What we know about the Sixers
News blogs, sports blogs, entertainment blogs, and more from Philly.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.
What we know about the Sixers
Bob Cooney
Through 57 games, here are a few things we have learned about the Sixers:
* We know that they have woefully underachieved this season. With basically the same players and adding a now-healthy Elton Brand, they haven’t come close to performing near the level of last year’s team, which got coach Maurice Cheeks fired and was gained a No. 6 seed in the playoffs, only to get ousted by the Orlando Magic in six games.
* We’ve learned that Lou Williams, who was signed to a five-year, $25 million contract before the 2008 season for his explosive performances off the bench, should stay in that role. That’s not a knock on Williams, but it just seems very obvious that due to his size and his scoring abilities, he is much more suited providing that offensive spark off the bench rather than trying to be a starter at the point.
* We’ve learned that when this team is playing at its best, which it has been doing for about the past two months, is still mired in mediocrity. Since snapping a three-game losing streak on the road in Portland on Dec. 28, the Sixers have played 28 games. They’ve gone 15-13 during that stretch for a .536 winning percentage. If they kept that pace throughout the season, they’d be about the fifth or sixth seed for an Eastern playoff spot. We’ve also learned what usually happens to those seeds in the first round.
* We’ve learned that promise doesn’t always translate into production. Forward Thaddeus Young had the kind of season a year ago that had many wanting to shop Andre Iguodala to any team with the slightest bit of interest so that the 22-year-old Young could hold down that position for the future. Young has struggled mightly this season to find his consistency. He still shows flashes of the game that had so many so hyped about him before this season, but it has been just that – flashes.
* We know that the guard positions, though addressed in the draft with Holiday, is painfully thin. A jaw injury to Williams started the Allen Iverson Project. Williams doesn’t appear to be a true point guard and, while a steady backup at either the shooting or point spot, Willie Green is not an everyday starter. Iguodala has often been thrust into the backcourt by coach Eddie Jordan, though it seems mostly out of necessity due to limited production. This team needs a legitimate shooting guard as bad as we need summer to arrive.
More in tomorrow's Daily News.
Kate Fagan writes circles around u two! Read her blog and take a lesson— stefanskimakesmesick- haha, sick update guys! i agree w/ "stefanskimakesmesick" 's comment above.— drumminge6
- The Mo Cheeks firing and hiring of Eddie J. is the #1 story in my opinion. To this day I still can't tell you why Mo was fired. Does anyone know? This team never took Eddie J., or his alleged offensive schemes, seriously from day and you can tell. This team has been in a complete fog all season and looks generally demoralized and unitersted. You can tell they don't play with the same intensity for Eddie J. as they did for Mo. I'm not saying Mo was a HOF coach but for all the alleged pedigree (cough, choke, cough) Ed Stefanski tried to sell us about Eddie J. being an established coach with a system, I haven't seen one iota of anything (organization, team identity, offensive or defensive system, some semblance of a rotation pattern, the ability to inspire, improvement of players etc.). We've fired better coaches for less. Time for Eddie J. to go. Stefanski is running out of time, if he hasn't already, and I only give him some extra rope b/c he inherited a mess and it's pretty hard to fix a team in the NBA. That said, Stefanski hasn't made many, if any moves leading you to think he can turn this around. Completely absent at trade deadline. Iggy and Brand contracts are millstones.— DennyP
- Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz! How is this reporting? We already know this junk.— Tough* Juice*
- What I know about the Sixers...they suck! time to clean house...keep only T-Young, Holiday and Speights.— bturner5680
Comment removed.- Join "Sixers Fans For Change" on Facebook.— ArtMooney
- The three-headed Ed has to go.— jimmyeagles
- Basically the same players? Uh Andre Miller? He was the starting point guard for this team last year. He was pretty good, no? And please stop praising Willie Green. If steady means poor shooter, poor rebounder, and poor defender, then you nailed it! Ugh.— either.or
Basically unchanged roster except for ANDRE MILLER AND REGGIE EVANS. A true "coach on the floor" point guard and a hustlin' defensive-minded banger. You guys know you're being outclassed by the Inquirer's lady blogger, right? Or does Rupert Murdoch edit your posts down for consumption by us half-witted Sixer fans?— Leegles- seriously, these older writers are brutal.... fagan and david murphy are the future— main liner
- "what we know about the sixers".... they really suck. Tell us something we didn't already know!!— lev3472
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.
