reliable as expected in the post (although he seems to disappear for stretches...just give him the ball!). Also, Willie Green is a solid 6th man off the bench for this team and Speights is impressing me more each game. He has a real feel for the game and a touch that I haven't seen since...well, Thad Young. Both are appearing to be great draft picks with plenty of upside and a knack for the finer points of the game.

Lakers tomorrow night. Probably will draw a large crowd so maybe the Sixers can capitalize on that and turn in a great performance and catapult their season in the right direction. Lakers are on the second night of a back-to-back also.

Who Expected This?

I really don't understand what is going on. The Sixers, despite finishing last season strong, making the playoffs, and adding Elton Brand, are not a good team. They lose winnable games all the time. Wednesday they had a chance to beat Orlando but once again they left Lewis open in the corner for another 3-pointer. I understand losing to Boston right now but I wish they stacked up with them better. Yesterday's loss at home to Chicago was simply ridiculous. They once again failed to guard the 3-point line and pretty much dared players to make shots. Professional NBA players will normally make wide open shots. They are last in the division despite hopes to make noise in the Eastern Conference. They have the worst home attendance in the Eastern Conference despite all the hype around adding big players. They have a newly re-signed SG who is shooting under 40% from the field despite shooting over 46% for his career. Pretty much not a lot has changed since this time last year except Elton is taking some of the other players' scoring load. Something has to change fast or this team will quickly find themselves needing to make up wins against teams that are far superior.

Trapped BY the 'Cats

Grrrrrrrrrr. The Sixers had a chance to jump a couple games above .500 before playing Orlando and Boston this week and they blew it, losing 93-84 in Charlotte. Who knows if it was attributed to playing yesterday and traveling last night or what. Actually, I have a better idea....they didn't shoot well. They let the league's lowest scoring team shoot 55% from the field. That is not a recipe for success in any game. The Bobcats were without Jason Richardson but their other guards, DJ Augustin and Raymond Felton, more than picked up the slack, shooting 16-22 and combining for 48 points. Thad Young had a rough night overall and that was definitely a contributing factor. Orlando on Wednesday, back at home.

Once Again, Nice Weekend

The Sixers had a nice weekend for the second time in a row, adding two more wins. They have now won 5 of their last 6 and are 5-1 on weekend games. Very nice game on Friday with Elton Brand hitting the game winning shot against his former team. Yesterday, the Sixers sustained a run by the Warriors in the 4th quarter and pulled away to win it. Nice to see their confidence down the stretch of the game and their ability to close out wins. They are settling into their game style recently in that they are now have the league's second highest fastbreak points per game. Another element that is nice to see is the fact that Reggie Evans is indeed comfortable with his role these days. This is evidenced by his leading the league in rebounds per 48 minutes statistic. This is much more like the Evans we know. He simply was not meant to play the amount of minutes he did last year. Now, he is out there to pull down rebounds and maintain intensity while Brand/Young/Dalembert take a break. Couple of big 3-pointers from a very unlikely source in these games....Andre Miller! I don't think he even left the floor or got any arc on them but they still count for 3 big points in both games. Would be nice to get a win in Charlotte tonight. This is a possible trap game for the Sixers in that they are playing away on the second night of a back to back against a poor team. Just need to bear down and take care of business because the week does not get any easier.

What A Weekend

The Sixers finished last week on a note they needed....a .500 overall mark. After the loss to Utah, I was hoping they'd find a way to win out the rest of the week and indeed they did. The Indiana victory stands as the highlight win of the year due to the fact that they were down 26 points in the 1st quarter. Yes, this is very nice to say the "came back" but it's quite disheartening to know they were actually down 26 points in the 1st quarter. It represented the 2nd largest 1st quarter deficit ever overcome in the history of an NBA game. Frankly, I think it's difficult to get down that many that fast but let's just focus on the fact that they won. Terrific game by Thad with his 25 points and 10 rebounds. He is all over the place and still does not seem to have one play actually called for him. He is very efficient on the floor.

Saturday was probably the most easily expected win of the week. Yes, the Sixers were returning home and on the second night of a back-to-back, but they were playing one of the youngest and worst teams in the league. Not too much to say other than nice job for taking care of business. Hopefully they have gotten over a bit of a hump and will start to lock into a groove with how they are going to execute their gameplan. I would not call the rest of the month a cake walk because there are a few teams left to play that will give him a game. If the Sixers continue to pay attention to defense, get out on their break, and have Brand continue to assert himself as he's started to do, they should have a strong run in their system to round out November.

First Road Win = First Quality Win

Last night the Sixers beat Toronto 106-96 on the road. This was significant for several reasons. Number one was obviously the fact that they need to start winning games with consistency. Number two is that they played the night before and lost to Utah at home. It is extremely difficult to win on the second night of a back-to-back in the NBA especially when that second game is on the road. Last night they had a few things click for them which were important. Foremost was the fact that Elton Brand was asserting himself more on the offensive end. Right now, Elton needs to play like the player we signed, not try to find the way he fits into the lineup as it existed at the end of last season. Our glaring weakness at the end of last season was the lack of a low-post player who excelled in the halfcourt set. Elton was the exact type of player to fit in that hole. It's best right now if he plays his game and other guys like Miller and Iguodala work off him. Last night, he chose his shots better and was hitting his jumper. Also a very nice game for Iguodala who usually plays well in Toronto and torments the fans there since the Raptors opted to draft Rafael Araujo right before him. Look up Araujo's career stats and you will understand the frustration. Bonus points if you can tell where he is playing now (answer at the end).

The importance of the win last night was that the Sixers started to form an identity for themselves. They will not be able to really get rolling until they clearly know where their strengths and weaknesses are and address those as such. They are also turning over the ball WAY too much which is a little out of character for these players and also not consistent with a Maurice Cheeks coached team. With the offense getting in sync and also fending off the runs made by Toronto (as well as defending the 3-ball), they were able to get a real confidence win. Let's hope this breeds further immediate success and they are back at .500 after tomorrow and Saturday's game.

Rafael Araujo signed a one-year contract worth $500,000 to play for Spartek St. Petersburg in Russia this offseason. Meanwhile, Andre Iguodala signed a 6-year, $80 million contract this same offseason.

