This was a chance for the Sixers to make a little statement, a chance to get the nay sayers aka “haters” off their back for a little bit. The Hawks and Heat are both very good teams. The Heat are in a class of their own. I was growing very tired of hearing about how the Sixers hadn’t played anyone. They where blowing out bad teams like they should have. They ended up going 1-1. I will take that. The Hawks game was a solid win. The Hawks are a very athletic team that can get up and down the floor like the Sixers.
Then they visited a place where their season ended last year and ran into a Miami team that was firing on all cylinders even with out Dwyane Wade in the line-up. One thing that I took away from this weekend is that the Sixers are a good team. Not a great team but we all know that anyway. Miami is looking like a great team. Man, they look good. Here are my thoughts on the last two games….
SIXERS/HAWKS
The Sixers seem to play better when they start off slow for some reason. The Sixers came out looking like they had some heavy legs though the Hawks defense might have to something to do with that. They held the Sixers to only 39 points in the first half and also held them to 34% from the field. Sixers made adjustments at half and came out blazing. That has been their memo this year. They held the Hawks to 10 points in the third and never looked back. They out scored the Hawks 51-29 in the second half for a 94-78 victory.
Josh Smith is a very nice player when he does not think he is a jump shooter. He finished with 10 points 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Man, I swear I did not hear Joe Johnson’s name all night long. Iggy held him to 8 points after Johnson had 4 straight games of 23 or more points.
Jeff Teague might win the Most Improved Award this year. The kid can shoot the rock. He has good vision and he really can get up down the floor. Holiday took over in the second half looking like an All-Star defensively and offensively. He was making plays every where. He finished with 16 points and 11 assists.
Elton Brand was a force on the boards. He actually controlled the paint for most of the night. He had 10 points and 16 rebounds.
What more can you say about Thaddeus Young? It is not always pretty but he just gets it done. He is crafty as hell around the rim. By the way, that Jrue Holiday/Andre Iguodala ally oop is most likely replaying like crazy on ESPN. Look out below!!! All and all this was a solid win that people where looking for from this team. Here is the box score and recap
SIXERS/HEAT
They had a pretty even first quarter against the Heat. Miami made an early run, then the Sixers answered with a late run to be down one point, 29-28, at the end of the first. The Heat were able to extend their lead a bit with a 56-49 lead at half. The Sixers had their chance to take control of the game in the first half with LeBron James sitting on the bench just being down one. But the Heat were able to extend their lead by as much as 9 with James taking a seat in the first half.
This still was a competitive game until about two minutes left in the third quarter then Miami just flat out took over while 
running away to a 113-92 victory over the Sixers. When you get out rebounded by 52-31, and let a team shoot 54%, that is going to add up to a loss almost every time.
Chris Bosh did not miss tonight. Though I thought the Sixers helped him out a bit by leaving him open most of the night. He was finishing at the rim and knocking down jumpers left and right. He ended up with 30 points 7 rebounds and 5 assists. LeBron acted more like a point guard most of the night until the fourth to put the Sixers away. LeBron is very good at sniffing out those weak side passes. He had 28 points 9 rebounds and 5 assists. They guy who impressed me the most was Joel Anthony. Every time the Sixers seemed to have an opening at the rim he was there to close it. Anthony had 3 blocked shots but seemed to have more. He was changing shots at the rim all night.
Lou Williams struggled tonight other than the late three balls he hit. I know he had 22 points but alot of them came late like I said. Miami ran a double team at him through out the night. How the rook? Vuc was having his best game of his young career until he went down in the third quarter with a knee sprain. He was battling down low and knocking down the open jumper. He had 13 points and 9 rebounds in 24 minutes. Man, I love seeing the growth of Evan Turner. It seems with each game his confidence is growing. He can almost get to the rim anytime he wants to. He had 16 points 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Here is the box score and recap
Like I said before this was an overall solid weekend. On most nights the Sixers would play the Heat closer, but they just did not have it last night. The Hawks win gives them confidence that they can beat good teams. Remember this team is young and still growing. I leave you with the best quote I have ever heard by Doug Collins. “If you want to go fast go alone, If you want to go far go together.” I love that guy.
