Seven days ago, we were still basking in the glow of Wilt Chamberlain nostalgia. It was fun. Give the Sixers management credit. They did a bang up job with the whole thing.
But on Sunday reality crept back into my conciseness. I had lost focus of the 5 game loosing streak. There was no wonder as to why we had not won back to back games in a month. I started to over simplify the causes for the Sixers anemic offense. Spencer Hawes’s injury? It could not be that simple could it? But I have no time to discern the answer. The Bulls are in town and the Sixers are on national TV again. We gotta show better than the last time … you remember … the collapse against the Mavs.
The Bulls game was actually very entertaining the final result not with standing. That Rose guy, He’s pretty good. The National broadcasters repeatedly hawked on the Sixers shortcomings … the rebounding, the free throw disparity, etc. Just short of saying they will never be any better without a superstar. Hmm, maybe that said the too. Rose scores 35 as Bulls hold off 76ers 96-91.
Something had to change. I was surprised to see it in Milwaukee. I was under the impression that Coach Collins would have at least 1 practice with a new line-up before making a change. Against the Bucks the change reeked of desperation. The defense was not in synch, turnovers ensued. I’m sorry but there is no excuse for getting used by the likes of Drew Gooden and the rudderless Bucks. Bogut is out for an extended time once again and that train is going nowhere. They are holding up the last playoff spot in the east as a goal. Everyone knows Brandon Jennings is outta there. But New-look Sixers deliver the same disappointing result.
So now we got a full blown controversy on our hands. Is the kid ET a bust? Stan Hochman stepped his foot in it Wednesday. Insinuating on the WIP morning show that there was something we didn’t know about Turner as the reason for his shortcomings. I had heard that ESPN commentator Chris Mullins said that Turner had a conditioning problem. Hold on … what’s going on here?
I recall during some of the lean years that just beating Boston was good enough to make the season for Sixer nation. Kind of like what is was like for Eagles fans before the Andy Reid era. Just beat Dallas. That was all that mattered. And the Dallas hatred still lingers. And so does the Beat Boston Bandwagon. But when the Sixers not just win, but to maul the Celtics … that has us all grinin’ from ear to ear. Now the kid is a keeper. Sixer nation can breath again. So what if the C’s where on the road on a second end of a back to back and played to overtime their last two games. So what?
The second win in a row Friday against the Jazz was almost as good as Wednesday’s game. Ah, but the ET controversy keeps rollin’. What took coach so long? Can ET, Iggy and Jrue really play together? Is Turner a point guard? Can the Sixers get past the fist round? The spin cycle never ends.
What I think has been lost in all of this has been the play of Thaddeus Young. Thad has had a spectacular season. He has consistently brought energy every nite. He is shooting the mid range better than ever. He is humble and the poster child for this hard hat, grind ‘me out team. Resigning Young was a no brainer. I just love to watch him play. Why aren’t we talking about Thad?
Controversy in Sixer nation? As Bob McGinnis would say “Are You Kiddin’ me?”
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