Posted: Wednesday, December 30, 2009, 7:56 PM | 16 comments |
 

Interesting night
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I know most people feel there are no important NBA games until April, maybe March. And that may be true. But I'm going to have to say I think tonight's game is a key one for these 76ers. Remarkably enough, the Sixers haven't won back-to-back games since beating the Milwaukee Bucks on Oct. 30 and the New York Knicks on Oct. 31.

This morning at shoot around, in advance of tonight's game against the 14-16 Sacramento Kings, Sixers coach Eddie Jordan was asked, looking back on the first 30 games of this season, what his biggest disappointment has been. Jordan said: "I’m not disappointed. I’m a positive, encouragement coach, I told the team that the other day. I’m not here to beat you guys up, I’m here to coach you, encourage you and show you the benefits of playing the right way. And I knew it was going to be a progression, a gradual progression … you have to go through a little struggle to make sure your roots are planted in the ground to be sure you’re stronger when the season comes at the end."

Sixers point guard Lou Williams said: "We haven’t packed it in yet; we feel like we can put a run together and I think last game was a good start for us, to beat a good Portland team to come in tonight and play another good, young team will be another challenge for us. We just try to put games together and get ourselves back in contention.

A minute later, Williams continued: "We’ve never been a team to quit; we’ve never had a group of guys that quit on each other and we don’t plan on starting it now because we’ve gotten off to a slow start. And that’s how we look at it, we look at it as a slow start. We don’t think we’re a bad team, we think we’re a talented good team that can compete with anyone."

If this team has turned a corner -- and they did look very good on Monday night against the Portland Traiblazers -- then they win this game tonight against the Kings.