BBBAAACCCKKK!!!

I will first start off by apologizing to the millions of readers who missed my coverage of the first couple games. I was all in Phillies mode the past couple weeks and it turned out to be quite the ride. Oh wait, a million people out there weren't dying to hear about the Sixers? Well guess what, I'm still going to cover them!

Last night I attended my first game this season and it felt as if I made up about 30% of the crowd myself. Sad but can't say it is surprising. Philly fans will come around when the team starts separating themselves in the East and has the look of a real winner. People are content for now to keep celebrating the Phillies and I can't blame them.

Anyway, last night the Sixers did the most obvious thing ever and crushed the Kings at home. The Kings are an awful team that has had to start the season with a road trip and have been getting continuously crushed. So I won't put much stock in this victory but I will note some standouts from it. Number one, pay attention to the picture on the right because you're going to be seeing a lot of him on this blog. Thad Young is going to play a vital role in the Sixers' success this season and he seems more than ready for the task. He is just progressing extremely fast and doing many things to contribute already. Last night, the 3-pt shooting opened up and our big shooting signees, Kareem Rush and Donyell Marshall, lit it up. Nice to see we can pull some shooters off the bench to stretch the defense and inject some quick offense. I'm liking the low presence of Elton Brand (that SUCH a surprise right?;) and I'm liking the role of Lou Williams as well. Iguodala isn't doing anything noteworthy yet but he seems to be playing in the system. That's fine until we need him to shine in game such as the loss against the Hawks. Regardless, the team is 2-2 and seeming to sort out some things in regards to chemistry right now. Hopefully that's taken care of quickly and we can get rolling. I'm excited about the prospects.

I Had To Do It....

That's right, I did it...

Full season tickets this year!

Did You Know: #1 Overall Draft Picks

Welcome to a new section I've wanted to start here. It's the place to just spew random facts about the Sixers that people may or may not know but that are interesting. At least I think so. Here goes...

The Sixers, in the past 4 years, have had six former #1 overall draft picks on their roster. SIX. The best (rather worst) part is that it's so far led to absolutely nothing for them. Now Elton Brand certainly has the chance to change all that but for now the individuals are as follows (preceded by draft year):

1991 - Derrick Coleman
1993 - Chris Webber
1994 - Glenn Robinson*
1995 - Joe Smith*
1996 - Allen Iverson
1999 - Elton Brand*

* denotes they were Naismith Award winners (NCAA National Player of the Year). This truly is amazing. Look at it! I fully understand it's tough to loop Brand in with this given that he has not played a game yet but he fits the bill as well so he needs to be on the list. Also, digging into it a bit more, Iverson and Smith grew up in the same area and were on the same AAU team. What a team that must have been.

Also, there have been a couple #1 overall-pick-combos to play together....and win a title together. Duncan and Robinson is one. Jabbar, Magic, and Worthy is another. The Sixers have had combos of Iverson-Coleman, Iverson-Robinson, Iverson-Webber, and a short-lived Webber-Smith to speak of but no titles within that. Maybe Elton Brand will stand alone on the list and win it without the help of another #1 overall pick? Why not, it hasn't worked for the Sixers to combine them so far.

Sixers Actually DO Sign Iguodala

All those reports.......true indeed. Nice to have him locked up and we can move forward and prepare for what hopes to be a big year. I like how Iguodala wants to justify the contract so let's see him prove it. With Brand here, it might be hard for him to be a 20pts, 5rebs, 5ast guy since the scoring will be shared but it's still possible. Either way, just contribute to WINS and everyone will be happy.

On another note, the Sixers have also added Theo Ratliff to the frontcourt. 7 years later he returns! Undoubtedly not the same man we traded away for Mutombo in 2001 but nonetheless a serviceable player who is a worthy (and cheap) addition.

Sixers Reportedly Sign Iguodala

Several sources have indicated that the Sixers have agreed to terms with Andre Iguodala. Of course this is what pretty much every Sixers fan wants to see. It has not, however, been confirmed by Sixers' President Ed Stefanski, nor by Iguodala's agent. They say there is no word but judging by the old adage "where there's smoke, there's fire", this deal seems done.

Let's assume for the sake of argument that the deal is in fact complete. Iguodala signs for about $13 million per year. This team just got a lot more expensive but it's nothing to cry over. You can't expect to build a quality team for cheap (see: Boston), but you also can't expect that spending money brings you a championship (see: New York). I believe the Sixers are spending the money wisely by investing in guys they drafted and developed (Iguodala, Williams, Young, Dalembert) and supplementing them with quality veterans who can fill important roles and lead (Miller, Brand, and to some extent Evans). The loss of Smith hurts but if Speights can continue to develop, he might be a nice surprise. Plus, you can shuffle the lineup to go small and tough by bumping up Iguodala and Young and sliding Williams or Green in. The best thing about this signing of Iguodala is that the team can move on and just focus on the upcoming year without distractions.

I heard an interesting proposal brought up by a friend the other day who asked if I would trade Iguodala straight up for Michael Redd. First, take a second to reflect on what your initial reaction is to that. Done? You probably are like me and don't have a strong initial reaction. You know Redd is a good player who has outside range but you wonder what he'd do for the Sixers. He has never worked in a fluid offense with a great point guard so it's hard to compare him to the luxuries that Iguodala has, but still there are some takeaways from comparing. First off, Iguodala actually shoots better overall from the field even though he averages a touch less points. Iguodala is better at rebounding mostly because of his size but they are probably the same type of passer. Redd obviously shoots better from beyond the arc (even though he really frustrates me when he insists on firing up shots while in a funk) but not by a significant margin. The reason there is Iguodala chooses his 3-pointers better since he doesn't have a dead-on quick release shot. The other main factor is that Iguodala's defense is better in every way. He is stronger, gets more steals, has more length to break up passing lanes, wreaks more "havoc", and generally is assigned the toughest player on the other team. So just like you probably thought, the jury is still out for me. Redd would probably add some better perimeter shooting and do well in a system with Miller at the point (giving us a true SG), but could it outweigh the obvious downgrade on defense for a team that plays the perimeter tough? Could the Sixers survive games against Boston, LA, or Cleveland with Iguodala not there to hassle Pierce, Kobe, or LeBron? Tough to say. I'm willing to give Iguodala this year, as the clear second option we've said he is, to show us his true value and benefit for the team before I rush to decide on dealing him.

