Caution: Speed Bump Ahead

Today the MLK Day game is back in Philly. This is a great game to take the kids to. The Sixers do a good job of paying homage to Dr. King and the matinee start time (2PM) means the kids can stay awake to see the game.  

But over the years I found this 2 o’clock start to a bit of a speed bump for teams. The shooting at the start will be off. Often for both teams. Some teams shake off the slow start (A last second jumper from Dirk Nowitzki comes to mind). Other teams never adjust and get pasted.

It adds another wrinkle to the schedule in this wacky season.  There was no practice for the Sixers yesterday after a 2nd command performance over the Wizards Saturday nite. So you really have no idea what’s gonna happen here. I understand Andrew Bogut is expected to play. So the Sixers will have their hands full.

You will see more obstacles  ahead this week when you peek at the schedule. The Nuggets are in town Wednesday and the Hawks on Friday. Both winning teams. The Sixers match up well to them, but it’s not a given the Sixers will win. And then they Sixers travel to Miami on Saturday to end the week with back to back games.

So is this the week the Sixers don’t finish with a winning record? I don’t think so. But I can’t tell you for sure how that’s gonna happen. That’s all the more reason to watch. Heck, come on out to a game. This team deserves better attendance.

Sixers–Wizards, Blow-out, Rinse, Repeat

I’m happy to see my Sixers get back in the win column again. I don’t care how bad the Wizards are. At some point you have to give the Sixers credit for not just beating a bad team but dominating a bad team. And the Sixers dominated a bad Wizards team.  

"If everybody's going to be selfish, it doesn't matter what the lineup is," guard John Wall said. "When you're a losing team, guys don't want to hang around with each other. Win a few games and we'll be OK."

I can’t image how hard it is to be a Wizards fan. Everybody knows what’s going on and they are hapless to change it. Wall’s attitude that winning mends all fences is sound, but I don’t see how that’s gonna happen. As Malik Rose said last nite, They have a bunch of young players and players on the last year or 2 of their contracts. All they are worried about was getting their points.

The Sixers and Wizards are polar opposites.

Like other fans out there, I want to see how the Sixers match up with some of the better teams. At this point in their maturation they need to learn how to adjust when teams exploit their weaknesses. We know they have a hard time with long teams. The Sixers are overmatch on the boards and get beat up in the post. They can’t get better at it without more experience.

But, as I said earlier, the Sixers should get extra credit for blowing out a bad team in a home and home tilt. So tonite …

Rinse, Repeat, blow-out

What do ya mean “The Sixers don’t play tonite”?

What do ya mean “The Sixers don’t play tonite”? Are you sure?

Yes, it has come to this already. All I can remember doing is work, diner, Sixers basketball, sleep, rinse and repeat.

Friday, Jan. 6th
Too much fun at the Sixers season opener last Friday.
Saturday, Jan. 7th
Had to stay home an watch the Toronto Raptors beat down on TV. So Ed Stefanski, this is your new team.  Oh boy, do you have some work to do. The departure of Chris Bosh has left this team in rebuild mode. What? Don’t want to rebuild? Let fast Eddie build you a team with nice luxury tax cap and no superstars.  Not sure what Toronto the decision criteria was to hire Ed. He’s a nice guy, maybe that’s was enough.

Sleep

Sunday, Jan. 8th
Read every Sixers article available on the internet. Ok, all the ones I cared to read. I am miffed the national guys aren’t showing the Sixers more love. Then I watched playoff football until the outcome was inevitable. Went to bed early (earlier than usual any way).  Sleep

Monday, Mon. 9th
Work, dinner, drive to WCU …
I started to worry about the Pacers. The national press has been taking them up. But my fear was for naught. The basketball gods had ruled that Danny Granger Shalt not play, and stricken him with food poisoning. The Pacers gave a good effort. But Thad Young was monster in this one. After the Sixers had taken control of the game, the guy next to me starts going on an on about how lucky the Sixers have been to not have to face the teams leading scorer in most of their wins . That’s just nonsense. This is what you’re gonna get this season. Guys are gonna be out. You still have to win the game. The Sixers will be on the short end of it this season. Just like everyone else. Watch what happens. They may win or they may lose, but they probably won’t get blown-out.

Sleep

Tues., Jan/ 10th
Work, dinner, time for Sixers vs. Kings. What does it say about your expectations when you fire the coach two weeks into the season. They are not leaving Sacramento. Maybe nobody else really wanted them. JBOD playing out the string. The Sixers wax the floor with them. At some point in the fourth I’m getting kinda board with these blow-outs. I never thought I would say that.

Sleep

Wed., Jan. 11

Work, Work, Work, dinner
Can’t wait to see my boys match up to the Knicks. Boy that would be sweet to get an early win at the Garden. What? Hawes is a no go. Down a big man against a very long team. This does not look good. The Sixers get pushed around early, but the Knicks just don’t have the killer instinct. The Sixers hang around for the entire game. Knicks fans were sweating it once again. But the Sixers just didn’t have the juice. They fall 79-85 … Hey, what was that with Mike D’Antioni not shaking hands with Coach Collins. He looked like he had to catch a train.

Sleep, bad dreams, sleep

Thurs., Jan 12
Work,Work, dinner, What?  

What do ya mean “The Sixers don’t play tonite”?  I have to wait until tomorrow.? The Wizard’s you say?

Sleep,  “John Wall nightmare”, Sleep, Sleep ….

Exhausted after Sixers Home Opener

Yes, exhausted. I can’t remember such an exciting game. The center was electric. 

The only down side of the whole evening was getting stuck in traffic. Phantoms/Bears Hockey @citizens bank park I was told. But not told soon enough to avoid the traffic. I missed the opening. It sounded like it ran kinda long. Somebody tell me what happened?

 

That’s all I got. I don’t know if I can handle these back to back games. I have a friend covering the Raptors game tonight.  Go Sixers.

 

Oh and

 

Jodie Meeks!

Sixers storm back in the 4th to sting the Hornets 101-93

Now that the Sixers have shown you then can match up to a team like Portland.
Now that the Sixers have shown you that they can win on the road.
Now that you have seen the Sixers beat a team they where supposed to beat on the road.
Now that the Sixers have shown how they respond to a tuff loss.
Now that the Sixers have shown you they can handle the lead in a blow-out
Now that the Sixers have shown you how they respond to back-to back games.
Now that you have seen the Sixers can take care of the ball.
Now that you see the Sixers are really serious about their team defense.
Now that you have seen them win when lead in scoring  by Williams, Igoudala, Holiday or even Hawes.
Now that you have seen the Sixers are playing as good as or better than the team that finished last season.
Now that you see the Sixers can come storming back to win in the 4th.
Now that the Sixers have shown they could reach above .500 earlier in a season that anyone can remember.

…. Any Questions?

…… Can you believe this?