76ers: Here We Go
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76ers: Here We Go
Ready or not, the 76ers' season officially starts tonight against the Miami Heat at the Wells Fargo Center. Before we get into the best-case, worst-case scenarios for tonight, just wanted to take a minute to explain a new item we're adding to Deep Sixer: On the Road.
If you scroll down the right side of this page, you'll see the feature added, along with a two-week schedule of what we're going to try to provide on this blog. It might change from time to time, because of flight schedules, etc, but we'll try to do a Live Chat every other week, videos with Cinesport, and, of course, regular analysis and updates. In addition, we're adding a new feature called "On the Road," which requires your participation. About every week (usually from the road), we'll be filming a video answering a bunch of questions about the team. Anything goes -- from on-the-court execution to a question about life off of it (say, what the team eats on the charter plane). Most probably don't care how the team travels, but perhaps a few do. Either way, you can submit whatever question you have using the submit feature below the "On the Road" banner. Could be fun, guess we'll see as the season progresses.
As for tonight. Well. I spent last night in Boston, watching the Heat play the Celtics. Afraid to say, there is likely little comparison between what we watched last night and what might transpire tonight. Here goes:
Best Case: The Sixers, as will every team this season, play their tip-top game and compete for three-plus quarters with the Heat. Because Miami doesn't have a true center, the Sixers could keep themselves from getting killed on the boards and run out in transition. If there's one thing certain about this Sixers team, it's that they are, for now, on board with whatever Doug Collins tells them. Andre Iguodala (sprained right wrist), won't even be able to stick to the perimeter. He'll need to attack the basket and that could actually work to the team's benefit. There are two positions that the Sixers could exploit: point guard Carlos Arroyo and center Joel Anthony. We can't see Spencer Hawes dominating anything, but it's possible that Jrue Holiday could bust out of the gate and prove why he's on the upswing of NBA point guards. If he can score 12+ in the first half, he might be able to offset the inevitable dominance of LeBron James and Chris Bosh (Bosh, specifically, on the glass). Wade seems out of sync right now. Couple this with the Sixers potential advantage from the bench (Lou Williams, Evan Turner, Thaddeus Young, Marreese Speights), and the Sixers could be hanging around well into the game. Best case: Miami, 107-99.
Worst Case: The Heat, having performed less than ideally against the Celtics, absolutely dominate from the tip off. By midway through the first quarter, the Heat are outrebounding the Sixers, 12-2, are leading the game, 17-4, and are making the Sixers look like a D-League team. The biggest worry, in our opinion, is Bosh. Against Boston's post players -- Shaq, Kevin Garnett, Jermaine O'Neal -- Bosh looked skinny and small. But against the Sixers, there is nobody to stop him from completely dominating the game. Bosh could have 10 points right off the bat: offensive rebound, put back, a few little midrange jumpers. Sixers could find themselves down big before either James or Wade got off. Yikes. The Sixers might not be ready for this level of competition. There only decent opponent this pre-season was the Boston Celtics, way back in the first week of October. The second time the Sixers played Boston, the Celtics didn't play their entire starting lineup. For a month, all the Sixers have seen is the Toronto Raptors, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, and Cleveland Cavaliers. Nothing, absolutely nothing, could prepare them for what they'll see tonight.
One final thought: James is angry. He'll spend this entire season playing angry and trying to dominate. Coming off a loss to Boston, tonight is just a scary situation for the Sixers. Worst case: Miami, 120-79.
Probable lineups: Arroyo, Wade, James, Bosh, and Anthony vs. Holiday, Iguodala, Kapono, Brand, and Hawes.
More after tonight's game.
