Break up the Sixers

[Reality]

That ballhog Allen Iverson upped his season assist ave to 10+ while dropping another 30 pts.  If only he could play like Kobe. :rolleyes:   Korver chipped in big time (consistency?) and Igs continues to grow.

Does Dalembert look more assertive to you on D?  Due to coach Mo Malone?
Or simply because Shraq was out and Mouring could only go 15 min?

Chris Bosh looks good.  Too bad he is stuck up in Toronto.

Fabbs put up Bynum type #s in the Spurs win. :eek2:  Parkers ankle still looks whacked but Pop-a-Cement runs him the most minutes on the team. :bash:

 

[WayOutWest]

Fabbs put up Bynum type #s in the Spurs win. :eek2:

Those were Kwame like numbers BUT if you add up all of Fabs games totals together he starts to like Bynum-like.

I've seen a little more of Elson, he looks good and seems to be an upgrade of Nazr but he has much as much chance of guarding Dirk succesfully as I do.

[rickortreat]

A 50 game season doesn't seem so ridiculous now does it?

In spite of their being the same players, the Sixers are NOT the same team.  Last year they couldn't play defense.  This year, they can play it very effectively.  They can actually stop teams from scoring.

They didn't have a problem scoring last year, but there were times when other teams frustrated them and they couldn't be consistent.  This year, the ball is being spread around more.  Igoudala is taking shots.  The Bench consistently outscores the other teams bench thanks to Kyle Korver, who is a different player.

Kyle could always shoot, but he would get cold at times and not be effective at all.  All he could do was shoot the three.  Now, he puts the ball on the floor, and heads to the basket.  He can pull up for a mid-range jumper, and he has a very quick release.  He also works hard on defense and in trying to get rebounds.  Last year, I wanted them to trade him, he's developed so much over the summer that I now think it would be a mistake to loose him.

The team has ample room for improvment, and they need someone else to step up, because it will be very hard for AI to play 45 min. every night.  Still, he really should be considered Mr. MVP for the time being, throwing in 30 pts. and 10 assists a night!

It would be good for them to get more from Webber, Dalembert and Hunter.  Some inside scoring punch would make it easier for Iverson, Korver and Igoudala to do what they do best.   They have very good outide shooting.  With some more inside consistency, they could become a very competitive team.

It's still too early to know how good they really are.  Atlanta is probably the worst team in the league.  Orlando was tired after playing the night before.  Miami was without Shaq.  So they're 3-0, but are they really that good?  We'll have to keep watching.

LA got off to a great start.  They are better than I thought.  What's up with Dallas dropping 2 in a row?  And, what's with Utah?
 

[westkoast]

The team looks great and all of us telling Rick just two weeks ago that there is no way they could improve by 10 games doesn't look so impossible.  If they continue to play this way with great contributions from everyone then I think they could do just that.

You've got to love the NBA for the simple fact it is not always so predictable.  I expect by the end of the year for the stronger teams to push forward but this is kind of a weird start.  Lakers, Cavs, and Sixers...maybe the three last teams you would expect to start strong and be on top of the league.  I know ESPN said the Lakers are going to start very slow, look horrible, and wish by the all star break that it would be the off-season.  I am pretty sure no one picked the Sixers to some out red hot from the jump.

Then to see Pheonix whom everyone picked to win it all in the off season look out of sync and actually not as mighty as the year before.  

Craziness.

[Derek Bodner]

A 50 game season doesn't seem so ridiculous now does it?

Yes, it does.

reality: no, Dalembert still looks clueless.  He's sat out the entire 4th quarter two games in a row.

The biggest surprise so far for the 76ers has been Korver.  He's really improved his game.  Last he he added a turnaround that he could use on smaller players, and this year he's added the ability to score on the move.  He's had some nice buckets this year coming off screens, off the dribble, everything.  He's even getting to the line.  You can tell he really works on his game during the offseason.

Carney can make a 2nd half impact.  He moves his feet really well on defense, possibly better than even Iguodala.  Right now he's making mistakes and out of position a little too much, but when he gets some experience he can make some impact off the bench.

[rickortreat]

C'mon Dabods!

A lot of the games they lost last year were close, decided by 5 points or less.  Perhaps 20 of their losses were in that category.

It's not unreasonable to think that they could improve by 10-15 games by winning those close ones instead of loosing them.

