passionandpride

THE HERO RETURNS

2009-12-02T11:01:00.002-05:00

Sometimes in life you get to re-live great memories, sometimes you are given a second helping of a great thing. Allen Iverson was meant to end as a Sixer. He was turned free to try and get his championship but now returns to the fold in the city that adores him. No one is expecting him to carry us to the Finals, but everyone knows he was meant to be here, flaws and all.

Welcome home AI. Light it up and thrill us again.

Sixers Acquire Kapono

2009-06-10T09:44:00.003-04:00

In a move that the majority of Sixers fans will view as positive, the team traded Reggie Evans to pick up Jason Kapono. This move addresses the Sixers' 3-point shooting woes in a big way. To start, Kapono is tied with Steve Kerr for the highest all-time 3-pt FG%. He has won 2 All-Star 3-point Shootouts and also been part of the Heat's championship team. I was one to criticize the contract he received from Toronto as a free agent but seeing how the money lined up with both him and Evans put me at ease a bit. They both have 2 years left on their contracts and Kapono makes only about $1.5 million more per year. Seeing as how the Sixers have finished dead last in the league two consecutive years in 3-point shooting, this is a glaring weakness that needed to be addressed. You cannot run an effective offense without the spacing that outside shooting (or at least the threat of it) creates. This is even more of a pressing need if Eddie Jordan is going to instill a new Princeton offense that relies on spacing. It's likely, but not certain, that this precipitates the exit of Donyell Marshall and/or Kareem Rush. Yes, both are shooters but hardly got playing time. It will be better determined after the draft. I think the Sixers will look to keep Royal Ivey, who provided wonderful role-defense and some shooting.

Let not the contributions of Reggie Evans go unnoticed. He was always a hustle guy for us, a "glue" guy who wreaked havoc on the defensive end of the court. He was everywhere at once and that included under the skin of the opponent. He'd take a charge, run out to help double, and pull down rebounds at a rate he was famous for. He was also the guy who had the last word to say to each of the starters before every single game right before they each took the court. He was the first to meet his teammates as they came off the court for a timeout or quarter end. But in the end, he provided absolutely nothing on the offensive end and was part of a glut of PF's on this team. With the return of Elton Brand and Jason Smith, as well as the quick growth and versatility of Young and Speights, Evans was expendable. This really is an upgrade for the Sixers. It is tough to lose another fan favorite the way we lost Korver but at least with this one, there is clear upside to the trade.

And The League Strikes Back!

2009-04-29T16:24:00.002-04:00

The League has reviewed the most dubious elbow of Tuesday night and determined that Howard is to be suspended for Game 6 tomorrow in Philadelphia. I'm a little annoyed that the rule book was not followed at the time because he would have been ejected in the 1st quarter and the Sixers would have had a very good shot to win the game down there. Then potentially close it out at home tomorrow night. Either way, this is big news that could still swing favor toward the Sixers. A big win tomorrow gives them the mindset that it's a 1-game series and anything can happen in Orlando. They won once before down there...

Pick Your Poison

2009-04-29T11:58:00.004-04:00

Well the Sixers indeed ran into a wall last night. The Magic have stepped up their defense in a way that is giving the Sixers fits. The more alarming issue, however, is what happened to the Sixers defense. Throughout the first four games of this series, the Sixers have focused their attention on the perimeter and limited Turkoglu and Lewis from scoring in bunches. They have mitigated the damage by allowing the entry passes to Howard and then quickly collapsing on him, usually fouling, and forcing him to earn his points at the line. Last night that strategy seemingly disappeared. Howard had his way inside and on the glass, and was very effective from the line. Fine, I'll let that happen if the Sixers clamp down on the perimeter. Not the case. The Magic were getting several open looks and frankly could have won by a greater margin but missed a bunch. The Sixers needed to hit the majority of their outside shots and they simply could not do it. Marshall entered the game only to provide porous defense, quick fouls, and missed shots. That's not the game we can have from him. Dalembert once again couldn't stay on the floor and was caught gambling for offensive rebounds and fouling, thus forcing Ratliff to have to play even smarter minutes on Howard. The frontcourt's fouls need to be strictly limited to fouling Howard on the low-block while he has the ball or stopping slashers on their way to the basket to prevent easy scores.

One interesting wrinkle is the blatant elbow that Howard threw at Dalembert's head after a tangle for a rebound. The league despises thrown punches/elbows to the head and no doubt will look at this very seriously. If this were the regular season, Howard would almost certainly be forced to sit a game but since we are in the playoffs, the league will hate to influence anything (especially when it's clear who they would rather have advance from this round). Howard might just be facing a hefty fine. News just came out that Courtney Lee, Howard's own teammate and another victim of his flying elbows last night, broke his sinus and is out for at least Game 6. Lee has been the benefactor of the Sixers' defensive attention to Lewis and Turkoglu and has had a few strong games this series. Let's see what the league say about Howard this afternoon. Obviously a suspension would greatly impact the Sixers' chances to win Game 6.

Series Tied 2-2

2009-04-28T12:19:00.005-04:00

I didn't chime in after the incredible Game 3 victory because I was living it up for several days (am I still? maybe) but I do not want to let it go by how great of a game that was. The Sixers rose to the occasion and gutted it out to win on a beautiful play by Young. He sensed Howard out of shot-blocking position and struck quick. Now Game 4 was also close and we all know how it ended, with Turkoglu hitting a big-time shot with 1 second left to take the victory. Similar drama to Iguodala last Sunday if you think about it...

