The bumpy road continues

The Sixers continued their string of up and down performances last nite in Phoenix. The Sixers fall behnf by 22 in the 3rd period and that was all she wrote. Sixers 95 Suns 106.

Eddie Jordan’s take on the game was “I didn’t have any problem with our effort, I just thought there was a stretch where we didn’t execute as well and we didn’t make shots.”

What?

A loss in Phoenix should have been expected. So if the trend holds the Sixers will play well tomorrow nite in LA. Perhaps even win as they did last year at the Staples Center. After all Kobe is still coming back from an injury and the Sixers play some of their best ball on Friday nites.

But I'm not holding my breath or anything like that. :)

Have we seen the last of Allen Iverson?

So here’s a scary thought. I received a text message this yesterday afternoon. It was an Update from the Sixers informing us that Allen Iverson will not be with the team tonite and will be out indefinitely. The first thought that came to mind is “Have we seen the last of Allen Iverson”?

So here’s the scary thought. As I started to write this post I discovered that the loud guy with the pretentious A (Stephen A. Smith) was thinking the same thing. Say Goodbye to Allen Iverson. That’s a scary thought.

Allen is leaving the team to look after his daughter. It’s a noble leave of absence.The unknown illness has been a concern for some time. Everyone knows that Allen is a family first guy. But it was Stephen A. that raised the question during the All-Star break … if he were that mature superstar his fans like to position him as “Wouldn’t he be at the All Star Game”? I’m sure he might add that Allen should be with the team now and let the best doctors money can buy look after his child.

Stephen A. Smith can be an ass.

But at best the AI experiment has been a brush with nostalgia. To see Allen back in a Sixers uniform has put a few more fannies in the seats at the Wach. It was obvious that the only reason many of the people around me where there was to see Allen and a glimpse of 2001. There’s nothing wrong what that. You can say his return was just a parlor trick by the GM. There’s probable nothing terribly wrong with that either.

Allen’s return did not hurt this team. He has been a model citizen. He has played within himself. He has tried to inject his teammates with his spirit … his will to win … to teach them they should leave everything they’ve got on the floor. But it has not helped. It’s not his fault, but none the less the Sixers can’t win with or without him.

So what’s the point.

The concern about his daughter is real. The Sixers chances for this season are not. And to expect the team to use a roster spot for ‘em next year … at their weakest position … is not realistic either. So this will likely be good-bye. With any luck his daughter’s condition will improve and we will see a final swan song. I hope so. I hope I will be there to see it.

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde

The Jekyll and Hyde season continued last nite as my Sixers got waxed by the Bulls at the United Center just 24 hours removed from a remarkable victory over the Spurs. I could not finish watching the game. It was too horrible.

I’m screaming at my television during the 2nd period collapse “Stop settling for jumpers” … “Where’s the defense”. Clearly no one was listening. Least of all Eddie Jordon. He let Chicago take Elton Brand completely out of the game. Does it really take an offensive genius to take advantage of a team overplaying your low post player? How about finding a way to get ‘em the ball. The high screen in roll that worked so well last time. I dunno … do something!

Kate Fagan lambasted Jordon again today in the paper. While she shoots some blame at the players, Jordon is squarely in her cross hairs. She’s now speculating whether Jordon will be fired before the season is done. I loved Brian’s headline on the Depressed fan “Kate Fagan goes for the Jugular”.

Like the guys at the Fan, I don’t believe it will happen before the season is done. What’s the point. Unless his damage to the players psyche becomes un repairable. No, this death march will continue. We will probably see more of the days like the last two … Dr. Jekyll one day … Mr. Hyde the next.

Sixers Spank Spurs in the Money Quarter

I think like like most fans, I was not in a good place before the Sixers vs. Spurs game last. The spanking they took from the Heat in the previous game along with the lackluster trade gave me little confidence against a contender like San Antonio.

But that's the beauty of sports. You never now what could happens in any 1 game. That's why they play the games as the cliché goes. I was encouraged after the first quarter. The Sixers trailed by one 25-26. They were not really stopping them, but they were getting theirs.

The second quarter was more of the same. But they fell further behind. They trailed 52-45 at the half. So you had to wonder how they would respond in the 2nd half.

Die like dogs or MAN up?

Well they decided to MAN up. They stepped up the intensity and then Sammy got tossed after his second technical foul. Sammy's poor decision making is well chronicled, but this was NOT his fault. The Sixers were getting jobbed by the refs. It all changed after that. The Sixers won the quarter by 4.

