SI predicts Sixers second in Atlantic
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SI predicts Sixers second in Atlantic
With the regular season upon us, it is the time for preseason predictions. Sports Illustrated's NBA preseason preview hits the stands this week.
The magazine predicts that the Sixers will finish second in the Atlantic Division, but ninth in the Eastern Conference and miss the playoffs.
The prediction is that the Celtics will win the Division, followed by the Sixers, Nets, Knicks and Raptors.
The eight Eastern playoff teams in order are: Miami, Orlando, Boston, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit and Charlotte.
In the West, the playoff teams are: Lakers, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Dallas, Portland, Phoenix, Houston, Utah.
The magazine also had a preview of Evan Turner. Writers Ian Thomsen, “Evan Turner will fit perfectly into the culture that Collins will be promoting. Turner wasn’t the most dynamic player in the draft, but he might have been the most polished. He can not only handle the ball but also play some point.”
The magazine predicts that the Lakers will beat the Heat for the NBA title.
Comments (25)
2nd in the Atlantic?? 2nd from the bottom perhaps!- They'll struggle to win 25 games. They are just as sorry as they were last year. No perimeter D, no interior D, can't defend the 3 pt line. Can't shoot, or rebound. What can they hang their hat on?
2nd wouldn't be out of reach though, since every other team is also terrible besides the Celtics. I hope they don't manage to sneak a playoff berth in. They need years of high picks to have a chance.— HandNik- wow, thought SI had some talent, apparently not. So with Boston, a Knick team who adds Amare, and potentially Melo in the next few days, and an ever improving Nets team with a Russian Billionaire looking to spend and win right away. Yea, no chance, Sixers will be lucky to win 22 games. 22-60 , ya heard it hear first— nl9000
- This is a reflection of how bad the rest of the East (Atlantic) teams are; not how good the Sixers are. At best they are an 8th seed just making the playoffs, and the way they're playing now with who they have there's no reason for optimism.— ricky
- nl9000 adding a project in Derrick Favors is not "ever improving". The Knicks have one player that should be an NBA starter. The Raptors have zero players that should be NBA starters. So yea agree with Nik, 2nd isn't a reach especially when qualified with them not making the playoffs as the 9th team. Not far fetched at all.— Phillies1120
- Trade that works with salary cap. Knicks get Carmelo; Nuggets get Brand, Iguodala and Young and Knicks #1; Sixers get Galinari, Randolph, KMartin, ECurry. Sixers get Curry's 1 year for Brand's 3 years, exchange Iguodala for young shooter Galinari, exchange Young for rebounding/shot blocking potential of Randolph, KMartin is traded/waived since only 1 year. Sixers greatly increase cap flexibility, get two young potentials in areas of need(shooting, rebounding, blocked shots); Knicks get Carmelo so they are happy; Nuggets get guy they want in Iguodala plus another young in Young and yes I know they would rather have Curry than Brand but those are the breaks. Sixers can grow with some combo of Jrue, Galinari, Turner, Williams, Randolph, Brackins, Speights, Meeks, Hawes and have a pretty clean financial slate.
— JBP - JBP...Randolph? The 2nd coming of Derrick Coleman to the Sixers? I hope not.— Tom98786
- I think they'll win more than 25 games. They have too much athletic talent and individual pieces to win that few a number. Addining Hawes and Nocioni adds depth, passing, and additional point scorers. Interior defense and rebounding is a huge problem. The big problem seems to be Brand: I hope he proves me wrong but he's lost his jumpin ablity and maybe his physical size as a banger. Chris Webber never looked so good. I also think Thaddeus is a tweener who has a hard time fitting in and is inconsistent. Those two seem problematic, but I HOPE I'm wrong. This team has to win more home games and I think Drue, Iggy, and Lou can help with scoring. Ultimately a trade will be needed and likely will happen. But I don't think they're as bad as they look this preseason. On this topic, I can't believe they'll be 2nd in the Atlantic. Someone (Knicks, Raptors) will develop chemistry and be better.— jimmy76er
- "Turner wasn’t the most dynamic player in the draft, but he might have been the most polished. He can not only handle the ball but also play some point"..Im not sure how of the preseason this writer has seen if any, but the point guard position is the only position Turner can play..hello lottery
— Dawk20 - How could this get worse? Watching DeMarcus Cousins play this year...then watching Turner. Oh No.— sla6yer
- "...He can not only handle the ball but also play some point..." Uhm, don't you need to have a handle to play point? Also, why do I care if he can play point? He's supposed to be the answer at the 2 and all we've been hearing so far is he can't hack it at the 2 and is logging minutes at PG where we already have the future in Jrue. Call me confused.
— DennyP 
Pro basketball is irrelevant in Philly. The Big 5 (plus Drexel) is superior.— Servo- 43-39, 7th seed in the East. BOOK IT.— KDH
- 49 wins, after major trade that brings us Derron Williams & Paul Milsap for Jrue, Dre, Young, & Speights.— XmarksTheSpot
- Since when did the NBA realign itself so that there are now just 2 teams in the Atlantic Division? Surely, that's the only way SI's prediction will come true.— CJ84
- SI predictions sound about right, If Doug is OK the Sixers will step up to the plate and win. But it will take some weeks before everything kicks in. They still will struggle against teams bigger than they are, until we get Greg Olden via trade. You guys are giving those other teams too muchh credit they are not that good.— rayzoe
- Young is a 3 on a team with a 4 or 5 who can really shoot from the outside, which the Sixers don't have, unless you count Hawes. And they don't have room at the three anyway. But, they knew that when they drafted him, didn't they? Or they should have. They though Iguodala could shoot, which no one outside the Sixers FO ever thought.— B in DC
- Moses Doc Toney Cheeks Ivarroni Jones they are all coming back Cunningham takes Collins spot 70 wins at least— dafence
Eighth spot this year. Fourth next year. First three years from now.— Leegles- 26-56, causing Collins to have as nervous breakdown.— TheSage
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sixers have to make a trade before season starts. IGGY MUST GO AND THORN KNOWS IT! as a fan of over 60 years of 6ers and warriors this team is just not fun to watch! PLEASE MR THORN DO SOMETHING .. I PUT MY HOPE IN YOU!!!!!!!!!!!— bill poore - Looking forward to lottery balls again next spring...— TVGuy22
- With all the racists in Philly, It still wouldn't take much for the fans to come out in droves. The Flyers somehow think they're in competition with the Sixers, nothing could be further from the truth. The Flyers go to the Stanley Cup, and it's irrelevant. The almost lose in the first round, and where were the fans. Then out of no where, as they get closer to the Cup, the bandwagon fills up. Flyers have got to realize, they are not in competition with the Sixers. That boat has sailed. The Flyers are in competition with Nascar, X-games, etc. . . it's a fringe sport, which is non-existent in the South and out West. Anyway, we'll enjoy the Flyers, but as long as they realize they're far behind the NBA and NCAA. Get a grip Flyer fans, we know you won't appear until the Flyers are in position to make a run. Now get back to your closets, and wait for the Bandwagon to pick you up.— 1766
- Worsts possible scenario in the NBA. The 10-15th draft pick every year, never get good enough to matter.— JonKap
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About this blog
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.
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