--Kate
I'm surprised that they're starting Kapono. I would've thought Nocioni would have started at the 3. Maybe his ankle is still shaky? The starting lineup I see before the All-Star Break is Holiday, Iguodala, Nocioni, Brand, Hawes. After the All-Star Break, Holiday, Turner, Iguodala, Brand Hawes. With a bench of Williams, Kapono, Nocioni, Young, and Speights, we have a good mix of defense and offense for both the 1st and 2nd unit. Thoughts?— FlySixPhiEagles
Kate, that prediction is so negative I am appalled. To me the best case scenario is that the Sixers physically attack the Heat and battle full out for the entire game. The one advantage they have over the Heat, and most other teams is that they have a lot of depth. James should not score one point on the inside he does not pay for with a very hard foul. Brand is big enough to stop him, he needs to get physical. The Heat are mere mortals, if you don't believe me, ask the Celtics.- Uh, wouldn't best case mean Sixers win?— nosupportgroup
Comment removed.- Wouldnt the best case scenario be a win?— dennis14
- What I am getting sick of is all of these "fans" coming on here saying nothing other then "they suck or "who cares" It must be a real slow day to take time out to come to a SIXERS Board and post drivel. Nobody is saying that fans have to be STEPFORDS but the facts are they have to many of the same players, they need to make moves and they have a young group that would not challenge anyway. So I just want to see progress and development. I would rather they start Turner if he is the SG of the future then stick him out there on day 1 and let him grow.— chuck3rd
- Sixers season in a nutshell for me: Free tickets 2 rows behind the bench? Tonight, hell yeah. Any other night, uh no thanks.— sla6yer
- Miami still hasn't figured out how to play together, Wade is hurt and Bosh is over-rated. They don't have a Center either. Being an incomplete team they are just as vulnerable as the Sixers, maybe even more so. Let's see how an offense that can spread the floor with it's bigs and Kapono can open up the lane and make it easy for Holiday and Iguodala to get to the basket. Miami is on the 2nd night of a back to back and expended a lot of energy for nothing. If the Sixers can force them to run, they will be out of gas by the end and the Sixers can win their opener. Kate, honey, you've got no imagination!— ricky
- Sixers will win tonight there PG is weak and slow bosh is soft we are going to shock the league tonight we need to win !!!!— heyzeus
I agree with a lot of the assessments of this team that is generally out there...but it is frustrating to look at this team from two years ago and then see even the coach seem to have so little expectations of this team. What are the differences? Andre Miller, Reggie, Sam D., no Brand...for all intents and purposes...that is it...and Dileo as coach. They also started off badly that year (something they have done for quite a few years...no surprise if it happens this year) So how does a team that had chemistry, and identity and made other teams try to match up with our mismatched players to what we have now? From what I saw in pre-season...Brand looks sharper on offense than he has been as a Sixer. Apart from playing center, we should expect solid numbers from him if we use him. Kapono can be compared to Kyle Korver (very little defense from either) and apart from Miller, our shooting abilities are EXACTLY the same - it's the same players!!! If anything, having Nocioni, Songaila on the bench IMPROVES our shooting...so how did we win 40+ games and now we are predicted to be as bad as last year?? Grante, Andre Miller is a highly uner-rated player...so why is he gone? Sammy just wasn't content or able to accept his role...but his role was VALUABLE to the team! Don Nelson won games with a small lineup...get the players playing the style that suits them the best...if you want a good shooting, half-court team with some size up front...then go get those kind of players!!!!— srvdove- Comment removed.
Outside of ud the role players are weak. The bench may pull it out for us.— combocancer1975- you guys are nittwits, you're all over kates nut$.....last year she killed eddie jordan....it was all the coaches fault....now it's a mismatched roster..... well, which is it?? or are you all too dense to call her out on it?
she picks up on whatever is negative and runs with it...... i can't stomach her anymore— vandy123 - Kate Fagan's job is to report on the Sixers; she is the beat writer, and as such needs to write it as she sees it and, like the oddsmakers, sees best case as Miami victory by about 8 points. Vegas line has shifted from 9 points to 7.5 points because of late Sixer money (perhaps some of the posters here). But to compare Miami's game last night on the road against one of the best defensive teams in tne NBA to the game tonight against a Sixers team with an injured Iguodala, a soft starting center, a good-shooting, useless defender in Kapono at small forward, and no set rotation is ridiculous. I think the Sixers will certainly improve over the season and might even get to 40 wins if all goes right, but tonight will not be one of them. Kate has been consistent in the sense that Eddie Jordan was awful, Collins will be much better, and the team should improve, but, like Bob Cooney, she sees baby steps with this roster, unless Evan Turner can be productive and unless Rod Thorn can obtain more muscle for the interior defense.— chuckw
- chuckw - you are wrong. "Best case" scenario does not equal "Most likely" scenario, which would be an 8-point loss AKA the Vegas spread. Try again, bud.— abz
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.
