Sixers Season thread 2

[BigEd76]

No it won't. They've played against each other before.

1 time, maybe 2 in college...

[PhillyPhreak54]

Iggy said that Bibby has been riding his ass since he got there to be more aggressive on the o-boards.

Good to see him stepping in and doing something good.

[Rome]

Stephen A. Smith | It's time for 76ers to consider the unthinkable

By Stephen A. Smith

Inquirer Columnist

We have passed the point of calling the 76ers disappointing, underachievers in a Eastern Conference rife with too many at this moment.

It would be one thing if you looked at this team and questioned why it's faltered, wondering whom to blame. But when the list of the worries includes everyone from Allen Iverson to Chris Webber to Samuel Dalembert to coach Maurice Cheeks, right on up to team president Billy King, the time to sound the alarm has officially arrived.
Entering Friday night's game vs. the Memphis Grizzlies, the Sixers were an unimpressive 18-20, mired in a two-game losing streak, with finger-pointing going on all over the place.

King had just a few days earlier wondered who would play defense. Cheeks had, too. Publicly and without compunction. Rumors were circulating leaguewide that Webber was having trouble playing alongside Iverson. The same could be said of Iverson's desire to play with any of the cast of characters King has assembled for him, though King is still salivating at the thought of getting Ron Artest in a Sixers uniform.

And caught in the middle of this reality show is one fact simmering in the minds of the Philly faithful:

This team is not much better than it was under Jim O'Brien.

The Sixers may love Cheeks. His demeanor. His people skills. But, as of Friday, they were only one game better than O'Brien's 17-21 squad at this time last season.

That's the reason Iverson had a private meeting with King on Friday. Why Webber met with King on Monday. Why both appeared exasperated, envisioning a future devoid of success and championship contention. Why it probably hasn't changed, despite their victory over Memphis heading into this weekend.

"Obviously, they have concerns," King said Friday, confirming he'd met privately with both players. "Nobody likes the way things are going right now. But I've talked to both of them. Everything is OK. There are things that need to be done. Things that need to change. They both believe we'll figure these things out, and so do I. There's still a ways to go in this season."

It means nothing, unless changes occur.

The first necessary change involves Dalembert, despite what his averages of 9.3 points and 10 rebounds per game indicate. Dalembert may be averaging an impressive 3.36 blocks per game, but he's as hardheaded as they come, reluctant to absorb instruction, still registering most of his blocks on help defense instead of defending straight up, man to man.

For Kyle Korver to defend anyone would be an improvement, as would Webber, if he had the athleticism to do so.
The list can go on and on, especially since heart and commitment on defense supersede the Sixers' talent issues. The thing is, getting a hard-core individual like Artest would solve myriad problems, "and although we've talked to the Pacers," King explained, "it's something we just can't get done."

King wouldn't say why, but the reality is he doesn't have to, because the answer is obvious: The Sixers barely have what it takes to get a deal done.

Korver doesn't make enough to make a deal work, and wouldn't be enough even if his salary were within 15 percent of Artest's $6.8 million salary. King could work out a package deal involving Steven Hunter and Johnny Salmons, and it still wouldn't be enough to appease the Pacers' brain trust, Larry Bird and Donnie Walsh.

The Pacers would love to get their hands on Andre Iguodala, but King isn't stupid. Another option could very well be Blazers forward Ruben Patterson. But he's a registered sex offender with a $6.3 million salary, believed by Portland general manager John Nash to be of sixth-man quality, thus commanding equitable compensation.

"They're not a mess," one Eastern Conference GM told me about the 76ers, "but they're not great, either. A lot of people are wondering what's going on, wondering if there's anything King can do to fix this mess. You can't predict personality conflicts, injuries, stubbornness, et cetera, but this business isn't kind. You know someone always gets blamed unless something gets done to steer this in the right direction."

For King, the clock is ticking.

He may have met with Iverson Friday, but he also met with Iverson last year. King will try a lot of things because he always does. But at some point, it's not about effort. It's about what works.

If this team isn't going anywhere and the appropriate changes can't be made, perhaps it's time to think of the unthinkable.

Trade Iverson.

For his sake, as much as the future of this franchise.

That is, before a city starts calling for King's head.

[ice grillin you]

im sure i said this somewhere on this board...at least i think i have...sixers are a .500 team

[hunt]

from espn insider:

Clash of the stars in Philly
posted: Sunday, January 22, 2006  |  Feedback

Now it all makes sense. Now I understand why Allen Iverson told Philly reporters after Monday's embarrassing 28-point loss to Washington that he was unsure of his role with the 76ers.

A league source told me Chris Webber went off in the Sixers' locker room after the demolition by the Wizards. Frustrated by the team's mediocrity, Webber yelled at coaches and players alike while saying, in essence, he never gets the ball.

I'm not sure if he named Iverson directly, but I'm told it was clear he was calling out A.I., who dominates the rock and is averaging a whopping 25.8 shots a game, second only to King Kobe.

Apparently, the episode made Iverson wonder if he's leading the Sixers correctly. Why else would he question his role, which has been to hoist and hoist and hoist since he set foot in Philly 10 years ago?

Coach Maurice Cheeks was stunned by A.I.'s assertion, but certainly understood where it was coming from. That's why he spoke for 27 minutes after Wednesday's loss to New Jersey about the importance of "sticking together'' through tough times. Then on Thursday, Cheeks cancelled practice and instead, in an obvious attempt at bonding, took the team paint-balling.

The irony in this situation is that while A.I. and C-Webb are undeniably productive, they both have major roles in Philly's struggles. The Sixers are 20-20 for one reason and one reason only: they couldn't guard a statue.

