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 upcoming 76ers opponents — features tonight’s opponent, the athletic, very deep and talented Dallas Mavericks.

This is going to be a nearly impossible game for the 76ers to win.  The Mavs are a very good offensive team with an arsenal of weapons.  As we all know the Sixers are getting better on defense, but remain a defensively challenged unit.  We’ll be especially interested to see how the Sixers bigs handle the Mavs 7-footers – Tyson Chandler and Brendan Haywood.  On the perimeter, we can only pray that someone in a Sixers uniform can keep a lid on Jason Terry.  “J.E.T.” has scored 20+ points in 3 of his last 4 games and is hitting 3’s at a 50% clip right now.  This game – the third in a five game road trip – could get ugly quickly for the Sixers if Collins doesn’t keep a tight grip on this one.

The Sixers only chance in this game comes with the idea that the Mavs could be looking ahead to their matchup with the New Orleans Hornets on Monday night.  There’s an outside chance the thoughts of playing the Hornets cause Dirk & Co. to fall asleep at the wheel just long enough for the improving Sixers to slip out of “Big D” with a very unexpected W.     

For a little more insight into the Mavs team the Sixers face tonight, we turn to our man Rob Mahoney from thetwomangame.com to answer two questions on the Mavs from us here at Philadunkia as well as provide us with two points of analysis on this Dallas squad from an insider’s perspective.

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A couple days ago over at the terrific The Point Forward blog on cnnsi.com, erstwhile True Hooper made good Zach Lowe noticed that a couple guys on contracts previously thought to be unmovable have played them into moveability.  Amongst Lowe’s phoenixes was our very own Elton Brand.

Interesting, I thought.  Three games into the season I had noodled, and written a post, on this very topic, only to scrap it because it read too pie-in-the-sky.  Now Lowe had shouldered the burden of the first and paved the way for me to dream aloud throughout the internet.  What a country we live in.

After the jump are three trades that we and the ESPN NBA Trade Machine think could get the Brand deal off the Sixers’ dreadful, nonsense logged, books (the Sixers’ books make Decision Points look reasonable).  They’d better act fast though, because, as we argued in this space the other day, his success – and value as a trade chip – probably won’t last.

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Tell me if this make sense:

The 76ers (2-6) were defeated by the Thunder 109-103 Wednesday evening in Oklahoma City.  OK, that part does make sense.  But what doesn’t is why didn’t this OKC team destroy the Sixers?

The Thunder were an unheard of 35-of-37 from the free throw line, 94 percent.

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were their usual all-star-selves the entire evening, each pouring in 31 points.  Durant also hauled down seven boards while Westbrook dished out 12 assists.

Oh and wait, I forgot to mention that Andre Iguodala was out for a second consecutive game.

If I told you this information minutes before tipoff you would have gambled away your life savings that Thunder would have at least, at least won by 15 points and certainly covered the 11 point line Vegas put on this contest.  I hate using the term moral victory more than the next guy but there are some very positive things to take away from Tuesday night’s loss.

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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 upcoming 76ers opponents — features tonight’s opponent, the young, talented and highlight reel making Oklahoma City Thunder who are the foes for game two of this five game road trip.  

This is going to be a very interesting game featuring two very young, athletic teams that shoot the rock in the average to poor range and play two completely different styles of ball.  OKC values defense and has a bona fide, go-to NBA superstar in Kevin Durant to rely on when they need big buckets and this squad believes in the system head coach Scott Brooks runs.  The Sixers play little defense and are a “star-less” squad on which you never know who is going to hoist the big shot during a given game.  Plus this roster is still learning the system installed by new head coach Doug Collins.  

However, even though on paper our home team appears to be an underdog in this one, we think the Sixers may have a chance to pull this one out.  Stop laughing for a second a take a look at our reasoning.  

 Standing at 3-3, the Thunder have lost at home on back-to-back Sundays and have been a bit of an enigma early on this season.  Durant has struggled in all facets of the game – for KD that is.  Their shooting percentage from deep is an NBA worst 21.2%.  Meanwhile, they’re allowing opponents to hit at 41.8% — also worst in the League.  Jeff Green is banged up and questionable for tonight’s game and Russell Westbook has not played up to his 2009-10 level.  Plus there are a ton of expectations on this young group who could be feeling a little pressure to produce.  In short the Thunder are a mess right now, so the 7-6 could not be catching them at a better time. 

In addition to all that currently plagues the Thunder, the 76ers actually have played solid basketball for long stretches early this season and they appear to be better then their 2-5 record.  Coming into tonight’s game, Holiday is on fire, Brand has posted four straight 20 point games, Louis is contributing off the bench, Turner is coming off a double-double and Nocioni appears to be finding his form again.  If it wasn’t for a slew of late turnovers against the Cavs and a ridiculous 3-Ball from Cartier Martinof the Wiz, the Sixers would be 4-3 right now.  

Look we’re not saying the Sixers are suddenly a great basketball team, we’re just saying Philadunkia’s home team stands a better chance of winning this game then you think.

