Sixers Spank Hawks, AI gets 4th Scoring Title, Next stop Detroit

AI wins 4th League scoring title after a cameo appearance in the first quarter against the Hawks, in which he scored 16 points before being rested for the remainder of the nite. AI finishes the season with a 30.7 ppg average. There's an old saying that you are the company you keep. If that's so what does this say about Allen; the only players ever to win 4 or more scoring titles are Wilt, the Iceman and MJ (yes this company is so distinguished we don't need to list their full names). 'nuff said 'bout dat.

Some folks were hoping that the Bulls would prevail over the Pacers last nite. A Bulls win would have meant the 6th seed for the 76ers and a date with Boston. But that was wishful fan thinking. There's not much of a chance the Pacers would lose on Reggie Miller's final regular season game after 18 years. Beside when was the last time the Bulls did us any favors. Wasn't it the Bulls that cost Philly home court advantage the last time they went to the finals?

So, Detriot is the next stop. The play-offs hasn't started yet and the cliches about its intensity are already getting old. Coach OB's post game press conference was all about how the regular season performance doesn't matter. "Throw it down the drain". The Sixers are running TV promotions about "The Play-Offs". Sports talking heads are talking about the Piston's defensive intensity .... think about it ... do you know anyone more intense on the basketball court than Allen Iverson?

Sixers secure Postseason Berth after one year hiatus

The Sixers are in the postseason! What a difference a day makes. Sunday evening's contest against the Nets was no contest at all. The Sixers showed the wear and tear of a long season and an intense schedule down the stretch for the postseason. Iverson was the only player with energy. But his 33 point dominance over the Nets D was not enough to overcome the first quarter turn-overs and Vince Carter. The Sixers fell to the Nets 104 to 83 in their 1st chance to lockdown a play off spot.

But Monday was a new day ... Another team ... another opportunity. Enter the Bucks. A team the Sixers has averaged over 100 points against. A team AI has averaged 40+ points against. A team without their star, Michael Redd. Can you say stone cold mortal lock!

The Sixers did not disappoint. They scored 36 in the first period. They scored 34 in the second and lead 70-50 at the half. The second half was the laugher it was drawn up to be. AI sliced the bucks up for 39 points and 12 assists.76ers 122 Bucks 106.

Andre Igoudala treated the fans to more high five slappin' dunks. The Sixers announced that Wednesday's game will feature a highlight reel of Iggy's 10 best dunks of the season. Without a doubt they were back in the edit room today. On an errant pass that left two buck players staring at each other, Iggy streaked down the court on a break away and wound up for an spectacular windmill dunk. But my favorite was the dunk over a Buck defender underneath the basket from nearly a standstill!

The Sixers are part of the second season again. Few give them a chance in the first round. But you can't win it if your not in it. Lets go Sixers.

Hey, What'd I miss?

Can you believe it! I had the misfortune to be out of town this past week. What did I miss? I was still in the eastern time zone (barley), but you can't image what NBA coverage is like outside of this area. You'd think the Suns, Spurs and Nuggets are the only teams playin'. Okay, So maybe the battle for the Western Conference title is exciting, but what about my Sixers?

I had to fall back to second hand accounts from the Internet and the box scores. So What happened in that Boston game. Why didn't we sweep'em and put them on notice in the Atlantic division! What did the box score say - Boston 105 76ers 98 Looks like they jumped out to a quick lead in the first quarter, 30 points. Nice! Ten point lead at the half. Nice! Looks the K² pulled out of his slump. He scored 17 points (5 three pointers). Nice! How could we lose to Boston? AI seemed to be on his game with 28 points and 11 assists. So what happened! Whoa ... Now I see it. The Celts shot 49 free throws! How does that happened. They were 40-49 and the Sixers only attempted 30. Ricky Davis got 10 of his 16 from the charity stripe. It looks like every Celtic that played shot free throws. We where robbed!

Watching the Sixers play-off chances is like a bout with schizophrenia. Filled with manic highs and lows. The up coming game against the Miami Heat looked to be a low. So what happened in that game. 76ers 126 Heat 119 OT - Are you kidding me? The Sixers outscore Miami by 7 in OT. Eye witnesses say that Iggy set the tone in OT with two more of his high flyin' dunks. The return of Shaq did not help the Heat (13 points, 3-11 FTM). A career high 48 points from D.Wade did not help the Heat. They have little to play for at this point in the season, but they have been stumbling as of late. Earlier in the season, I went on record to say that the Heat and Shaq are overrated. Their record would appear to indicate that I was wrong. But time will tell. Some are hoping the Sixers avoid Miami by locking down the 7th play-off spot. But haven't we beat them twice at home already?

I'm stepping on to a plane when the friday nite game with the Pacers is about to start. No chance to catch this one at home. I am circling Philly air space as the game ends. So, what happened? Sixers 90 Pacers 86 - that's fantastic! This has to be our hottest winning streak of the season. AI smokes them for 43 points. C.Webb scores 21. Nice! The Pacers are emasculated without Jermaine O'Neal. Reggie Miller's farewell tour is coming at the right time. He just doesn't have it anymore. The Sixers have sweep Indiana this year. Gone are they days when they were the spectre awaiting Philly in the play-offs.

