76ers: A lucky break or a breakthrough performance?
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76ers: A lucky break or a breakthrough performance?
Let's cut to the chase here. The 76ers are worth watching. It didn't exactly come out of nowhere -- there were some decent performances in losses at the Oklahoma City Thunder and Miami Heat -- but it did, kind of, catch you a little by surprise.
You can say whatever you want after tonight's win over the Orlando Magic. You can say they only won the game because Orlando was short-handed -- and that would be a valid opinion -- but there's no arguing the kind of defense the Sixers played tonight. With or without Rashard Lewis, with or without Vince Carter, the Sixers played every defensive possession with focus and energy. Sitting there watching them -- as I've done for two full seasons prior -- I assumed the rotations would eventually suffer, that the team would break in the third quarter, or give up, or allow Orlando a flurry of open three pointers. But they never did. Sure, there were occasional breakdowns and an open shooter, but those were on broken possessions. When the Sixers were in their set defense, it was entertaining to watch. And it was effective.
"Our defense was so good tonight," said Doug Collins. "Scrambling, trying to make Dwight Howard work hard for all of his baskets and our guys rotated ... so many contributions from so many people."
After tonight's game, Collins pointed out an in-game interaction. He said he'd sent Elton Brand and Spencer Hawes to the scorer's table with about 8 minutes left. During that time, Marreese Speights hit another jumper and Brand went to Collins and requested that Speights stay in the game because he had the hot hand. Collins seemed to think this was an indication that what he's been preaching, i.e. teamwork in every moment and pulling for one another on the floor, was really sinking in.
Needless to say, this is probably not an anecdote we'd have heard last season. (And for more reasons than just because Hawes wasn't on the team then.)
So, yes, you can look back at the Sixers previous 11 games and come up with reasons why they've won eight games: the teams weren't that good, the Portland Trail Blazers have injuries, the New Orleans Hornets are overrated, the Magic were short handed, they had a bunch of games at home, etc., etc., etc. But the reality of tonight's game was that the Sixers played harder and better than the Magic, shorthanded or not. In past years, Orlando would be able to win this game on the strength of Dwight Howard alone.
Here on this blog, we've tried to be the first to point out when guys aren't in the right positions, when the team is selling out early in games, when the substitutions don't seem to match the game's needs, but right now -- watching intently all 48 minutes tonight -- we have not seen better defense in two and a half seasons. The offense is still dependent on guys hitting open shots (calling Jodie Meeks), but even on that end of the court there is execution and a pattern to what is happening.
This eight-game road trip is now one game old and the Sixers have started 1-0. It's a grueling, daunting eight games, and the Sixers need to come out the other side with at least a few wins. Three more wins on this road trip would make it a success, four more would make it great, and five more would make it unbelievable. The remaining seven games: Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, and New Orleans Hornets.
Are there three more wins in there? Maybe four? Could they snag five?
Be sure to check out the video embedded below of Doug Collins' post-game. Also, as always, please follow on Twitter, through which all content flows: Deep Sixer. Tomorrow's edition of the Inquirer will have the weekly "Inside the Sixers" colum and this one dives inside the team's improving defense. Be sure to check it out. One last thing: If you want to check out our post from earlier today, including an abbreviated "On the Road" video, you can find that here: On the Road.
So go ahead, let's hear it, the Sixers aren't actually good at all, this is just the end of a weak pocket in their schedule ... or, maybe, the unthinkable -- what you see is actually reality, the Sixers are pretty good.
--Kate
Each week, Kate will check in from the road and answer fan questions about the Sixers. Click here to ask Kate a question or e-mail her at kfagan@phillynews.com.