The Sixers have improved and are better than the Hawks. Barkley calls the Hawks the softest team in the NBA. With this team littered with young athletic role players and on the verge of getting rid of Brand and Iggys salaries they have some very tradable pieces to get a superstar via trade or FA in the next year or 2. . I would kick the tires on Howard and let his agent know our good situation forthcoming. If not that would you explore what it may take to get Paul Pierce in here? He is available. Maybe an expiring Brand(via new CB agreement) contract, Thad and #1 would be the price. He gives you your toughness and go to player.
Talk about a bad contract- HAwks hands are tied with Joe Johnson
Guard Jeff Teauge has a huge upside at the NBA level, He was a great College Guard down the road from me at Wake Forest, but probably came out 1 year too soon and definitely needed some maturing after having some off-the court issues.. Now a couple of years later, he is beginning to blossom and has a bright future ahead of him..
Missing Center Steve Hawes has hurt the inside prescence and shot taking, Hawes has been playing well all Season, but since he’s been out, the Sixers have cecome more of a jump-shooting team which does not play to their strength..
Thaddeus Young & 1 PIck for Celtice for Pierce I would never do…
Pierce has 1-2 more Seasons at best and the 76ers are not going ot compete for Championship this Season regardless, so why trade Young and future #1 Pick .. makes no sense.. The 76ers will be a #4-#5 Seed and maybe get to the 2nd Round , next off-season will be the time to go out and get a real power forward and bench help
I agree paulman about the risks with Pierce. But we all know you gotta give to recieve. Dare i say if you would add Pierce to this lineup you instantly go to the 3rd best team in the East behind Miami and Chicago with an actual shot to win. Then if the cards fall right you may only get one of them in a 7 game series? Keeping this lineup you have NO shot. Even if Pierces shelf life is 2-3 years is it worth the risk? Im only giving up Thad, Elton a #1 pick and not the house. Management would have to look into the future and determine if any superstar will become available via FA or trade. FA superstars very rarely happen. We all know the new trend. Trade them to who they give you permission to before they leave via FA. If the risk is minimal then I try to improve this team even if its a 2-3 year window.
Great split for the sixers. I would have loved if they won last night but they seemed a little gassed and with no spencer hawes guarding the basket with his 2 or more blocks per game this team on defense looks different, (keep in mind spencer is 7’0 tall hes no little guy) but there are aalot of bright spots, evan turner being one of the brightest, he gets to the rim at will and his jumper has obviously improved.. hes playing at a very high level.. iggy is maintaining yet id like for him to be more aggressive going to the basket and taking the open shots instead of passing it all the time.. jrue holiday was on my nerves last night and has been kinda sloppy with the ball as of late, he gotta be smarter with the ball and stop dribbling into trouble, this is still a very young team though were not using that as an excuse and neither does this team want to use that but its true,,, but add spencer to this line up and the heat game would have been much closer.. though my dude Bron Bron went bananas in the 4th on both iggy n evan…
But i would love to have a Dwight Howard and i still feel we have a great chance to get him, but keep in mind this name KEVIN LOVE, he is going to be a restricted FA after this year (Similar to elton brand the year we got him) and has not signed an extension with the twolves and IMO will not sign it.. the sixers may be able to make a run at both Howard and Love, its not a ridiculous claim being that theyre gonna have alot of money they could free up after this year.. so maybe they could get one or both guys, and would you not give them both max contracts and build the team around them? Talk about young core and championship caliber for years to come… Dont be suprised if this happens…
Excuse me elton was a unrestricted FA not restricted, josh smith was restricted..
Paul, it’s Spencer, not Steve. LOL! Lets be real, the 76ers are what they are. They are a young, athletic, mediocre team, with no chance to win a championship with its current roster. Until Iggy & Brand are gone, they get a good young PF, C, SG & stop playing a lineup full of tweeners, they have ZERO shot. BTW, Meeks is a bum & I don’t understand Collins’s infatuation with this stiff. He IS NOT a starter & is way too inconsistent to be a go to guy. Also Jrue is a turnover machine & needs to stop trying to do so much. Get back to basics.