So now the Sixers and Magic are locked at 2 games a piece with Game 5 tonight in Orlando. Some people have brought up the bulletin-board talk that perhaps Turkoglu trashed Young by saying that he took the final shot because Young was guarding him. I honestly don't know if I have an opinion on this. It's the playoffs and it's the NBA and of course the Magic are going to go for the best matchup. I think it should be known that this is not a blatent knock on Thad, as if he were Marshall out there defending, but rather a tip-of-the-cap to Iguodala by saying that they did not want to face up against him by going to Lewis. Iguodala is one of the better defenders in the league and both Turkoglu and Lewis knew with their injuries, they might be at a disadvantage if trying to get space on Andre. Whatever, let this talk only motivate Thad. He's responded well this year when needed and should take his game right at them. I see no possible adverse affects. People rave so much over the maturity and work ethic of Thad that this can only result in a positive. The Sixers will need every positive and every break they can get if they hope to win down in Orlando tonight.

Another thing to be mindful of is how the Magic are now employing a new defense against the Sixers. This involves extreme focus on Iguodala with double teams and switching to prevent him from getting in any kind of position to shoot and also from comfortably driving the lane. Dwight Howard has also decided to keep his defensive focus much closer to the basket. Therefore, it's clear the Magic have conceded the outside shot to the Sixers and, in fact, seemingly dared them to make long-distance shots. We all know this is far from the Sixers' strongsuit. Tonight, they will need to establish some semblance of an inside-outside game and open up the floor a bit. Clogging the lane cripples the Sixers' halfcourt set. Also, the Magic are now doing a better job with their transition defense and being very mindful to hustle back and prevent the Sixers' fastbreak offense from taking shape. Defensive rebounding and limiting second chances will continue to be key as the Sixers will need to take advantage of every single opportunity they have on the break. Do they have another miracle win in them? Can they possibly return home on Thursday with the chance to close out the series?? Dare we dream but I'm sure we can rest assured that this team is not going away easily and the Magic will have to earn every inch they think is theirs.

Keys to Game 2

2009-04-22T14:38:00.001-04:00

While I think the Sixers might have "awoken the beast" similar to what they did last year, I think there should still be optimism about this being a good series. I've been going back through games by both teams this year and especially our matchups with them to identify the keys for tonight and a successful series.

1) Limiting outside looks by Turkoglu and Lewis. The Magic have the best outside shooting and we know they like to resort to playing in and out with Howard and their perimeter. In two specific losses to them those 2 combined to go 8-13 and 7-14 respectively from 3-pt range. That was key. Right now, both are hurt with ankle and knee injuries and clearly that has carried over into the playoffs. I can't see either deciding to be slashers so the Sixers need to pay attention to them on the outside and recognize that they can perhaps drive on them and get bailed out by a foul. Guys like Williams, Green, and Iguodala have the speed to drive on them.

2) Dalembert's effectiveness. He needs to stay on the floor and pull rebounds and block shots of guards. I dont' want him racking up fouls against Howard. Leave that to Ratliff and Evans. If Sammy can't stay on the floor, that puts Evans in the middle more (bc Ratliff can't handle all those mins) and he does not block shots the same. Evans in the middle also causes our defense to scramble on pick and rolls which I really think the Magic will throw at us tonight. The Sixers have to hold tight to their defensive rotations and only allow those first two involved defenders to guard the pick and roll. If they get caught and a third has to pick up the shooter they are in trouble because it causes the whole defense to shift and they are weak there (as much as I love them, Young and Speights are particularly weak here but try to use speed to compensate). Then the Magic will know they have a wide open shooter on the floor and have burned us there before. It all starts with Sammy staying on the floor and straight up discipline and hard work because he actually does rotate well.

3) Bench play. We have the advantage here but have to optimize it. Our bench MUST outscore and outplay theirs. Williams needs to get into the lane and make things happen and also get to the line. Marshall must play effective by outscoring what he is giving up on the defensive end (and he can do this because we hide him on defense these days). He must drift to open spots and be ready to get his shot off. Look for him in the corner when we drive and at the bend when we get offensive rebounds. Ratliff must try to put Howard out of position by forcing him to set up 2-3+ feet from where he wants to set up. This will cause him to take extra dribbles to position himself (big men dribbling leads to turnovers) or making him shoot outside his range (and thus not being in position to rebound). We can't have someone like Anthony Johnson or Tony Battie have the game of their lives.

These are just some extra keys. Obviously good games are needed as usual from Iguodala, Miller, and Young. I think this one will be tougher to win but if you can come back from 18 down on the road anything can happen. Also, coming home just having won something down there is incredible.

Sixers Stun Magic to Win Game 1!

2009-04-19T21:52:00.003-04:00

Look at that face! What an absolute death stare to Orlando delivered courtesy of Andre Iguodala. That's not the only thing he had for the Magic. How about a game-winning field-goal with 2.2 seconds left to cap a furious comeback from 18 down and take Game 1? What a game it was. The Sixers chose to focus their defense on the outside shooters with which the Magic have burned them this year and let Dwight Howard go off. That was expected but they caught a real break when Howard had to leave the game to attend to his eye. During that stretch the Sixers began to close the gap. It was the Sixers' own hot shooting in the 4th quarter where they went 5-for-7 from three-point territory and 74% overall that keyed the comeback victory. All those people who swore the Sixers would get swept can eat their words because this is now the playoffs and things are always different when you face the possibility of ending your season very soon. There is no reason for any player on the team to hold back in any regard. They fought all season without their big offseason pickup to get where they are and I hope they continue to make some noise and get the respect they deserve. Next game is Wednesday and we should expect the Magic to come out with a vengeance after this game. Then bring it back home on Friday night and I hope the Wachovia Center is rockin!

Sixers Are In A World Of Trouble...

