Throughout the week, basketball writers from the major sites have a number of chats and run rumor columns. Every once in a while, they actually talk about the Sixers. In this column, GoSixers has aggregated the relevant stuff from the chats. You'll see stuff in here that will make you scratch your head, but keep in mind, these guys are experts.
HOOPSWORLD Chats
Peter Principle in Philadelphia, PA:
What does Andre Iguodala really have to do to get recognition as one of the best man defenders in the league?
Bill Ingram:
Alright - I've turned the questions off, so here's the 10-minute drill. I'll try to get to all questions that don't involve trading Carmelo or other players who aren't on the block.
I think Iggy is getting all the recognition he needs, which is Philly taking him off the block and stating openly that he is a uge part of their team going forward.
decan jones in philly,philadelphia:
what is going on with the sixer they looking like a playoff team that can scray someting in the first round
Bill Ingram:
That's Doug Collins, that's Branb being fully healthy, that's confidence and poise late in games . . .lots of things going right for the Sixers!
deon in philly,pa:
Do u think the sixer will make the playoff and they get out the first round
Anthony Macri:
Yes they make it, no they don't get out of the first round. If this was back in the day when the first round was just five games, I'd think it was possible (however extremely unlikely). But a seven game series is too long for a good team like one of the top three in the East - no magic for the 76ers this year. But Philly fans should have a lot of hope for the future... some really good young pieces in the city of Brotherly Love.
petro in :
why do writers here consider magic as an elite team. when they reached the eastern finals last year was a joke. they had the easiest road to the finals as the hawks and bobcats have no talent.it took em 7 games to beat a celtics team without kg.
Jason Fleming:
Hey, don't lump us all together. I don't think the Magic are very good, actually. Here is how I see the tiers in the Eastern Conference:
Tier 1: Miami, Boston
Tier 2: Chicago
Tier 3: Orlando, Atlanta
Tier 4: New York, Philly, Indiana, Charlotte
Tier 5: Everyone else
As it sits now Orlando and Atlanta would play in the first round and the only reason I pick Orlando is because the Hawks cannot stop Dwight Howard. After that? Orlando won't be able to deal with the top seed in the East, be that Boston or Miami.
Steve in Philly:
What are your thoughts on the Sixers upside? When Brands contract is up, they will have a solid young backcourt nucleus and money to spend on a big time post player like Cousins. Contender in the East in 3 years?
Jason Fleming:
Brand may not necessarily be a $16 million per season player, but he leads the team in scoring, rebounding, blocks, and is second in FG%. He's not bad.
The maturation of Jrue Holiday has helped that some, but part of it is he's healthy. Overpaid for the production he will give, but his contract isn't the albatross it was a season ago. His veteran presence is a nice fit with all their youth. I vote for the Sixers to just stand pat with Brand, Iguodala, and Holiday. Thaddeus Young is a good fit too, and if Evan Turner keeps developing this could be a very good team very soon.
Justin in Reading, PA:
Lukie...Thanks for taking my question...Do you think the 6ers can get out of the first round and if not, can they add anyone b4 deadline to help get past 1st rd w/o trading Iggy?
Luke Byrnes:
No and No. Which team in the top four could the Sixers possibly beat in a seven game series? Without trading A.I., the Sixer won't be able to yield a huge return. I say be patient, Sixers fans, there is some hope for the future...
Coach Collins in Philly:
My team is playing great ball and we are in every game...should we bring in anybody to help get us out of the first round and who? Kaman in LA for Noc/Kap and pick?
Yannis Koutroupis:
Worth a try to ask, but I don't think Clippers do that deal.
ESPN Chats
Dave (PA)
Brand has been better than Bosh this year. (editor - in response to Sheridan wondering who deserves an all star spot more than Chris Bosh)
Chris Sheridan
Dave in Pa. chimes in with a pro-Sixer argument that would have carried some added weight if Philly's dreadful start hadn't dragged them down. Hollinger and I both picked Sixers as 2nd half team on the rise in writer's survey a month ago, and for me Brand is a big reason why. He is playing as well as he has in 4 years.
Mike (Worcester)
Chris, Love your work. Forget the Heat/bulls/ Magic for a second, which of the potential first round opponents (knicks, pacers, bucks, bobcats) could push the celtics the most like has happened in the past few seasons
Chris Forsberg
It's the easy answer, but the Bucks are probably the most daunting of that group because of the potential they showed last year, followed closely by a Knicks team that showed its legit by taking Boston to the wire earlier this season. I still think Boston wins any of those series easily (yes, even after losing to the Bobcats last week), but I think they'd be much happier to see the likes of the Pacers or 'Cats than Knicks and Bucks. One wild card: If the 76ers play to their potential and use those young legs, that could be a series in which Boston would expend more energy than it might like (but still wins easily).