Williams Locked Up For 5 Years

The Sixers resigned Louis Williams to a 5-year deal yesterday that shook out to about $25 million in total. I love this deal. Williams wanted to return so I don't think negotiations were tough and from the looks of it, we might have gotten a bargain. Lou was drafted in the late second round and billed as a project, that it would be a couple years until we got a return on him. Last year, he emerged as a nice player for the Sixers and showed he still has a lot of potential. To lock him up now for 5 years at about $5 million per year is great. Hopefully he continues to develop and this contract will look like a steal. We did a great thing by locking him up while there were no real outside threats and before he really broke out. Some people might say it's expensive now but just think about the deal we gave Dalembert at a similar point in his career. This also ensures he will be around for a while and probably be a major player for years to come.

Next order of business is resigning Iguodala which will likely cost us much more. Seeing as how Luol Deng and Emeka Okafor resigned in the neighborhood of $12 million a year, we will probably have to offer Andre a contract in that range. I was hoping to get away with giving him $10 million per year but he's worth keeping at that small uptick.

Fill Out That Roster Ed!

The Sixers recently signed two free agents to begin the process of addressing their needs and rounding out the roster. It should come as no surprise to anyone that we picked up two cheap guys who will seem to have limited roles. We let a lot of people go prior to this for two reasons: first, in order to make the money work for Brand and second, because they weren't any good anyway. I simply could not take this team seriously if they resigned Louis Amundson. Now there are certainly spots for players like him and it's at the end of the bench or the D-League. We need to move forward. Royal Ivey is probably going to be a player somewhere in between Willie Green and Kevin Ollie but we need him as a backup. Actually, I'm mildly surprised that we did not resign Ollie to a cheap deal. Where else is he going to go at this rate? Why not keep his steady play and veteran locker room presence around? Plus, he's the Chaplain of the team and therefore an automatic "glue" guy. Oh well, not a big overall loss.

I actually like the signing of Kareem Rush. I remember watching him in his rookie year for the Lakers and he could flat out shoot the ball. I always wondered why he fell off the map for several years. I think it's probably one of those things that we saw with Korver at the early part of last season: you can't all of a sudden force a strict, roleplaying shooter into becoming a versatile wing player. It just does not happen that way. It's much easier to get a wing player to develop an outside shot to diversify his game. Either way, we needed some kind of shooter and everyone was acting like we were going to some how be worse off compared to last year by basically adding Brand, taking Evans out of the starting lineup, and trading Carney. People need to realize immediately that we became a better shooting team by doing those aforementioned things so I'm not that concerned. Either way, nice to have a threat off the bench for.

Real Mature, Clippers

Reports have surfaced that Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy has made some form of contact with Sixers' restricted free agent, and integral component, Andre Iguodala. This is common at this time of year with valuable players, even if they are restricted free agents. Of course initially we think "how dare you think about sticking it back to us Clips" but we can't worry about this...yet. It's probably true at this rate that Andre was not smart in turning down the 5 year, $57 million offer we gave him last year but he doesn't necessarily deserve more than that. I'll be the first to say that he is a great player and great for our system and it would be killer to lose him, but he isn't worth that money right now. It's tough to say because I am a big fan of his but we have him slated for a shooting guard role that he might not be the best for. He isn't exactly a deadeye shooter or one that moves great off screens without the ball. He succeeds on size, length, and sheer power. Having said that, I absolutely want him to stay here and be part of this team. The Clippers have a right to offer him a contract but Andre might actually make a worse move then he did in turning down that extension by running to LA. He has the potential to really break his career into the next level by staying here and playing with Elton Brand. I think he is excited about that chance and wants to stay and knows the fans want him to stay here. Let's see how it plays out but I'm personally not too worried. Let the Clippers make a run for him, it will only make me mad if they needlessly drive up his price to stick it back to us for taking Brand when in reality they are inept at running a franchise.

Rumor.....

There is a rumor surfacing (and I have a love/hate relationship with rumors so I'm reporting this one) that there are talks, or "musings" if you will, of a possible sign-and-trade involving Iguodala and Richard Hamilton. I can see the Pistons thinking of this because they have a decent player in Rodney Stuckey, are clearly looking to get younger, and have always respected Iguodala. It's much easier for Sixers fans to envision life with Iguodala than without him but let's think about this for a minute. Hamilton is an incredible shooting guard who plays in a team flow offense and is lethal from mid-range. Yes, he is not very good from beyond the arc but he also is good at defense. Iguodala is going to be forced to play the shooting guard and many feel he doesn't have the shot ability we need. He will succeed more on drives and power moves to the basket rather than picking apart defenses. I love the argument this brings up but I also then see how we instantly make our team MUCH older in a short time and it's not thrusting us into championship talk. This is largely due to the depth of our bench. Andre Miller is not guaranteed after this year and we don't want to be holding the bag should he leave. I'd prefer to develop this youth more and then decide if we need to move pieces as we round out a bit more.

Next Order of Business: A Shooter

Without the luxury of Kyle Korver in the lineup to knock down every long shot, and players like Andre Miller and Thad Young not being deadeye shooters from long range, the Sixers need to address the new weakness in the lineup: a shooter to stretch the defense. Most people think getting a shooter will automatically change the way defenses play us, but that guy has to actually be on the floor to command attention. It's true the best scenario would be that we improve from within and have guys like Williams, Iguodala, and Young get better naturally. This can certainly happen but we still need to find a shooter somewhere. James Jones would have been nice but he ran home to Miami. We don't have any other money to throw at people so we have to be creative. I've been thinking more and more about taking a look at J.J. Redick. He is under contract in Orlando but hates his role (or lack thereof) there and has publicly asked to be traded. The Magic drafted a shooting guard in Courtney Lee and signed another one in Mikael Pietrus. That's in addition to the other players they have in Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis, and Hedo Turkoglu. I just don't see Redick getting any playing time or enjoying this situation at all. Who knows what we would possibly send the Magic but it's something to think about. That would give us a player who definitely can knock down shots from long range if he comes on the floor for spot minutes. In the end, it's about instant offense which is what Korver was great at. There will be late game situations where we need a basket or a 3-pointer and will need to have all shooters out there. Redick seems like a good alternative for this team.