2009-04-13T14:38:00.002-04:00

...at the worst possible time of the year! They have now lost 5 in a row which is a season high. They have blown their chances to lock up the 5th seed unless a miracle happens. A miracle that would include beating Boston at home tomorrow night in what is likely Kevin Garnett's return and then playing in Cleveland on Wednesday against a Cavs team that just so happens to be 39-1 at home this year. They are falling apart and are now 2-5 without Thad Young. Miller has had to pick up more of the scoring and therefore his assists have dropped, teams have locked in more on Iguodala, and Speights has hit, crashed, and died against the "rookie wall". I can't remember the last time I saw him hit a jumper from the top of the key where he used to be a force. Also, he is getting consistently victimized on defense and found to be in poor positions.

The Sixers better at least get their heads on straight heading into the playoffs if they plan to make any noise whatsoever. Yesterday was a must win if we wanted the 5 seed. Since they lost, I can only assume they are fine with the 6 seed, provided Chicago doesn't steal that from us as well.

Thad Young Out 2-3 Weeks

2009-04-02T12:00:00.001-04:00

Hurts big time, we all know that. Not a lot more to say other than Willie, Marreese and Ivey have to step up their games to help compensate. Can Thad return in form for the playoffs? We can only hope.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

2009-04-01T10:10:00.004-04:00

Please say it isn't so....PLEASE! Thad Young, who has scored 20+ points in the last 10 games went down in obvious pain last night in the first quarter. This would be a catastrophic loss for the Sixers if he is out for any kind of extended time. For a team that, except for Brand, hasn't had other guys missing any time at all, they could be down 2 starters heading toward the playoffs. It's difficult to tell how truly bad this is for Young until after the MRI today but it cannot be any better than a serious sprain. He wouldn't even put an ounce of weight on it as he came off the floor. The crowd had an awkwardly nervous hush come over it. Arrrgggghhhhh. Now we wait to see....

Big win for the Sixers though for two reasons: stop the bleeding of the recent losses to keep pace with Miami (do they really want the 5 seed either?) and also nice to see how we match up with the Hawks in case we face them in the playoffs. With Young in, I think we take a series with them. With him out, they will be close games.

...(bounce)...(bounce)...

2009-03-31T10:39:00.002-04:00

That's the sound of the Sixers dropping the ball in their last two games. Now I can understand a loss in Detroit, who is playing for their playoff lives, a little bit easier then a home loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. That's the second time this season the Sixers have lost to the Bobcats and both times the outside shooting of Charlotta was the difference-maker. The Sixers had a dreadful first half by only scoring 33 points but then made a game of it too late. Extend that game and Sixers likely win it but that's not how it goes in the NBA. You gotta play 48 minutes. It didn't matter what happened in the 4th because the Sixers were down 17 at the half and that was it. Inexcusable. Now they face a tougher assignment in needing to beat teams like Atlanta, Cleveland and Boston which will be tough. You must take care of business down the stretch if you are going to be a viable threat heading into the playoffs. It's time to get serious starting tonight against the Hawks. That would be a confidence win to use against Milwaukee on Thursday and hopefully carry over that energy into Saturday's game for what looks like it will be a large crowd on hand to see Iverson. A 3-game stretch that will be extremely important for them. Let's see what they're made of...

Sixers Take Care of New Look Wolves

2009-03-26T10:52:00.004-04:00

Thankfully. That's because the "new look" Minnesota trotted out last night was a starting lineup of reserves! Apparently they were being rewarded for their hard play against bottom-feeding Oklahoma City (which unfortunately DID beat the Sixers this year). The Wolves definitely made a game of it but I fear that it was also more of a combination between the Sixers returning home after a long trip as well as showing their occasional tendency to play down to certain competition. The team seemed ice cold from the field in the first half and simply were not getting any assists nor getting out on the break. We actually saw something again this game where Thad Young has been starting to get some looks in the "go-to" role. He was the only consistent scorer last night (once again putting up 29 points). Nice spot for Ivey coming off the bench to hit a couple 3's and give the Sixers a cushion.

In the end, it's a win even though it was more hairy than expected. Sixers are now 4 games over .500 and have won 4 in a row at home. With Charlotte coming in on Friday, it present a great opportunity to move to 5 games above .500 for the first time in several years. Also, it's not too early to start watching the scores of Miami and Detroit and understand that every game is going to matter. I'm preparing myself now for that one killer late-season loss the Sixers usually take and just hoping it doesn't bite them too bad. They must take care of business against teams they can beat because they will get no love from Cleveland, Detroit, Boston, and Atlanta down the stretch.

Sixers Wrap Up Road Trip in Grand Fashion with Win Over Portland

2009-03-24T10:02:00.006-04:00

What a road trip it was! Before heading out west, I was hoping the Sixers would just take care of business and beat the Warriors and Kings. They sure made it interesting by knocking off the Lakers to start the trip. Then the hope was that they could grab 3 out of 5 games. After the unfortunate loss to Golden State, they took care of the Kings (no drama expected there) and returned the next night to beat the Blazers...in Portland...on the second night of a back-to-back and at the end of a 5-games-in-7-nights road trip. Simply unreal. For starters, the Blazers were 28-6 at home going into last night. They also have been 17-3 against teams who have played the previous night. The Sixers got out to a nice lead in the first half with some hot shooting but it was widely expected things would settle down in the second half. It's so tough to shoot so well for a whole game and keep up a fast pace when you've played the night before. Everyone stepped up for this. The Miller-Iguodala-Young trifecta supplied the offense and guys like Evans, Dalembert and Ratliff sure gave a great effort on the defensive end. Sammy was unreal in the closing minutes on the boards against Oden and Aldridge. Also something to note was the Sixers' foul shooting. They were 35-39 and needed every one. I was nervous about Iguodala's 4 shots in the closing moments of the 4th because he has been suspect to miss those on more than one occasion.

