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
- I'm surprised that they're starting Kapono. I would've thought Nocioni would have started at the 3. Maybe his ankle is still shaky? The starting lineup I see before the All-Star Break is Holiday, Iguodala, Nocioni, Brand, Hawes. After the All-Star Break, Holiday, Turner, Iguodala, Brand Hawes. With a bench of Williams, Kapono, Nocioni, Young, and Speights, we have a good mix of defense and offense for both the 1st and 2nd unit. Thoughts?— FlySixPhiEagles
Kate, that prediction is so negative I am appalled. To me the best case scenario is that the Sixers physically attack the Heat and battle full out for the entire game. The one advantage they have over the Heat, and most other teams is that they have a lot of depth. James should not score one point on the inside he does not pay for with a very hard foul. Brand is big enough to stop him, he needs to get physical. The Heat are mere mortals, if you don't believe me, ask the Celtics.- Uh, wouldn't best case mean Sixers win?— nosupportgroup
Comment removed.- Wouldnt the best case scenario be a win?— dennis14
- What I am getting sick of is all of these "fans" coming on here saying nothing other then "they suck or "who cares" It must be a real slow day to take time out to come to a SIXERS Board and post drivel. Nobody is saying that fans have to be STEPFORDS but the facts are they have to many of the same players, they need to make moves and they have a young group that would not challenge anyway. So I just want to see progress and development. I would rather they start Turner if he is the SG of the future then stick him out there on day 1 and let him grow.— chuck3rd
- Sixers season in a nutshell for me: Free tickets 2 rows behind the bench? Tonight, hell yeah. Any other night, uh no thanks.— sla6yer
- Miami still hasn't figured out how to play together, Wade is hurt and Bosh is over-rated. They don't have a Center either. Being an incomplete team they are just as vulnerable as the Sixers, maybe even more so. Let's see how an offense that can spread the floor with it's bigs and Kapono can open up the lane and make it easy for Holiday and Iguodala to get to the basket. Miami is on the 2nd night of a back to back and expended a lot of energy for nothing. If the Sixers can force them to run, they will be out of gas by the end and the Sixers can win their opener. Kate, honey, you've got no imagination!— ricky
- Sixers will win tonight there PG is weak and slow bosh is soft we are going to shock the league tonight we need to win !!!!— heyzeus
I agree with a lot of the assessments of this team that is generally out there...but it is frustrating to look at this team from two years ago and then see even the coach seem to have so little expectations of this team. What are the differences? Andre Miller, Reggie, Sam D., no Brand...for all intents and purposes...that is it...and Dileo as coach. They also started off badly that year (something they have done for quite a few years...no surprise if it happens this year) So how does a team that had chemistry, and identity and made other teams try to match up with our mismatched players to what we have now? From what I saw in pre-season...Brand looks sharper on offense than he has been as a Sixer. Apart from playing center, we should expect solid numbers from him if we use him. Kapono can be compared to Kyle Korver (very little defense from either) and apart from Miller, our shooting abilities are EXACTLY the same - it's the same players!!! If anything, having Nocioni, Songaila on the bench IMPROVES our shooting...so how did we win 40+ games and now we are predicted to be as bad as last year?? Grante, Andre Miller is a highly uner-rated player...so why is he gone? Sammy just wasn't content or able to accept his role...but his role was VALUABLE to the team! Don Nelson won games with a small lineup...get the players playing the style that suits them the best...if you want a good shooting, half-court team with some size up front...then go get those kind of players!!!!— srvdove- Comment removed.
Outside of ud the role players are weak. The bench may pull it out for us.— combocancer1975- you guys are nittwits, you're all over kates nut$.....last year she killed eddie jordan....it was all the coaches fault....now it's a mismatched roster..... well, which is it?? or are you all too dense to call her out on it?
