Sixers 2013-14 schedule reaction
The Sixers don't have a shooting guard or any semblance of a real rotation, but they do have a schedule.
The NBA released its complete 2013-14 schedule earlier this week, and although expectations couldn't be much lower for the Sixers season, they still sort of, you know, need to play 82 games. Many are already looking ahead to next summer's lottery, but the team needs to play, and stink, to ensure that they land in said lottery.
The league, for its part, didn't wait long to set off the Sixers' struggles, as the team will open what is sure to feel like an extremely long season at home on October 30th against the defending champion Miami Heat.
This matchup is almost laugh-out-loud worthy. Not only have the Sixers struggled mightily against Miami when they aren't in all-out tank mode, but having one of the league's worst rosters open up against one of the best teams in recent memory just seems funny, or ironic, or something.
The game, at the very least, will represent the antithesis between the two teams: one at the bottom of the barrel and the other at the pinnacle of the profession. The Sixers organization aspires to reach Miami's current level of success, and this game should demonstrate just how much work needs to be done.
And this is just one game; what a way to get the [basket] ball rolling.
Things don't get much easier early on, and unless they can muster a win against Washington, who they play twice in the opening week, the Sixers could realistically start the season 0-12.
Miami, Chicago, Golden State, Cleveland, San Antonio and Houston all come to town during that first three-week span, leaving the Sixers with little relief until winnable late November games against Toronto and Milwaukee.
The schedule doesn't get any easier heading into the holidays, as from December 13th to January 18th the Sixers face a stint of 18 games in 37 days. This stretch includes 10 road games and seven back-to-back series; a grueling test for any team. The stretch, highlighted by games against the Heat, Nets, Knicks, and Bulls, should take its toll on the Sixers' win percentage, as I see maybe four winnable games during this span.
By early spring, the Sixers' stink should be fully established and they will likely be in contention for the league's worst record with the likes of Charlotte, Phoenix, Utah, and Orlando. Thus, late season matchups with these teams will likely have an impact on the team's lottery location.
The team hosts Utah in early March (hey, every loss counts), and faces Charlotte twice in the season's final weeks. They also play Boston, a team with tanking potential, in the second to last game of the season. Thus, it looks like the Sixers will have to do some crunch time tanking. But, if they can out-stink these teams throughout the season, they will greatly improve their chances of landing the first overall pick.
The season comes to a merciful end in Miami on April 16, as being handled by the Heat one last time seems like a suitable way for the season to end. At that point, the Sixers will probably have compiled somewhere around 15 wins, and an extremely important lottery will be looming.
Happy homecomings
The season will be short on wins, and in turn excitement, but it isn't short on homecomings. A plethora of ex-Sixers will be returning to the Wells Fargo Center throughout the season, which will at least provide fans with a little something to look forward to. They will not have to wait very long for three of the biggest names recently on the roster to return.
November 4 will bring back Andre Iguodala, playing in one of his first games with his second team removed from the Sixers. Iguodala remains a somewhat polarizing player in Philly. Some believe that he never had enough help, while others hold him accountable for many of the Sixers recent struggles. Whatever the overall opinion of him, his return is sure to bring some buzz to the WFC.
November 8 may be the most anticipated night of the Sixers' season. On this evening, the Sixers will host the Cleveland Cavaliers and their newly-acquired center, Andrew Bynum for the first time. After being hailed as the savior of the Sixers just last summer, Bynum infamously sat out the entire 2012-13 season while still collecting more cash than most will ever see. Maybe sometime down the road Sixers fans will forgive and forget when it comes to Bynum, but that time is not now. The Bynum debacle and its resulting implications on the franchise is still too fresh in the minds of fans. Expect the crowd to mercilessly boo Bynum. This might be the loudest the Wells Fargo Center gets all season.
November 29 will be another anticipated evening, but for a different reason than Bynum's return. Jrue Holiday and the New Orleans Pelicans come into town on the 29th in what will be Jrue's first game in Philly with a different city's moniker on the front of his jersey. The trade that sent Holiday to New Orleans for the rights to Nerlens Noel was a shock to some, as the guard had developed into not only an all-star, but a fan favorite as well. Expect fans to use this opportunity to show their appreciation for Holiday's stint with the Sixers.