Comments on: 6 Reasons the Philadelphia 76ers will have a shot in the East next year

By: drgaon

drgaon — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 12:51:11 +0000

lol. couldnt be any wronger.

By: bigdrilly

bigdrilly — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 01:32:56 +0000

the sixers have something the magic don’t. that’s team defense. defense wins rings, but of course with a little offense. the sixers will have both. the wait could be coming to a end in philly. i see a ring in the next two years. this is where you heard it first.

By: Dr. Browntorious

Dr. Browntorious — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:45:49 +0000

@SixersGuySince76

I think you might be right man. Cheeks in recent weeks has said multiple times that he’s not sure what their starting roster will be as they have so many different potential line-ups and he wants to get training camp in to decide.

But I read his comments from late last week saying that he is leaning towards starting thad young and shifting Iggy to the SG slot.

The Sixers should have a lot of options regardless of who starts. Plenty of young talent.

Willie is a little trigger happy huh? haha

By: SixersGuySince76

SixersGuySince76 — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:23:48 +0000

This was all a good read until the very end where the projected 2008 lineup was listed….
There is no way in hell Willie “Never Seen I Shot I won’t Take” Green is in the starting lineup over Thad Young.

By: Steakhouse

Steakhouse — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:31:43 +0000

or 9th or 10th or… The only thing Willie has going for him is that Mo Cheeks absolutely loves him. It’s pretty clear, however, that when Ed Stefanski took over for BK and started evaluating the team, he basically chalked Willie up as a guy who won’t be playing a key role in the team’s future success.

Miller and Iggy are the starting backcourt and LouWill is the first guy off the bench. Also, Royal Ivey was just acquired for the express purpose of acting as back-up point guard, so he can guard the other team’s 2-guard when Lou’s on the court. So, with this said, how’s Willie Green getting any more than, say, ten minutes a game this season? Answer: He isn’t.

By: Ed

Ed — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 10:37:30 +0000

For what it’s worth, Willie Green was interviewed here in Philly on radio, and he basically admitted he’ll be the 6th man (or 7th, IMO). Thad will be at the 3 and AI will be at the 2, I think.

By: Brotherly Link Love: Long Weekend Addition

Brotherly Link Love: Long Weekend Addition — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:23:34 +0000

[...] 6 reasons the Philadelphia 76ers will have a shot at the East next year [...]

By: Boyscout

Boyscout — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:08:29 +0000

Patrick,

I agree that the Magic had a great season, but after the Raptors once they were up against a quality team they tanked. All year they beat up on the weaker teams, and had some good wins

But I think they are not ready yet to beat consistently the good quality teams.

Although I never would bet against Dwight Howard cause he gets better every year. Maybe this year he will be even better and carry the magic deep?

By: Patrick

Patrick — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:31:50 +0000

This article is leaving a big piece out. Did you totally forget about the Orlando Magic and thier record and 3rd place finish in the Eastern Conference.
All they did this off season is make small wise signings to fill their few gaps to improve.

So I dont know how you can say no one is a threat coming out of the south east division.

By: 800lb

800lb — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 02:18:58 +0000

I see big things from this team. I’ve been an Andre Miller fan since he sent Utah to the National Championship game in the 98′ NCAAs (both of my parents are Utah alums), and I remember in that run how he made Michael Freaking Doleac look like a top 15 pick. With Igoudala creating his own shot and Brand working the post most teams are going to have to think twice about rolling through Philadelphia.

By: mansionhouse

mansionhouse — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 23:07:23 +0000

@edbok — Yeah, the frontline leaves lots of reasons to be cheerful. It’s amazing what a promising draft pick + a 20/10 beast does to one of the 6ers week spots!

But for all that I’m more excited about this 6ers roster than any since Iverson’s finals run, I’m still worried about the lack of shooters. Do we have what it takes to win when teams pack the lanes and double-team Brand, following the Pistons’ ultimate strategy of daring the 6ers to beat them from outside?

By: edbok

edbok — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:43:23 +0000

Of course, Brand is an immediate huge upgrade to the starting but I think the Philly second unit could be dominant in comparison to other second units in the league: Evans, Speights, Smith, Williams, Green. The second unit front line could be particularly formidable. Both Smith and Speights were among the very best shooting big men in the summer league and Evans’ defense and rebounding is a given.

By: Rex

Rex — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:19:22 +0000

SirAlden – You nailed it!! That’s exactly the rotation they need to run. I can see either LouWIlliams or Thad Young being in contention for 6th man of the year. Thad Young is a beast who seem to be looking like he’s more in shape, perhaps Dwight Howard shape?

I haven’t been this pumped about a sixers season in a long time!! Finally we can start talking Eastern Conference Championship!!

By: mansionhouse

mansionhouse — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:15:45 +0000

@Boyscout — Thad started 22 games last season at PF. Since SF is his natural position, I don’t see why Cheeks wouldn’t start him ahead of Willie Green, a decent backup SG but nobody’s idea of an NBA starter on an improved team.

As I hinted, it makes shooting a problem, but that’s something to be fixed via adding new players, not choosing betwee a bunch of bad shooters at the expense of defense. Iggy also shoots better than Willie from the field and downtown. LouWill would be a better option, but he’s no spot-up shooter and a Miller/Williams backcourt wouldn’t get the stops the Philly running game depends on.

Anyway, that line-up wasn’t my idea; it’s been the consensus starting five in most of the post-Brand reporting. See, e.g.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3480691

“Their starting lineup now looks like this: Miller and Iguodala in the backcourt; Young, Brand and Dalembert in the frontcourt. Willie Green, Louis Williams and Evans become the top reserves.”

By: Boyscout

Boyscout — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:31:01 +0000

@mansionhouse I don’t think they will put Iggy at the SG spot. He has improved his outside shot a lot but they have too much depth in the backcourt and Iggy plays better at SF. Why put him out of position in his comfort zone and clog up the back court rotation. Thad Young is not a starter yet.