If the season ended today, the Sixers would be in the playoffs.

[rickortreat]

They are currently tied with New Jersey for the 7th spot and I guess with tie-breakers, they are in 8th.

More than half the season is gone and it's clear that the Sixers, though somewhat improved, are still not good enough to compete.  That isn't a surprise, a team without any post play,  or long-range shooters to spread the floor shouldn't be good enough to win consistently.

Teams in the Sixer's situation should be  in the lottery, and even as I watch them and want them to play well, I want them to loose so they get a lottery pick, the more ping-pong balls the better.

It pretty much comes down to their schedule and who they play now.  In general, I can tell which teams they are going to beat and which ones are going to beat them.  The thing that I can't account for are what the other teams around them do.

I'm worried about Washington falling back and also New Jersey, since they traded Kidd. I'm hoping Atlanta will play better and that Indiana will pick it up a bit.  Maybe Chicago will get better by getting rid of Big Ben.

With 25 games left and many of the opponents better, the Sixer should miss the playoffs. I think they will go 10-15 in that span if they are lucky. This assumes that they loose to teams like Orlando, Phoenix, Cleveland, etc.  With any help at all from the other teams we can look forward to a decent pick in the next draft.

The team should go 0-3 against Orlando, Golden State and Phoenix.  Maybe that will quiet down the local fans who think the team can win.

[Randy]

Maybe that will quiet down the local fans who think the team can win.

Okay, Rick, that was the most HILARIOUS thing I have read all day!!!!  Thanks!!!

[rickortreat]

Maybe that will quiet down the local fans who think the team can win.

Okay, Rick, that was the most HILARIOUS thing I have read all day!!!!  Thanks!!!

The problem is, the Sixers beat the Magic last night.  OK, so they go 11-24 instead.

Actually, they really did play well against a team that played the night before.  They jumped on them early and kept them down. 

I believe the Magic are a much better team than the Sixers, but that doesn't mean they can't loose to them, ever.

OT:  Gold is going higher now and making record highs as the dollar is making new lows.  If you are in gold or mining stocks, you are now reaping great profits.  Just remember to take some profit off the table as prices go higher.  I expect that Gold will top out on this run at around $1050/oz.  As in all bull markets, there are times to not be greedy,  Gold can fall back quite dramatically if it gets too far ahead of itself.

[westkoast]

They had an awesome win last night and a nice response to getting beat by the Magic earlier in the month.

I think that if the Sixers continue to develop they will hit the playoffs this year.  Granted the Celts will bounce them in the first round but I am still saying getting the young guys playoff exp is more important then a lottery ball with their luck last year.

[rickortreat]

I think their talent level is so light, and they are so lacking at certain positions that a lottery pick will help them a lot more in the future than getting bounced in the first round.

Yeah, they're getting better, but they really can't compete with who they have, and never will be able to contend without more players.

Compare them with LA, who since they met and won against the Sixers in the finals.  They have completed their rebuilding process and are now competing legitimately for this years title, and are set up to compete for several more years afterwards.  The Sixers aren't even close to competing on that level, and they are in an easier conference.

Since I've had to wait this long, I'm willing to wait a little longer to see them assemble enough talent.  Stud PF's are hard to find, and a high draft pick can only help, either to draft one or to use in trade to get one.

[westkoast]

Don't you think you are putting your team in a tough spot Rick?  You want to see them get better and develop...but if they continue to do so chances are they make the playoffs.  If they tank games then they might regress and lose the confidence that is important to becoming a better team in this league.

[Derek Bodner]

confidence is drastically overrated.  This team won't be a true contender without a dominant player, and the most likely chance of getting that dominant player is in the draft.

A top 5 pick is now a virtual impossibility, so we might as well make the playoffs.  But that doesn't mean it's a good thing for the franchise.

[Lurker]

confidence is drastically overrated.  This team won't be a true contender without a dominant player, and the most likely chance of getting that dominant player is in the draft.

A top 5 pick is now a virtual impossibility, so we might as well make the playoffs.  But that doesn't mean it's a good thing for the franchise.

Philly should go for the playoff experience and develop their young guys.  Derek is right that a top 3-5 pick is probably not in the future.  But they can follow the Celtics model by packaging some of the young talent in a sign & trade deal for some of the big names that could be available this summer.

[rickortreat]

Don't worry Derrick, after they loose to Golden State and Phoenix, things will become clearer. As long as we don't have too many upsets like with Orlando, we'll miss the playoffs.  The schedule is pretty unfavorable from now on.

And, who knows what can happen with the lottery.  Last time we got lucky we picked A.I.  Maybe this time around we'll pick a big worthy of a top pick.

Meantime I wonder if they'll be able to sign Igoudala.

[Derek Bodner]

Don't worry Derrick, after they loose to Golden State and Phoenix, things will become clearer. As long as we don't have too many upsets like with Orlando, we'll miss the playoffs.  The schedule is pretty unfavorable from now on.

Missing the playoffs and getting the 14th pick is no win.  This team needs to stink, not be mediocre.

Besides, have you seen the eastern conference?  the Nets and Hawks stink, and the wizards just lost Caron butler on top of not having gilbert arenas.

Meantime I wonder if they'll be able to sign Igoudala.

Only two teams have cap space, the Sixers and the Grizzlies.  Grizzlies have already said they might not spend the $ due to financial issues with ownership.  Who else is going to offer Iguodala $?  Of course they'll keep him, and at less than what he was offered last year.

[WayOutWest]

Iggs would be a nice fit for the Mavs.  That would be sweet but the Mavs have blown their wad on Kidd.

[rickortreat]

Don't worry Derrick, after they loose to Golden State and Phoenix, things will become clearer. As long as we don't have too many upsets like with Orlando, we'll miss the playoffs.  The schedule is pretty unfavorable from now on.

Missing the playoffs and getting the 14th pick is no win.  This team needs to stink, not be mediocre.

Besides, have you seen the eastern conference?  the Nets and Hawks stink, and the wizards just lost Caron butler on top of not having gilbert arenas.

Yes, but we have Mo Cheeks as our coach and he is sure to make mistakes with his substitution patterns and rotations, to make sure we give our opponents plenty of opportunities to score on us.  He will continue to play Sam Dalembert even though he routinely dribbles the ball out of bounds and allows passes to bounce off his chest.

He will continue to allow the team to take the easy way out on offense, and have players try to take on the other team one on one, horking up shots with no one ready to rebound the misses.

He will allow another team's player to get hot and continue to defend him the same way.  He will take out any player who actually gets hot and scores more than 2 baskets in a row for the Sixers.

We will never try to run plays for any of the players to get them involved.  How does no one pass to Thadeus Young the entire time, he is on the floor?

As you say, the other teams were trying to fall to are terrible.  But so are we.