Which of the three do you want?

[rickortreat]

With the regular season busted, were down to a playoff series with Orlando, Boston or Cleveland, probably in that order of probability.

We can't move up any longer, but we can move down.  Although Orlando is injured, to me they are still the scarier team, more difficult for the Sixers to match up with.  Boston looks vulnerable without Garnett and they have not been playing great ball without him.  Cleveland looks healthy and primed for a run as well, so it seems to me, that the best matchup would be last season's world champs.

Without Garnett, I think the Sixers can beat the Celtics, they depend on him to do so many things, that without him, they're not a complete team. With Pierce and Allen it won't be easy, but it will be possible. And if the Sixers can jump on them before Garnett can have an impact on the series, they may play spoiler in the first round.

In theory, neither of the Sixers' opponents has much to play for.  Cleveland has home court for the playoffs locked up and the Celtics can't catch them or fall down to third.  Boston may want to send a message, but a loss to Boston would put us with them, so by winning they'd be saying, "we don't respect you at all, we want to play you in the first round"  The Sixers should say, yeah, we want you to, which is why we're throwing the game.  We'll kick your ass this weekend!

[Derek Bodner]

unless we win out, and chicago loses, we're guaranteed the 7th seed and boston.  we own the tiebreaker over detroit, so we can't play cleveland.

[anklebreaker]

I think I'd rather have Boston to be honest, but I don't think we can beat them... even with a hobbling KG, although I do think we could probably make a series out of it and give them a scare.... not that this particularly excites me anymore. 

[rickortreat]

I think I'd rather have Boston to be honest, but I don't think we can beat them... even with a hobbling KG, although I do think we could probably make a series out of it and give them a scare.... not that this particularly excites me anymore. 

The last time we played them, we lost by a point.  I think without KG we're competitive with them, assuming we have Thad healthy.  We may even have an edge at that point.

I understand that the losses have diminished your enthusiasm for the team, but the season isn't over until they're eliminated.  All we could reasonably hope for was a chance at getting to the 2nd round.  Without Thad we couldn't secure a date with Atlanta, but a match-up with a hobbled Boston might even be better.

Because of the history, a series with the Celtics would hold more interest for me. Even if I think we had a legitimate shot at beating Atlanta.

[anklebreaker]

I think I'd rather have Boston to be honest, but I don't think we can beat them... even with a hobbling KG, although I do think we could probably make a series out of it and give them a scare.... not that this particularly excites me anymore. 

I understand that the losses have diminished your enthusiasm for the team, but the season isn't over until they're eliminated.  All we could reasonably hope for was a chance at getting to the 2nd round.  Without Thad we couldn't secure a date with Atlanta, but a match-up with a hobbled Boston might even be better.

I mean we're in the playoffs, so I'm going to cheer my head off until it's 100% over.  Don't get me wrong, I'd love nothing more than for the Sixers to play dragon slayer and revive the rivalry w/ Boston with an upset of extraordinary magnitude, but at the same time you have to be a little realistic.  I suppose anything is possible, but the likelihood of us taking out the defending champs isn't favorable.