View gallery

It's still 30 minutes before tip off of tonight's game, 76ers (7-7) vs. Orlando Magic (10-4), but already the Wachovia Center has more energy than it has for any game this season. It could be the rows of folks behind the Magic bench hoping for a glimpse of the Superman that is Dwight Howard, but that is neither here nor there.

Tonight's game, in my opinion, is pivotal for the Sixers. I use the word pivotal on purpose, because, like a pivot in basketball, I think it can have the Sixers facing many different directions. Tonight's game isn't a "must-win." No. It's just pivotal. I think it could shift the Sixers in the direction they want to go, or it could send them further down the path they seem to be walking.

Let's look at the details:

Sixers starters: Andre Miller, Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young, Elton Brand, and Samuel Dalembert

Magic starters: Anthony Johnson (Jameer Nelson is out with a strained right hip flexor), Rashard Lewis, Mickael Pietrus, Hedo Turkoglu, and Dwight Howard.

Score of the first meeting (Nov. 6 at Orlando): Magic, 98-88.

In that first game, the Sixers trailed big, early, then made a run in the second half. In the Sixers most recent game, that much-talked-about loss to the Charlotte Bobcats, the Sixers allowed too many good looks from the 3-point line. If the Bobcats can get those looks and make them, you better believe the Magic (with Turkoglu) will take similar advantage. The open 3-pointer is the result of poor defense at the top of the key. It comes from allowing the ball handler to split the pick-and-roll defense. If the Sixers can contain that ball handler and not allow immediate ball reversal, perhaps force the point back to the same side, that will go a long way toward improving their defense.

But those are x's and o's. Overall, the Sixers need to just play harder and with more communication. Things will break down on both offense and defense. Good teams readjust in the middle of a broken play and make it work.

Quick note: Notice the photos. Those photos are from the new Blackberry Storm. Notice the additional quality of the picture (I speak of megapixel, not of improved photography. I still take awful photos. But now you can more clearly see how bad they are. Thank you Research In Motion).

Seven minutes to tip. Enjoy the game on ESPN(HD, if you're lucky ...)

--Kate

The day before Thanksgiving and the day after Thanksgiving are going to reveal where this 76ers team belongs. Do they belong in the playoff discussion? Might we need to continue the "let's wait and see" approach? Or will they demonstrate they're a long way from where we thought they might be?

Tonight, the Orlando Magic (10-4). Friday, the Boston Celtics (13-2).

As much as we built up the recent five-game stretch against "struggling" teams as a time for the Sixers to explode and build a two-or-three game cushion between themselves and the .500 mark, perhaps we didn't realize how hard it might be for a young team to avoid slipping into a lull without a big-time opponent and an energetic atmosphere to provide the energy.

(That was a long sentence.)

I know, I know. You might be thinking: This is the NBA. Each game should be reason enough to rock it. And, I would say, you should be correct. It should be. But the reality is, during an 82-game season, a stretch of five games in half-filled arenas against mediocre teams could lead to playing down to your opponent.

Willie Green said as much after Monday night's bad loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. He said they were playing to the level of their opponent. My hypothesis today: Maybe the Sixers can continue that trend and inject their own game with the energy garnered from back-to-back, big-time games. First the Magic and superman Dwight Howard on ESPN. Then the defending NBA Champs, the Celtics, at their (jam-packed) arena.

Maybe what the Sixers need is a jolt from two marquee games.

Let's look at tonight's game: It doesn't appear that former St. Joseph's star guard Jameer Nelson will play. He strained his groin in the third quarter of the Magic's last game. When the Sixers first played the Magic (a 98-88 loss on Nov. 6), Nelson had 16 points and nine assists. On the season he is averaging 14.4 points and 5.1 assists.

In the first game between these two teams, the Magic built a big lead, which the Sixers slowly erased after halftime. After this game, Sixers head coach Maurice Cheeks said it just takes too much energy (against a team like the Magic) to dig out of a large hole. There just isn't enough energy remaining to win the game.

Keys to tonight's game (in my humble opinion):

1.) The first substitution rotation. Through 14 games, the transition from starters to second unit between the first and second quarters has been a weak point. With Lou Williams struggling with his shooting and Reggie Evans providing little offense, the Sixers have been giving back a lot of points during this segment. Keep your eye on a change of flow during this time. The Sixers can't afford, against the Magic, to allow a 12-4 run (or something along those lines) during this time frame.