she picks up on whatever is negative and runs with it...... i can't stomach her anymore— vandy123 - Kate Fagan's job is to report on the Sixers; she is the beat writer, and as such needs to write it as she sees it and, like the oddsmakers, sees best case as Miami victory by about 8 points. Vegas line has shifted from 9 points to 7.5 points because of late Sixer money (perhaps some of the posters here). But to compare Miami's game last night on the road against one of the best defensive teams in tne NBA to the game tonight against a Sixers team with an injured Iguodala, a soft starting center, a good-shooting, useless defender in Kapono at small forward, and no set rotation is ridiculous. I think the Sixers will certainly improve over the season and might even get to 40 wins if all goes right, but tonight will not be one of them. Kate has been consistent in the sense that Eddie Jordan was awful, Collins will be much better, and the team should improve, but, like Bob Cooney, she sees baby steps with this roster, unless Evan Turner can be productive and unless Rod Thorn can obtain more muscle for the interior defense.— chuckw
- chuckw - you are wrong. "Best case" scenario does not equal "Most likely" scenario, which would be an 8-point loss AKA the Vegas spread. Try again, bud.— abz
Best case scenarios: Kapano drops 20+ in threes, everyone else defends, rebounds, runs, and contributes, and the Sixers pull it out by 5, especially considering that the Heat are on the second night of a back to back to open the season and probably emphasized last night's game against the Celts, thinking they'll beat the Sixers even if they mostly reserved their energies for their debut against Garnett and friends . . .— Leegles- Game will be over with 11:00 left in the 1st Quarter...Heat will have built a 10 point lead by then. Sickers need to tank it for the next 10 years to get some real gangsta's, oops! I meant players in here...— tralala
- best case scenario is always a win, I'm surprised that an 8-pt loss would be your best case scenario, it's not like the heat can't be beaten, they have no bench, of course it's unlikely but best case!?!...something has to be done with the Lebron Kapon matchup the...I mean really, Kapono on Lebron with Hawes to back him up?? *foh— tha2nddunn
- best case scenario is always a win, I'm surprised that an 8-pt loss would be your best case scenario, it's not like the heat can't be beaten, they have no bench, of course it's unlikely but best case!?!...something has to be done with the Lebron Kapon matchup the...I mean really, Kapono on Lebron with Hawes to back him up?? *foh— tha2nddunn
- abz: best case in your estimation could be a 90-point victory for the Sixers? Perhaps a 100-point victory? Perhaps Fagan should have said the best the Sixers can do against the Miami Heat is an 8 point loss, as she simply does not see any way the Sixers can beat this team. That is her prerogative.— chuckw
- chuckw: No, clearly the best-case scenario is any type of win. You're acting like an 8-point underdog has never won a game outright before, sheesh.— abz
- iggs at 2 and kapono at 3?— McAwsum
- Somewhere... Eddie Jordan is cashing his check, and NOT coaching the Sixers— ChunkyLover53
- abz: yes, 8-point underdogs, even 30-point underdogs, can win, but in her estimation (and that of Bob Cooney, I notice)the best the Sixers can realistically achieve tonight is an 8-point loss, perhaps unfair but there it is. You and I and the other Sixer diehards can hope for a victory tonight, but realistically, right now the Sixers are in disarray, with a starting center who is coming off of a back injury, a starting two guard with a sprained wrist, a starting small forward who is a terrific shooter but really bad defender, and a feeling out process by the coach as to who can play and who cannot play, while the Heat are presumably out to prove a point tonight after last night's loss and have the talent to do so. I will root for a victory, but a close loss for this team is most likely the best-case scenario.— chuckw
- Dis Kate for telling you what she sees everyday? What is her stake in downing the team she covers? She is just giving her honest take right or wrong. For all you pie in the sky'rs stop by the arena if you believe in this team. BUY A TICKET !!!!!!— batmann1
Dear Setdawgy. There is no "apathy." "Apathy" means lack of caring, but obviously we bloggers all care or we wouldn't be blogging. I think you mean pessimism
Dear Kate: Watch the spelling errors.
"There (you mean THEIR) only decent opponent this pre-season was the Boston Celtics..."- Introducing your 2010 Philadelphia 76ers. . . From Ohio State, meet Evan Turnover. From Sacramento, meet the 7-foot White Stiff. . . from Brickville, meet Iggy Rockthrower. . . from three quarters in, wow it looks like the 2009 Sixers, already down 20 points. Did someone say 20 total wins.— TheSage
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.