Their ability to play defense is a significant change over last year, and they can get better at it than they have shown.  They don't play it for the whole game, or they haven't so far, but when they do, they're so effective at shutting down the other team that they end up with the lead.

The other team's are making mistakes on offense and getting frutrated.  The Sixers were incapable of doing that last year.

This doesn't mean I think they're on their way to a championship. But it does mean they're on their way to respectability.
 

[JoMal]

Predicting seasonal outcomes after three games is a waste of time.

[rickortreat]

So it is, Jomal.  It's also a "waste" to predict at the beggining of a season, but everyone does it, and it's expected.

So far I'm happy with my prediction.  But it means nothing, and it makes little difference in the real world or what matters if it occurs.  In fact, nearly everything about the NBA is completly unimportant, as the only ones who benefit financially are the players and the owners, and the TV Networks.  

We would all be better served if we stopped watching Basketball, and paid attention to what's happening in our country.

Then we would be dissagreeing about policies and the countries performance, and arguing about who the best legislators are!  



 

[JoMal]

We would all be better served if we stopped watching Basketball, and paid attention to what's happening in our country.

Then we would be dissagreeing about policies and the countries performance, and arguing about who the best legislators are!

Rick, basketball and other sports allows us to NOT talk about politics in the same way. We have as much sway in the post-election political arena as we do in a professional sports arena, except we usually do a much better job in predicting which sleeze did the better job muckraking his opponent to get elected.

I understand the satisfaction of predicting the success or failure of your professional sports team, but under limited observations, it holds true the same as in scientific discoveries - the more observations you can attest to, the more likely your hypothesis will hold true.

At this stage of the season, Iverson is not beat up. Have you taken that into consideration? His history shows that his team experiences diminishing returns as his body gets bruised. Webber? His numbers are down and his legs have to be sore already. Will he be out of games in back-to-backs? Korver can be stopped when defenses focus on him, forcing Iverson to do more and without a jumper from outside, his work goes up and his body goes down.

The Sixers just rely way too much on the play of one superstar. As you noted, his teammates are working hard on defense and in being supportive, but the rub is that Iverson, not his teammates, is the one who has to accept the help FOR 82 GAMES! He has yet to do that in his career. He has in stretches, and as I recall, you, Rick, have praised him and the new outlook Sixers for being progressive and changing at those times it looks like he is accepting the help....only for him to revert back at the first sign of a run of losses.

If you want to predict how many wins the Sixers will have, predict how long it will be before Iverson goes his own way again, the Sixers go through a bad spell, and all this talk of an improved defense and ballsharing becomes an early season memory.

[rickortreat]

I'm not concerned with Iverson's durability, he has historicaly been a fast healer, and frankly, I'd like to see the Sixers develop enough of an offense that they can play extended minutes without relying on him.  At times they've played better without AI because they have to play like a team, but since they're playing like a team with him, I can't hope for an improvement, but an alternative to give him rest.  Willie Green can score enough to spare Alan.

I want Cheeks to rest AI.  I also think Webber is well-rested, and putting up small double-doubles.  He is also trying to play defense. I don't care who is playing PF as long as they're productive,  If it turns out that Shavlik or Carney are getting minutes at Webber's expense, then that's fine.  They've been scoring enough without much from this postion.  Webber will come around or one of the other ones will.  They really need to work on their inside game.

Teams can't stop Korver without leaving someone else open.  I'd love to see them run at him so he can make a pass inside or to a cutter. That's the whole point of having an outide shooter like him, he's the Sixers Peja!  The Sixers have enough fire power now, that they're very difficult to cover.  They like passing the ball, because they're all getting open looks.  AI doesn't care whether he shoots or passes, if it's open he's taking it, and if it isn't he finds someone who is.  They don't need Webber to distribute the ball, between Igoudala and AI there are open looks everywhere.

I don't know why you would assume that AI would turn away from team basketball.  It works better for him to play this way.  Last year proved that without defense, this team sucks. The only way they can win is to play the defensive style they're playing and work hard.  AI knows that as well as anyone.  He's won every honor in basketball, except a Championship ring.  His only shot of getting one with the Sixers is for them to play defense.  He has taken it on himself to stop cheating to steal passes, staying in postion to protect Dalembert from having to foul.  I think he's commited, because MO will make it so.  He's also having a lot of fun out there, playing the best he ever has.  He's shooting a higher percentage and dishing more assists.  