Stewart (Phila.)
David, even though the sixers are currently a sub .500 team, doesn't Doug Collins have to be included in coach of the year conversation?
David Thorpe
Not yet, but he's trending that way.
Joel (Ind)
The Pacers and 76ers are trending upward could one of them or maybe both of them pass the knicks in the playoff race?
David Thorpe
Absolutely.
Dave (philly)
Do you think Evan Turner should change his shooting form once the season is over?
David Thorpe
I'd tweak it, yes.
jay (pittsburgh)
man the sixers r looking good and holiday was amazing vs spurs wat 3 thing do you like about his game
David Thorpe
Big and strong for his position. Shoots it well, and defends well. Manages the game too.
Rod Thorn (Philadlephia, PA)
Am I in a coma or just hamstrung by an ownership more afraid of the luxury tax than anything else?
Chad Ford
Luxury tax is a big part of it. So is the fact that the Sixers are playing so much better right now. Coaches tend to dislike mid-season changes because it takes a while for new players to learn a system. My guess is Doug Collins is telling them to wait until the summer unless a no brainer of a deal comes along.
Shane (CA)
Seems like a big drop off from top 3 in East to the 4-6 seeds. Will the #1 seed be super important considering you would then only have to face 1 of the top 3 in the conference?
John Hollinger
Completely disagree -- Orlando is much better than its record indicates and is a very worthy adversary in the second round. East is loaded 1 through 4, but first round is likely to be cakewalk city unless Philly can put a scare into Chicago/Boston.
Matt (Wayne, PA)
What are your thoughts on the Sixers overtaking NYK for the 6 spot? They've been quietly playing good ball for the last two months. Who are the long term keepers on the team?
John Hollinger
I do think the Sixers will overtake New York, though it will come down to a game or two either way. I think virtually everybody is a keeper given how young they all are, which makes them scary going forward. Even Iggy. People dump on Iguodala's contract, but compare him to the other wings in the league, especially the ones that defend -- he's fairly paid.
Nigel (Chestnut Hill, MA)
I think a strong case could be made the Iguodala is the best wing defender in the league -- do you agree? His "shutdown" list this year is impressive: Kobe 9, Carmelo 12, Granger 7, Pierce 10 and 11, Ginobili 8, Joe Johnson 6, and most recently Kevin Martin 9. When will he get some national recognition?
John Hollinger
He's always been underrated at that end, and I thought he'd get more acclaim after he served as Team USA's stopper this summer, but it hasn't come. But best wing defender? Sorry, that's Tony Allen. Sky-high foul rate, so he can't do it for as long, but when he's on the court he's flat-out ridiculous.
Rankings
NBCSports.com - Kurt Helin
15th (previously 16th) Big wins over the Spurs and Hawks this week. Remember this team started this season 3-13, they are 20-14 since.
ESPN.com - Marc Stein
12th (previously 17th) Now we know who the Spurs fear most in the NBA Finals after the surging Sixers held them to 71 points Friday night. You have to go back five seasons, all the way to 2006-07, for San Antonio's last victory in Philly.
Hoopsworld.com - Eric Pincus
16th (previously 16th) The Sixers have rounded into a "real" team and are just two games under .500. Recent wins have come against the Spurs, Hawks, Knicks and Nuggets.
CBSSports.com - Dave Del Grande
13th (previously 17th) Game of the week: Doug Collins has his athletically gifted club believing in defense. Just ask the Spurs (71 points Friday). Net result: Could be challenging for Top Four in the East before long.
NBA.com - John Schuhmann
15th (previously 17th) They came up short against the Magic on Wednesday, but the Sixers held their four opponents to just 39 percent shooting and 88.6 points per 100 possessions last week. Playing some point forward, Andre Iguodala has 78 assists and just 18 turnovers over the last 10 games.
SI.com - Britt Robson
13th (previously 18th) Doug Collins won't be a factor in the Coach of the Year balloting, but he has slowly and steadily reared the Sixers to the point that they are now humming with teamwork at both ends of the court. "I love the way Philly moves the ball," Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis said Saturday after the Sixers routed his team by 20 with seven players in double figures and 24 assists against only eight turnovers. Philadelphia commits the second-fewest turnovers in the league, led by Andre Iguodala, who is fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.39 to 1) and the only non-point guard in the top 15. Collins has responded by restructuring the offense around Iguodala's playmaking. Iguodala is also paramount at the other end of the court: His defense on Manu Ginobili, combined with the hot outside shooting of Jrue Holiday (coming out of a brief slump), keyed Friday's upset of the Spurs.