2.) Andre Iguodala. I'll say it again: He makes this team go. Bottom line. It's not about his outside shot. He is the one that creates offense for this team. He also makes it happen on the defensive end. When he is not in the game, the Sixers are a worse team (the numbers back this up ... thanks Statman). He needs to be on the floor. Even when he is not playing as well as we've seen him play, he impacts the game in a positive manner. If he can play well (say, go 9 for 16 from the floor), the Sixers will win this game.

3.) Renewed energy. I think the locker room after the loss in Charlotte was a low point. Guys were walking around and saying they were a ".500 team right now" but that they didn't believe they should be a .500 team. A lot of the problem has been an inability to maintain NBA-level energy for a full 48 minutes. I would be shocked if this were a problem tonight. The Magic may win, but if the Sixers roll over, we've a big problem on our hands (considering this is the biggest game they've played at the Wachovia Center so far this season).

We'll talk more this afternoon.

--Kate 

We've spent countless blog posts and comments discussing pick-and-roll defense, defensive rotations, mid-post vs. low-post, and many other x's-and-o's breakdown of each 76ers game.

And there have been 14 of them, the latest of which was tonight's (or is it last night's?) 93-84 loss at the Charlotte Bobcats. We could break down the numbers and the x's and o's again ... No, the Sixers didn't defend the pick-and-roll well. Yes, the Bobcat shooters were left open on the defensive rotation. No, the Sixers couldn't make an outside shot.

But I don't know what answer we've gotten from the numbers yet. It seems the Sixers' problems have less to do with some specific mechanical adjustment and more to do with a non-existent flow and rhythm within this team.

Beginning with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Sixers played five teams they should have beaten. They finished 3-2, including a one-point win over the Los Angeles Clippers at home. The Sixers next two games are against the Orlando Magic and the defending NBA Champions, the Boston Celtics.

Here's what Elton Brand had to say about that: "We're not looking at records. We can't look at records. You look at Minnesota's record and Charlotte's record and you say we should win. You look at the records of the teams coming up and you say we should lose."

And Willie Green: "We have games like today we expected to win on paper. When we can be consistent enough to come into arenas and get wins, we'll be a better team. Until then we'll be what we are ... .500 ... We want to take the positives out of every situation. These are crucial games for us coming up, but we took a step back tonight."

More from Elton Brand (when asked how things are going so far in Philly): "It's going ok. We're a .500 ball club. We expected to be better than that. And we will be better than that."

The lingering question that arises is, "When?"

I don't claim to know the answer. I know I've watched the Sixers for stretches and thought, "There it is." And then a few minutes later wondered, "Where'd it go?"

So for this one post, I'm not going to dissect the offensive flow through Brand, or analyze Andre Iguodala's footwork on his outside shot, or wonder if a different rotation might have been better in a certain situation.

After the game, Cheeks spoke at length about how the biggest problem tonight was stopping the pick-and-roll at the point of attack. And so I asked Samuel Dalembert about defending the pick-and-roll because I wanted to understand where the breakdown was occuring. Was it the post player not showing hard enough? Was it the guard being lazy getting through the screen? Was it neither, but rather the rotational defender not taking away the outlet pass?

But Dalembert kept shaking his head.

"It's not one specific thing," he said. "It's the communication as a whole. Even if it's not the exact way we drew it up, if we communicated, we could make it work."

--Kate 

Maybe there is one good thing about a delayed flight? Extra time to blog? No better way to spend the time waiting for this flight to Charlotte than looking back at last night's win and forward to tonight's game against the Charlotte Bobcats.

Last night. The 76ers looked better than they did during Friday night's one-point win over the Clippers. Of this there is no doubt. No, an 89-81 home victory over the Golden State Warriors isn't necessarily something to write home about, but the following observations are of note:

1.) Elton Brand played like the player most of Philly thought they'd signed in July. Yes, I'm aware Golden State runs with a small lineup. Doesn't matter. Brand has played enough games, against big teams and small teams, that we can say last night was impressive. (Although he still shot 10 for 22. I think that number should be 13 for 22, considering the shots he is taking.) But even better for this team was the movement when Brand received the ball on the midpost. It still wasn't ideal, but Miller made cuts off the ball, Young and Iguodala slashed through the lane. Unlike much of the first 12 games, when the Sixers stood and watched as if Brand was Michael Jordan, there was improved movement. And a sense that maybe this half-court offense might not be that bad.

2.) The Sixers scored 0 points in transition and still won. I'm not living in a dream world. I know the Sixers shot 39.8 percent from the field -- unbelievable they won an NBA game with that shooting percentage. But they killed the Warriors on the boards, grabbing 22 offensive rebounds. That's an awesome number of offensive boards (and Samuel Dalembert had nine of them). If you look at all the numbers -- 19 turnovers, 39.8 percent shooting, 0 fast-break points -- it doesn't seem as if it should add up to a win. And against a better team, it won't.

