 | March 1987 Charles Barkley has a huge game on the offensive glass, setting team records for offensives rebound in a game (16), half (13) and quarter (11). |
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Barkley explodes for 16 O Boards
Monday, February 23, 2009
Half-court buzzer beater = 4 straight losses
I could not believe it! Devin Harris hit an unfathomable shot at the buzzer to win the game for the Nets. The Sixers losing streak extends to 4. I was totally into the game ... watching the game go back and forth. The Sixers' defense came to life in the 3rd period to take the lead. Iggy was coming up with big shots. Devin Harris, who had a monster game(39 points) came up with big shots.
You knew the game was going to come down to the wire. But I was confident the Sixers would pull it out. Particularly after the last lost to the Nets at home. (You know 18 consecutive missed shot attempts). And especially because we had been in this situation before ... so many times before this season. This team should know what it takes to win these close games .... play some 'D' ... play smart ... make your free throws (sigh). Igoudala was at the foul line with the game tied ... 1.8 seconds on the clock. He had made a veteran moved to be in a position where the Nets had to take a foul .... the Nets were out of time-outs ....
Iggy misses the first free throw .... Ouch. A fearful voice in the back of my head thought we might be better off going into over time. No way I steadied myself ... there's on 1.8 seconds left!
Iggy makes the second free throw ... the Nets quickly inbound the ball. Harris is streaking to half court. Igoudala is there to challenge him. He appears to have intercepted the ball for a split second. The ball bounce off his chest and in one swift motion ... Harris pushes the ball towards the basket as the buzzer sounds.
It freakin' went in! He beat the buzzer and it fricki'n went in!
This is the 6th game this season the Sixers have lost on a shot with less than 10 seconds left. Okay 10 seconds can be an eternity, but 1.8? How can you blame them for that. The guy just hit a mad crazy shot.
What doesn't kill you ... makes you stronger.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Miller hurt in Sixers' loss to Nuggets
You know the sick feelin' you get in your stomach ... you know ... the one that comes with a hangover. You know this is not going to be good. I started to get a bad feeling in the second period. The Sixers are still the front runners, but the guys around me were seeing the same thing as I was.
Andre Miller was the only guy scoring!
So when Miller went down in the 3rd period .... I felt really sick. That ... oh boy ... this is really gonna be bad kinda sick. We kept an eye on the bench to see if he'd return, but .... The Sixers just fell of the wagon after that. I really don't feel the Nuggets played all that well. No I'm not just hatin' on the Nuggets. They are a good team, but their awakening in the 3rd period was not all their doing. If the Sixers had made a few bunnies things may have been different. But without Miller the Sixers were not savvy enough to weather the charge and punch back. And Igoudala was saddled with foul trouble the whole game. So he was no help.
The refs were really active in this game. They doled out 61 personal fouls and a couple of techs. The game was very chippy.
But the injury to Miller really hurts. He is the league leader among active players for consecutive game played (500+). So we have come to take it for granted he is in the line-up. I have little doubt the calf injury will keep him out of the line-up Saturday nite. But how effective will he be?
I think I;m gonna be sick again.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Cheeks sets Spectrum Record for Steals
 | January 1987 Maurice Cheeks set a franchise record with nine steals in a game, a mark the would not be first matched by Hersey Hawkins fours years later. |
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Sixers come out flat after the break
The Sixers came out flat after the all star break and dropped a lifeless game to the Pacers 91-100. They never lead in the game. They missed bunnies .... they missed free throws ... the Pacers shot almost 50% from the field. They had no energy from the start ... fell behind by 10 in the 1st period ... and never caught up.
I had heard several predictions this would happen. They are certainly a better team than the Pacers ... despite their first time All-Star Danny Granger. But they are not good enough to win on the road by just showing up. At that's about as much effort as I say for most of the game.
Like their mind was still on vacation. 
Heads up boys ... its the 2nd of a back to back tomorrow nite against the Nuggets. The game was a premier game for ESPN at 8 at the season's offset. But now that AI is gone it's become a 7PM sleeper. And another loss by most accounts. Followed by a tough road game in Miami.
You heard it hear first. The Sixers will not lose 3 straight.
Sixers Dancer in SI Swimsuit Issue
I caught this one online at The700Level.com today. Melanie, one of the Sixers Dancers, was one of 10 NBA team dancers to appear in last weeks swimsuit issue.