BBR.com - +/- Adjusted Rankings
12th (previously 13th)
ARTICLES
Philly Keeps Proving Doubters Wrong (2/3 of way down in article)
Sixers give Timberwolves a lesson in teamwork after another ugly loss (game recap from minny paper)
Jrue Holiday Thriving in Philly, finally enjoys playing at home (second half after 'players on potential' article)
Point Guard Alphabet Soup
Fratello on Thad Young (from TNT Overtime - video)
Say Hello to the Sixers
Pat Williams has cancer
Guys who don't pass - the list
Sixers Surgins, Lakers Struggling
Eric Snow fell asleep during rockets game?
If we dont make a trade for an energy guy/ shot blocker before the deadline think we will bring a guy up from the dleague for a look? Thorn and Stefanskk drafted Sean Williams he has been a great rebounder and especially shot blocker and could fill the athletic shotblocker we need down the stretch. Another guy to look at is Raymond Sikes he played at Clemson a couple years ago and is only 24. He's another long armed, athletic shot blocker that is at least worth a 10 day contract. I'm very surprised the Sixers haven't looked at the d league for talent there is alot of it down there especially for a raw athletic shotblocker.
I think the fact that when Battie is injured they decide Songaila is a better option than looking at a d-league or 10 day guy indicates that this roster isn't going to change much.
I agree with what you just said; but next year money restraints may have a lot of teams looking for bench players there. An interesting guy, who could be a nice role player next to Thad off the bench could be Ewing's kid. I was shocked to see during the D league all star game how big he looks now, he is listed at 6'9" and 238 lbs. and seems willing to defend.
Watching Sullinger and J.Johnson now and I can't figure how Johnson isn't a 1st rounder. His game reminds me of McAdoo, not at his level but that style.
Story: Will Iguodala stay or go by Thursday's deadline?
http://ow.ly/3ZSho
Column: Thorn is willing to stand pat:
http://ow.ly/3ZSDu
Grading the Sixers at the all-star break:
http://ow.ly/3ZT1A
The snow Video was pulled by Comcast
"But best wing defender? Sorry, that's Tony Allen. Sky-high foul rate, so he can't do it for as long, but when he's on the court he's flat-out ridiculous. "
lol, i love hollinger.
While Prokhorov was trying to convince Anthony to become the Nets' transcendent star, another Russian was holding up a deal between the Knicks and Nuggets. According to a team source, the Nuggets want rookie center Timofey Mozgov included in the trade but the Knicks have been reluctant to do so. New York Daily News
I can understand gallo being a hold up - but this Russian dud(e)?
The Sacramento Kings are seriously considering the possibility of applying to the NBA by the league's March 1 deadline for relocation to Anaheim for next season, according to sources with knowledge of the team's thinking. ESPN.com
About damn time
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/sixers/20110220_Can_76ers__Turner_come_up_big_again_.html?viewAll=y
Jrue and Turner are opposites, in that Jrue was the HS POY who struggled in college and was drafted based on potential (sort of like Thad.) While ET was a nobody befoer collge, hung around 3 years and was drafted based on college production.
But they all are talented and seem professional and driven to succeed.
Tom, quick question:
I don't want to pry in peoples personal lives, but in general rterms do all of the young players hang out, or are some more loners (or have their own outside group?)
I know that Jrue/ET/Meeks are tight. What about Lou/Thad/Speights/Hawes/Brackins? All eight are close in age- even Iguodala is not that much older.
I'm not saying teammates have to be close off the court. But it does inform some judgments about which players will continue as part of the nucleus of this team going forward. I think it makes it more likely that Meeks sticks around since he has chemistry on and off the floor with key guys like Jrue and ET. And if Speights or Hawes are not as close to the other guys, it makes it that much more likely they will be gone (which they might be anyway for basketball reasons.)
Do you think any of this informs the front offices's thinking, or is it solely a basketball thing. Because I know Snyder wanted to move towards higher character guys and a more team oriented group.
I follow the players on twitter. Brackins and Spieghts have tweeted about playing video games together. Turner has tweeted/joked with Lou, Spieghts, and Hawes.
Seems to me they get along pretty well.
Whatever his practice habits are (and they must be really, really bad), there's no doubt Speights gets along and fits in with his teammates. I mean for a dude who's getting DNP's every other game, his cheerleading has never once wavered. I think it was the last game, the camera shot to Speights and Hawes joking and laughing with each other - and that's his direct competition for playing time :)
And Hawes is a republican, no less !
How can they possibly bring Snow back after he fell asleep at work? On the air no less?
It's gone viral to the point where it's sort of embarrassing to Comcast (as evident by them pulling it from youtube)
Wasn't right for Zumoff to call him out on the air, but I mean...nodding off on tv?
Pretty sure I was nodding at that point of the game too. Doubt they fire him, though. That's really not the worst thing he's done this season, there are times when I wish he was asleep.
No all-star game tread Brian?
No all-star game thread either?
I guess I should've put one up. I'm not really watching. Feel free to use this one.