One more thing to note has been the Sixers overall defense, especially against star-caliber players, lately. The held Dwayne Wade to 18pts (avgs 29.9/gm), Kobe to 11 (avgs. 27.7/gm), and Brandon Roy to 12 (avgs 23/gm). It was obvious during this trip that they were letting up a lot of cumulative points, but there is more behind the final score to Phoenix and Golden State. Golden State has the fastest-pace offense in the league while Phoenix has the 4th highest. That means these teams get a lot of possessions considering many factors (e.g. avg time of possession, takeaways, etc.). Also, the Sixers played Phoenix the night after LA and it was an uphill battle from the start. Not making any excuses in that regard but despite the points let up, they have done a great job of limiting baskets down the stretch when it has mattered.

Ok...one more thing...Thad Young. I find a large part of the reason that the Sixers have won 6 of their last 8 to be the play of Young. He has averaged 23 points over that stretch (his season average is 15) and he has done it while shooting 58% from the field (up from season avg of 49%). He is just more confident these days in his low-post moves, his timing, his range, his right hand, and his awareness on the court.

Iguodala's Confidence, Heroics Help Sixers Shock Lakers

2009-03-18T15:59:00.002-04:00

What a finish at the Staples Center last night! The Sixers, facing overwhelming odds against a Lakers team that was 30-4 at home, pulled out a memorable win. Iguodala drained the game-winning, buzzer-beating 3-pointer over Trevor Ariza to win 94-93. It looked like it was going to be yet another "Kobe saves the day" game when Bryant, who was held to only 11 points, drained the go-ahead basket with 6.6 seconds left. In the timeout, Iguodala boldly proclaimed he would shoot a 3 to win the game. He then held true to his word seconds later. The real question is why Ariza didn't foul him with about 3 seconds left? I'm obviously thankful he didn't, not only because Iguodala hit the shot, but because Iguodala has been struggling lately in late-game free-throw situations. I don't know how confident I'd be with him on the line down 2 and shooting even 3 shots. True the Lakers had a foul to give but it depends on how Iguodala could anticipate the foul coming. That's neither here nor there after such a great win to start the 5-game road trip that continues tonight in Phoenix. Should be a tough game but the Sixers won there last year against a better Suns team. Just have to focus on the game at hand and try to build off that win and make this a better-than-expected road trip.

Finally Ready To Resurface...

2009-02-03T10:55:00.002-05:00

Yes, after the pain that Saturday's game caused. I have never sat through something like that before, and I've sat through a LOT of games. This one was so different because the Sixers were pulling away from the Nets, a team who got crushed in Atlanta the night before, and were about to be 2 games over .500 right before the Celtics come into town. That meltdown in the 4th was inexplicable. Nothing would go right. Literally ANY kind of basket and the game is over. I said to my buddy that it was almost as if someone put Saran Wrap over the hoop so no shots would go through.

My worry about the loss now is how the Sixers respond. Losses like that are quiet killers, both for team psyche and standings. I tend to look at game on the schedule in groups and say what I hope their record will be after that group of games, rather then going game by game (ok, I do both really). Therefore, I had said I hope they are a game over .500 after tonight's Celtics game. This becomes significantly more difficult when you are forced to beat Boston to have that happen. Not saying the Sixers can't win, but they need to respond with a vengeance and go on a run now. Do not let this loss knock you back and then proceed to drop winnable games. They need to rise above the pack that includes teams like Miami, Atlanta, and Detroit now in order to jockey for playoff positioning. Let's see what they're made of.

Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda

2009-01-27T23:10:00.002-05:00

Under normal circumstances, you would have expected the Sixers to travel to New Orleans and face difficult odds in winning against the Hornets. However, since the Hornets were without their frontcourt line of Tyson Chandler and David West, one reasonably could have expected the Sixers' odds of winning to increase drastically if they could outrebound (doable), outrun (easy), out-defend (hard) the Hornets. As the game started, the Sixers were indeed controlling the glass and getting into their fastbreak offense. This gave them an early edge due to New Orleans having a poor transition defense. The problem in the beginning was controlling Chris Paul. He was getting past Miller and finding open teammates with ease. On top of that, he was stealing almost every other pass from the Sixers. The first half ended with the Sixers indeed succeeding at two of the three aforementioned keys and the notion turned toward that the Sixers should win the game. Not so fast...

The Sixers must have forgotten what helped them succeed in the first half because they quickly lost it in the second. They still managed to shoot the ball better overall than the Hornets as well as pull down more rebounds. The rebounds and the high amount of points in the paint was directly attributable to the Hornets missing frontline. Chris Paul still was a menace and continued to pick off passes left and right. Not only that but Peja Stojakovic decided to drain an insane amount of 3-pointers over the span of 5 minutes that provided the knockout punch. The Sixers still got on the fastbreak but only came in around their average against a team susceptible to that attack. As for the out-defending key? The Sixers finished with 21 turnovers (many were steals) and failed to guard the 3-point line. All that equated to what appeared in the box score as a lopsided loss.

Why I Love New York...

2009-01-25T23:02:00.003-05:00

Caught your attention with that one didn't I? The one reason I will admit to liking New York is simple: the Knicks are so good at giving the Sixers victories I just have to be thankful. Last night the Sixers knocked them off for the third time this season and for the 12th time in the last 14 matchups. That's called domination in most circles. Before I get too cocky about a team that is indeed .500, I will stop there. But overall, last night at the game was a great atmosphere. It was Phillies night and many people probably showed up to also see the World Series trophy but wound up seeing a great time between rivals. Hopefully that will spur more people into coming out to games the rest of the season. It definitely makes it all the more enjoyable. McNabb was in attendance as well and got a nice ovation (I credit the small amount of boos to the New Yorkers in attendance since the home crowd outlasted them). Another note was that it was disappointing to not see Cole Hamels there since he was expected to be but still cool to see Brad Lidge, Shane Victorino, and Ryan Madson compete in a 3-point shootout (took a while for Lidge to hit the rim, maybe he should stick to closing ha).