More Sports Illustrated Swimsuit:
Bodypainting |
NBA Dancers |
Danica Patrick |
Tennis Stars |
All Models |
Video Collection
Monday, February 16, 2009
NBA Champions
Well its All-Star Week-end once again. Once again there is no Sixer in the All-Star game. So rather than follow the clown coverage at TNT during All-Star Week-end we will watch Basket-ball Videos like we did last year.
20xx: Sixers {insert Video here}
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Iggy X-Box Slam
Well its All-Star Week-end once again. Once again there is no Sixer in the All-Star game. So rather than follow the clown coverage at TNT during All-Star Week-end we will watch Basket-ball Videos like we did last year.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
I Gotta Basketball JOnEs
Well its All-Star Week-end once again. Once again there is no Sixers in the All-Star game. So rather than follow the clown coverage at TNT during All-Star Week-end we will watch Basket-ball Videos like we did last year.
Boston Slam Party
Well its All-Star Week-end once again. Once again there is no Sixer in the All-Star game. So rather than follow the clown coverage at TNT during All-Star Week-end we will watch Basket-ball Videos like we did last year.
Young Thad ... The Remix
Well it All-Star Week-end once again. Once again there is no Sixer in the All-Star game. So rather than follow the clown coverage at TNT during All-Star Week-end we will watch Basket-ball Videos like we did last year.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Basketball ... that's a Rap
Well its All-Star Week-end once again. Once again there is no Sixer in the All-Star game. So rather than follow the clown coverage at TNT during All-Star Week-end we will watch Basket-ball Videos like we did last year.
The Tradwinds are blowing
The Toronto Raptors trade Ermine O' Neal to Miami Heat for Shawn Marion, Marcus Banks. This is the first major move as the Feb. 19th trade deadline looms closer. Is this an act of genius or desperation. Moves made primarily because of an immovable date are rarely genius.
The Raptors appear rudderless by giving up on O' Neal after the off season trade to get 'em. They were once the leagues up and comers. But the wheels have fallen off for no discernable reason. They fired the head coach, but that didn't help. No they shed O' neal after half a season? Maybe Toronto was reading to much of their own press. Maybe they thought O' neal would put them on the precipice of a championship ... or maybe it just bad chemistry.
The Heat seems to get the better of the deal. The Matrix was never the right fit. The trade from Phoenix was more about addition by subtraction. Now was good time to move him, 'cause there only a year left on his deal. As a true center, O' neal is a better fit. But you have to wonder about the chemistry. The Heat is clearly D. Wade's team. It's not in O' neal's genes to play 2nd banana.
For their part, I hope the Sixers don't get caught up in the tradewinds. There is no obvious two team deal out there and multi-team deals are difficult. I know this team has weaknesses, but we can't fix everything at once ... that 's how we got into that predicament before and I worry about the chemistry more than a lack of an outside shot.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Who's the Man? Igoudala!
Offensively, he we silent in the 1st half, but when it was crunch time Iguodala lifts 76ers to fourth straight win last nite. Andre Miller (24 points) paced the Sixers for most of the game. Iggy did play mundo defense on the Grizzles star rookie OJ Mayo for most of the game. But when the game came down to the wire he would not be denied. When he pulled up for that rainbow jumper from the wing ... my buddy cried 'no', but I could see from the expression on Iggy's face ... it was gonna find twine. It had to be good. He was sure of it. And when they gave 'm the ball at the top of the key ... that drive and left handed bank shot off the boards was ... SWEET!
Sammy's defense at the end was also tremendous. He was all over the floor. I was amazed to see him force opponents out to the 3 point line, then dart back into the paint to cover the pass down low to Marc Gasol. It was impressive.
The Sixers were in control for most of the game. But they never put them away. I was reminded of a boxing match in which the favored fighter encounters a lefty for the 1st time. The timing was off. He can never land that knock-out blow. OJ Mayo was kept in check. He shot 5-17, but 4 of the 5 shots made were 3's. It was Hakim Warrick who had a monster game (31 points). I did not recall the hometown product (he played for Friends Central). But I knew there was something going on when I spied the woman sitting on the floor with a #21 Grizzles Jersey. Warrick is the 2nd leading scorer for his team, but I am certain the NBA store has plenty of his jerseys in stock.
