Some of you may recall my extreme disdain for the Sixers' roster as previously constructed, and the complaints I laid out in extremely bitter fashion only recently.
Well, one inexplicably incredible trade later, the Sixers have placated me. The gift of a trade that the Sixers miraculously stumbled into, in which they essentially packaged a guy (Iguodala) who would be the third-best player on any real contender for the best true low-post offensive center and second-best center in the league overall (Bynum), and managed to pick up a real outside shooter (Richardson) to boot, has undoubtedly moved the Sixers up the ranks of Eastern Conference contenders. The question is, how far?
Showing posts with label Sixers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sixers. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Friday, July 13, 2012
Nick Young? Kwame Brown? Sixers' only hope is to blow it all up
Out are Lou Williams and Elton Brand. In are Mo Harkless, Arnett Moultrie, Nick Young, and Kwame Brown.
What the Sixers lack in quality, they certainly make up for in lack of quality.
What the Sixers lack in quality, they certainly make up for in lack of quality.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Iguodala Deserves All-Star Spot
For the first time since a gentleman by the name of Iverson bulldogged his way to the top of the NBA scoring charts, the Philadelphia 76ers have an All-Star to call their own. And let me be the next (or first?) to say that this AI is more than deserving.
Look, we’re all aware of the clichés used to chronicle the 2011-12 Sixers’ sudden ascendance: tough defense, unselfish play, spread-the-wealth scoring, a general whatever-it-takes attitude for 48 minutes. Sometimes, however, clichés serve a purpose. And on a Sixers squad equally devoid of superstars and lush with youth and athleticism, nobody exemplifies the tried and true coachspeak quite like Iguodala, whose propensity to rack up rebounds, assists and steals as well as points has led to more wins after 26 games than anyone had expected.
We’ll leave the off-balance jump shots and critical missed free throws out of the equation, though, since, well, since I don’t want to harp on the negative.
The Sixers are currently 18-8, have a 3.5-game lead over the Celtics in the Atlantic Division and are undoubtedly the biggest surprise of the NBA season. Iguodala, for his part, is averaging 13 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists a game, in addition to stifling some of the NBA’s best shooting
guards and small forwards on a nightly basis. But really? Since when did 13-7-5 get you an All-Star nod? Well, sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
Like all NBA teams, the are playing 66 games in 120 days this season. Personally, I, as a fan becoming progressively more involved in the team, love it. Gone are the days of 2 games in a week, all but curtailing any chance of momentum and flow within a team. In this abbreviated season, however, we’re seeing Iguodala’s myriad talents on display nightly.
Not only is he the team’s best all-around player, he’s also the leader. He’s the one all the young guys—Evan Turner, Thaddeus Young, Lou Williams, Jrue Holiday, Jodie Meeks—look up to. Has he been in the league as long as Elton Brand or Tony Battie? No. But players in all sports look up to those who play similar positions, and last time I checked Brand and Battie weren’t playing airtight perimeter defense on Kobe and Carmelo.
Iggy’s ability to bring it every night—three, four, even five times in a given week—sets the tone for the rest of the squad, and for that he deserves every accolade he receives this year.
Look, we’re all aware of the clichés used to chronicle the 2011-12 Sixers’ sudden ascendance: tough defense, unselfish play, spread-the-wealth scoring, a general whatever-it-takes attitude for 48 minutes. Sometimes, however, clichés serve a purpose. And on a Sixers squad equally devoid of superstars and lush with youth and athleticism, nobody exemplifies the tried and true coachspeak quite like Iguodala, whose propensity to rack up rebounds, assists and steals as well as points has led to more wins after 26 games than anyone had expected.
We’ll leave the off-balance jump shots and critical missed free throws out of the equation, though, since, well, since I don’t want to harp on the negative.