In the fourth, they just continued to pour it on. It was like the Sixers defense the last few years. The were scratching and clawing. Tips balls ... steals ... run outs ... fastbreak basketball. The Sixers had 38 fast break points! That like 35% of their points. It was contagious ... even Speights was playing crazy straight up D on Tim Duncan. And Lou Williams erased any doubt you had about him (at least for a day). After all it was his Mom's nite "Sixers See Red" to promote heart disease awareness. So it was a fitting performance (20 pts on 7-11 shooting, 1 steal and 2 BLOCKS). The rookie Jrue Holiday also played solid for 44:44 minutes! He was a +/-14 for the nite.

The Spurs were one and done when they were not turning over the ball. It certainly helped that they were on the 7th of 8 road games (their annual rodeo tour). The Sixers have caught them at home in this position before. But who cares. That was an AWSOME game. Sixers 106- Spurs 94. Wonder why the Sixers tend to have these great Friday nite home games like Dallas and the Celtics earlier this season?

BTW, the Spurs, DeJuan Blair is a monster. You could see he would be this kind of player at Pitt last year. I can’t help but think that the Sixers need a space eater like him. He can get after it. Something we lost with Reggie Evans going to Toronto.

Sixers deal no big deal

Sixers make deal with Bucks | Philly | 02/18/2010 – Just short of the trade deadline, the Sixers confirm they are trading Royal Ivey and Primoz Brzec to the Bucks in exchange for rookie shooting guard Jodie Meeks and journeyman Francisco Elson.

You are sadly disappointed, if you were looking for some blockbuster deal from Ed Stefanski. I thought he was very clear about his intentions earlier this week … He was not dumping salaries for cap space and tanking games. He was looking for a like for like trade to improve THIS club. Not tear it down and build another. Give Ed credit for being true to his word. If he goes down it will be on his own terms. Not the whim of public opinion.

So very little should have been expected today. And very little happened. Elson is hurt and will probably never join the team. Brzec, his counterpart, has been basically a DNP all season. So that’s a wash. Ivey was a fan favorite, their best on the ball defender, and had developed a 3 point (something he was not noted for). This will be his 2nd dance with the Bucks. His counterpart, the rookie Meeks, looks to have potential. They are about the same size, but Meeks is younger. So I guess you can say it’s a plus for the Sixers … kinda .. sorta … maybe.

I’m okay with it all. Let’s just get on with this death march to the end of the season. There’s no way Eddie Jordon gets this team to the playoffs. Let’s just get out of dodge with our butts intact. Like the Sixers GM, I am hoping this season was a special edition of the Twilight Zone and the hour will be over soon.

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‘Dre goes for 24 over the T-wolves

Is it me or has Dre’s game picked up since AI has been MIA?

Sixers in a blowout 4 fifth straight win

The Sixers beat Timberwolves for fifth straight win. Yes, a 5 game win streak. The 76ers finally broke thru the 3 win ceiling (Friday, 101-94 over NOH) that has plagued them all season and went on to win their 4th (Sat. 102-95 over Rockets) and now their 5th straight game over the T-wolves.

A blowout over the Timberwolves (119-97) … Priceless after that total collapse the Sixers had against them on MLK day. I’m a little disappointed that I opted out of the game last nite. I can’t remember the last time I saw a blow-out in person.

I know what some are saying. Why try to win. Everyone knows I hate tanking games. Even while I’ll admit that lottery luck is the swiftest path to contention. I just don’t believe the lottery is lucky every year. If that were true the Clippers would have a few rings by now.

No I’m not sold on John Wall. Does he have the make up of a star NBA player? Yes! Will he be a superstar top 5 draft pick on par with LeBron, Duncan, Robinson, Jordon, Magic? I’m gonna go out on a limb and say …. Nope! 

Besides, have you seen how bad some the teams behind us are? The Nets have 4 wins … 4! They’re in sight of the worst record EVER (9 wins). Then there’s Washington (17), Indiana & Detroit (18), and New York (19). That’s just the eastern conference. There are 4 more teams in the west with worst records than Philly. You are kidding yourself if you like those odds.

Better to have the #1 draft pick for one of those teams. That’s how the Lakers got Magic. 

Yes, at 20-31 the Sixers are 11 games under 500. But the eastern conference stinks. Forget the 5 teams behind us. The bottom 3 teams in the playoffs each has only 25 wins. That’s only 5 games. I’m just doing the math here.

Sixers bag nice win over the Bulls

The Sixers bag a nice win over the Bulls 106-103 in overtime. The Sixers’ defense looked really good in the 2nd half. Particularly at the end of the 4th and in over time. EB had another strong outing with 26 points. Igoudala had 25 points, 8 boards and 8 dimes. His body language was much better tonight. At this juncture in the season, he has to forget about all the negative energy about their record and trades and keep his nose to the grindstone and play hard.

The Sixers had a chance to win it in regulation, but Iggy missed the back end of two at the line and EB missed the put back.

 

You didn't mind them going into overtime if you were a fan at the game … free Big Macs for everyone when the Sixers score over 100.