Head Coach Doug Collins has recently added a new wrinkle to the 76ers offense by utilizing Andre Iguodala as a point forward.  In theory, this allows AI9 to dominate the ball and create more on his own behalf, something of which has been used by the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers who feature the very versatile Lamar Odom. 

It’s officially been three ball games since this new facet was brought to our attention by Coach Collins.  In those three contests we are 2-1, beating the Nets and splitting a pair with the Knicks. 

Now we know three games is not a large sample size.  Hell it may not even be a fair number of games on which to evaluate the new offense, but we’re going to give it a try anyhow.  We have to admit, the new offense has shown glimpse of solid execution, still Philadunkia scribes Kevin Jones and Nabeel Ahmadieh are torn on which offense is better for this team. 

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The Sixers are 23-27 as I type this.  Most people consider this an overachieving team.  I predicted in the preseason that they would win 23 games all year, so I include myself among them.  But (in a possibly statistically insignificant way) the 7-6 have underachieved, sort of.  They are four games under .500 but have a positive scoring differential.

The Sixers bear the Hallmark of most teams with scoring differentials better than their record: they lose close games, viz. seven by a possession or less this season (and a handful more by four points) against only one win by similarly narrow margins.

This may be the function of a flaw in execution (maybe), or effort (unlikely), or the moment simply getting too big for a team younger than most (possibly), or just plain bad luck (probably), but regardless it has us here at Philadunkia headquarters questioning the wisdom of the Sixers tried-and-false late game strategy: leaning on a guy who hits jumpers worse than he does anything else (Iguodala) to hit jumpers to win games.

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The weekend duel between the Knicks and Sixers continued on Super Bowl Sunday.  Unlike Friday when then 76ers snuck away with a shallow two-point victory, the Knicks came up on top winning 117-103.  The Knicks are now 10-5 all-time on Super Bowl Sunday. 

New York was fueled by star Amare Stoudemire’s comments after Friday’s loss at the Well-Fargo Center, “We gotta definitely look ourselves in the mirror collectively and play much better,” Amare told reporters.  “We’re slacking right now.”

Stoudemire’s harsh comments ignited his surrounding teammates and his play, as he poured in 41 point at Madison Square Garden.  The 41 point outcome matches a season-high for Amare, last time he did it was against Phoenix in a losing effort.  The 76ers (23-27) had no answer for the versatile big man.  His mid-range jump shot was on point and he is nearly unstoppable around the bucket.  Every Sixers fan understood watching that ball game why he is a viable candidate for MVP. 

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That two word sentence was uttered a few times by 76er color commentator Eric Snow.  That’s exactly how Philadelphia’s 100-98 victory over the New York Knicks felt Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center.

The building intensity felt like the playoffs.  The resurgent fourth quarter comeback felt like the playoffs.  But mainly it was the performances of veterans Elton Brand and Andre Iguodala which sparked the postseason conversation amongst the entire fan base.  

Brand now has a new high point total with the Sixers and its 33, 19 of which were scored during the boiling-hot first quarter.  Brand also pulled down 16 boards and neutralized Amare Stoudemire, the Eastern Conference’s all-star power forward, for three quarters.  He hit 14 field goals, five inside the paint and nine soft jumpers, stretching out the taller New York defenders all evening.  Brand became the first Sixer big to score over 15 and collect over 15 boards since Chris Webber in 2005.  

Andre Iguodala is relishing in his semi-new role of controlling the tempo of the offense, often pushing it equivalent to the Knicks pace.  His first field goal didn’t come until the third quarter but that didn’t stop AI9’s keen involvement of setting up Sixer offense all night.  Dre’s career-high 16 assists (to go along with 18 points) put the cherry on top of the Sixers (23-26) best two-man show in the 2010-2011 season.

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This Friday 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 foes, the New York Knickerbockers.

Despite the fact that the Knicks sit 3 games ahead of the 76ers in the Eastern Conference standings, we really, really like the Sixers chances of pulling out a W at home tonight.  Let’s forget for a second that the Knicks have lost 8 of their last 11 and 5 straight on the road.  Then put aside the idea that the Sixers beat the Knicks in NYC back in early November when the Sixers were a mess and in the midst of a 3-13 start.  Also block out of your mind that Vegas has installed the Sixers as a four point favorite in this contest.  Those are the obvious reasons we like the Sixers to notch one in the win column tonight.

