Sixers may need to win

[Reality]

Do you want Shraq or Larry Brown?

Philly is in, but as a 7 or 8 tbd.
Philly win 7 seed.  Should be able to roll the ATL.
Philly lose depends on Nets.

Net win Nets in.
Nets in if Cleveland loses.
Nets 7th if they win and Philly loses to ATL.

Cleveland does not control own fate.  Must win and Nets lose.

[Derek Bodner]

if indy loses and we win, we actually can still get the 6th seed.

[Reality]

if indy loses and we win, we actually can still get the 6th seed.

 :eek2:  :eek2:

This is huge for Philly.  Their chances v Boston are good, at least 50/50, right?
V Detroit or Miami 15%.

The media kills me off what they hype and what they fail to hype.

[rickortreat]

I'll take Detroit in a heart-beat.  They are overrated simply becasue they won last year against a weak Lakers squad.  They weren't even the best team in the conference last year, Indiana was, but the injuries killed their chances.  This year, Indiana would have been better, except for the suspensions.  Miami is way better.

If we get the sixth spot and draw Indiana, doesn't the winner get into Miami's bracket for the next round?  

The Sixers have the potential to challenge for the conference title, but are not playing at a consistently high level.  If they can get out of the first round, the added confidence will make them a very dangerous opponent.  They have two all-stars in Iverson and Webber.  That plus solid play from their young, talented players gives them a shot.  The longer they stay in, the more dangerous they become.

What will Boston do?  They can throw the game at no cost to them, and put NJ in, against Miami.  Considering the way Cleveland has been playing, softening up Miami by matching NJ againt them would be a smart move.  IF Philly looses to Atlanta (highly unlikely) Miami still gets a tougher matchup than Cleveland.  

[Derek Bodner]

Yes Rick, it's not like they've won 11 in a row or will win 55 games.

[Joe Vancil]

Rick,
      Boston/6th winner doesn't get Miami in the second round;  they get Detroit/7th winner.  4th/5th winner gets Miami/8th winner.

     I was one of the first people to believe in the benefit of getting Webber, but unfortunately, Philadelphia hasn't been able to use the guy.  Philly might take out a weak Boston team, but realistically, they don't stand much of a chance against Detroit or Miami.

     Personally, I find it hard to believe that Detroit is doing what they're doing.  In terms of elite-level defenders, they've got Prince and Ben Wallace, and I've always been a fan of Hamilton's defense, but bottom-line, Detroit shouldn't be the kind of elite-level defensive team that they seem to be.  And I'd think their offense would be prone to sputtering from time to time, as well.  Yet still, they continue to amaze me.

     Miami could win the ECF on the dominance of Shaq, or the dominance of Wade, or Detroit could win it on basketball IQ (which is where the team really shone in last year's finals - and I credit most of that to Tayshaun Prince).  Outside of that, if you're looking at sheer talent, you have to look at Washington before Philadelphia.

     Philadelphia is a team of Allen Iverson's indominable will, potential defensive stand-outs Dalembert and Iguodala (should be All-Defensive first team next year, if not this year), and role-players.  That's not enough to be considered a real threat.

 

[rickortreat]

Thanks Joe, wasn't sure about how those seedings work.

Dabods, did you look at who Detroit's played over the last 11 games?  The only teams worth mentioning are Miami, who's packed it in until the playoffs and Chicago, who they beat in OT.

55 games is better than most teams, but it's not like it was when there were only 16 teams in the league.  Brown always gets more out of his players because of his system.  You should know that, having watched him get the Sixers to the finals.  They know how to win, and have confidence in themselves, but they are not a great team by any stretch.  Until last years finals, no one considered them to be a legitimate contender, and most people were shocked that they won against the Lakers.

For the Sixers, Detroit will be no cakewalk by any stretch.  For them to win will take them playing at a higher level more consistently than they have all season.  It all comes down to their ability to execute on the offensive end.  If they can make buckets while Detroit is pressuring them, they can take the series.  They have the players and the talent level, but not the experience or poise under pressure.  Detroit goes down if the Sixers can figure out a way to run on them.