Overall, it was a nice finish and the defense was there when needed. Great steal and alley-oop to Dalembert, who played a very nice game, to basically clinch it. Elton Brand looked good in his return and it will be great to get him more and more minutes in this lineup. Tough to say if he'll start Monday in New Orleans (doubtful) but it will be good to have him for a very challenging game. The team definitely has an identity now and is playing good basketball. If they can stay tough on defense and rebounding, things should keep going their way. They did let up a lot of first-half points but the Knicks are known for shooting a lot of 3-pointers. Anyway, good game, good crowd, and most importantly...good win.

Break The Superstitions, The Streak Is Over

2009-01-20T16:57:00.003-05:00

As the Sixers kept racking up wins, I thought I needed to settle into superstitions to keep the streak alive. I wore my retro Chamberlain jersey to basically every home game in that run. I even stopped posting since I didn't want to wreck anything (ok, truthfully I took a few days off to catch Metallica in a couple cities...they rocked as always). Alas, all good things must come to an end. Actually, I'll take the blame personally because I did not attend the game due to it being at 1pm on a day not everyone gets off from work. In a way, it mirrored the Eagles game the day before but the Sixers left you with a vastly different feeling. Them coming back and tying up that game was important. It was important for the psyche of a relatively young team who is developing. It was important for Iguodala to step up and carry them on his back when it mattered most. Those are the lessons that can be taken from this loss. Now, Brand should return on Saturday and we will see if he can fit into the system they are clearly subscribing to as of late. Can he give the same commitment to defense? I feel good about that. Can he contribute positively to the offense? Two factors here: he needs to trail the fastbreak and allow to be the spot up shooter from mid-range should they not convert and he needs to be ready to set up in the halfcourt game down low if need be. Maybe the most important issue is can the rest of the team continue how they have been playing even when he returns? This means they cannot dip into the mentality of relying on Brand for more than they should. They all need to keep that hunger. They also cannot stunt the fastbreak and decide they will now consciously involve him on every play. No, take it to the basket just the same. Brand is a bonus to add back into the mix right now. The Sixers are 20-21 at the midway point of the year. They need to continue the good play and make their run from here on out. And oh yeah, try to score 100 points each game because they are 14-3 when that happens.

Efficient Offense Study

2009-01-14T15:42:00.003-05:00

I was reading this article today by John Schuhmann which broke down the characteristics of 5 of the top offenses in the league and what they do that is successful. Throughout it, I was realizing what ails the Sixers and it's interesting to see what he says at the end about them. We have all heard how the Sixers are the best fastbreak team in the league and also that they score a lot in the paint. Why hasn't this translated to more success? How can you be tops in the league in a certain offensive stat but still 3 games below .500?

He offers that two of the largest contributors to an efficient offense are ability to get to the free throw line as well as 3-pointers attempted. The first makes sense because it gives you easier shots with the clock stopped, all while racking up fouls on the opponent. The Sixers aren't as bad as one would think in getting to the line (13th - keep in mind there are 30 NBA teams), however, they are 27th in terms of free-throw percentage, which obviously means they are not taking proper advantage of their trips to the line.

Second, we all know the Sixers are not a 3-point shooting team, despite their recent efforts to the contrary, but how poorly can that hurt them if they are tops in fastbreak and do well in the paint? Apparently more than one thinks. He noted that it is one of the strongest contributors to an efficient offense. Unfortunately the Sixers rank 29th in 3-pointers attempted. Also, it's not like they are missing out on much because they are also 29th in percentage made. Perhaps this is why DiLeo is imploring them to take more three's and challenging them to make at least five per game. My guess is that he sees the positive in this as being the fact that the more you make, the more the entire floor begins to open up and you keep defenses honest. There is also that part about scoring an extra point. True, the Sixers need consistency from outside in order to threaten anyone but taking more when they are available is a good start.

Finally, one clear detractor from offensive efficiency is turnovers. Nothing kills your point-per-possession stat like giving the ball away. I've noted before how the Sixers turn the ball over too much, therefore giving away easy points in transition and allowing the other team to have more possessions throughout the course of the game. I would not say that they have cut down their number overall as they still have 15.7 per game (26th in the league) but at least they are forcing close to as many (15.5, 6th in the league) and masking that problem somewhat.

The main idea here is that the Sixers have a nice strength with their athletic ability and fastbreak scoring, but they are failing in many other key areas on offense that have an equal to greater impact throughout the course of the game. Thus the tales of a 17-20 team...

Don't Stop Now...

2009-01-11T22:49:00.002-05:00

The Sixers knocked off the Hawks today in Atlanta for a very nice win. That win is their 4th in a row and is the clear result of them playing overall better basketball. They seem to be clicking more on offense and guys are getting the ball in places they need it. Not only that, they are also getting into their fastbreak more and it's helped them immensely. Credit Iguodala and Speights with really improving their overall play lately and contributing in many facets. It will be interesting to see how Brand works into the mix when he returns. Of course, we are all hoping he doesn't disturb a good thing but rather adds to it. I'd have to say that is a nice problem to have...finding a way to have Elton Brand effectively rejoin your lineup.

Portland on Wednesday. They are a nice team out West and I'm looking forward to seeing Oden face the Sixers for the first time. The key will be Iguodala containing Brandon Roy.

In Response To Being Called Out...

2009-01-07T10:01:00.004-05:00

...the Sixers turned in quite a performance last night against a very good Rockets team. They rebounded effectively even though they were outmatched in the frontcourt and they were able to jumpstart their fastbreak very well. I especially liked the play of Young and Speights who were effective on follow ups and spreading the floor to stretch the defense and allow the rim to be attacked by Miller and Iguodala. Also, Willie Green had a very quiet yet appreciated 14 points in his starter's role. I'm wondering more and more if Iguodala at the SF is indeed the better move. I wanted him to settle in at SG in order to keep Young on the floor at SF but maybe they found the solution for now. I guess time will tell when Brand returns and what matchups are dictated by our opponents.

