GM 32: RAPID REACTS

Posted by: Tom Sunnergren
01/02/13 2:17 am EST

Philadelphia 76ers

103

Los Angeles Lakers

	Lavoy Allen, PF 18 MIN \| 5-8 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 6 REB \| 0 AST \| 10 PTS \| +6 He was effective and efficient in limited minutes tonight. He also deserves some propers for overseeing Dwight Howard’s dreadful 1-for-7 effort.
	Thaddeus Young, SF 36 MIN \| 6-15 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 5 REB \| 2 AST \| 12 PTS \| +6 Thad struggled from midrange on Tuesday. Despite getting reasonably good looks throughout the evening, he was just 1-of-8 from beyond three feet.
	Evan Turner, SF 41 MIN \| 8-14 FG \| 4-7 FT \| 13 REB \| 5 AST \| 22 PTS \| +3 Tremendous night for Mr. Turner. After a brutal three game stretch to close 2012 (he shot 7-of-25 and averaged just 5 points per game), he stuffed the box score in a way that he’s uniquely capable of; posting his eighth double-double of the season. Plus: the 3-pointer he hit to push the lead to 92-85 after Kobe galvanized the crowd was super-sized.
	Jrue Holiday, PG 39 MIN \| 10-19 FG \| 4-4 FT \| 2 REB \| 10 AST \| 26 PTS \| +2 In a triumphant return to his hometown, Jrue was terrific. The driving dunk he made with 22 seconds left that put the Lakers down six and, effectively, iced it, might be my favorite Jrue Holiday moment ever. Also: 10 assists against one turnover. Think on that.
	Jason Richardson, SG 27 MIN \| 4-11 FG \| 0-2 FT \| 2 REB \| 3 AST \| 9 PTS \| +1 Jason Richardson is three years younger than Kobe Bryant. It didn’t look that way.
	Dorell Wright, SF 23 MIN \| 3-6 FG \| 1-1 FT \| 7 REB \| 0 AST \| 10 PTS \| +4 While Wright was on the floor, he hit 3-point shots (especially helpful because of the extra point you get for them!) and grabbed rebounds. Doug Collins, seeing this, played him a grand total of 23 minutes.
	Spencer Hawes, C 27 MIN \| 5-9 FG \| 3-4 FT \| 5 REB \| 6 AST \| 13 PTS \| 0 Spencer Hawes, sporting a fresh haircut that made him (finally) look more like a professional athlete than a cast member of MTV’s ‘Buckwild’, did good things against the Lakers for the second time in as many games. He blocked Dwight Howard at least twice and has now shot 12-of-21 against the Lake show this season.
	Kwame Brown, C 15 MIN \| 0-1 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 6 REB \| 0 AST \| 0 PTS \| -4 Kwame Brown, who wasn’t (that) bad in LA, got booed when he stepped on the floor at Staples. Kind of makes you wonder what the fans do when he returns to Washington: threaten his family? Throw fruit at him?
	Nick Young, SG 14 MIN \| 0-3 FG \| 1-2 FT \| 5 REB \| 1 AST \| 1 PTS \| +2 Swaggy, who was playing for the home team the last time he played in front of an LA crowd, was unusually cautious against the Lakers, hazarding just three shots.
	Doug Collins A 10:30 pm ET start, on the road, against a team with four future Hall of Famers: not exactly conditions conducive to victory. It was a good win for a team that hasn’t had many of them this season.

TRIPLE THREAT

Posted by: Jeff McMenamin
11/30/12 3:00 pm EST

Jrue Holiday (left) and Evan Turner have been crucial to the Sixers success this season.

As everybody already knows, the NBA is a star-centered league. It was never more evident then when one of the NBA’s most respected coaches, Gregg Popovich, was chastised for deciding to sit four of his star players in a game last night against arguably the NBA’s best team in the Miami Heat.