The “in-depth” reasons we really like the Sixers chances of securing another home win tonight is because of the significant matchup problems the 7-6 will present for the NYK’s defense.  The Sixers’ roster is simply filled with players that on paper should give the Knicks defenders fits all over the floor.  Who on the Knicks is going to guard Holiday?  Who’s going to bang with EB?  What Knick can handle covering ‘Dre for the majority of the night?  And those are just the matchup issues the Knicks will have with Sixers first-five. 

When Collins goes to his bench, is there a Knick guard that is nearly as fast as Louis?  What about Thad?  Which Knick 3 or 4 man will deal with the responsibility of defending his scoring from the wing?  Hell, even Speights appears to provide some defensive assignment issues for the Knicks.   

Even though the Sixers should score at will tonight, we’re not predicting a cake walk for the 7-6.  Obviously, Amare provides a glaring mismatch for the Sixers bigs.  So Amare will get his tonight.  That won’t be fun to watch and it should be enough to keep the Knicks within shouting distance.  However, unless he hits for 50 + down at the WFC, we don’t think his scoring can carry the Knicks to a win. 

Don’t try and convince us that onight the Knicks are going to successfully get out and run on the Sixers either.  As we have seen this season, the Sixers can go up and down the floor with any team in the League.  The difference is we also sprinkle in a solid defensive game whereas the Knicks do not (giving up 106 ppg. — 4^th worst in the League).

For a little more insight into the Grizzlies team the Sixers face tonight, we turn to our man Mike Kurylo from KnickerBlogger.net to answer two questions on the Knicks from us here at Philadunkia as well as provide us with two points of analysis on this New York squad from an insider’s perspective.

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With a 69-48 lead midway through the third quarter, I felt pretty comfortable with the potential for a Sixer win.  However, after the Sixers gave up a 10-0 run in the ensuing minutes, I was certain we were in for the second coming of the Memphis performance. 

Luckily, I was wrong. 

The 76ers were able to fend off Atlantic division rival New Jersey Nets 106-92, resulting in their third straight win over the soon to be Brooklyn squad.  The loss gives New Jersey an 0-7 record against the Atlantic division and drops them to 15-35 on the season.  Coming into the ball game they’d been playing well at home winning five of their previous six.  Unfortunately for the Nets, the Sixers were able to outrun them for their second consecutive road victory. 

The 7-6 are now 22-26 and sit in the seventh seed of the Eastern Conference.  It’s only the second time this season they’ve won consecutive road outings.  They are now 7-18 away from the Well-Fargo Center, but let’s not dwell on their road record and instead let’s concentrate on the great W over the Nets last night. 

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We know that the Phillies’ “Aces & Catchers” report to Spring Trainig Camp in twelve days, but let us divert your attention to the 7-6 for just a few minutes. 

In case you have not heard, the Sixers just closed out their best month of basketball in over two years.  Did you know that if the season ended today, Doug Collins & Co. would be headed to the 2011 NBA Playoffs as the 7th seed in the East? 

Now that we have your attention…

Philadunkia scribes Nabeel Ahmadieh and Kevin Jones are back with another podcast that brings you up to speed on the currently playoff bound 76ers.

Among the numerous topics Nabeel and Kevin discuss on today’s podcast :

• The 8-6 month of January
• Barkley’s recent controversial comments
• Evan Turner’s improved play
• The biggest threat to the Sixers Playoff hopes
• The Sixers upcoming games vs. the Nets, Knicks, Hawks and Magic 

 Full podcast after the jump…

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Back on January 12th it was widely reported that Allen Iverson was ready quit the Besiktas Black Eagles and ride off into retirement.

Reportedly “The Answer” was set to have a news conference that day to announce his retirement from basketball.  As we all know, that press conference never happened.

Later that day, Iverson’s personal manager Gary Moore told the Associated Press that Iverson “totally disputes” any report of his retirement.  Moore said Iverson needs to have a painful lesion removed from his right calf.  He said the injury was the most painful that Iverson has had in his career. 

Now ESPN’s Rich Bucher has an update on this story which tells us Iverson has visited with uber-surgeon James Andrews and has now elected NOT to go under the knife.

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