Uh oh, fellow Sixers fans: We got problems.

[RickyPryor]

It occurs to me as I watch these remaining playoff teams, just how far away we are from a ring.

I know, I know...we all agree there are issues.  But I'm thinking that some here think we are a "tweak" or two away.

Consider the Celtics (more teams to follow if this thread attracts any attention)

Pierce >> Iggy (not close)
Ray Allen >> Green (please)
Garnett >> Young (ugh)
Rondo > Miller (I love Miller more than most; but man can that kid defend and create havoc)
Perkins >> Sam (the number aren't overwhelming, but this guy is solid, while Sam is....uh....not)

Davis >>> Reggie (Like Reggie more than most; but 17/6 in the playoffs?)
Eddie House > Williams (He's a winner.  I'd take him in 2-seconds)
Scalabrini > Speights (Yeah, he looks goofy, but that guy is smart...a workhorse...and you know what you got)

Doc >>> Tony (No need for comment here)

Ok, so this one is easy; the Cetics won a ring last year.  But this is EVERY GUY.  To a MAN they are better.  How do you compete with that anytime soon?

[tk76-]

The sands of time fear no man...

[DuckyNinja]

Rondo >> Any PG we'll have next year (And Rondo >> Miller and it's not even close anyway)
Iguodala > Allen (Gotta take both defense and the defense they're seeing into account)
Pierce >> Young (Here's hoping that Thad makes the Third Year Leap)
Garnett = Brand (Because it's all assumptions with both of them at this point)
Perkins >> Any C we'll have next year

Davis/Powe >>> Our backup big men (Anybody questioning that?)
House > Williams (But Williams has more potential)
Both teams could use some backup swingmen

Don't know who our coach is, so I'm not gonna judge on that.

So how do we compete sometime soon? If Thad/Lou/Speights (hell, even one of three) makes a big leap, we get lucky with a draft pick, we sign a good player to the MLE, and we bring in a good coach, suddenly we're right up near them.

The real question is how do we defeat Lebron and the Refs?  Look at Lebron's fouls this year from both the regular season and the playoffs.  How do you beat a great player who never commits a foul?

[Derek Bodner]

Iguodala > Allen (Gotta take both defense and the defense they're seeing into account)

Allen is, even at this age, still a much better player than Iguodala.  He's also an underrated defender (not Iggy level, but good).

Garnett = Brand (Because it's all assumptions with both of them at this point)

By that logic, Jason Smith = Garnett, because they're both assumptions next year.

When Garnett played this year he was better than Brand.  Therefore, since they're both coming off of an injury, I'd rather have Garnett.

Brand's a good defender and a good locker room guy.  Garnett's a game changing defender and a guy who changes the attitude of the entire team.  They're not even close IMO.

[RickyPryor]

Iguodala > Allen (Gotta take both defense and the defense they're seeing into account)

Even at his advanced age I take Allen in a heartbeat.  Not even close, really.  He's a 9-time all star (to Iggy's zero); a future Hall of Famer (IMO), whereas Iggy...well...isn't.  He's got a ring, is a winner and can defend, too.



 

[tk76-]

The Sixers have as much chance as the Clippers to win it all next year.  Probably 2-3 years is best case scenario to try and compete with the better teams.

In 2-3 years do you really think Boston will be anything like it is right now?  Not only will the big 3 be the elderly 3, but with their contracts 1-2 of them will be off the team.  I'm not saying Bston can't reload, but they will be a different team by the time the Sixers are even potentially a top 3 EC team.

The Sixers are a mediocre, relatively young team right now... so why compare them to a vet led defending champion?

[RickyPryor]

In 2-3 years do you really think Boston will be anything like it is right now?

No.  But 2-3 years ago did you think they'd be anything like they are right now?

The Sixers are a mediocre, relatively young team right now... so why compare them to a vet led defending champion?

Well, I guess that's the point of the thread, isn't it.  The Sixers are mediocre.  And that's why I compare.  I want a ring and I want to know who I gotta beat, and what I have to become, to get one.

Next up: The Cavs.

[tk76-]

If you want to list the teams that have better talent then the Sixers... it will be a long list.

