After an embarrassing 35 point blowout loss in their MLK Day matinee with the Wizards, the 76ers have now lost two straight games.  Still, they are 3-4 in their last seven contests, which given the current roster is a respectable stretch of play.  They are now halfway through (8-33) their 2nd season of…call it tanking or rebuilding, whichever you prefer…and trying to measure success or failure at this point has become a difficult task.

What we are watching both on and off-the-court is something, but what is it?  The reason it’s happening is understandable.  We can all agree that something drastic had to be done after the Bynum fiasco.  Honestly though, who could have predicted that Vucevic would be a better player than Bynum and that the entire 2012 off-season would set the team back at least 5 years?

With all the support and skepticism of Sam Hinkie as well as the 76ers organization, the important questions have not been asked or answered by anyone.  So at the halfway point of the second season under Hinkie’s master plan, Philadunkia scribes C. Smith and Steve Toll will look at six tough questions Sixers fans could be asking in the near future.

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This edition of “Fo’ with the Foes” – Philadunkia’s advanced scouting series which with the help of an accomplished journalist from around the NBA beat or blog world, previews key upcoming 76ers games – features tonight’s opponent, the New Orleans 2-3 in their last five games and most likely will be without Jrue Holiday tonight, but still feature MVP candidate Anthony Davis.

After the jump, I’ll look a Fo’ key items for tonight’s game.  Additionally, we’ll get a little more insight into this New Orleans team the Sixers face tonight from our colleague Nick Lewellen at bourbonstreetshots.com, as Nick will answer Fo’ questions on his Pelicans from us here at Philadunkia.

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Unless you were completely absorbed by the aftermath of the Chip Kelly – Howie Roseman power struggle down at the NovaCare Complex, you probably are aware that the 76ers won two straight games over the weekend and have now won 3-of-their-last-4.  Hell, this team has actually looked halfway decent at times over this recent four game stretch

Meanwhile in Gotham, the Knicks have lost 15 straight, now own the NBA’s worst record at 5-35 and are in full blown tank mode.  As you know, last week the Knicks traded Iman Shumpert as well as JR Smith to Cleveland and waived former 76er Samuel Dalembert.  This morning, ESPN.com is reporting that the “Zen Master” is, “actively trying to trade veterans Jose Calderon and Andrea Bargnani”.

Additionally, over the weekend the Celtics (12-23; but 2-8 in their last 10 games) traded Jeff Green, their starting small forward and leading scorer (17.6 ppg.) to Memphis in a three team deal that netted Boston Austin Rivers (Who reportedly will be waived or traded.) and a future 1st round pick.

Throw in the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves (5-31 and losers of 15 straight) and the 2014-15 tank track is suddenly very crowded. The additional bad news is that the upward trending 76ers are currently sitting 3rd in the race for the most ping pong balls.

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It’s time for another edition of Philadunkia’s 4on4…

As a reminder, this Philadunkia question and answer series is “loosely based” on ESPN.com’s highly successful, NBA related series of posts titled “5on5″.  Our version of this genre of posts will ask 4 Philadunkia scribes to answer 4 topical, hot button questions about our Philadelphia 76ers.

Now you’re probably asking, “Why not simply stick with the “5on5″ format that ESPN.com uses?” 

Well as any great hoops coach will tell you — playing 4on4 is the best way to truly learn the game of basketball.

After the jump, Philadunkia scribes Jeff McMenamin, Carey Smith, Michael Kaskey-Blomain and Tyler Cook will examine four hot topic questions surrounding our 76ers.

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This edition of “Fo’ with the Foes” – Philadunkia’s advanced scouting series which with the help of an accomplished journalist from around the NBA beat or blog world, previews key upcoming 76ers games – features tonight’s opponent, the Cleveland Cavaliers who are without LeBron as well as Kyrie tonight because of injuries and have lost 4 out of their last 5 games.  Included in this recent stretch of losses is last night’s 19-point loss to the Mavericks by the Cavs — in Cleveland.

After the jump, I’ll look a Fo’ key items for tonight’s game.  Additionally, we’ll get a little more insight into the Cavaliers team the Sixers face tonight from our colleagues Scott Sargent at waitingfornextyear.com, as Scott will answer Fo’ questions on the Cavaliers from us here at Philadunkia.

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This edition of “Fo’ with the Foes” – Philadunkia’s advanced scouting series, which with the help of an accomplished journalist from around the NBA beat or blog world, previews key upcoming 76ers games – features tonight’s opponent, the Charlotte Bobcats, who are unexpectedly awful this season (6-19) and feature Lance Stephenson who is currently the subject of numerous NBA trade rumors.

After the jump, I’ll look at Fo’ key items for tonight’s game. Additionally, we’ll get a little more insight into this Charlotte team the Sixers face tonight from our colleague Spencer Percy at queencityhoops.com, as Spencer will answer Fo’ questions on his Hornets squad from us here at Philadunkia.

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Unless you have fallen “off the grid” in the last 48 hours, you are aware that Boston Celtics General Manager Danny Ainge listened to offers from a number of NBA teams for elite point guard Rajon Rondo.

It’s not official yet, but it is being reported that the front runner in these rumored talks, the Dallas Mavericks, have struck a deal for Rondo and willing send at least one future first-round pick; a 2nd round selection; Jameer Nelson and slowly developing power forward Brandan Wright to Beantown in exchange for #9.

Any way you slice it, Rondo leaving Boston is a good thing for the 76ers, and being traded out of the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference even, is a nice boost for the rebuilding process of the Sixers.

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This edition of “Fo’ with the Foes” – Philadunkia’s advanced scouting series which with the help of an accomplished journalist from around the NBA beat or blog world, previews key upcoming 76ers games – features tonight’s opponent, the Atlanta Hawks who are a riding a hot streak right now having won 7 straight games, and 9 of their last 10.  Still, I like the 76ers chances of stealing a win tonight for reasons that I will discuss after the jump.

(I can’t believe I just typed that line.)

After the jump, I’ll look a Fo’ key items for tonight’s game. Additionally, we’ll get a little more insight into this Atlanta team the Sixers face tonight from our colleague David Menze at Soaring Down South, as David will answer Fo’ questions on his Hawks squad from us here at Philadunkia.

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In case you stepped away from the season of the “double tank” for the weekend, you should know that the 76ers have won 2 out of their last 3 games and now stand at .500 in the month of December.  We realize that both victories came against fellow NBA bottom dwellers Minnesota and Detroit and with a simply brutal schedule ahead of Brett Brown’s team this month, we don’t see these good times lasting past this week.

Still, today we’re going to look at three positive items we have seen over this recent four game stretch in which the Sixers picked up two wins; got beat by the defending champs in respectable fashion and suffered a highly competitive loss to the vastly superior OKC Thunder.

Believe or not we had a hard time limiting this post to just three items.

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It’s time for another edition of Philadunkia’s 4on4…

As a reminder, this Philadunkia question and answer series is “loosely based” on ESPN.com’s highly successful, NBA related series of posts titled “5on5″.  Our version of this genre of posts will ask 4 Philadunkia scribes to answer 4 topical, hot button questions about our Philadelphia 76ers.

Now you’re probably asking, “Why not simply stick with the “5on5″ format that ESPN.com uses?” 

Well as any great hoops coach will tell you — playing 4on4 is the best way to truly learn the game of basketball.

After the jump, Philadunkia scribes Jeff McMenamin, Carey Smith, Michael Kaskey-Blomain and Tyler Cook will examine four key questions surrounding our winless, but developing 76ers.

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