For the 2012-13 Sixers, it’s been more of the same. From the start of the campaign up until now, there’s been one man drawing the attention of the national media, while next to nothing has been said of the “team” that stands at 9-6, good enough for the fifth best record in the Eastern Conference. The focus has been on Andrew Bynum, the All-Star center who hasn’t been able to play a minute this season for the Sixers as he recovers from offseason knee procedures.

Before the Sixers’ first nationally televised game this season against the New Orleans Hornets, the Sixers were on ESPN.com’s front page. Instead of a story focusing on the promising youth and acquisitions the Sixers were able to make in the offseason, it was a story focused on questioning the Sixers ownership, calling the moves they made this season a “risk”. All of the negativity was built around the status of Bynum, the Sixers’ most talked-about offseason acquisition since Elton Brand.

Just 10 days later, as the Sixers stood at 5-4, another article came out about Bynum damaging cartilage in his knees while going bowling. Most recently, as the Sixers sat at 7-5, out came yet another article on Bynum only this time about him being out indefinitely for the 2012-13 season.

As the national media now steers its way away from Philadelphia (due to Bynum’s playing status being much clearer), maybe the NBA’s fans will be able to focus on the Sixers in a positive light and see who they really are this season as a team rather than who they’re not.

SHOOTING GUARDS: COLLEGE PROSPECTS

Posted by: C. Smith
06/05/12 7:11 am EST

Yesterday we looked at a list of NBA shooting guards from which Rod Thorn and Doug Collins could choose to add a scorer to the 76ers roster this summer via the free agent signing route. Today here at Philadunkia we will examine the crop of college prospects who appear to have the game and mental makeup to step into the Sixers shooting guard spot and really contribute in 2012-13.

The two elite, elite shooting guard prospects in this Draft — Bradley Beal (Florida) and Jeremy Lamb (UConn) — will not be around when the 7-6 select at #15 in June. However, if the Sixers decide to go with a shooting guard who can score at #15, there will be some big-time college players still on the board (like Washington Huskie Terrence Ross pictured above) when the Sixers get placed “on the clock”. On paper, any one of these kids we’ll look at today could help fill the glaring hole at SG on the Sixers roster.

Obviously the key for Thorn and Collins is to sort through all the information out there as well as the game tapes and grab the best mid-first round shooting guard available.

After the jump you’ll learn that will not be an easy decision.

BACK TO REALITY

Posted by: Jeff McMenamin
05/11/12 10:15 pm EST

Embrace the feeling. Dig deep into your closets. Find those old Sixers car flags which became so popular during the Iverson era and put them on display. Play this old school tune and enjoy every last minute of it. Take a week off from watching the Phillies (you’ll probably save yourself from a week of anger and disappointment anyway). It’s officially time to rally around the Sixers.

They have been team irrelevant in the city of Philadelphia for too long, and it’s time for them to receive their proper due. It doesn’t matter how it happened, or for that matter what could happen next. What matters right now is displaying appreciation and gratitude for this eighth-seeded Sixers team, that just knocked off the top-seeded Chicago Bulls. It was only the fifth time in NBA history, that an eight seed was able to knock off a one seed.

What can be said about this Sixers season and this Sixers team is that they are far from normal. In terms of the playoff teams remaining in this fight for the Larry O’Brien trophy, the Sixers stand on an island all by their lonesome. They went from second place in the Eastern Conference in February, to barely squeaking into the playoffs as an eight seed come April. They lack a superstar. They have a coach in Doug Collins who went from a coach of the year candidate to nearly getting fired. Their starting lineup shuffled throughout the season more than a blackjack deck at a casino. They have a defense ranked third in the NBA, but an offense that stands all the way down at 22^nd. They play in a city which by all rights wrote them off months ago. Yet this unconventional, under-appreciated team has placed itself a couple steps closer to an NBA Championship.

NBA DRAFT: OUR PREDICTIONS

Posted by: Philadunkia
06/23/11 4:04 pm EST

The 2011 NBA Draft is just hours away and if you have been following all of the mock drafts, online expert predictions and television analysis, it seems there is no consensus as to what the Sixers will do with the No. 16 pick in tonight’s Draft.