One more win and the Sixers are in the play-offs. Wow, I missed a lot this week.

Sixers youth serves them well in Washington

Sammy's 4th quarter blocked shot to fuel a Sixers fast break was charged with youthful exuberance. It was the older legs of Rodney Roger's and healthy three point shooting that paced the Sixers early. Young Willie Green was dusted off the bench to fill the scorer's role as the Sixers played without Allen Iverson, the leagues leading scorer. Wille stepped up with 20 points. In fact all of the Sixers starters stepped up by scoring in double figures.

But Sammy's block was typical of what youth can do. They played like they didn't know they where supposed to struggle with their two best scorers out for the game. They played like they didn't know they shouldn't score 64 points in the first half or lead the Wizards, a play off team at home, by 20 points. And just like a young team, they faltered in the second half. The Sixers were outscored 33-16 in the 3rd and it looked bleak when the Wizards overtook them in the fourth. But youth has short term memory and the Wizards exhaled when they reached a double digit lead early in the 4th. The Sixers went on a double digit run of their own. Sammy's block was devastating as the Wizards unraveled. Gilbert Arenas' 44 points was wasted in the Wizards fifth straight loss. The Sixers fortify their play-off position and perhaps their confidence as they win short handed on the road.

Sixers Jump to 7th Play Off spot with win over Cavs

If he didn't make Sport Center's Top Ten ... Igoudala was robbed. In last nite's win over the Cavs, Iggy wowed the Friday nite crowd with a break away, windmill slam dunk that left us all stunned as play continued. King James paced the Cavs with an array of incredibly athletic shots. But he failed to lift his teammates game as Cleveland continues to falter on the back nine. It appears that the bitter tonic of firing head coach Paul Silas has done little to cure their ills.
The Sixers controlled the game through out, but that 4th quarter miscue bug bit again. Sammy contributed more than his share. On one play he clearly established eye contact with AI as he dribbled into the lane. But he fails to even acknowledge the pass from AI when he's challenged in the lane. That turnover lead to poor defense on the opposite end. It's a theme that has been replayed all season. But the Cavs have nothing going for them. The fall in the end ... thanks to a career high 16 dimes from AI and his deciding jumper in the lane with 8.5 seconds remaining (with remarkable ease). The 76ers match the Cavs 38-37 record, break thru the 500 barrier they have struggled with all season and take the 7th spot in the Eastern Conference. 76ers 103 Cavs 98

Sixers overcome the Bobcats despite their miscue's

76ers 106 Bobcats 103
The Bobcats entered the game with a record of 15-58. Typical expansion team numbers right. Its April, most of the Bobcat don't just have golf reservations for Myrtle Beach. They have the mapquest.com route from Charlotte, NC to Myrtle Beach taped to their lockers ( its about a 4 hour drive). So this should be an easy game to raise your spirits along the gruesome play-off trail. Surely that's what the chairman, Ed Snieder, was thinking as he settled in at court side on this beautiful spring day.

Ah, but this is not you grandfathers Sixers team. Something different seems to break down every game. Tonite, the sparse weekday crowd witnessed what's wrong with the BIGS on this team. Marc Jackson is a trooper, but he's playing too many minutes. His lack of speed slows down the fast break and he could not keep the Bcats of the boards. Defense suffered. Rockin' Rodney Rogers is only a shell of the man who once hoisted the 6th man of the year award while with the Phoenix Suns. His shot has left him. He is slow getting to the right spot on defense. How slow was he? Marc Jackson looked faster ... and then there's Sammy Dalembert, the golden child. Maybe it was the excitement about the Dalembert lunchbox give-away tonite. I don't know. Sammy scored low on the basketball aptitude test tonite. Poor shooting in the paint. A missed slam dunk. A missed finger roll that should have been a slam dunk. At one pint in the game Sammy flipped the ball at the basket over his shoulder! But the closing moments was inexcusable. With the Sixers ahead and less than 12 seconds on the clock. Sammy rebounds a missed shot on the Sixers end on the court. Sammy immediately attempts to put the ball back up. He's blocked and the ball is turned over to Charlotte. The basketball IQ test says (a) Kick the ball out (b) just hold on to the ball (c) give the opposing team a chance to win. Sammy picked 'c'.

... Some may not appreciate the loss of Chris Webber or what he means to the Sixers' play-off run. But I do. It means a higher basketball IQ for the BIGS.

Sixers sneak out of Boston with a win

Philadephia 76ers Blog After the Sixers sleep walking exhibition last Friday nite, I was not very excited about the specter of a Sunday evening game in Beantown. The previous game against the Dallas Mavs was one of those games where the word competitive never entered the lexicon of conversation about the game. AI gave up early and the rest of the team rolled over like a dog performing for a bone.

... Visions of a Boston massacre came to mind. Some how it didn't seem so bad that I had a family obligation during the broadcast. So what do I hear about the game? The Sixers came out smoking! The lead by over 20 points! I'm thinking to myself "Boy did I miss a good one!". How much did they win by? Sixers 97 Celtics 93 ... huh! ... Philadelphia had to hold off a late charge by Boston ... Okay, I've heard this tune before.

The no such thing as a bad win, but an easy win would be nice every so often.