For a little more insight into the Thunder team the Sixers face tonight, we turn to our man Royce Young from dailythunder.com to answer two questions on the Thunder from us here at Philadunkia as well as provide us with two points of analysis on this OKC squad from an insider’s perspective. 

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One Game Down, Four More On the Road

Without leader Andre Igoudala on the floor the 76ers took over Madison Square Garden and pulled out a 106-96 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday afternoon.  Jrue Holiday and Elton Brand carried this team across the finish line on the first of five tough road games. 

The Sixers face a daunting remaining road trip withmatches against the Thunder, Mavericks, Spurs and Cavaliers.  This is one of the toughest stretches on the slate at such a young part of the season and could be devastating to our season if we don’t sneak out a win or two or three.  Each team won over 50 games last season and was featured in the NBA playoffs.  Obviously, the Cavaliers are missing LeBron James but have still been competitive at 4-3. 

Best-case scenario: we go 3-1 beating an unpredictably inconsistent Thunder team, a beatable Cavaliers team and stealing a victory from the veteran (read: aging) Mavericks or Spurs squads. 

Worst-Case scenario: 0-4 or 1-3 with the only win coming against the Cavaliers.  

Let’s discuss the next four opponents on this vital road trip.

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As all of Philadunkia nation knows, “The Answer” touched down in Turkey on Monday to a huge reception. 

Well last night Iverson went to Beşiktaş FC’s Turkish League football match against Kasımpaşa and he was warmly serenaded by crowd of 32,000.  Allen must be feeling pretty good about himself right now.

Check out the video below…

Via the Sixers twitter page we have an update on AI9′s status…Iguodala did not practice on Monday or Tuesday because of tendonitis in his right Achilles, “but will make upcoming Sixers trip to OKC, Dallas and SA…Coach Collins said target game for Iguodala return is Friday at Dallas.”

ESPN.com’s John Hollinger has posted his NBA power rankings and the Sixers come in at #16 (just ahead of GSW) with at rating of 99.426.  

Staying over at ESPN.com, Mark Stein has posted his NBA power rankings.  The 76ers come in at #21 and Stein writes, “folks in Philly already have dialed down the playoff talk. Year 1 under Collins and Thorn is suddenly an “audition season.”

Foxsports.com has the Sixers ranked 29th in their weekly power rankings…OUCH

Even though the 7-6′s power ranking over at NBA.com isn’t much better — 22nd, John Schuhmann has a slightly sunnier outlook for Philadhunkia’ home team writing, “If it weren’t for a flurry of late turnovers against the Cavs and a miracle three from Cartier Martin, the Sixers might have won all four of their games this week.”

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Here’s a couple of videos of Allen Iverson’s celebrated arrival in Turkey.  Of course ”The Answer” was two days late getting there. 

Iverson was scheduled to arrive Saturday and be honored before the team’s game.  That was postponed when Iverson missed his flight because the team said he had additional preparations to make before departing.

Somewhere Larry Brown, Mo Cheeks and Billy King are all texting each other and having a laugh about that one. 

Iverson will make his debut for his new team, Besiktas, this Saturday. 

It’s very odd to see Allen wearing #4.

More videos after the jump.

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The very second after the final horn had sounded in Madison Square Garden, Sixers Head Coach Doug Collins was fist-pumping, smiling and high fiving all of his fellow Sixers.  The 76ers (2-5) snuck one past the sleepy New York Knicks early Sunday afternoon, on the road, without Andre Iguodala and snapped New York’s semi-decent two game winning streak.

Collins had every right to display his obvious pleasure with his team’s performance.  All game long I kept murmuring to myself how improved New York had looked with the changes they’ve made — Felton’s shiftiness, Russian center Timofey Mozgovis improving each game and as active and quick for his 7’1” size, Anthony Randolph is a project who could flourish under Head Coach Mike D’Antoni and of course Amare is Amare.

And let’s stress this: the Sixers were victorious 106-96 without Iguodala, someone who has started the last 252 games, the second longest active streak in the NBA.  For a guy of Iguodala’s star status to not take one day off for over three seasons shows you how committed he is to turning this franchise around.  Let’s hope this Achilles tendinitis will not slow him down for long.  

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“I’m always making a comeback but nobody ever tells me where I’ve been…”
-Billie Holiday

Buried deep in the rectum of the Sixers’ 1-4 start is a delightful bit of news: Elton Brand, he of the 80-million-dollar-deal and the tender ACL and the bad legs and the bum shoulder and the 27,000 minutes on the odometer, maybe – just maybe – has rediscovered his All-Star form.

Through five games, Brand has been kicking ass and taking names (he has like eight names by my count).  After Wednesday’s 101-75 shellacking of the rudderless Pacers, he’s averaging 18 points on 56 percent shooting to go along with 9.6 boards, 2.6 steals, and 1.8 blocks.  He’s posted a WP48 of .341 (Average is .1, anything above .25 is considered “superstar” level production) and has produced 1.3 wins; 1.2 more than he produced in his first 105 games as a Sixer.

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