Sixers Sign Elton Brand!

It finally happened. The Sixers put years of frustration and terrible contracts behind them and pulled some big moves to drastically change the future of this franchise....quicker than most expected. Today's signing of Elton Brand was one that will go down as a great moment in Sixers history. I know not to rush into anything before we have even gotten on the court but this signing is huge. With this young nucleus, our glaring weakness was a post-playing power forward who is reliable. We solved that by signing Elton Brand, a proven 20 pts, 10 rebs player. Many people feel that the most important positions on a basketball team are point guard and power forward. Our PG was team MVP last year and now we just signed Brand. I just love saying it over and over. The Iverson trade, with it's taking on of new players and expiring contracts, as well as the Korver trade and the last minute Carney/Booth trade were what made this possible. It was a long time coming and it needed to happen this way. We could not settle for anything less than Brand. This year we controlled a good portion of the free agent market as buyers and we landed the best available free agent, one who also just happens to fill our primary need, fit in with our style, and is one of the best players in the league. Anyone else wish the season was starting much sooner than the fall??

It will be interesting to see if we play a typical post-style with Brand and let him create or go more for the old-school Kings look with a fluid offense that uses the athleticism of our team and allows for drives more so than kick outs with outside shooting. We still need a good shooter if we decide to play that way so we'll have to see. Brand does not detract from our fastbreak in any way. We don't necessarily need him running the floor with all the others we have. He in fact improves it by being a great rebounder and smart player. Brand now gives us the halfcourt offensive piece we were sorely lacking and one that was exploited by the Pistons in the playoffs. Dalembert should improve from this because he can feed off Elton's propensity to attract better defenders. Iguodala can settle into the role as glorified #2 man that we've all seemed to say he's better suited for. Evans can now come off the bench and play 15-18 minutes a game and maximize the type of role he is best at - keeping energy high and pulling down rebounds....doing the dirty work while Brand sits. Young settles in and develops at the small forward position and hopefully blossoms there.

It's really, really hard to find a negative with this but in the sake of parity I will try to identify one..... Hmmmmmmmm. Ok scratch that, we all know that not one jumps out and this is a day to enjoy a great signing and an optimistic look toward the future. No one says we are going to win it all this year but this is a huge step in the right direction. Don't you like being under the radar anyway??

Never Thought I Would Say This But...

I held off on posting about this because I really wanted to think through the reasons this happened. I tried to tell myself that there were valid reasons for something this ridiculous to occur but I can't get my head around it. The truth that I must admit is that we Philadelphia fans are perhaps getting away with a reputation of dedication that might not be true. I say that as a full blooded fan myself. I say that as someone who attends multiple games across multiple sports each year and lives in the city. I say that as someone who has so much pride in my fanhood that I get genuinely upset when others give up. Game 6 against the Pistons drew a crowd of 14,000. That is a slap in the face to our reputation as being hardcore, dedicated fans. The final game of the season where the Sixers could have pushed it to Game 7 and gone down swinging harder and a lot of people evidently didn't care. The arena was empty and it set the tone for the game. Here is a picture I took toward the end of the game where more people started leaving. I want you to look at that and tell me if you're happy that it was not that much more full for a playoff game.I personally was mad the whole game about this and never expected people to give up on the Sixers like they had. I know the theory that Detroit is one of the worst draws in the league as an opponent because they lack star quality or an exciting type of game. I don't care about THEM, I care about US. I went to 20 games this year starting way back when there were zero expectations. I got to see a lot of exciting games where we fought and guys matured and we made a run. Are we so far removed from 2001 that we don't care about the Sixers anymore? It can't be money. Basketball is the second cheapest ticket to baseball. And I don't want to hear that it's the NBA when the NBA has received huge ratings and is the second most popular game worldwide to soccer. Stop passing the buck. This is about fan dedication. The Knicks, Heat and Bulls were all within the top 10 in attendance figures this season and they had AWFUL years. In fact those three teams combined only had 8 more wins than the Sixers this season. We often like to laugh at cities like Atlanta who can't sell out playoff games in many sports and wonder how that could ever happen. Well apparently it's happening right here in our own city. I knew a lot of people who bought tickets to Game 6 just because there was a buzz about the Sixers and it would be fun to see them win. That's the spirit that apparently a large group of people need to find again.

Sixers Lose To End Season

The Pistons routed the Sixers to win the series last night four games to two. It was sad to see the season end on such an awful game but then again is it better to have it end in a heartbreaker? Tough to tell. Either way, we need to remember that the Sixers overachieved this season in many ways and the positives far outweigh the negatives. Many picked them to finish last in the conference and instead they pushed the 2nd seed to six games. It was a season we didn't expect but certainly one that we enjoyed. After the Sixers won Game 3, it was clear that they "awoke" the Pistons. The Pistons have a reputation for going through the motions because they've been to the conference finals so many years with their core group. They are seemingly arrogant and display a sense of entitlement in that regard. In the end, they have an amazing ability to coax other teams into playing their style of basketball and dictating the flow of the game. This is what happened after Game 3, starting in the second half of Game 4 more precisely. In contrast, the Sixers are young and many haven't been too the playoffs before and if so, don't have that much experience. It was incredibly beneficial for every member of this team who will return next year and beyond to have gotten every minute of that experience. That will only pay off down the road. All in all, I'm happy with the season and maybe the greatest barometer of how far they have come is that we now sincerely are upset when they lose. Here's to looking forward to next year...

Pistons Take Control Of Series With Game 5 Rout Of Sixers

Unfortunately for the Sixers, reality started to creep in last night. That cold reality is that the Pistons are a better basketball team and there is a reason they are heavily favored in the series. The only real thing that surprised me was how they shot the ball SO well last night. They are a team with a lot of offensive weapons but never have been known as an offensive powerhouse. They like to slow the game down and burn the clock and not allow running teams like the Sixers to get into their flow. With the scoring pace last night, you would have thought the Sixers were playing the style they know and would prefer. Tough to see each and every shot fall like that for Detroit. Iguodala showed up for this game, even managing to disrupt Prince a bit, but the Sixers needed more from Miller and he struggled. Not a whole lot else to say.