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Comments (22)
respect these guys. it was hard work, and the boo-birds always are negative. GREAT GAME SIXERS!!— Miss M.- boo-birds tell you more about themselves than the ones they are booing.— retzlaff
- Oh boy, this is what happens when the media is too close to the team. Comcast owning the team is the worst possible thing. You want access, play ball with them. Come on now and knock off the nonsense. Are they going to beat the Magic in the playoffs when they have their roster? The Knicks when they get Melo, or even now in the playoffs? The Celtics in the playoffs? Do they have even a remote chance of taking a game off the Heat the next 5 years in the playoffs? Not to even mention the west teams. We have one title in the last 45 years. And none in sight. So when do we get to contend and stop hoping to be "pretty good"?— JonKap
People should just "chill" and enjoy whats happening. Seems to be very
few "Elton Bashers" lately.Clippers beat the Bulls tonite.On to Chicago.— HO HUM- I'd go as far as saying keep Iguodala. He's playing inspired basketball, we won't get equal value, the team seems to now have chemistry (thanks in part to Meeks and Hawes stepping up). Something seemed to happen to this team and I think it was inserting Meeks into the starting lineup. He didn't even have a great game (didn't hit a three either) and they still won. He's a threat to hit threes even when he isn't making them other teams have to respect him and that opens the rim up for Iguodala, Thad and Lou Williams. Nice to see Hawes is in shape now but he had a bad game (considering it was against Howard I can understand and excuse it). Three guys with 20 or more. Brand Iguodala and Lou Williams. Nice to see that! Starting to think they need to send Turner to D-League to build his confidence if anything. If we get any offers for Kapono and Turner we might need to consider it, but I still wouldn't mind holding onto Turner until he could improve his trade value or improve with the team. He might need to be deactivated and sit next to the coach to be shown what needs to be done. I think he needs to be slowed down and brought along like Jrue was last season,#2 pick or not. Forget the fan pressure, do what's right for the guy and the team.— joecooler2u
- To quote The Sixth Sense, Dead people see what they want to see. The reporters covering the Sixers from Inquirer and Daily News are those people. The Sixers and the Knicks are mirages that will be exposed as teams gear up for the playoffs.— Drew777
It is the power of man to hold two contradictory views simultaneously in a harmonious standoff. Its one general theory of the use of 11th chords in jazz. Both of the positions above can be true. There has been weak competition. But, at the same time, Collins' effect is obvious to any experienced eye. They look more like a basketball team, rather than a bunch of guys completely divorced from a quirky coach. They used to spend their collective times getting their shots, getting their own stats. 1 on 5 and the hideous TooManyDala jumper. Now, you see Brand expertly double up with Hawes - who knows how to position himself to let that happen - and quite often shutting down Howard. You see Hawes running a give and go. You see basketball stuff on dat dar court. The one thing Dalembert could provide was some type of defensive presence. Individually, they are weaker on the defensive end without him. But they are now a better defensive team this year than last. That's Collins. That's good coaching and players buying in. They are better. Given the cl?sterf??? of last year, that's really all any fan could hope for this year, and it has happened far earlier than expected.— Nuutron
Nuutron, I disagree w/ your synopsis based on your opening sentence. while your basic assessment of the 76ers current play is right, there is no actual contradiction, whether harminous or not. the simple fact of the matter is, the team has turned a corner, as a team, regardless of their competition. it's not gonna always translate into wins, but they are obviously a better team now than they were at the start of the season...so my sypnosis would be "a breakthrough performance", not "a lucky break".— bboybeballin- ...by the way, good call on the jazz reference. "the champagne of music"— bboybeballin
- If they come home 4-4 will be a huge success— lacboi
- look sixers are young ppl complain bout there current roster but most of their players will b good and
jrue 20, meeks 22, turner 21, young 22, williams 24, hawes 23, iggy 26, speights 22, r ppl serious soon as celtics, lakers, dallas,spurs(1-2 years) wash away only ppl that will b in the sixers way would be the thunder and heat, and potentially the hawks— popoff - if we can swap Turner for a young big to groom behind Elton at the PF spot, i'm happy with the surging towards a 7th seed and 1st rd exit. it'll be good experience for Holiday & Meeks. In 2 years Brand will be gone, we'll have cap room and hopefully we've added one young PF ready to be a 20/10 guy to add to Holiday/Meeks/Iggy/Hawes. If Meeks can become a legitimate starting two guard in the league - who knows what could happen— Justin@FanGamb
- Kate-you're right on --better to watch, more competitve and "give a damn" attitude. Kate's a sixers shill???? come on, she calls em like she sees em-check out last year,before the ink was dry on Jordan's priceton playbook,Kate was all over fast eddie. She ain't always right but I doubt she's on stepanki's speed dial.— buff1