Overall, Iguodala's play has been steadily improving and, while he still is forcing some shots, I'm liking his improvement on finishing at the rim. He is finding the balance between power moves/drives to the basket and the finesse to finish the shot. Nice win and it becomes even better if they can win in Milwaukee tonight. Otherwise it's just a 1-1 mark which does nothing.

On the topic of what else I should talk about, it is interesting to see some of the voting results. My hobbies and gymnastics are winning ha. Don't think for one minute that I'm not qualified to discuss the wonderful sport of gymnastics....or that I would dread it. As for hobbies, well you'll just have to see all the awesome things I do with my time if that wins out.

Why No Posts You Ask?

2009-01-05T00:25:00.003-05:00

Because I'm protesting the team's play and refusing to acknowledge it is NBA-caliber for right now. Please vote on what my next topic of discussion should focus around until the Sixers seem once again worthy of our time.

Killer Game

2008-12-22T11:41:00.002-05:00

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

2008-12-17T16:03:00.006-05:00

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

2008-12-15T00:48:00.005-05:00

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

2008-12-11T00:02:00.002-05:00

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

2008-12-02T23:54:00.002-05:00

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?

2008-12-01T21:32:00.002-05:00

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

2008-11-24T21:30:00.003-05:00

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

2008-11-24T21:02:00.003-05:00

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

2008-11-17T22:11:00.002-05:00

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

2008-11-13T22:53:00.002-05:00

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!!!

2008-11-04T17:10:00.002-05:00

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....

2008-09-23T10:28:00.001-04:00

That's right, I did it...

Full season tickets this year!

Did You Know: #1 Overall Draft Picks

2008-08-21T12:19:00.003-04:00

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

2008-08-21T11:52:00.003-04:00

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

2008-08-13T15:13:00.002-04:00

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

2008-08-05T12:53:00.002-04:00

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!

2008-07-30T22:18:00.003-04:00

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

2008-07-14T22:21:00.004-04:00

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.....

2008-07-11T12:15:00.002-04:00

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

2008-07-11T11:21:00.002-04:00

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!

2008-07-09T00:46:00.003-04:00

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...

2008-05-08T15:30:00.005-04:00

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

2008-05-02T09:05:00.002-04:00

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

2008-04-30T09:15:00.002-04:00

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

2008-04-26T17:24:00.003-04:00

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

2008-04-16T15:53:00.002-04:00

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

2008-04-08T09:29:00.002-04:00

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

2008-04-08T00:26:00.002-04:00

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...

2008-04-03T09:00:00.002-04:00

...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

2008-03-28T15:14:00.005-04:00

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?

2008-03-27T10:40:00.002-04:00

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

2008-03-24T23:19:00.003-04:00

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

2008-03-24T13:35:00.002-04:00

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

2008-03-20T14:47:00.006-04:00

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

2008-03-19T00:38:00.003-04:00

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

2008-03-18T16:00:00.007-04:00

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

2008-03-16T14:06:00.003-04:00

Tremendous game and great crowd. Nothing more to say.

Remembering Iverson: The Early Years

2008-03-15T16:21:00.005-04:00

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

2008-03-12T22:29:00.009-04:00

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

2008-03-11T10:52:00.006-04:00

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.

Sixers On A Tear

2008-03-09T23:40:00.003-04:00

In case you haven't been following, allow me to enlighten you to the fact that the Sixers are one of the hottest teams in the league right now. They have currently won 12 of 15 overall and 4 straight. Over those last 4, their average margin of victory is almost 22 points. This is some of the best team play they have exhibited in many years. At this point, they are 1/2 game out of the 6th seed in the playoffs and are playing as if they think they are the 3 seed. What has honestly amazed me each night is the play of Thaddeus Young. Sometimes I feel like I am beating a dead horse but he is awesome. Every time he is on the floor he creates in some way. Breaking up plays on the defensive end, pulling a tight rebound, drilling a baseline jumper, flushing a dunk in the lane in traffic. The best part is that not one play is ever called for him. He does everything in the flow of the game and just by being smart. He doesn't back down on defense even though he is still inexperienced in some ways with the NBA game. He truly is something special for this team and becoming a draft steal. I said it, a draft steal. Now it surely could happen that he gets into a funk (i.e. Jason Smith) and his progress gets stunted, but I'm expecting big things in every way down the line. Credit Ed Stefanski for realizing his need for more minutes and pushing for that. Yes, the Korver trade helped this and, while it was sad to see Kyle go, the growth of Young has been evident since taking over his minutes.

Not all of the credit is due to Young. Perhaps the most credit is reserved for Andre Miller and this is nothing new to anyone. Miller is enjoying the finest season of his career and is perfect to have on this team at this time. He provides veteran leadership and the uncanny ability to get guys good shots. That's a skill that very few true point guards in the league have. The NBA has recognized this twice already by recently awarding Miller with Eastern Conference Player of the Week. They see him as that true catalyst of the Sixers recent surge in play. The schedule gets little difficult in the near future but this team should set their sights on attaining that 6th seed....dare we ask for more? What a confidence builder for a young team. I won't be naive and sit here and claim that we are something we are not, but this team had next to no expectations set for them and because of that have quietly been one of the biggest surprises of the year. I don't want years of missed playoffs and gambling on draft picks. I want guys like Young and Williams and Smith to develop and Evans and Green to play their roles and improve each year. We have a great young core and the ability to add to it and it is an exciting place to be with this team. Now let's take down the Celtics tomorrow and really create a buzz. I'll be there cheering for it!