The good news is that this series is not over just yet. I think the Sixers, possibly the greatest "fighters" in the NBA this season, still have something left in them. I really hope the the fans come out and support tomorrow night and push this series back to Detroit. Amazing I have to wonder about that in a city like Philadelphia but that's a post for another time.

Sixers Blow Out Pistons in Game 3

Many people may wonder where I have been for the first couple games of the playoffs. Well here's the truth, I've been in Jamaica in the warm sun cheering the Sixers on from afar yet not able to post. What we have going on right now is something amazing. The same Sixers that scrapped their way back from 12 games under .500 to make the playoffs, the same ones that people said would lose in 4 or 5 games to Detroit and who "didn't have a prayer" are suddenly up 2 games to 1. Not only that, last night they completely dominated the Pistons and crushed them. Now four members of this Pistons squad have played 85 playoff games TOGETHER. The Sixers have significantly less than that from most of their whole team. The key in this series so far has been the second half defense exhibited by the Sixers when it is needed. Dalembert has stepped up and contributed more so than expected as have players like Young and Evans. With Iguodala struggling from the field, they need a total team effort and that's what we're seeing here.

It's KILLING me to not be at the actual games since I have been to so many during the course of the year and watched this team grow but I will be at every one possible once I arrive home late tomorrow night. The question of course is: can the Sixers maintain this level of play and perhaps win this series? The answer is not certain but we need to remind ourselves, as has been stated several times toward the end of the year, that anything is possible with this team....anything.

Refs Give Sixers the 7th Seed

Now before everyone gets up in arms, I must start off by admitting that I really think the refs made the correct call at the end of the Cleveland game. It was tough to accept from a Sixers' perspective but the call was correct. Dalembert knew he fouled Brown, even though it was a light foul. We just have to live with that. Miller and the rest of the players were clearly frustrated but they have to accept it and move on. The real concern, and thankfully it was addressed by Cheeks, was that the Sixers clearly have not been playing good basketball over the past few games. The losses to Indiana and Washington were killer for their playoff positioning. Now they are sitting at 2-4 over the important final seven games with one more left to play. They know they will face Detroit in the first round but let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet. The Sixers in the 4th against the Cavs finally found that fight that they know so well and made it a game again. They turned up the defense, got steals, rebounded, and got on the break. That's their strength and that's the style we need to see from them every night if they expect to make any kind of noise in the postseason of an already overachieving regular season. We need Dalembert to be a rock, Iguodala to be consistent, Miller to be himself, and the bench to be capable of entering and maintaining the momentum in a game. We did not see that in the past few losses but we saw it late in 4th the other night. Let's hope we build on that against the Bobcats (just don't get hurt!) and roll into the playoffs looking to prove something.

For The Stat Lovers

I'm a big fan of stats and I had to share this one that I read courtesy of Marc Stein's ESPN Power Rankings: the Sixers are one of only two teams in the last 20 years to go from 12 games under .500 to a record over .500 in the same season. It's interesting where they might be if the Korver trade didn't set them back so far when it happened. They lost 7 in a row and were looking lost before the turnaround. Was it growing pains of acclimating the young guys? Was it a tough Western road swing? Was it perhaps that losing streak that gave this team the mentality to step it up and play better? We don't really know the answer but that defines this season. There wasn't one exact turning point or factor for success but rather a combination of many things (i.e. Cheek's coaching, overall team play, Miller, Dalembert's defense, etc) that has them where they are now.

Five To Go

The Sixers have 5 games left in the schedule and they figure to be important until the end. It always amazes me how people can say that certain games, especially toward the beginning of the season, don't matter as much because there are plenty left. Untrue. The Sixers will need every win to solidify a possible 5 seed. I previously said they needed to win 8 of their last 11 to do that. Well, they better win out because they already have those 3 losses. Hosting Detroit will figure to be the toughest win but the most important game is the Wizards one. We need to beat them head to head to take the tiebreaker and move up. The loss to Atlanta was a rough one they need to bounce back from if they are going to finish strong. They must take care of business against Indiana, Charlotte and probably Cleveland. The possible saving grace is the fact that the Wizards play Boston on Wednesday and then at Detroit the night before they play us. We will be coming off hosting Indiana. I love this time of year and we haven't felt this in a few years. Isn't it great when you actually take each game individually and truly care about the outcome? Should be a great 10 days here.

Isn't It Nice...

...when your playoff positioning can improve so much on a night when you don't even play? The Sixers had off last night but key losses for both Washington and Toronto moved them into a 3-way tie for the 5 seed. Every game here on out is critical. People like to say at the beginning of seasons when a team loses that "there are plenty of games left". I hate that statement because it's clear every year how many teams are needing every win they can get on the final stretch. Sixers must take care of business against Atlanta (twice), Indiana, and Charlotte. Their tougher games will be against Detroit, Cleveland, and a possible very important game in Washington (on no rest). The defensive play that Dalembert has been exhibiting must remain at this high level. When he is able to pull down 12+ boards and 3+ blocks each game, and spark the Sixers fastbreak offense, they are a very dangerous team.

Another thing that is impressive is how our rookies are not hitting the "college wall". That's a reference to the final stretch of the NBA season where a lot of the young players are used to their college seasons ending and they have a difficult time dealing with the physical and mental demands at this point. Thad Young seems as if he's better than ever right now and maybe it was the slow phase-in they used with him. we will certainly need his contributions from here on out.

Bowling With The Sixers

Last night the Sixers had an event for half-season ticket holders and I went over with my buddy. It was a lot of fun as they had Cheeks, Carney, Miller, Booth, and Stefanski there along with some other assistant coaches. I would not have done my duty without talking to Stefanski about our upcoming offseason. He informed us that no matter what we sign Iguodala to, we have $11 million to use for free agency and that figure is pretty static. Since Andre is our player and we retain his rights, we do not lose out by paying him more. He did say, however, that he will not spend the money just to spend it. Something beneficial has to cause us to use it. Overall he was very happy with the success of the team and the mounting excitement as we head toward the playoffs. Cheeks entered the building and drew the most overall attention with everyone, including myself, wanting a picture.