- One thing good teams do is win the games that you are supposed to and that means taking advantage of a shorthanded team or beating bad teams. The Sixers are beginning to do that. They had chances at beating the Celtics and although the final score didn't show it, they gave the Lakers a war. This is what happens when you actually have a real coach! This team is filled with young players who haven't had any real coaching in their NBA careers. Doug has preached play defense and you will get minutes. This team is getting close and are starting to get respect around the league as evident in espn's recent power rankings. 8-3 is legit no matter who you are playing. If they can manage to come out of this road trip at .500 then that will show us a lot as the road has been where this team has struggled.— Mattb
- The Sixers have been in most games this season. Early on they were prone to 4th quarter choking where they seemed like they rushed things and made poor decisions down the strech. the team is playing much better in its last 11 games and im hoping we get to .500 sooner rather than later. this team can beat anyone on a given night, the mike vick sighting at the sixers game friday stole their thunder , and a defensive lapse to KG at the Boston game was their downfall but I think this team can make a run in the playoffs. YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE!— DonovanMcNabb
- In reality the sixeres are a team that will win 35-45 games. They will never do any better than that. They might make the playoffs but will never challenge for a championship unless they draft or trade for a star player ... which won't happen with Stiffanski as GM!— jmb53
- A win is a win, no pictures in the standings. This next week is a great test for the young team.— todays people
The Sixers are definitely worth watching now. The nice thing is with their defense you can't look at the schedule and pick out all of the automatic losses. They may not match up talent-wise with any of the good teams in the league but with the solid effort and defense they still have a shot.- ""the mike vick sighting at the sixers game friday stole their thunder-DM said""
It seemed that way for a while.Rollins and Howard and other PLAYERS were also there-no doubt the Lakers etc-BUT the game drew some
prominent local stars to it and that is a good sign.
— HO HUM - Good to see Collins keep Holiday on the pine for most of the 4th quarter last night; the Sixers have lost too many games down the stretch with undisciplined play from their point guard. The Sixers still could use a backup veteran point guard for late in games until Holiday learns the position better, as Williams is not a true point guard either (but when his game is on, like last night, he is a terrific offensive force, if not much of a passer). Also good to see Meeks drive hard to the hoop last night several times; if he wants to remain a starting two guard in the league, in my opinion, or get major minutes, he cannot simply rely on the three, which, of late, has gone south for him. Iguodala still drives me nuts; in the last three minutes, he missed two jumpers, threw the ball away, and was really tied up on that play in which Van Gundy got the technical, but at least he hit those two foul shots. Sixers caught a break last night, but took advantage, just as they must do with the Bulls, without Noah, and with the woeful Golden State Warriors, and with Phoenix, possibly without the injured Steve Nash. A 4-4 trip would do wonders for their morale and begin to convince wary fans (not JonKap, of course, nor jmb53) that they are worth seeing in person. As for Evan Turner, can you spell D League? He will not get minutes or become trade bait until he can prove he belongs in the NBA and unfortunately for him, while Derrick Favors, Wesley Johnson, and DeMarcus Cousins are getting more playing time and having some success, he will remain on the bench behind Holiday, Meeks, Williams, Iguodala, and occasionally Nocioni unless one or more of them gets injured. Sixers also desperately need another big to spell Hawes and Brand, as Battie and Speights are not good enough; Speights can hit that 18-foot straight-ahead jumper, but is a weak on-ball defender and slow rotating. Nonetheless, good win last night.
— chuckw - Collins doing fantastic job. Brand despite playing hard is still a liability at 15mill a year. Desperately need a big man or two for Christmas to help out Hawes. Santa, please move Elton for us!— dave13
- to jonkap, Why do you even bother to be interested? Please find another team to complain about, some of us like to be positve, never give up ever! (ever heard that before?)— Lesj
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About this blog
John Mitchell is in his second year covering the 76ers for the Inquirer after joining the paper in November 2011. He covered the Washington Wizards for the Washington Times from 1998 to 2008. He's also worked at the Philadelphia Tribune, the Wilmington News Journal, Courier-Post, Trenton Times and Elmira Star-Gazette.Born and raised in West Philadelphia - not too far from Will Smith - he graduated from Overbrook High School the same year the 76ers won their last championship. He's a proud graduate of Howard University and the proud father of two sons, Jared and Jordan.
ABOUT MARC NARDUCCI
Marc Narducci has served in a variety of roles with the Inquirer since beginning in 1983. He has covered the 76ers as a backup and a beat writer. In addition, Narducci has covered everything from the Super Bowl to the World Series and a lot in between. Narducci also has a true passion for South Jersey scholastic sports, which he has covered for many years.
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