I found it surprising the Sixers finished the game without any fast-break points. They still pushed the ball in transition. They got to the rim in transition, but the Warriors blocked 13 shots. Here is what Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said about that: "Many times we had a chance, going to the rim, to get two shot fouls and they ended up blocking the shot. Normally, that would be a two shot foul and that kind of changed the momentum of the game in the third and fourth quarter because we never could get that fast break going and never get one to the rim."

3.) Andre Iguodala. Is anyone sick of hearing that I like his game? Probably. But I liked it even more last night because, for the first half, he appeared to put away that jumpshot and take it to the hoop. I asked him afterwards if this was his intention. He said it was. Now, he did take (and make) two 3-pointers. And he started shooting a few fall-away jumpers with bad footwork in the second half. But if you were paying attention -- as I'm sure you all were -- you had to have noticed that early in the game he refused to settle for a fade-away 18-footer. This is good news. Also good news is the simple basketball players Iguodala was able to make last night. Through 12 games, the simple penetrate and pitch was non-existent. When Iguodala did slice into the lane, he didn't have a cutter to whom he could dish the ball. Last night he penetrated one dribble to the left and found Thaddeus Young for an open 3-pointer. Later, he went to the rim and had Marreese Speights diving to the hoop for a dunk. These are the simple, chemistry, movement plays that the Sixers have been missing. Are they here to stay?

Uh-oh. The flight is boarding. Do I wish it were delayed even further? To discuss tonight's game against the Larry Brown-led Bobcats?

Quick snapshot: The Sixers should win this game. They should improve to 8-6 (as predicted). They should return to Philly with a respectable record as they bravely forge ahead with games against the Magic then the Celtics.

A couple of things to keep on eye on tonight:

1.) The continued rotation of the second unit (read previous post if unaware). I believe this change in subsitution will help keep the Sixers from those early second-quarter lulls they've been enduring.

2.) Samuel Dalembert. He played very well yesterday. Can he make it two in a row?

I really need to board this plane.

--Kate

Before Sunday night's game against the Golden State Warriors, Sixers small forward Thaddeus Young makes a 3-pointer while assistant coach Jeff Ruland rebounds.

More images

If you've been watching the 76ers (and of course you have if you're reading this), you've probably noticed the struggles the second unit is having. In Friday night's one-point win over the Los Angeles Clippers (2-10), the Sixers built a 14-point lead in the first quarter. With 2 minutes, 42 seconds left in the quarter, Willie Green checked in for Thaddeus Young. A minute later, Marreese Speights checked in for Samuel Dalembert. With 0.4 seconds left in the quarter, Reggie Evans and Lou Williams checked in and Thaddeus Young returned.

That means the unit starting the second quarter was: Reggie Evans, Marreese Speights, Thaddeus Young, Willie Green, and Lou Williams.

By the time the starting unit returned to the floor, momentum was lost, and it was a four-point game. By halftime, the Sixers trailed by three.

This has become a trend for the Sixers: It happened, also, in the loss at Minnesota. And it happened in the season-opening loss to Toronto.

Here's what Elton Brand said after Friday night's game about the performance of this second unit: “It’s disappointing. We had a nice lead in the Minnesota game and gave it back. The same thing [happened] tonight. Our second team just has to pick it up.”

(Sidenote: Yikes.)

Here's what Willie Green, who could be considered the captain of that second unit, said: "We'll have to make some adjustments in practice. We're coming in stagnant."

I asked Sixers head coach Maurice Cheeks about this yesterday at practice. He said he thinks he will change the rotation to avoid this.

"I have to be more conscious of putting guys in the game with guys that have already been playing. We can cure it that way."

Cheeks said he will try to make sure he doesn't switch the lineup completely. Instead of subbing in four or even five new players, he might go with two new players and three starters. The goal is to make the transition smoother. What seems to be happening is the new unit is comprised entirely of guys who need to work themselves into a flow. Instead of Lou Williams being able to give it to Elton Brand and maybe Thaddeus Young, he is working with Reggie Evans (Evans is also cold coming off the bench) and maybe Willie Green.

Tonight, in 90 minutes, the Sixers (6-6) play the Golden State Warriors (5-7).

Keep an eye on this small shift in rotation. It might make a difference in allowing the Sixers to play more consistently and avoid losing early leads as they've been doing. Also, Cheeks said because the Warriors play smaller basketball, the Sixers lineup could also end up matching Golden State's. I would think that would mean less minutes for Samuel Dalembert and more for Willie Green.