However no one knows the Sixers better then the scribes here at Philadunkia.com. So with that in mind, everyone here at Philadunkia submitted an opinion on which prospect the 76ers will draft at No. 6 tonight as well as why Rod Thorn and company will go in that direction.

Check out our thoughts after the jump.

NBA DRAFT: MEDIA DAY NOTES

Posted by: Kevin Jones
06/23/11 9:40 am EST

The Westin Hotel in Times Square was the center of the NBA world Wednesday afternoon. The top 12 draftees were each continuously grilled by give-or-take 100 members of the media, including yours truly. Each prospect was seated at a circular table in the fifth floor conference center of the hotel. It is almost guaranteed that all of these players won’t fall to the 76ers at 16. Guess what though? Andre Iguodala is the most available player on the market, and some team is going to bite for his defense after seeing what Shawn Marion was able to do to LeBron.

That means the Sixers could end up with one of these guys.

After the jump are my personality assessment and some of the quotes I gathered during my first NBA Draft media day.

DRAFT LINK DUMP

Posted by: C. Smith
06/22/11 12:19 pm EST

CSNPhilly.com’s Dei Lynam got some time with Rod Thorn. Thorn basically does a nice job of dodging all her questions, but he does mention that he hasn’t spoken to AI9 in three weeks.

Jrue Holiday who has been traveling in Europe and China tells hoopshype.com, “We need a big man…”

ESPN.com Insider Chad Ford predicts the Sixers will go with potential scoring machine Jordan Hamilton (6-9, 230, SF, Texas). Which probably means that AI9 will get traded Thursday night or that Ford thinks he will be traded this summer.

The boys at draftexpress.com forecast Thorn will nab Nikola Vucevic (6-11, 260, C, USC) at #16. They also predict the Sixers will draft David Lighty (SF / SG) from Ohio State at #60.

Over at nbadraft.net, they are saying that somehow Bismack Biyombo (6-9, 243, C, Congo) will fall into the 7-6′s lap. That would be a dream come true as Biyombo has a 7’7 wingspan and is athletic as hell. Yeah we know he has no offensive skills, but he would still be a very nice addition to our interior defense.

WITH THE 16th PICK…

Posted by: C. Smith
06/21/11 1:00 pm EST

The Philadelphia 76ers select…Nikola Vucevic from the University of Southern California…

In the 2011 True Hoop Network Mock Draft, Rod Thorn and the Sixers get their much needed big man…

The New York Knicks are on the clock…

5 FACTORS IN THE WAR ROOM

Posted by: Kevin Jones
06/21/11 8:36 am EST

Decisions, decisions, decisions. Mid-level teams like the 76ers can climb up the NBA food chain by making the correct pick — or trade in our case — during the NBA Draft. And the importance of the annual June crap-shoot has skyrocketed this year. The impending lockout on July 1st will freeze all transactions until the CBA issue is resolved, which is looking rather bleak.

The last time the Sixers held the 16th pick, Mo Speights was the pick … and well … let’s just say the jury is out on him. I did a little research and check out the list of number 16 picks since 2001.

Get close to a trash can if you have a gag reflex.

2010: Luke Babbit

2009: James Johnson

2008: Marreese Speights

2007: Nick Young

2006: Rodney Carney

2005: Joey Graham

2004: Kirk Snyder

2003: Troy Bell

2002: Jiri Welsch

2001: Kirk Haston

THE Q FACTOR

Posted by: C. Smith
10/05/10 10:13 am EST

Back in late July my Philadunkia colleague Lance Epstein wrote a post titled “Back Him Up, Back Him UP” which pushed a very solid basketball idea that the 76ers needed to find a veteran point guard to back up rising phenom Jrue Holiday. In his post Lance discussed the fact that the “backup PG by committee” plan — having Louis Williams, Andre Iguodala and Andre Turner all seeing minutes at the point guard spot this upcoming season when Holiday is out of the game — that seemed to be in place for 2010-11 was not the answer. Lance then offered several available players that could fill that need for the Sixers.

