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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In business, there is a concept called Fitness Landscape.  The concept is derived from evolutionary theory and it is accepted and exercised widely in the business world.

Here how it goes:  Imagine a system that we want to improved performance from.  The system can be a biological species, a business system, or for the sake of our conversation an NBA team such as the 76ers.  This system is located on a plain or a landscape that measures its performance.  Any time the performance improves the system goes up to reach a peak.  Anytime the performance drops, the system will go down into a valley.

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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 Brooklyn Nets who have lost 6 of their last 7 and are 2-5 on the road this season, but boast a roster filled with veteran NBA players (Garnett, Johnson, D-Will, Lopez) who have simply killed the Sixers over the years.

After the jump, I’ll look a Fo’ key items for tonight’s game. Additionally, we’ll get a little more insight into this Nets team the Sixers face tonight from our colleague David Vertsberger at brooklynsfinestblog.com, as David will answer Fo’ questions on his Nets squad 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 Phoenix Suns who stand at 7-5; have won two straight and feature Eric Bledsoe who recently made some interesting comments on a potential 76ers vs. Kentucky Wildcats match-up.

After the jump, I’ll look a Fo’ key items for tonight’s game. Additionally, we’ll get a little more insight into this Phoenix team the Sixers face tonight from our colleague Kevin Zimmerman at valleyofthesuns.com, as Kevin will answer Fo’ questions on his Suns squad 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 Boston Celtics who despite playing some solid basketball so far this season have now lost three straight (3-6 overall) and are statistically are worse on defense than our 76ers.  Over their last 3 defeats the C’s are giving up 116 ppg. and on the season opponents are averaging 109 points per night.

After the jump, I’ll look a Fo’ key items for tonight’s game.  Additionally, we’ll get a little more insight into this Boston team (23-52) the Sixers face tonight from our colleague Chuck McKenney at red’sarmy.com, as Chuck will answer Fo’ questions on his Celtics squad from us here at Philadunkia.

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Philadelphia 76ers

75

FinalRecap | Box Score

100

San Antonio Spurs

	Brandon Davies, PF 18 MIN | 0-4 FG | 0-0 FT | 4 REB | 4 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | -19BD threw up consecutive bricks in the 1st Q and his night did not get any better from there. Over his last 3 games, Davies is averaging 4 points and 4 rebounds per night.  I think it’s safe to say the BD lovefest is now over.
	Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, PF 25 MIN | 4-10 FG | 3-4 FT | 4 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 2 BLK | 2 TO | 13 PTS | -4A decent night for Joel Embiid’s babysitter began in the 1st Q with 4 quick points and a nice drive to the tin for a bucket.  But he didn’t score another FG untill the 11:37 mark of the 3rd Q and the inbound pass/TO he threw under the Sixers’ offensive hoop in the 2nd Q was horrific.
	Henry Sims, C 28 MIN | 3-6 FG | 3-4 FT | 8 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 9 PTS | -15A near double-double for Sims who IMO has played much better in his last two games and seems to have found his storke again — 9-14 in his last 2 games.
	Tony Wroten, SG 30 MIN | 4-14 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 3 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 4 TO | 8 PTS | -27The immature TWroe showed up last night as he launched one ill-advised shot after another and he posted 4 TOs against 3 dimes.
	Hollis Thompson, SG 26 MIN | 1-8 FG | 1-2 FT | 3 REB | 0 AST | 2 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 4 PTS | -33First something positive on #31 — there were moments last night where I saw decent defensive fundamentals from him. However his shooting and especially the corner 3PA he put up in the 4th Q that hit the top of the backboard was disturbing. Again I say — enough of this experiment, it’s time for KJ to start.

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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 San Antonio Spurs who stand at 5-3 and lost to the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night despite a season high 21 points from Manu Ginobili.

After the jump, I’ll look a Fo’ key items for tonight’s game. Additionally, we’ll get a little more insight into the Spurs team the Sixers face tonight from our colleague Matt Tynan at 48minutesofhell.com will answer Fo’ questions on his Spurs 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 76ers games – features tonight’s opponent, Mark Cuban’s Dallas Mavericks who are currently 5-3 despite the shooting woes of Chandler Parsons, their tremendous off-season addition.

After the jump, I’ll look a Fo’ key items for tonight’s game.  Additionally, we’ll get a little more insight into this Dallas team the Sixers face tonight from our colleague Tim Cato of mavsmoneyball.com, as Tim will answer Fo’ questions on his Mavericks from us here at Philadunkia.

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After a very encouraging performance against the Derrick Rose-less Chicago Bulls on Friday night, the 76ers wrapped up another lost weekend by getting trounced in Toronto 120-88.  The score doesn’t even begin to tell the story as the Sixers were posterized and humiliated by one the best teams in the Eastern Conference all night.  Instead of rehashing that debacle up north through a Rapid Reacts recap and further depressing everyone, we decided to post something a little more positive.

If you have been surfing the old inter web for overseas basketball scores and highlights, then you probably know that 76ers’ 2014 draft day acquisition Jordan McRae is playing extremely well for the Melbourne Tigers of Australia’s National Basketball League.  In fact, McRae’s play (22.6 ppg.) has been so nice, I decided to give him a call to discuss life in Australia, his internet fame and what elements of his game he’s working on “Down Under”.

Q & A after the J…

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Orlando Magic

91

FinalRecap | Box Score

89

Philadelphia 76ers

	Brandon Davies, PF 29 MIN | 9-11 FG | 1-4 FT | 4 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 20 PTS | -1It’s BD’s world and we’re just living in it.  In the 3rd Q BD had a stretch where he scored on a nice up & under from the low block and then on the next trip he drained a 3-ball.
	Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, PF 26 MIN | 2-7 FG | 0-2 FT | 5 REB | 4 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 2 TO | 4 PTS | -9I get that Luc is here to help Joel Embiid adjust to life in the NBA, but does that role require 20+ minutes of run a night?
	Nerlens Noel, PF 17 MIN | 2-4 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 3 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 3 TO | 4 PTS | +8Given the cautionary approach of the 76ers’ medical staff and front office, I’ll be very interested to see how long a sprained ankle keeps Noel out of the lineup.  Before the injury, #4 did drop a smooth behind the back pass to Shved for a lay-in in the 2nd Q.
	Tony Wroten, SG 35 MIN | 9-16 FG | 5-7 FT | 3 REB | 8 AST | 5 STL | 2 BLK | 9 TO | 27 PTS | +5Of course on a night where TWroe buries 4 out of 6 threes, he also turns the ball over 9 times (6 in the 1st half). The no look alley-oop he threw to KJ was fantastic. The two dribble-drive buckets he scored and the 8 points he put up in the late 4th Q kept the Sixers in this game.
	Hollis Thompson, SG 34 MIN | 1-5 FG | 3-3 FT | 9 REB | 1 AST | 3 STL | 2 BLK | 0 TO | 6 PTS | +1This guy is allegedly a good shooter, right? Wait, didn’t I ask that question all of last year as well?

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