--Kate

Let's be honest, while tonight's game against the Los Angeles Clippers will go down as a 'W', it was not a step in the right direction for the 76ers.

It would be easy to toss around the phrase, "A win is a win," but that would be like eating candy for breakfast: Sure, it tastes good at the time, but you know there will be consequences. And for these Sixers, if they don't treat tonight's game like a loss, it might come back to haunt them.  

Here are the facts: The Clippers are 2-10. Only hours before game time, the Clippers traded two of their top five scorers: Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas. So let me get this straight, the 76ers, playing at home, needed a rattled-in 15-foot jump shot from Elton Brand with 57 seconds left to beat one of the NBA's worst teams, who were made even worse without two -- two -- of their best players? That is not cause for pats on the back. Not if your a team supposedly pointing towards the playoffs.

Things just don't feel right out there for the Sixers. And by "things" I mean rhythm, flow, cohesion -- all of the attributes that make five good basketball players a good basketball team. Nobody is denying that the pieces of the puzzle exist within the Sixers roster. There are enough to build a playoff basketball team.

Glaring problem: Too many Sixers are trying to be players they aren't. Food for thought.  

1.) Andre Miller has taken the second-most field goals on the team. 2.) Andre Iguodala is trying to prove he can shoot from the perimeter. 3.) Lou Williams is stuck between having a single-minded focus -- scoring -- and learning how to be a point guard. 4.) Elton Brand is trying to be the No. 1 main guy, all the time. Is he feeling the pressure? What do the Sixers need from him?

The Sixer who does not appear to be pressing: Thaddeus Young. After the game, we asked Thad about scoring 14 first-half point and then not getting a shot until 5:50 left in the third, and barely touching the ball in the second half. Thad said, "Let's get this straight, I don't ever get plays called for me. I just go out there and play basketball."

Hmmmmm ... that seems like a philosophy the rest of the Sixers might bend an ear towards.

Ok. There were a few good things tonight. Right? Weren't there?

1.) Like always, Young was a bright spot. If you're a Sixer fan, you can't be upset for long knowing this kid is on your team. 2.) Even though they should never have been in the position, the Sixers did show resiliency in overcoming that late-game hole and winning this game. 3.) Once again, Iguodala was aggressive at the end of the game: His three-point play was key.

Quotable

Elton Brand: "It was disappointing after the Minnesota game. We had a nice lead and let them back, same as we did tonight. We just had to pick it up as a team. We just needed a victory and that's what we got."

(Of note: Tonight's postgame was the second time I've heard Brand mention the "struggles" of the second unit -- and "struggles" is a kind interpretation of Brand's less-than-glowing comments about the second unit. This game changed momentum once Mo Cheeks started making substitutions towards the end of the first quarter. Previously, the Sixers were up as much as 14 points. No doubt, the second unit of Lou Williams, Reggie Evans, etc. is playing poorly ... But I'm not sure if tossing the second unit under the bus will be a winning formula.)

Maurice Cheeks on the lack of energy: "You can get deflated. You can be playing defense hard and the other team gets the offensive rebound, scores on the fast break, gets a fast break, gets a steal or a run and it will deflate you a little bit. Our guys hung in there though."

(Interesting.)

Cheeks on the Sixers non-existent half-court offense: "Tonight our half court offense was not smooth. When or half court offense is not smooth and our transition baskets are not going we have a tough time. While we pushed the ball up the floor we didn't get a lot of transition baskets. We really need to work on our half court offense and we won't have that many turnovers."

No, it wasn't pretty ... But a win is a win?

--Kate

The already struggling Clippers (2-9) will take the court tonight against the 76ers (5-6) without two of their top five scorers. Earlier today, the Clippers traded Cuttino Mobley (13.7 points) and Tim Thomas (9.5 points) to the New York Knicks in exchange for Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins.

The Clippers will be without Mobley and Thomas for tonight's 7 p.m. game.

The Sixers did not seem too concerned with the impact of the trade on tonight's game.

Said guard Willie Green: "We're going out here to get a win. We're not thinking about the trade. I think that when teams are missing players, they often come together and play harder."

Said Sixers head coach Maurice Cheeks: "It affects us because we were preparing for Mobley and Thomas ... It'll be a little different."

Said Clippers head coach Mike Dunleavy: "Getting a player like Zach cost us two highly skilled veterans in Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas, but we feel that the move will help us both now and in the future. We wish nothing but the best of success for Cuttino and Tim with their new team."

(Seems like former Temple guy Mardy Collins was an afterthought in this deal.)

--Kate