That “backup PG by committee” plan appeared to be holding fast until the first day of Sixers training camp last week when four-year NBA veteran Chris Quinn took the floor at St. Joseph’s University in a Sixers practice uniform. At first glance we felt it was simply Rod Thorn adding a familiar warm body (Quinn was with the NJN last season) to the training camp squad, so we did not give the move much thought. Then On Sunday, Kate Fagan of philly.com had a post in which head coach Doug Collins was quoted as stating, “He has a chance (to make the team)…We’re looking at a third point guard. If he continues to do what he does, now you go and you fight and say, ‘Look, we need to keep this guy,’ you have to have some insurance at that third backup position.”

When I read this quote Sunday morning, I nearly choked on my bacon, egg and cheese bagel.

After the jump you’ll see why…

	Lavoy Allen, PF 18 MIN \| 5-8 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 6 REB \| 0 AST \| 10 PTS \| +6 He was effective and efficient in limited minutes tonight. He also deserves some propers for overseeing Dwight Howard’s dreadful 1-for-7 effort.
	Thaddeus Young, SF 36 MIN \| 6-15 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 5 REB \| 2 AST \| 12 PTS \| +6 Thad struggled from midrange on Tuesday. Despite getting reasonably good looks throughout the evening, he was just 1-of-8 from beyond three feet.
	Evan Turner, SF 41 MIN \| 8-14 FG \| 4-7 FT \| 13 REB \| 5 AST \| 22 PTS \| +3 Tremendous night for Mr. Turner. After a brutal three game stretch to close 2012 (he shot 7-of-25 and averaged just 5 points per game), he stuffed the box score in a way that he’s uniquely capable of; posting his eighth double-double of the season. Plus: the 3-pointer he hit to push the lead to 92-85 after Kobe galvanized the crowd was super-sized.
	Jrue Holiday, PG 39 MIN \| 10-19 FG \| 4-4 FT \| 2 REB \| 10 AST \| 26 PTS \| +2 In a triumphant return to his hometown, Jrue was terrific. The driving dunk he made with 22 seconds left that put the Lakers down six and, effectively, iced it, might be my favorite Jrue Holiday moment ever. Also: 10 assists against one turnover. Think on that.
	Jason Richardson, SG 27 MIN \| 4-11 FG \| 0-2 FT \| 2 REB \| 3 AST \| 9 PTS \| +1 Jason Richardson is three years younger than Kobe Bryant. It didn’t look that way.
	Dorell Wright, SF 23 MIN \| 3-6 FG \| 1-1 FT \| 7 REB \| 0 AST \| 10 PTS \| +4 While Wright was on the floor, he hit 3-point shots (especially helpful because of the extra point you get for them!) and grabbed rebounds. Doug Collins, seeing this, played him a grand total of 23 minutes.
	Spencer Hawes, C 27 MIN \| 5-9 FG \| 3-4 FT \| 5 REB \| 6 AST \| 13 PTS \| 0 Spencer Hawes, sporting a fresh haircut that made him (finally) look more like a professional athlete than a cast member of MTV’s ‘Buckwild’, did good things against the Lakers for the second time in as many games. He blocked Dwight Howard at least twice and has now shot 12-of-21 against the Lake show this season.
	Kwame Brown, C 15 MIN \| 0-1 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 6 REB \| 0 AST \| 0 PTS \| -4 Kwame Brown, who wasn’t (that) bad in LA, got booed when he stepped on the floor at Staples. Kind of makes you wonder what the fans do when he returns to Washington: threaten his family? Throw fruit at him?
	Nick Young, SG 14 MIN \| 0-3 FG \| 1-2 FT \| 5 REB \| 1 AST \| 1 PTS \| +2 Swaggy, who was playing for the home team the last time he played in front of an LA crowd, was unusually cautious against the Lakers, hazarding just three shots.
	Doug Collins A 10:30 pm ET start, on the road, against a team with four future Hall of Famers: not exactly conditions conducive to victory. It was a good win for a team that hasn’t had many of them this season.