They give up 102.9 points a game and allow opponents to shoot 46 percent. In other words, you're always hot, always "in the zone'' when playing the Sixers.

A scout told me this week that Philly's defensive problems begin with A.I. and end with C-Webb. He said the fact that A.I. applies no pressure whatsoever when opposing point guards bring the ball up court allows teams to get into their offense too easily.

Then, C-Webb doesn't front the post, so entry passes down low are pudding. Teams can also pick-and-roll C-Webb to death because of his mobility problems. In the middle of the A.I./C-Webb spectrum is Kyle Korver, who gets toasted nightly by whichever 2- or 3-man Andre Iguodala's not guarding.

For all of C-Webb's complaints about not getting the ball, the Sixers' offense is not really the problem. Philly is averaging 101.8, second in the league, on 46 percent shooting.

Still, I (and to be honest, most execs around the league) wonder if you can win big with A.I. dominating the rock so much. There's no doubt he is spectacular, arguably the best little man ever next to Isiah (he's ahead of Tiny in my book and only John Stockton compares).

I said before the season that A.I. probably should let Webber handle it more (because of his passing ability) and drop to about 24 ppg so Iguodala and John Salmons can get more involved. I don't know if that would make the Sixers win more, but a coach told me this week that A.I.'s dominance has stunted the growth of Iguodala, who just about everyone thinks can be a star.

If the Sixers are going to have A.I. continue to play as he does, they will have to go back to the Larry Brown-concept to regain contender status. The one year the Sixers were legit was when Brown put a bunch of gritty, hard-nosed defenders, rebounders and spot-up shooters around A.I.

These are the best types of teammates for Iverson. Any player who can really do things on his own offensively will get frustrated next to A.I. because he always has the rock. If you can take it to the rack and create on your own, you won't mesh well with A.I. -- not because of his personality but because of his game.

That's why none of the so-called "second stars" have panned out in Philly. Keith Van Horn, Toni Kukoc, Glenn Robinson, Larry Hughes and now C-Webb. Granted, those guys were either too young, beyond their prime, or better suited to be third or fourth options. But fact is, none of them played to their offensive potential in Philly.

If A.I. pulled back a bit offensively, it would allow him to exert more energy on defense, which would go a long way in solving the Sixers' No. 1 problem.

My guess is that nothing will change in Philly: They'll deny that any rift, or tension, exists between their stars; A.I. will challenge Kobe for the scoring and launches-per-game titles; and the Sixers will finish around .500, 7th in the East.

Then they'll get shellacked by Miami in the first round of the playoffs.

[ice grillin you]

my problem with iverson is that all his shots take away from the development of the younger players...but as long as they are trying to make the playoffs and not look towards the future then there is nothing wrong with iversons role...to say he doesnt pass the ball while he is in the top ten in the nba in assists is ridiculous...and the guy is one of the greatest scorers in the history of the nba so him taking a lot of shots makes sense

if the team had some kind of defensive identity iverson and his shot attempt totals would be a non issue...see 2001 when iverson shot more and passed less than he does now and made the finals

[SunMo]

he's a great scorer, no doubt and he is passing the ball more since they made him a point guard.  but my problems with his play are when he has his stretches when he brings the ball down, makes a move and shoots a 17 footer, all without anybody touching the ball.  as a point guard, you cannot shoot the ball without other players touching it first.  the goal of the point guard everytime down the floor should be to get the easiest shot available, but you can't get the easiest shot available if you are shooting the ball 10 seconds into the shot clock.

they need to trade him, blow up this team and start over.  give AI a legit chance to win a title, get draft picks and young players for him, let Iggy develop into what he's going to be and just start over.  of course, that's what they tried to do in Portland, and it doesn't seem that Mo is the type of coach for that situation.

[Rome]

The Sixers will never win a title with a 6' gunner as the focalpoint of the team.

I've been saying that shtein for years and have been ridiculed for it by Iverson-fluffers.

Nice to see that some of you are starting to come around.

[rjs246]

Nuke the NBA.

[ice grillin you]

The Sixers will never win a title with a 6' gunner as the focalpoint of the team.

I've been saying that shtein for years and have been ridiculed for it by Iverson-fluffers.

lol

did you predict that they would only get to the finals with a 6' gunner just not actually win a title

[hunt]

The Sixers will never win a title with a 6' gunner as the focalpoint of the team.

I've been saying that shtein for years and have been ridiculed for it by Iverson-fluffers.

Nice to see that some of you are starting to come around.

too bad billy king doesn't have the balls to trade iverson.
speaking of king, he really did his homework on stephen hunter, didn't he?...signs him in the offseason & he's already trying to trade him.
good job, billy.

[hunt]

The Sixers will never win a title with a 6' gunner as the focalpoint of the team.

I've been saying that shtein for years and have been ridiculed for it by Iverson-fluffers.

lol

did you predict that they would only get to the finals with a 6' gunner just not actually win a title

don't you think the east is a little stronger this year than it was back then?
that was one of those seasons where everything went right & the east was horrible...those days are over, in case you haven't noticed.

[SD_Eagle5]

Anyone remember the Barkley trade? (Lang, Hornacek, Perry) Trading AI would be no different except we'd  get less. He's not the type of player who can just blend into a team and be productive. He needs the weight on his shoulders to succeed. He's not a system guy. No way King trades him, because as long as he's playing, the Sixers remain entertaining.

When his trade value was actually worth something all we were looking at getting back was Eddie Jones, Glen Rice, and Jerome Williams, so what would a team give us now?

[ice grillin you]

what they get in return in irrelevant...in fact id give him away at this point...just to move on and see what they have with the younger players

[BigEd76]

According to RealGM, we could get Joe Johnson and Tyronn Lue...