76ers: Here We Go
The latest 76ers news from Philly.com.
76ers: Here We Go
Ready or not, the 76ers' season officially starts tonight against the Miami Heat at the Wells Fargo Center. Before we get into the best-case, worst-case scenarios for tonight, just wanted to take a minute to explain a new item we're adding to Deep Sixer: On the Road.
If you scroll down the right side of this page, you'll see the feature added, along with a two-week schedule of what we're going to try to provide on this blog. It might change from time to time, because of flight schedules, etc, but we'll try to do a Live Chat every other week, videos with Cinesport, and, of course, regular analysis and updates. In addition, we're adding a new feature called "On the Road," which requires your participation. About every week (usually from the road), we'll be filming a video answering a bunch of questions about the team. Anything goes -- from on-the-court execution to a question about life off of it (say, what the team eats on the charter plane). Most probably don't care how the team travels, but perhaps a few do. Either way, you can submit whatever question you have using the submit feature below the "On the Road" banner. Could be fun, guess we'll see as the season progresses.
As for tonight. Well. I spent last night in Boston, watching the Heat play the Celtics. Afraid to say, there is likely little comparison between what we watched last night and what might transpire tonight. Here goes:
Best Case: The Sixers, as will every team this season, play their tip-top game and compete for three-plus quarters with the Heat. Because Miami doesn't have a true center, the Sixers could keep themselves from getting killed on the boards and run out in transition. If there's one thing certain about this Sixers team, it's that they are, for now, on board with whatever Doug Collins tells them. Andre Iguodala (sprained right wrist), won't even be able to stick to the perimeter. He'll need to attack the basket and that could actually work to the team's benefit. There are two positions that the Sixers could exploit: point guard Carlos Arroyo and center Joel Anthony. We can't see Spencer Hawes dominating anything, but it's possible that Jrue Holiday could bust out of the gate and prove why he's on the upswing of NBA point guards. If he can score 12+ in the first half, he might be able to offset the inevitable dominance of LeBron James and Chris Bosh (Bosh, specifically, on the glass). Wade seems out of sync right now. Couple this with the Sixers potential advantage from the bench (Lou Williams, Evan Turner, Thaddeus Young, Marreese Speights), and the Sixers could be hanging around well into the game. Best case: Miami, 107-99.
Worst Case: The Heat, having performed less than ideally against the Celtics, absolutely dominate from the tip off. By midway through the first quarter, the Heat are outrebounding the Sixers, 12-2, are leading the game, 17-4, and are making the Sixers look like a D-League team. The biggest worry, in our opinion, is Bosh. Against Boston's post players -- Shaq, Kevin Garnett, Jermaine O'Neal -- Bosh looked skinny and small. But against the Sixers, there is nobody to stop him from completely dominating the game. Bosh could have 10 points right off the bat: offensive rebound, put back, a few little midrange jumpers. Sixers could find themselves down big before either James or Wade got off. Yikes. The Sixers might not be ready for this level of competition. There only decent opponent this pre-season was the Boston Celtics, way back in the first week of October. The second time the Sixers played Boston, the Celtics didn't play their entire starting lineup. For a month, all the Sixers have seen is the Toronto Raptors, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, and Cleveland Cavaliers. Nothing, absolutely nothing, could prepare them for what they'll see tonight.
One final thought: James is angry. He'll spend this entire season playing angry and trying to dominate. Coming off a loss to Boston, tonight is just a scary situation for the Sixers. Worst case: Miami, 120-79.
Probable lineups: Arroyo, Wade, James, Bosh, and Anthony vs. Holiday, Iguodala, Kapono, Brand, and Hawes.
More after tonight's game.