--Kate

p.s. We're all aware this has been a disaster of a first 30 games for the Sixers. We could go on and on about the negatives of this team -- and we have been, specifically on this blog -- but that gets a little tiresome. If they lose tonight, I'll be the first to post about the lack of "gradual progression." 
Posted by Kate Fagan @ 7:56 PM  Permalink | 16 comments
16
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  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:22 PM, 12/30/2009
    We haven't packed it in yet. Good to know Lou since it ain't even the F*&KING All Star break.
    — cuso20
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:24 PM, 12/30/2009
    Kate: take a deep breath and step back for a moment; Sixers played a quarter and a half of quality basketball against Portland, a team with six players missing because of injury, including two centers. While the Sixers should beat Sacramento, they have shown little ability to play quality basketball for longer than they showed against Portland and they showed in the game against the Celtics, who, lest we forget, lost Rasheed Wallace that evening on ejection. Last time I looked, Eddie Jordan was still coaching, Iverson is still limited in terms of minutes by doctor's orders, and, if form holds true, Dalembert, having played a good game against Portland, will revert to form and draw three fouls in the first five minutes tonight and spend most of the remainder of the evening on the pine. Not to sound negative about an 8-22 team in the worst conference in professional sports, but the Sixers may have turned a corner only to find a bus headed their way. Hopefully, as a fan, I hope I am wrong, as watching winning basketball is more fun than watching losing basketball, but I fear I am not!!
    — chuckw
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:46 PM, 12/30/2009
    yes, Kate, they are no truly important games in December in the NBA. But for this 8-22 team, there will not be any important games all year. The only thing that will be important is if they continue to lose, and increase their chances of getting the top pick in next year's draft. That, I think, is the only important thing right now.
    — arrowamy
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:19 PM, 12/30/2009
    Despite my baseball moniker and my short stature I've always counted basketball as one of my favorite sports. Swish is one of the greatest sounds in the sports world. What I want to see the Sixers do is try to build the best starting five they possibly can, then add to the team's depth with a combination of draft choices and low level free agents. Out of Williams, Young, Speights, Iggy, Holiday, Brand and Dalembert two of them must be traded. Dalembert, Iggy and Brand have outrageous contracts so they will be the hardest to move. One of them will have to be packaged with a smaller contract (probably Young,maybe Speights) to acquire the outside threat they desperately need. I'm OK with either Williams or Holiday at the point coupled with a new acquisition at the two and a frontcourt of whoever remains from my top seven (Brand,Speights and Iggy are my preferences) In today's NBA you need a solid top 5 (at least 2 All Star level players) with 2/3 capable reserves and prayers for good health to be successful. A second round appearance in the playoffs would be my expectation for next year.
    — Rick Wise Guy
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:50 PM, 12/30/2009
    Meanwhile, on planet earth, the only important about this game and the next 50 is that they lose as often as possible and get a lottery pick.
    — PuPuMan
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:24 PM, 12/30/2009
    Ha PuPuMan....right on. This is silly. The only thing that these games mean is that they will blow the shot at a top 3 pick and get another mediocre mid teens draft pick. Thats all this "big game" means.
    — JonKap
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:08 AM, 12/31/2009
    Kate, I love your blog (you've got the best one here on a daily basis), but let's be honest, this is not an important game by any stretch of the imagination. Nobody on this team is going to change the Sixers into a contender; even if the 76ers go on a tear, the 15th-16th overall pick isn't going to help us at all most likely. It just sucks that we wouldn't be guarenteed John Wall, although that Center/PF from Texas is awfully good. Kate, don't pee on our heads and tell us it's raining.
    — kjuggs77
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:15 AM, 12/31/2009
    BTW, I've been meaning to ask: did somebody take your picture at the bar or something? You don't look drunk or anything, but I figured you would want a more professional portrait done.
    — kjuggs77
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:36 AM, 12/31/2009
    With my optimist cap on: Two great road wins out West. Putting on my Philly pessimist cap on: @ Portland, injury-riddled @Sacramento, young.
    — Kareem7272
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:17 AM, 12/31/2009
    I was positive about them the last two years and the beginning of this year. I was positive until they lost more than a dozen in a row. The lack of heart showed against Utah showed that they're inconsistent and sometimes lack heart. Maybe Iverson provides that heart, that spark, the little engine they need? It sure seemed like that against the Kings and Blazers. But those two teams aren't particularly good ones. If they consistently DEFEND, they'll get opportunities off turnovers and defensive rebounds to run, and thereby return to playoff form. If they play inconsistent defense, optimism will only matter in terms of "better luck next year" and "hope we get a lottery pick."
    — Leegles
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:53 PM, 12/31/2009
    Well-- John Smallwoods column would have the 76ers make the next mistake-- trade Iggy, blow up the team and start again? Let's see-- if we had retained Andre Miller we would have a quality point guard, mistake 1 of the new regime. Mistake 2, push Lou Williams too quickly into a starting role. Mistake 3, not bring Brand to the bench fast enough to unclog the offense. Ok-- get rid of Dalembert plus cash for McGrady-- Ok... but there are some parts that are very reasonable on this team with appropriate leadership. At this point I would keep Iverson for two years, develop the younger players, get rid of Brand and Dalmbert
    — flashgordon
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:42 PM, 12/31/2009
    As a life-long Philadelphia sports fan and long-time basketball player, I enjoyed watching the Sixers last night and the second-half of the Portland game. From the second quarter onward last night, the Sixers were virtually unstoppable at the offensive end. Iverson clearly has made a difference, particularly if he plays within the flow of the game and keeps his teammates involved. As a huge fan of Lou Williams, I was also glad to see him regain his mojo and also happy for Carney, who can light it up when he gets on a roll, but has been given only limited playing time. Similarly, Iguodala is better in the flow of the game, not forcing drives or shots, taking what the defense gives him. The best team on the floor right now appears to be Iverson, Williams, Brand, Speights (a great shooter), and Iguodala with Young, Carney, Dalembert, Ivey, and Holiday off the bench. Not to agree with ProphesyFulfilled, but I am surprised at Kate's criticism of posters being too tiresomely negastive.Being negative about a team that is 9-22 in arguably the worst professional conference in sports with a coach hired for a system the team is not playing and coming off a 1-10 record in his last position, led by a guard (Iverson) who will play his way, not that of the coach (not necessarily a bad thing), and winner of two road games over a team with six players missing, including two centers, and a team without its leading scorer, is not unfair. There are numerous questions:1. Can Iverson, who hurt his knee again last night, sustain his play and will he continue it once his contract is guaranteed? 2. What happens when Willie Green returns; whose minutes get reduced? 3.Can they play tough defense against teams with great three-point shooters? 4.Has Jordan settled on a consistent rotation? 5. Are they a team, as presently constituted and coached, that can complete for a championship or at least win a playoff series? I enjoy the victories, but need to be convinced that a corner has been turned.
    — chuckw
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:06 PM, 12/31/2009
    Why all this talk about a lottery pick? There is no one in the draft right now that helps the Sixers they have "young talent" their issue is the coach has no clue and the GM doesnt really know what kind of team he wants to have (if they wanted to be a quick athletic team Brand wouldnt be here, if they wanted to be a grind out smart guard play then Miller would still be here) So getting the number 1-5 doesnt do anything really for this team
    — chuck3rd
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:07 PM, 12/31/2009
    okay, Kate....I get it...I guess a lot of "fans" here don't. This is not a bad team, and has a fair amount of talent. If they win this one, and get on a role, they can salvage the season. I don't believe in playing for a lottery pick...when was the last time the Lakers or Celtics (last 2 champions) got a lottery pick....build a team...piece by piece...and contend when you can.....
    — hospodar


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About John Mitchell
John Mitchell is in his first 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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