He didn't stay long but he thanked everyone for coming out and of course for supporting the Sixers when everyone thought they wouldn't be anything this year.

I chatted with Carney about his growing role on the team and he was looking forward to the game tonight because he'll get more minutes since Phoenix likes to run as well. He was a cool guy and put up with people joking around that Texas will knock off his Memphis Tigers if they line up this weekend.

I found Miller sitting down after taking a break from bowling to grab some food and watch the UNC game. I wasn't wanting to bother him but he motioned us to come over and we chatted with him for a bit. I asked him what his favorite game has been this year and he couldn't name one specifically. I told him we love the work he does as the floor general and were happy the trade has turned out like it has so far.

One more interesting thing I heard from one of the sales people was that Thaddeus Young's work ethic is through the roof. They said that Cheeks has commented that Young is one of the hardest working young guys he's ever seen. I know it's his job, but I respect a rookie busting his tail and trying to make himself and his team better as soon as possible. Finally, everyone was excited about the game tonight and they apparently started selling balcony seats because it's already sold out. Let's hope for another great game.

Is That A Full Wachovia Center I See?

This season has not been the strongest for the Sixers in regards to attendance figures. They are currently ranked 24th in attendance with just over 14,000 per game. It's no surprise, however, that they have pulled in at least 18,000 per game over their last five home games. The buzz is out about them. I have been at games throughout the course of the year and sometimes it's just dead in there. I understand it's more exciting to see them play the Lakers on a Friday night then it is to see them play the Bobcats in the middle of the week, but a packed house is ALWAYS more exciting. The Boston and Denver games are true evidence of this. I am really hoping they don't jack up the price of tickets too much for the playoffs as they did a few years back and no one shows up. That is truly embarrassing for the city and Philadelphia fans everywhere.

On an interesting side note, the Heat, despite having the worst record in the league, are 7th in the in attendance while the Hornets, holding the top spot in the Western Conference, are 27th.

I was invited to go to an event tonight with some of the Sixers and coaches. Full recap, with hopefully some interesting tidbits, to come.

DO NOT DOUBT

Everytime I look at the upcoming opponent in this tough stretch for the Sixers, I keep quietly saying "that will probably be a loss". Now I am an incredibly optimistic person but an overachieving team has a way of coming back down to earth at a moment's notice. Why is this team different?

1) They were counted out at the beginning of the year. Therefore, they had nothing to lose and everything to gain by playing their hearts out all night. They were really in no danger of underachieving this year. Instead, Miller and Dalembert are having career years, Williams and Young are producing at a younger age than expected, and Reggie Evans has given them that defensive toughness. A young, athletic, defensive team will give anyone in the league problems.

2) Chemistry is underrated. I believe this more and more every year. Look at the teams that have stayed together and succeeded - San Antonio, Detroit, Dallas - they have something called chemistry because the players play as a team and realize the system, if correctly bought into, will yield wins. This group of guys seems to genuinely enjoy each other and the adopted underdog mentality they have played with all year.

3) Cheeks deserves more credit than he gets. Who really thought he would have this team where he does? Many people would have been willing to give him a free pass this year, knowing the roster and knowing that next year they would add some help, but now they are a game out of the 5th seed in the playoffs! They have won 18 of their last 23! Without doing the research, I would guess there are maybe 2-3 teams that have that good of a mark in their last 23. Houston is one for sure.

Now the questions arise again. How many can they win in the final 11? How many will they NEED to win to get the 5th seed? I say they can win 8 games in that stretch and doing so will get the 5 seed. Let's see how it plays out. Do not doubt. The Sixers have shown you time and time again, with great opponents, that they can play with any team on any given night.

Weekend Update

The Sixers evidently have a real tough time with the Magic. I'm not terribly surprised as it's a tough matchup, but it concerns me a bit since they could line up with them in the playoffs. Yes, you see what I'm doing, I'm now concerned who we play in the playoffs because I am so bold as to think that we will actually win a series. Why not? I don't think we can win a 7-game series against Boston or Detroit, but I think it gets a bit easier against the Cavs. I actually love that matchup and we are going to get a possible preview down this stretch run by playing them twice. Sixers rebounded nicely on Saturday night by picking up a win at home against the Nets. That makes the Sixers 13-2 on the second night of their last 15 back-to-back games. Read that line again please. 13-2. Other random stats while I'm piling them on is that the Sixers are the 2nd best team in the NBA in offensive rebounding. To counter that though, and to be fair, they are the worst in the league in 2 categories that you probably could guess: free-three percentage and 3-point percentage. Can you tell we don't have Korver anymore?

Iverson Returns, Sixers Outlast Nuggets in Memorable Night

It can be said with little argument that last night's game against the Nuggets was the most anticipated Sixers game not only since Iverson's trade, but in the past 4 years. During that time the Sixers haven't exactly been contending so there was little else to look forward to. I could not wait for this game to arrive, having bought my tickets before the season even started and just imagining what it would be like to welcome back the player that gave us so many memories. For those who saw what happened last night, you know that what transpired what something memorable, special, and transcended all of the hype around it.

Iverson took the podium before the game and addressed the media about his time as a Sixer and how he grew up and matured and even regrets some of his past decisions and actions. He even went so far as to admit he could have changed his attitude and possibly never been traded. That's water under the bridge at this point. I was in the arena about 45 minutes before the tip and the place was crazy. Everyone including myself had dusted off their Iverson jerseys for one more go-around. It was great and reminded you of the playoffs years ago when he was MVP and the arena was packed for the games. The tone for the fans was set when the first thing Iverson did, upon taking the court for shoot-around, was kiss the Sixers' midcourt logo. That was special. That showed how much he respected his time in a Philadelphia uniform. Fans had signs, cheered while he made shots in warmups, and chanted "I-ver-son". He even had a message on his shoes for the fans - Thanks Philadelphia. I wanted to be there for every minute to capture the feeling in the arena. One more time I was able to take myself back to when we'd wait for him to light it up. Then came the pregame intros...