The Sixers just need Dalembert or Hunter to develop into a real center.  Between the two of them, they average a double-double, but I'd like to see another 5-7 pts. from them.  The longer Moses works with them the better they'll get.  If just one of them gets a tenth of his desire, the Sixers will win 50.

It's just a prediction, not a fact.  It's also Philly's only hope for a winning sports team this season.  

[Reality]

Thud.  Okay the 6ers were not going undefeated.  I only saw a bit of the 2nd qtr and man did they look bad at Indiana.

ATL.  Surely 3-1 Atlanta can't be for real, can they?

Hou.  I see Van Grunty has them back at 80-86 pts per game.  What a waste of a potentially great center.

Lakers.  Bynumania!  How long till Kobe gets jealous and steals shots from everyone?

Spurs.  W.O.W. It was pointed out to me that Fabbs is shooting near 80% from the floor and that on Pop Radio show he called him one of the most productive Spurs.
Greg Pop:  Ensuring Spurs Lovers and Haters alike of a no repeat.  Ever. :cry:

 

[westkoast]

Thud.  Okay the 6ers were not going undefeated.  I only saw a bit of the 2nd qtr and man did they look bad at Indiana.

ATL.  Surely 3-1 Atlanta can't be for real, can they?

Hou.  I see Van Grunty has them back at 80-86 pts per game.  What a waste of a potentially great center.

Lakers.  Bynumania!  How long till Kobe gets jealous and steals shots from everyone?

Spurs.  W.O.W. It was pointed out to me that Fabbs is shooting near 80% from the floor and that on Pop Radio show he called him one of the most productive Spurs.
Greg Pop:  Ensuring Spurs Lovers and Haters alike of a no repeat.  Ever. :cry:

ATL is still a very young team so I think we should wait until we get deeper into the season to see if they know what it takes to win for long periods of time.  I believe they are the youngest team in the league.  Great start though and nothing is more important then a confidence boost for a young team.

Do you think Rick Adleman should goto Houston if they have a repeat of last season?!  If you think offense is the answer then he is the one.  His offense always has worked well with a big man who can pass and Yao can do just that.

Bynum is playing under control and with confidence.  Not sure how he developed confidence in the off-season but it is working.  Talk about his points all you want but its really his defense that kept the Lakers ahead of the Wolves.  I believe Kobe has got to a point where he is more happy if the team wins then if he gets individual props.  You would think he would come out gunning after a few of  the major sports outlets snubbed him as one of the best players in the game...yet he has not.  In fact he only took 7 shots last night and 12 the game before.

We don't talk about Fabs around here when we all know the real Super was Bynum....just like I predicted last season.  You heard it here first, like MTV News!

[WayOutWest]

We don't talk about Fabs around here when we all know the real Super was Bynum....just like I predicted last season.  You heard it here first, like MTV News!

I wouldn't brag about how Bynaum faired vs Flabs Obencho last year. The real genius bet his right nut on Kwame having a better year than Flabs.

Player     Pts FG%  Reb  Blk Stl  Ast  FT    FT%
Kwame    7.4 52.6   6.6  0.6  .4  1.0  1.8  54.5
Flabs       1.8 47.3   2.1  0.2  .2  0.5  0.5  55.6

If Reality is going to get Pop's job I want Bitch Kupcakes job!

[Reality]

Claw back to 104-101 after trailing Denver the whole 2nd half, by 10 with only about 2 minutes left.
Boykins misses, Korver rebound 40 seconds.
Green horks up a 3 pter early in the shot clock? Which makes him 0-3 on the night with 5-14 overall.  They only needed a two. :nonono:

Also whats up with A.I. horking at a 6-20 clip?  Though he was gonna knock that stuff off.

Knock off those two gunners and the Sixers went 28-48.  Igs and Hunter take a combined 3 shots.  I'm looking at you Cheeks.

[rickortreat]

Didn't even see the game (working) , but something is very wrong with the Sixers.  STUPID decisions are unnaceptable.  I can accept that players have physical limitations, but there's no excuse for not attempting to execute or rushing a shot.

We should be looking at Cheeks.  For all the talk about discpline and playing the right way, he's leaving a lot to be desired.