There isn't a franchise player in this draft. Losing to get a high draft pick doesn't make sense. This team has gotten a lot of draft picks. Iguodala, Williams, Carney, Smith, Speights and Holiday. The jury is still out on some of them, but they all appear to be NBA players and above average at their positions. Whatever pick the Sixers get has turned out to be pretty good.
The win streak is the result of some changes in Eddie's rotations, and a weak schedule. It gets tougher tonight and after the all star break. Games against playoff teams. I said that the problem was with the offense, and now that they're running more of it though Brand, the team has suddenly figured out how to function in a half-court offense. Defenders collapse in on Brand, which means someone is open. If you pass it fast enough a man will get an uncontested shot.
Better offense means the defense has time to get set,and when they are set, they force plenty of turnovers. Thad Young isn't a good one on one defender, but he gets his hands on a lot of balls on the defensive end. So does Iguodala and Williams and Holiday.
The problem has been when Brand has gone out of the game. Jordan insists on playing Young as a 4 and on the 2nd team he can get away with it some nights, but it's still being stupid. Why run a short line-up when you have players like Speights and Smith? If you can post them up and command double teams, the half-court offense will still work, and the team will still have two rebounders, like they do when they start with Sam and Brand.
5 in a row and 7 of 10, the pace they need to make the playoffs. If Eddie gets better as a coach and plays Thad as a three and Andre as a 2, giving Speights and Smith more playing time at the expense of Ivey and Green, the Sixers can be a good team. 7 of ten is good, but let's see them go 14 of 20, before we get too excited. I have no faith in Eddie seeing the light.