It's mystifying how Memphis does not have a better record. They certainly have talent. Marc Gasol seems to be a fish out of water, but he's got talent. I just don't think they have figured out how they want to use him yet. The only stiffs on the roster are Darko and Jarick. But when you add the missing Rudy Gay (hip flexor injury) to the line-up ... you can see how these guys can play.
By now everyone know how the Sixers roll. Play defense ... run the break ... and Iggy ... he's the man.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
76ers runs past the Suns for 3rd straight win
On my way to the game, I had a good feeling about this one. Last Saturday, for some unknown reason, I found myself up late watching the match-up between Phoenix and Golden State. I was not impressed by the Suns. They were playing at home on the back end of a home and home series with the Warriors. They had lost to Golden State 124-112 on Wednesday. There was hardly any commentary about the game with all the ceaseless talk about how the team is under achieving and the trade rumors about Stoudemire. The Suns won that game, but there was no defense played. The balance of the game rested in the hands of the team that made the last run.
Stoudemire, for his part, played well. I kind of like the idea of a commenter's that the Sixers should be in the sweepstakes to trade for him.
But the nite was for the Sixers and particularly Mo Speights. He had a coming out party, as they say, with a career high 24 points. He single handedly out-paced the Suns in the 2nd period to turn the game into a rout. I didn't see him make many more shots than he normally does. He just strung them together nicely.
In fact the Sixers had 3 players who scored over 20. Young Thad had his motor going and proved once again to be a match-up problem at power forward for the Suns. And Iggy just seemed to score repeatedly in the paint. I counted at least 5 dunks!
So it's good to see the Sixers further above the .500 mark (26-24). They are guaranteed to be a .500 team at the All-Star break. So we are ahead of last years pace and solidly entrenched as the play-offs 7th seed. There's not a great distance between them and the 3 teams ahead of them. We should be talking about a run for that 4th or 5th seed.
Monday, February 09, 2009
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Barkley Debut
 | October 1984 Charles Barkley makes his Spectrum debut as the 76ers defeat Cleveland, 111-101. |
Thursday, February 05, 2009
What ... E.B. is done for the season
No Brand? Now What? | How could this happen. I cannot ever remember a situation that deteriorated so quickly!
At the start of this home stand we were talking about Brand getting into the mix, adapting to the Sixers style, finding a way to contribute.
Then Tuesday, he's ineffective against the C's. After the game, there talk about a setback.
Then on Wednesday they were talkin' about not ready to sit him down again. 
Now he's done for the season!
In a matter of days ... the E.B. signing has spiraled from a wait and see situation to the worse deal since Chris Webber! I know its a different injury than the one that kept him out all last season. But players don't become less injury prone as the get older. Going under the surgical knife does not make you stronger.
There is no way you can spin this as a good thing. No way!
Dr. J rocks the baby to sleep
 | June 1983 Julius "Dr. J" Erving "Rocks the baby to sleep" with his dunk over Michael Cooper in the NBA Finals. |
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
76ers fall on a another buzzer beater
Boston's Ray Allen sinks two 3-pointers in the last 30 seconds to hand the Sixers their second straight home loss 100-99 ... and what is that now ... the third game in about a month and a half they have lost on a buzzer beater?
You can say what you want about how tough it was on the Sixers to fight thru a poor shooting nite to force Boston into an un characteristic 21 turn-overs, hold them 4-13 from the 3 point line but lose on 2 treys in the last 30 seconds ... OR .. you could go on and on about the heroics of Ray Allen ... with his team missing Kevin Garnett ... overcoming the odds to extend his teams winning streak to 12 ... blah ... blah ... blah
All I see is that the Sixers have still not learned to finish games. Be it hitting that shot when the game is on the line (to his credit Iggy hit his shot tonite) or shutting done a team at the end. Thad Young let Allen flare out to the corner. No way you leave Allen at the end of the game. Inexcusable!
Games can be lost in the first period or the last period. You can only win a game in the 4th period ... when are they going to learn that?
Sixers close-out Milwaukee
 | May 1983 76ers complete sweep of Milwaukee at the Spectrum to win the Eastern Conference Finals and advance to the NBA Finals. |
Sunday, February 01, 2009
What the @#*&%! was that?
In was so unfathomable that I did not understand what was happening. On my sobering ride home I could not believe what I heard repeated on the radio. Eighteen consecutive attempts without a basket!
Not One stinkin' basket!
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