Sixers Eclipse Suns in Phoenix

2008-03-02T21:57:00.004-05:00

Yes Ladies and Gentlemen it is true, the Sixers beat the Suns last night in Phoenix 119-114 in what was surely the highlight win of the season. This is the first time the Sixers have won in Phoenix in 6 years. I was lucky enough to be in Phoenix for the weekend and attended this one and I couldn't have asked for better. The Sixers started the game shooting well and the Suns couldn't buy a bucket. That trend continued throughout the game. With no Shawn Marion to hassle Iguodala, he was able to elevate his game and get in the flow of knocking down jumpers. He was spectacular to put it bluntly. He was so "on" that he drained a shot at the 3rd quarter buzzer from over half court which wound up being important. Andre Miller and Reggie Evans deserve some major credit for their play as well. Both posted double-doubles and it was Evans toughness down low that led to some key turnovers by the Suns. He also was subbed in late because Dalembert could not stop Amare Stoudemire on the pick and roll and Evans helped create the final clinching turnover. Despite the Sixers being up 16, the Suns offense struck quickly and cut the lead down to 2. Amazing to see how Nash can deliver for this team in a multitude of ways with his shooting and playmaking. He comes off a screen and BAM drills another 3 pointer. Great confidence builder for this young team and also a real treat to get to be in attendance.

Another thing I noticed by being there is the quiet yet heavy feeling that the trade for Shaq was a mistake. He is done. He backed down Evans twice and Reggie calmly stepped out of the way and let Shaq's momentum flop himself to the floor and turn the ball over. He is slow, tired, unagile, and has lost any and all explosion. He still can pass but that's it. There were a couple times where I thought he would pull his patented drop step and instead he just kept backing down and simply turning around to float a hook shot up. This was absolutely a game the Suns should have won (and I say that as a huge Sixers fan) and probably would have with Marion there to guard Iguodala. Oh well, no complaints here!

Sixers Realize Break is Over in a Big Way

2008-02-22T11:32:00.007-05:00

The Sixers absolutely destroyed the Knicks and I loved it. They beat them all across the stat sheet: +12 rebounds, -11 turnovers, +11 steals, 57% FG, 72 points at the half. Amazing to see two 40+ point wins in one season and it coming from this team. They are certainly playing as if they want to have the best seed they possibly can in the playoffs. The great thing is that is a very achievable goal in the East right now. Also, can we please get a following behind Thaddeus Young? The people who sat all around me on draft night at the Wachovia Center and booed at his selection and wondered why they picked him need to come to their senses. What a budding star we have on our hands. Seriously, I like how people complained that he "wasn't on any of the mock drafts". Well guess what, those mock draft aren't done by NBA GMs, they are done by someone trying to kill time. I can do a mock draft and it will mean nothing. I'm glad we have him on our team.

Tough stretch of games coming up: home vs. Orlando, at Golden State, at Phoenix, and at Clippers. To tell you the truth I just want one of those and 2 would thrill me. By an incredible stroke of luck, I'm going to be in Phoenix next weekend and will be at the Sixers - Suns game. Can't wait for that experience. Been checking off other arenas for a while now so it will be nice to visit US Airways Center.

Attention Sixers: The Break is Over

2008-02-19T23:49:00.003-05:00

Well the Sixers didn't resume the winning ways they exhibited before the break. I was going to post a picture but every shot involved Rashad McCants who in my mind is quickly becoming one of the foremost punks of the league. I don't know when this started either. Anyway, I watched this game and the Sixers just couldn't get a run going when they needed some momentum. Not enough players stepped up tonight against a poor Wolves team. They shot well as a team and only had 11 turnovers but the story was that Dalembert, Williams, and Evans all had quieter nights than we need from them (is anyone getting more worried about Evans' shoulder? He's always icing that thing). Jason Smith also had a very rough night. The team shot horribly from the foul line but that wasn't the telltale stat. They were just sluggish as if they were still on break. It's a shame because they are fighting for a playoff spot and need to take care of business against teams like the Wolves. We should expect the Nets to slip a bit after trading away Jason Kidd so it's time to step up and get serious.

Once more, a nice game for the ever-emerging Thaddeus Young. Life is sure different with our draft picks then it was a couple months ago. Now it's Young commanding all the attention and time and Smith has slipped. I'm loving the improvement of Young. He can be something very special for this team very soon. He is quick, active, and just growing more adept at every facet of the game. Glad he is showing the fans why he was picked where he was. In fact, he is impressing me more than Corey Brewer of the Wolves who was drafted much higher and has the chance for more minutes. I like the core we are developing even if it is for the purpose of packaging them up and using them in a trade. Trying to not get too attached to anyone but I'd like to see what we can get out of Young. He's talented, young, and cheap; all things I'll take for players on a rebuilding team.

All-Star Weekend Review

2008-02-18T12:13:00.002-05:00

I have to say that this was one of the better All-Star Weekends in a while. There was definitely a youth feel in some of the competitions but that was fine. I think we are really seeing that players like Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and Brandon Roy are going to be special players for a while. I thought Saturday night was great The skills contest was truly competitive and it's always nice to see previous records broken. In the 3-pt shootout, I really liked Jason Kapono going into it because he is shooting 51% from long-range this far into the season. He is a true shooter and showcased it for the second straight year. The dunk contest was incredible. Truly full of some of the most original dunks (which seems so hard to do these days) and creativity. Dwight Howard put on a great show last year and this year he dared people to not vote for him. I think his best dunk was actually the self alley-oop off the backboard. The Superman dunk was great, and I strongly feel it's harder to actually throw the ball through the hoop rather than dunk it, but his others were technically harder to pull off. Tell me the highlights of that contest weren't Mutombo's reactions or Kenny Smith's amazement. It's just a spectacle the whole night. The actual game last night was very good in my mind and the players seemed to be competitive throughout. Kudos to the East for coming back strong to get the victory and LeBron for putting up the numbers he does on a typical night. His driving dunk was just great and you don't see something that emphatic at a crucial point in All-Star games.