The Sixers are currently 18-8, have a 3.5-game lead over the Celtics in the Atlantic Division and are undoubtedly the biggest surprise of the NBA season. Iguodala, for his part, is averaging 13 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists a game, in addition to stifling some of the NBA’s best shooting
guards and small forwards on a nightly basis. But really? Since when did 13-7-5 get you an All-Star nod? Well, sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
Like all NBA teams, the are playing 66 games in 120 days this season. Personally, I, as a fan becoming progressively more involved in the team, love it. Gone are the days of 2 games in a week, all but curtailing any chance of momentum and flow within a team. In this abbreviated season, however, we’re seeing Iguodala’s myriad talents on display nightly.
Not only is he the team’s best all-around player, he’s also the leader. He’s the one all the young guys—Evan Turner, Thaddeus Young, Lou Williams, Jrue Holiday, Jodie Meeks—look up to. Has he been in the league as long as Elton Brand or Tony Battie? No. But players in all sports look up to those who play similar positions, and last time I checked Brand and Battie weren’t playing airtight perimeter defense on Kobe and Carmelo.
Iggy’s ability to bring it every night—three, four, even five times in a given week—sets the tone for the rest of the squad, and for that he deserves every accolade he receives this year.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
What the Sixers tell us about the state of the NBA
First off, let me say that I appreciate what the Sixers are doing. Jeff Molush is right; basketball hasn't been relevant in Philadelphia in years, and the Sixers are finally putting it back on the map. That's great.
But no parade is complete without a rain cloud, so here it comes.
What on earth does it say about the NBA that this roster is dominating?
But no parade is complete without a rain cloud, so here it comes.
What on earth does it say about the NBA that this roster is dominating?
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
How the Sixers are making NBA basketball relevant in Philly once again
Eleven years ago, when I was in 7th grade, the 76ers united the city of Philadelphia behind booming chants of "BEAT LA" rattling the then-titled First Union Center. In a city that hadn't seen a championship in eighteen years, this team had Philly 100% behind it in a time when the Phillies were awful, the Flyers seemed to have already solidified themselves as an early playoff burnout, and the Eagles, despite their success in Andy Reid's second season, still had James Thrash and Todd Pinkston as their top receivers.
I vividly remember being at game seven of the conference semi-finals against Toronto and screaming my lungs out when Vince Carter missed the potential game-winning shot as time expired. I remember Ray Allen, Sam Cassell, and Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson shooting the lights out in the conference finals against the Bucks, but still prevailing in 7 games. I remember Iverson hitting a jumper in Tyronn Lue's face after breaking his ankles and then stepping over him in game 1 of the finals. Even though we lost--granted, to a significantly better LA team--that was a magical season for that team and this city.
Since then, the Sixers have had only three seasons above .500, gone to the playoffs six times and advanced only once. They have had eight coaches, six of which probably should never have had a job--Randy Ayers, Chris Ford, Jim O'Brien, Maurice Cheeks, Tony DiLeo, and Eddie Jordan. At the bookends of these masters of the game are the only coaches who have had success with this team since before I was even alive--Larry Brown and Doug Collins.
I vividly remember being at game seven of the conference semi-finals against Toronto and screaming my lungs out when Vince Carter missed the potential game-winning shot as time expired. I remember Ray Allen, Sam Cassell, and Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson shooting the lights out in the conference finals against the Bucks, but still prevailing in 7 games. I remember Iverson hitting a jumper in Tyronn Lue's face after breaking his ankles and then stepping over him in game 1 of the finals. Even though we lost--granted, to a significantly better LA team--that was a magical season for that team and this city.
Since then, the Sixers have had only three seasons above .500, gone to the playoffs six times and advanced only once. They have had eight coaches, six of which probably should never have had a job--Randy Ayers, Chris Ford, Jim O'Brien, Maurice Cheeks, Tony DiLeo, and Eddie Jordan. At the bookends of these masters of the game are the only coaches who have had success with this team since before I was even alive--Larry Brown and Doug Collins.
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