--Kate
Playing back-to-back nights and looking completely out of sync (Wade didn't even play in the preseason), I'm probably in the minority but like the best-case scenario here. I think the Sixers hang around for 3 quarters until 1 or 2 of the Big Three takes over in the 4th.... As for the season, I really just hope this team stays somewhat competitive and can keep me interested past the first month or so. I miss having a legitimate NBA team around here- Thanks Kate, appreciate your enthusiasm for your job. Relative to tonight, I expect the Heat to come out very hard and just hope the Sixers can hold on. I hope I am wrong but I expect Sixers to be down 20 at half but to make a push in the 3rd quarter only to fall down again as the Heat asserts itself in Q4 to win by 25-30.— JBP
- The apathy around the 76ers always amazes me. Evan Turner hasn't played a game yet and he's a bust? Our best case scenario against the Heat is to lose by 8? Did anyone see the Heat play last night? They looked slow and confused. Finally, I have to wonder does anyone care? The only hope for this team is to bring back Pat Croce. It's the only time in the last 25 years that the 76ers has a pulse.— Setdawgy
I'll go w/ the best-case scenario. if you play the game the right way, you'll always have a shot. lookin' for the 76ers to play within themselves tonite and trust the assignments Coach gives them...GO SIXERS!!!!— bboybeballin- hope - having optimisum perenially with enthusiasum— russ4philly
- by the way, like the 'On The Road' idea. inevitably, you'll have to bust out the Willie Nelson classic whenever you have an accompanying video for that feature...I'll hit ya up (in the reader email sense of course)— bboybeballin
- I am pulling for best case as the Heat seemed very out of synch. We saw how Lebron can take the game over on his own last night, but with Wade still not 100% lets hope we can keep it close. Last year we watched dominate the Sixers with Dalembert really the only player who could keep him from scoring at will. That doesn't bode well for us tonight. I agree with Kate that tonight could be a great opportunity for Jrue to break out and shine. I think if our 2nd unit can provide energy we should be able to keep it close.— Mattb
The best case scenario HAS to be a win. Anything less than that is a failure. So with that said, I expect the sixers to win. Call me crazy, but that's just how I feel right now.- it about time they started Kapono
- Sixers?!?!?!— phillysportguy
- Best case scenario a loss? That makes no sense. This team has beaten the best in the league before.— abz
- Not sure if I agree with the starting lineup, but at least Dougie is playing the one guy who can actually shoot the ball. And what is ET's role? Didn't Iggie fail at the two spot already?— thegoldman
- Best case scenario is an 8-point loss??? C'mon, this is ridiculous. I thought you were better than that. Best case scenario is a 15 point win. Get up on them early. They'll make their run, but stay focused. Play tough, physical D. Run, run, run whenever you can. Even if it doesn't look like you can, run. We can win this game. It's not like they can't be beat. Beat the Heat!! We need some more positive reporters. Sorry.— XmarksTheSpot
- I didnt think this team could be worse than last year but I think they will be. Brand is making big bucks and shouldnt be in the league. Thanks Eddie.
- setdawgy, the apathy I think is more geared to the NBA in general as its near impossible for most bad teams to improve. Even with good picks in the draft there just arent that many impact players each year. That leaves you with a few great teams and just a bunch of middling at best teams in the rest of the league. Look at the champions for the last decade or so. Its all teams where rediculous trades were made such as Garnett or Pau Gasol being traded for nothing. Dynasties have been built by a couple teams by getting extremely lucky by being able to get once in a generation players like Kobe and Duncan (who san antonio only got because Robinson went out injured that one year). Now you have free agents creating their own dream teams and its just the start. Now every decent free agent to be like Chris Paul and Carmelo talking about what team they can go to to make their own big 3. The NBA is a joke. A bad NFL team can build a contender with sound decisions and good draft picks because it takes so many players on one team to make it good. With 1 or 2 players being able to truely the fortunes of an NBA team, in combination with the fact that so few NBA draft picks are on that elite level, you have a system where you have to absolutely hit the jackpot and be that one horrible team and win the lottery in that one year where there happens to be a real impact player coming out. The sixers are the perfect example of a bad team that keeps getting these "nice little players" that will never really allow them to compete on the elite level with the chosen few teams that these big time players flock to. They get the 2nd pick in the draft and have the misfortune of it being one of the many years when there are just no real franchise-changing, once in a generation players coming out. Your praying that Turner will be a "good" player and a "contributor" but he has shown no indication that he's a franchise changer. So, another lottery pick this year and another"nice little player"— Sewellmatt
John Mitchell is in his second 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.