The team has a decent amount of talent 25 and under (Iguodala/Young/Speights/Lou/Smith.)  Nothing earth-shattering like Portland, but at least something positive compared to their vets (Brand/Miller/Sam/Green/Evans.)

Like I posted elsewhere, maybe you can build for something 4-5 years down the road... but adding Brand makes that an unlikely approach.  I agree, it will be really hard for this team to be a contender withing the window of Brands contract.  They sort of took a decent, really young core and over-reached.  Now they are grasping at straws.

[RickyPryor]

If you want to list the teams that have better talent then the Sixers... it will be a long list.

Well, I hope it won't be.  We're talking better talent to a man.

And that's pathetic that there'd be ANY team with all 8 guys being better, head to head.

[rickortreat]

As I see it, we only have six NBA calibur players, that is players solid enough to play for a championship team.  And several of them are undeveloped at this time, like Speights, Young and Williams. 

We had a .500 ball club this season, maybe a few games better, but injuries and bad coaching got us .500.  if you add Brand to that group you get a playoff team, maybe a 50-55 game team, but not quite at the level of a Boston or Cleveland as they are this season.

Dalembert, Evans, Green, Ivey, and Rush are all pretty sub-par players.  Sam has been a real disappointment, he's too much of a head-case to be reliable.  Jason Smith is probably a borderline player at best. 

Assuming we keep Miller, we'll have him, Brand, Iguodala, Young, Williams and Speights.  That's an ok group, but unless the four young players in that group improve dramatically, it's not even a core for a championship team.  We need a better center and a better point guard, just for starters, and then we'll need backups at all the positions as well. 

Replacing Sam will probably be the hardest - everyone is looking for good big men. We may get lucky this summer with all the free agents, but unless we can entice away LeBron, the Sixers are pretty far from contending for a title.

[RickyPryor]

if you add Brand to that group you get a playoff team, maybe a 50-55 game team,

I think it's safe to say you represent those here which think we are better than we are.  Maybe only minor tweaking is necessary, hmm?

50-55 with Brand?

So...as many as FOURTEEN more wins with a healthy Brand?

He'd put us right up there with, say, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Denver...those type teams, right?

What was our record with him this year?

[Derek Bodner]

I'd say that next year, with continued improvement from Young (16-18 ppg), and Brand come back in his proper role, we're a 47-48 win team.

Not exactly my goal.

What was our record with him this year?

13-16:
http://nba.phillyarena.com/teamstats/savedquery/31/

[tk76]

I'd say that next year, with continued improvement from Young (16-18 ppg), and Brand come back in his proper role, we're a 47-48 win team.

Not exactly my goal.

I don't have any real goals for next year in terms of wins.  I'm interested to see if they get a PG who can shoot and defend.  Then I am looking towards 2 years from now, when hopefully Brand, Young and Speights are all contributing at a high level.

If that team in 2 years is good, then maybe they can parlay some of the expiring bums (Sam, Evans, Green) into upgrades.

Even best case we are talking a very good but not great team in 2-3 years.  I guess I will have to settle for that best case scenario- because I don't see any realistic moves that has this team a top contender in the next 3 years.

[rickortreat]

Adding Brand IS a big deal to a club like the Sixers.  Not only were they a .500 club, but their point differential was about .5.  Adding another 15 points to the lineup is more than enough to overcome most of their losses.  Even if it results in the Sixers scoring only 5 more points per 48 with him in there, and not giving up any more, that's easily 50 games.

In an 82 game season, 46-36, is only 10 games over .500.  4 more wins is 50 games.  A 50 win team usually isn't anything, there are several of them every season and they usually don't win the title. A championship team is typically a 60 win team, or at least the high 50's. Orlando won 59 games this season to give you some perspective.

But basically, I'm agreeing with Dabods, an above average team, but not good enough to contend for a title, and with little chance of getting there.

[RickyPryor]

Adding Brand IS a big deal to a club like the Sixers.  Not only were they a .500 club, but their point differential was about .5.  Adding another 15 points to the lineup is more than enough to overcome most of their losses.  Even if it results in the Sixers scoring only 5 more points per 48 with him in there, and not giving up any more, that's easily 50 games.

13-16:

That translates to a 37-45 record with Brand out there for all 82.