Sixers Take Down Mavs For 4th Win In A Row

2008-02-12T09:21:00.000-05:00

If anyone thought the Sixers could not beat the Mavs last night, you need to re-evaluate your devotion to this team. This is not the same team that started this season and found ways to lose. This team has come together and rallied around the idea that everyone counted them out. They have Andre Miller playing some of the best basketball of his life, they have Dalembert focusing on the defense we've always wanted, they have Reggie Evans working ceaselessly to pull down rebounds, and Iguodala stepping up and hitting jumpers at a rate we have not seen. Not to mention the fact that Thaddeus Young is now starting and progressing at an amazingly quick rate. Did anyone see him matched up on Dirk last night? That's confidence in the rookie. Yes, the Sixers benefitted from the Mavs playing the night before but who cares? Everyone has to deal with schedule challenges through the course of the year.

What I especially liked last night was how the Sixers found a way to answer every Mavs run. They did not get overwhelmed or discouraged but rather had a will to win. Those of us in the sparse crowd were behind them and gave rousing ovations to Evans and also the whole team after it was clinched. Amazing how they held the Mavs to 76 points total by frustrating shooters and not giving up easy offensive rebounds. Getting back to the crowd, I always wonder where all the people are who said we just HAD to get rid of Iverson. Why aren't they coming out to more games? Also, I'll state very plainly that I want this team to make the playoffs. It would be great for the psyche, it would be more attractive to free agents, and it would give Cheeks some of the credit he deserves for what he's gotten out of this team.

STRAIGHT DOMINATION

2008-01-31T09:23:00.000-05:00

Had to say it because it hasn't happened in 25 years and it's funny this is the team that does it....win by 43 points. The Sixers just had one of those nights where everything went right and it just so happened to be on a night where the Bucks could do nothing right. Larry Brown once said that there will be nights where no matter what you do, nothing will go right and you will get blown out. You just hope that during the course of the season, it's offset by nights where things go right. Sixers had a things-went-right night last night. Sixers shot 54% from the field while the Bucks shot 38%. Sixers also were +11 in turnovers and that's pretty much the story of the game. Nice way to start the run of games at home.

Midseason Evaluation and Awards

2008-01-27T17:27:00.000-05:00

It is just past the midseason point in the schedule and the Sixers are 11 games under .500. Before the season, many picked them to finish last in the Eastern Conference but this group has held strong and stayed in more games than expected. They are still hurting in many facets but they are progressing. The trade for Korver hurt the team because it took away some of the "instant offense" but it has allowed guys like Thaddeus Young and Jason Smith to get even more playing time. There are still questions about who is really part of the core team going forward and who will be dealt at the trade deadline. It is apparent that Ed Stefanski is looking to pursue a decent free agent with the way he is managing the payroll. Many people talk of Elton Brand or Gilbert Arenas wearing a Sixers uniform next season, but I want him to make a smart decision based on who can add value to the team and help us compete at a high level relatively soon. Simply dumping all of the money into a non-impact player would waste all of the effort it took to clear the cap and the fans would ultimately suffer.

While we're talking about the halfway point, why not a couple of midseason awards?

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - Jason Smith
First round pick Thaddeus Young is not playing poorly at all given his age and experience, but he is obviously still raw and it's hard to tell yet what we really have with him (think Louis Williams' first season or two). Jason has logged some quality minutes this year and, while he still makes some rookie mistakes, he has shown the ability to step out and hit a jumper, make a hustle play, and fearlessly take the ball to the rim. I'm happy about the game he brings and his size. He doesn't always need the ball in a particular spot even though Miller makes things easier for him. Also, he appears very willing to learn and apply the time needed to improve his game.

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER - Louis Williams
Now I would almost definitely argue that you could put Dalembert here because for the first time under his contract, he is justifying his place on this team. He is one of 16 players in the NBA to average a double-double and that's always a plus on any team. My decision, however, was affected by the fact that Lou has doubled his minutes this year and gone from scoring 4.3 ppg to 10.8 ppg. He is quick, makes steals, drives to the rim, and has started to create his own shot. Definitely developing into the type of player that we drafted him to be. Hopefully there is plenty more to come.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER - Andre Iguodala
This was an easy decision because Andre is now the focus of the team and his numbers have not suffered. Many wanted him to take it to another level and be like Kobe, LeBron, or Wade, but he isn't that type of superstar. Yes, he is more of a great #2 but we don't have a #1 for him right now. He has handled the ball in pressure situations and has become more and more reliable. He gets his assists, rebounds, steals, you name it. He also has to guard the other team's best player each night and can't take a play off at either end of the floor. The Sixers truly drafted well when they selected him a few years back.

I would also like to give some kind of honorable mention to Moses Malone because I feel that since he joined the team as an unofficial assistant coach, we've seen Dalembert's game change for the better. He has developed more touch, a higher basketball IQ, and a better knack for rebounding.

Farewell Korver

2007-12-31T18:09:00.000-05:00

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

2007-12-27T13:08:00.000-05:00

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

2007-12-14T00:37:00.001-05:00

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!

2007-12-10T20:00:00.000-05:00

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!

2007-12-04T10:20:00.000-05:00

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

2007-11-29T19:38:00.000-05:00

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

2007-11-25T12:10:00.000-05:00

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!

2007-11-21T01:31:00.000-05:00

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!

2007-11-17T18:19:00.000-05:00

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

2007-11-16T09:48:00.000-05:00

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

2007-11-01T17:03:00.001-04:00

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

2007-10-27T11:58:00.000-04:00

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

2007-10-25T00:51:00.000-04:00

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?

2007-10-18T11:27:00.001-04:00

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

2007-10-09T21:23:00.000-04:00

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!

2007-10-08T22:46:00.000-04:00

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!