Iverson was announced first and the crowd was the loudest I've heard it in several years. It was nice to see him walk around and wave and acknowledge the fans. Then he did what I secretly was hoping he would do...cup his hand to his ear one more time like he used to and beckon the crowd. The noise got even louder and it gave me chills to witness. I also was happy he approached Cheeks to say hi and put to rest any ideas they are on bad terms. Now onto the game, and what a great one it was...

The fans still mildly cheered for Iverson as the game began. The real person doing the damage to us however was Kenyon Martin. He seemed to have every basket and I was getting worried that Evans couldn't contain him. The score was close for most of the game with a 10 point swing being the greatest. That's what happens when it becomes all offense though. Flash ahead to the 4th and how the crowd was rocking and cheering for the Sixers. The Denver fans in the house got the Sixers' fans riled up even more. Quite a dramatic ending that included three game-changing plays: Thad Young's offensive rebound with under two minutes to play (you knew I'd mention him), Dalembert's repeat block of Carmelo Anthony on the baseline, and Andre Miller's basket-and-foul shot. Iverson came down to bury a 3 to tie the game but then one of the highlights of the season occurred. Iguodala drove the lane, got spun, and threw the ball up behind him toward the basket, no shot of it going in. Dalembert was right there to miraculously catch it and drop it in and put the Sixers up 2. It was truly amazing. Nuggets had the ball at the end and got off about 3 shots before Iguodala pulled down and fought for a big rebound to clinch the game. It felt like a playoff win. It was really the only way to make the night truly special - to capitalize on the large crowd and emotion and ride it to victory. The Sixers are .500! If it weren't for the Wizards winning close games too we'd be in the 5 spot. That's amazing to think about. Just have to bear down and keep this going and all the chips will fall into place. I've gone to more games than I can count in my life and last night, in terms of overall experience, has to rank in the top 5.

The Return of Allen Iverson

Iverson returns to Philadelphia tonight for his first time since being traded. A raucous ovation is expected. I will recount all the details of the night tomorrow. In the meantime, to recap his career and get in the mood...

Remembering Iverson: Rebirth of the Sixers and 2001 Finals

There were many people who could sense that something special was developing with the Sixers in the late 90's. Here is a team that was back in the playoffs for the first time since the Barkley era and who had a superstar scoring machine in Allen Iverson. He won a scoring title in the strike shortened season. The Sixers beat the Magic in the playoffs in 1999 but then were swept by the Pacers in the following round. The next season it was the Pacers who once again ended their year by beating them in six games. Many people remember Iverson sitting on the bench crying at the end of the series. While the true reason was that he and his family received death threats from a deranged fan should the Sixers lose, many people interpreted the emotion as tears of passion. Here was a warrior that was out to achieve something this city hadn't seen in a long time. They only needed to wait until the following season...
The 2000-2001 season will hold a special place in many Sixers fans' hearts. There was so much about that season that made it fun. Before the year there was talk that they were ready to take the next step, that the Sixers were now mature enough and playoff tested to make a serious run for a title. It started with the opening night 101-72 thrashing of the Knicks at MSG and continued for another nine games as the Sixers opened up 10-0. Iverson was leading the way and had the perfect cast around him - unselfish, defensive-minded role players. There was Eric Snow quarterbacking the team and distributing the ball, George Lynch locking down the perimeter, Tyrone Hill not caring if he scored one single basket but genuinely offended if he didn't pull down 10 rebounds, Aaron McKie providing the spark off the bench night in and night out, and Theo Ratliff commanding the paint and blocking shots all game long. People noted that it was reminiscent of the roles that were filled on the 1983 championship team. The Sixers were in control of the Atlantic Division as well as the Eastern Conference for the duration of the season. After Ratliff went down with injury, it was apparent that this team needed a veteran leader who could provide scoring in the paint as well as maintain the defense Ratliff exhibited. A trade for Mutombo was made and the Sixers had the perfect piece. I have said over the years, and I stand by it still, that the Sixers would not have made their run without Mutombo. His defense and leadership were invaluable to that team.

The first round of the playoffs started with Reggie Miller nailing a game winner but it was not a factor as the Sixers exorcised their playoff demons by knocking off the Pacers. Second round against the Raptors many people will remember the epic scoring performances by Iverson and Vince Carter. It was also during this series where Iverson was awarded league MVP and then went out and scored 52 points. I remember sitting in my friend's basement watching the game and being amazed at how shot after shot were falling in. I also remember the drama of Game 7 when Carter just missed winning the series and how Iverson ran the length of the floor and jumped into his friends' arms. Next up were the Bucks who I hated. I could not stand George Karl and Sam Cassell (who seemed to get a technical every game). I actually went to Game 5 and it still remains one of the best Sixers games I've attended. The Bucks were up 15 in the first half with the series tied 2-2. Iverson was ice cold and it wasn't pretty. Then Snow hit the go-ahead jumper and we held off three shots (that seemed like fifty) to win it. Everyone cheering in the hallways, it was great. It was after this game where Mutombo famously uttered the line "I'm going to LA, who's coming with me?" in the postgame press conference. That was the leadership they got him for. Game 6 back in Milwaukee and the Sixers were down. Iverson caught fire and scored over 20 points in the 4th quarter alone but it was too late. No worries in his mind. He walked off the floor clapping, knowing he was going back to Philly for one game to decide the Eastern Conference champion.

What a game it was. Iverson torched the Bucks for 45 points. At the 3rd quarter buzzer, he hit a long 3-pointer and everyone knew it was pretty much over. There was no way the Sixers would lose this one. When it was official, I jumped in a car with two buddies and an airhorn, heading straight to the arena. We drove by and it was awesome. People honking, cheering, chanting, me airhorning, and general celebration. We went to Pat's Steaks and joined in a pickup game down there that was the most un-serious game I've seen in my life. I had a cheesesteak in one hand for crying out loud. People were driving by surfing on tops of cars. It was a blast.

