This week's DN Sports Quiz is on the 1983 Sixers' NBA championship team. Play to enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card. (Not a member of PhillyDailyNews.com yet? Use promo code H47T to play.)
Need some hints? Download our new ebook on the 30th anniversary of the title. It's $2.99 in the Amazon store, and FREE for members of PhillyDailyNews.com.
This year's Sixers' team was knocked out of contention a long time ago, but 30 years ago they were kings.
To mark the 30th anniversary of the Sixers' last NBA title, we've released a new ebook, "Fo, Fo', Fo': How the Daily News covered the 76ers' amazing run to the 1983 NBA championship."
The book - available for $2.99 in the Amazon store, or FREE to download for members of PhillyDailyNews.com - takes you back to 1983 with a selection of stories from the Daily News about the Sixers' magical run.
Bob Cooney
When owner Josh Harris was talking about the future of his team, one that won't include Doug Collins as its coach, the subject of Andrew Bynum was naturally brought up. Harris used the term "needle-mover" when speaking of Bynum, and he wasn't referring to medical procedures on the big center's knees.
In an offseason that is going to include a coaching search and probably dabbles in trades and free agency, Harris was asked Thursday at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine what the team may do with the player they acquired last summer but who never slipped on a Sixers uniform.
"The Bynum thing obviously has been very disappointing," said Harris. "Of course we're going to look at bringing Bynum back. Certainly a healthy Bynum that's playing is a needle-mover. He's a top 15 player, but the reality is that he didn't play a game this season, so there's risk. We're going to weigh the positives and the negatives and try to make a reasonable assessment of what's appropriate for Andrew. Certainly we're open to the prospect of bringing him back. I will tell you that as of July 1 he is an unrestricted free agent. So there are 29 other teams that also have the ability to pursue Andrew Bynum. I think we are focusing on scenarios with and without Andrew Bynum and we're going to try to make the best decisions that we can based on the other offers that are made to Andrew.
Bob Cooney
FOR THE EIGHTH time in 11 seasons, the 76ers will have a new head coach when they tip off the 2013-14 season, as Doug Collins will coach his last game for the Sixers on Wednesday in Indianapolis.
So who will be his successor? Whom will ownership hire to lend some kind of stability to a position that hasn’t had any since Larry Brown spent six seasons on the bench?
Here’s a look at some of the names. Obviously, there are and will be others, but this should whet the appetite:
Doug Collins has informed the Sixers that he will not return as head coach next season. CineSport's Noah Coslov & the Daily News' Bob Cooney discuss Collins' departure and possible replacements.
Bob Cooney
This big question for the 76ers this offseason used to center around what the organization will do with Andrew Bynum. Now it has shifted. The offseason will now include a search for a new coach.
This is how this past week appears to have played out between 76ers coach Doug Collins and management, according to multiple league sources.
The sources say that Collins, now in his third season as head coach and with one more year remaining on his contract, told management that he would prefer not to return as coach next season. Owner Josh Harris informed Collins that he very much wants Collins back at the helm next season, but was informed that Collins was not prepared to return in that capacity. Both sides, according to the sources, have agreed on the same goal, and that is to reach an amicable solution to the matter.
Bob Cooney
Although there is a possibility that 76ers assistant Brian James will end up on the bench with Chris Collins at Northwestern University next season, nothing has been finalized, says James’ attorney John Langel, who is also the attorney for Doug Collins.
"Brian James is still under contract with the Sixers and, like Doug, has one year remaining on his contract," said Langel on Sunday morning.
Of course, should Collins leave after this season, which has been widely speculated, he and his staff will be looking for other jobs and James very well could wind up at Northwestern.
Bob Cooney
The quesions were ready to fly, but 76ers coach Doug Collins was having none of it. Barely one question got out about the recent Inquirer story that cited sources saying some in Sixers management wouldn't mind seeing Collins leave before the coach cut the direction of questioning into another area.
“Absolutely," said Collins when asked if he feels management has his back. "I’m going to talk about the NBA, I’m going to talk about Washington, so let’s move forward about the Washington game. Let’s move forward to the basketball game. We have 4 more games to play. I’ve told you all along, I’m not the topic of conversation. We’re going to focus in on the games, we’re going to play those. We’ll sit down at the end of the season, as we’ve always done. I have a wonderful relationship with (owner) Josh Harris and we will discuss what we need to do next year.
“I told you, let’s talk about the basketball game. You drove a long way here for that. There’s nothing to put to bed. Guys, you’re not going to trick me. Let’s go. What do you want to talk about? I want to talk about the basketball game. The focus is not me.”
The 76ers' losing streak reached three following a 124-101 defeat against the visiting Atlanta Hawks. The Daily News' Bob Cooney reports from Wells Fargo Center.
Bob Cooney
The 76ers have signed 6-6, 180-pound forward Justin Holiday, brother of point guard Jrue Holiday. To make room on the roster the Sixers have waived guard Jeremy Pargo.
In the NBA Development League this season, Holiday played 47 games for the Idaho Stampede, starting 42 and averaging 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists 2.4 steals and 1.17 blocks. He shot 42 percent from the floor and 41 percent from three.
Holiday played well for the Sixers during the Orlando Summer league last July, showing an ability to take the ball to the basket and hit the mid-range jump shot. He’s a smart player who can be relied on to play various positions, though how much playing time he’ll get here in the final 9 games is a question.
Bob Cooney has been at the Daily News for more than 20 years, working in the sports department for the past 15. This is his third season on the Sixers beat. He has covered just about everything, but mostly college basketball, where he was the La Salle beat writer for six seasons. E-mail Bob at cooneyb@phillynews.com and follow him on Twitter.
