The Philadelphia 76ers head into the summer faced with questions about their identity. As the Sixers made their unlikely run to within a game of the Eastern Conference Finals, the team's major deficiencies were apparent to much of the fan base. With the season coming to an end on Saturday, now the team must turn toward the future. Among the plethora of offseason decisions the team is faced with, their coach's fingerprints seemingly will be on every one of them. The problem is it's not entirely clear if that is a good thing.
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Latest comment: from GoSixers
So it's good to see that the clippers are still the clippers ain't it?...
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The 20-9 start, the 15-22 finish and the 7-6 run to within one game of the Eastern Conference Finals. It was a wild ride for the Sixers, unfortunately, if they were going to change my mind about their future, they would have needed to do it in the ECF, against a healthy, talented contender. That's not to say I'm not proud of what they accomplished this season. The post season run was great, and probably more than we should've expected. But still, here we are. A step below the upper echelon, the question is whether if they can get there without starting over from scratch.
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Latest comment: from Brian
I appreciate your eloquent reply....
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This game. This series. This season. This era of Sixers basketball. I feel like it might have all come to an end tonight with Rajon Rondo hitting a pair of jump shots he has no business even taking. Thanks to the Sixers for putting up one hell of a fight. Sorry it had to end.
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Cartier Martin. Austin Daye. Ray Allen. John Wall. Kevin Love. Tony Parker. Dirk Nowitzki. Kevin Garnett. Each of those names, and several others, represents a heart-breaking loss the Sixers suffered over the past couple seasons. Each of those losses was a lesson. A lesson that has prepared the Sixers for these playoffs. For this game. Now it's time to go out there and take it.
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Do or die, part one. The Sixers did. On a night when the Sixers went through just a gruesome lull on the offensive end, they put together 48 minutes of the toughest defense you'll ever see to put the Celtics to bed 82-75 and send the series back to Boston for a decisive game seven. (game capsule)
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The Sixers will face their first actual elimination game tonight at 8pm. They've had a couple of must-wins (game 6 vs. Chicago, game 4 vs. Boston) but tonight is the first time their season will end if they don't win. To this point, they haven't lost consecutive games in the playoffs, 4-0 after losses. Boston wants to end this, the Sixers want the run to continue. Who wants it more?
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Doug Collins adjusted to and exploited Boston's small lineup in game four with Lavoy Allen and Thad Young. In game five, Doc Rivers took a look at the Sixers roster and realized going small was doing them a favor, so he went bigger. The Sixers weathered the size disadvantage for 24 minutes, then collapsed. 3-2, Boston, heading back to Philly for game 6. (game capsule).
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Latest comment: from Free Matt Cord
Stop caring about other people caring so much so much. ...
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