Before the first game of the Finals started, everyone counted the Sixers out. They were hurt, tired, and going against the Lakers who had not lost yet in the postseason. The truth was that this was the game to steal in LA and shock the world. What proceeded remains to this day the greatest sporting event I've watched in my life (faithful readers already know this). I got a call from my buddy before the game, "are you ready for this?" he said. Of course I was ready. I turned down invitations to go to parties so I could sit in my basement with my one friend and concentrate on every aspect of the game. It was a rollercoaster on two levels: of scoring in the game and fan emotion in my basement. When the Sixers came back in overtime and Iverson hit the 3-pointer and then the all-time highlight of stepping over Tyronn Lue after another basket, I was ecstatic. I was watching my Sixers take Game 1 of the NBA Finals. We all knew how the series turned out but no one can ever take those memories away. That's what was special about that year to me, how my love for the Sixers reached a new level and how Iverson was the catalyst of NBA rebirth in Philadelphia. Tomorrow night when he returns for the first time since the trade, I will proudly be on my feet with 20,000 other fans applauding the player who gave his all every single night and captured the hearts of so many fans.

Yet Another Huge Win

Tremendous game and great crowd. Nothing more to say.

Remembering Iverson: The Early Years

With Allen Iverson returning to Philadelphia this Wednesday as the Sixers host the Nuggets, I thought it would be appropriate to go through a few Iverson memories due to his impact on this franchise and city. I remember watching him play 12 years ago at this point as Georgetown was battling for Big East supremacy and NCAA tournament positioning. There was something even back then about watching Iverson play the role of undersized, underdog fighter. Fast forward to the 1996 draft when the Sixers landed the #1 overall pick. I remember being in my friend's basement and having a party for the draft. If you need to recount the general feeling at that time just refer to this article. There were four of us there and it was evenly split whether we should take Iverson or Camby with the pick. As Stern got up to the podium to announce the pick, I was hoping for Iverson. Sure enough, that's who the Sixers took.

One question, if you could go back and choose again, would you still take Iverson, knowing that draft had Kobe, Steve Nash, Camby, Ray Allen, etc? Now you have to ask yourself if picking someone else necessarily guarantees you a championship and that's a hard question to have answered due to the Sixers supporting cast over the years. Going back, I honestly think we chose correctly because we needed a PG at that time and one who could score as well. Even though he never gave us a championship, Iverson left a lasting impression on the city of Philadelphia that I don't think anyone else could replicate. He just needed different players with him and maybe that would have put the Sixers over the edge.

I remember going to a game in his rookie year where the Sixers played the Sacramento Kings and Iverson crossed over Mitch Richmond so badly that everyone jumped out of their seats. I remember how exciting it was back then to have a player that could electrify the arena like that. Sure Iverson had his off-the-court troubles but everyone was just happy the Sixers had hope for the first time since trading Barkley.

Sixers Win In The Motor City

Great game tonight for the Sixers in knocking off the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons are 2nd in the East and are legitimate contenders for the NBA title (I stated the other night that I in fact like them to win it over the Celtics) and the Sixers took it to them and earned a hard-fought victory. Great bench play from Rodney Carney who I am often admittedly critical of. He shot efficiently from both inside and outside and also played nice defense at the end by doubling on Billups to alter his final shot attempt. Young was playing a strong game but Carney had the hot hand so Cheeks stuck with him.

Andre Miller must have really injured his back in the Boston game because he left the game tonight with apparent pain. He is one of the most durable players in the league and an obvious leader on our team. We cannot afford to have him at less than full strength right now. Another standout tonight, despite his foul trouble in the second half, was Reggie Evans. He played great against the big front line of Detroit and was all over the place. I always get nervous that his free throw shooting will cost us down the stretch but thankfully you can't tie one loss directly to that.

Sixers are in the middle of a tough stretch with playing home vs. Boston, at Detroit, at Chicago, vs. San Antonio, vs. Denver (Iverson return), at Orlando, vs. NJ, and at Boston. Those 8 games will weigh heavily on where they fall in the playoff mix. A reasonable person might assess the Sixers to win about 2 of those games. That is why winning a game like tonight is a value win because it's one that would have normally been considered a loss. If they can win in Chicago and home against NJ and sneak out an emotional victory against the Nuggets in what is sure to be a sold out game, then that will be great for this stretch.

Unfortunately Celtics Run Over Sixers

There really is nothing I hate more in sports than watching Boston fans rejoice, especially at the expense of Philadelphia. That's pretty much what happened last night as the Celtics defeated the Sixers. I used to be a big fan of both Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett but no longer since they've gone to Boston. I've also always disliked Paul Pierce and Sam Cassell so it was easy to turn up the intensity from my point of view at the game. It also marked the first sell-out of the season and the crowd was electric in the first half as the Sixers were competitive. In the second half, the Sixers went ice cold from the field and just looked sluggish. Boston's defense clamped down and they got the win. But aren't they expected to? They have three good players who seem to account for 98.3% of their offense. But that might indeed be their undoing in the playoffs.

The Sixers got an extremely weak game from Dalembert who recently complained about his minutes and role on this team. Of course a statement like that always prompts the most scrutiny in the next game and he laid an egg when we needed him. He has had a decent season overall but last night we need total team effort and contribution. Instead, we were forced into having Calvin Booth and Jason Smith on the floor for extended minutes. I once again liked the spirited play of Young who came off the bench and scored 8 quick points. I will leave it there for now since I've been high enough on him lately. One thing I want to bring up about the team though is how they kept leaving an absolute deadeye shooter in Ray Allen open on the wing. Hello! He's going to keep shooting from there! Also a growing concern is our lack of a 3-point threat, especially since trading Korver. I have really no confidence in anyone but Iguodala, sometimes Green, and occasionally Williams to hit anything. We really took the luxury of the Korver instant-offense-off-the-bench for granted. Either way, a game like last night's shows why the Celtics' and Sixers' records are where they are. We still have work to do.

Highlight of the night was the resounding booing for Cassell upon checking in for his first time in a Boston uniform. Loved that. He heard it more last night then when he was here with the Clippers. I noticed I booed louder and it's probably solely because he was wearing Celtics green. I just don't see how he takes them to another level when he picks up three fouls in three minutes. Granted he is new to the system but I just never thought he was that great. To tell you the truth, I don't even see the Celtics coming out of the East, I like the Pistons in that regard. So last night I would have told one of those Boston fans that at least WE realize we are not going to win this year.