How sorry are the Sixers?

by Jordan Sams on Dec 30, 2008 2:21 PM PST

Power Rankings as of 12/30/08

Ball Don't Lie-20

The Sixers are 7-1 when scoring 100-plus points this season, as well as 7-3 when shooting the same percentage or better than their opponent. Too bad their "Effective FG%" is one of the worst in the L.

Marc Stein, ESPN-23

When the Sixers stumbled out of the gate, their fans could still lose themselves in Phillies Euphoria. Perhaps the Eagles' unlikely rally into the NFL playoffs will further extend the Elton-less Sixers' grace period.

John Hollinger-21

NBA.com-19

After winning their first three under Tony DiLeo, the Sixers have lost three straight, but they were up 12 in the fourth quarter in Denver Friday night before losing to the Nuggets. Rookie Marreese Speights is making some noise, averaging 13.8 points on 56 percent shooting in the last five games.

A mire two months ago I thought this was a 50 win team, so I can't say I saw this coming. This is nothing new though. It's just taking some people longer to realize that this isn't a good team. It is what it is.

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idk, i mean i think we have a talented team, it’s just that we started the season with a glorified assistant coach as our head coach and now we have an assistant to the GM as our head coach… i’m not sure that this isn’t the most talented team since before the days of 2000-2001…

http://www.libertyballers.com/

by Remis on Dec 30, 2008 2:51 PM PST reply actions

Just a couple of jump-shooters away.

They’re equivalent typical butterface chick. When you look at the Sixers from afar, you see the flashy dunks, fast breaks and athleticism, much like a smokin’ hot body on a girl 20 yards away, but as you get closer you realize they lack the most important aspect of being a good basketball team. Good shooting.

Pimpin' ain't easy and neither is being a Sixers fan. I manage to do both. Join me at Liberty Ballers, the SBNation 76ers blog. Don't make fun of the name either. It has nothing to do with the New York Liberty of the WNBA.

by Jordan Sams on Dec 30, 2008 3:18 PM PST up reply actions

Or at least decent shooting.

by Jordan Sams on Dec 30, 2008 3:19 PM PST up reply actions

this is true

http://www.libertyballers.com/

by Remis on Dec 30, 2008 3:42 PM PST up reply actions

I wish we still had Korver coming off the bench.

Would you be opposed to having a Brand-less team in favor of Kover, Carney and a ton of cap room?

by Jordan Sams on Dec 30, 2008 3:45 PM PST up reply actions

i might be inclined to think that right now just because of our team’s struggles. but i think our shooters that we have right now will do their job and we will be a great team in the future if we have at least a decent coach

http://www.libertyballers.com/

by Remis on Dec 30, 2008 3:55 PM PST up reply actions

Lou-Will and Thad are probably our best outside shooters.

And Mo Speights has a pretty nice shooters touch, but we don’t have that Korver guy. Kareem Rush has been a complete piece of garbage and Donyell is solid, but he’s a little too old.

by Jordan Sams on Dec 30, 2008 3:58 PM PST up reply actions

im sure if rush doesn’t do better then steffy will probably make a move and get someone

http://www.libertyballers.com/

by Remis on Dec 30, 2008 5:02 PM PST up reply actions

let's hope so.

they’ve never addressed the space occupied by Korver, or should I say successfully addressed it.

"I need to do a better job of putting players in the right position to perennially come up short of expectations"

by Whodie126 on Dec 31, 2008 5:48 AM PST up reply actions

Rush is not an answer – and this team is more than a coule of jump shooters away…to me all the 50 win projections were some sort of over enthusiastic euphoria based on thinking 40-42 was a successful season, thinking Brand would solve all the problems (who cares if he draws a double team if no one can hit from the outside), and that Andre Miller would continue at the same level as last year regardless of age.

Last season the expectations for the sixers were unrealistically low and they ‘out performed’ and this year they went the other way.

Sam Dalember is not a starter on a team that wins 50 games

by jemagee on Dec 31, 2008 10:43 AM PST reply actions

Last season the expectations for the sixers were unrealistically low

idk about that man.

http://www.libertyballers.com/

by Remis on Dec 31, 2008 12:25 PM PST up reply actions

You don’t? I’m noit sure how you don’t – the preseason predictions were that the sixers were going to be one of the worst teams in the league and battle for ‘first pick’ lottery. People forget how bad the sixers were supposed to be.

Want to read some well written research about it – go read david berris wages of wins article about it

by jemagee on Dec 31, 2008 5:27 PM PST up reply actions

na i’m saying that they weren’t unrealistic. we really didn’t have much back then. it was realistic for us to end up with a top 10 pick in last year’s draft. we definetly exceeded those expectations because everything came together and we were a good team at the end of last year. we exceeded some very realistic expectations – that’s all i’m saying..

http://www.libertyballers.com/

by Remis on Dec 31, 2008 5:34 PM PST up reply actions

I agree.

Expectations were realistic that the Sixers would suck last year and we’re seeing why this season. Just because they overachieved doesn’t mean expectations were unrealistic and just because the Sixers aren’t very good this year doesn’t mean everyone had unrealistic expectations. You had a young, improving team with the addition of the biggest free agent acquisition of the off-season. That should’ve been worth around 10 wins.

by Jordan Sams on Dec 31, 2008 5:42 PM PST up reply actions

And I believe they were unrealistic – as much as 50 win predictions this year were unrealistic

by jemagee on Dec 31, 2008 5:51 PM PST up reply actions

That's easy to say now.

It was pretty much the consensus around the league that this team was going to be good.

by Jordan Sams on Dec 31, 2008 2:39 PM PST up reply actions

They were wrong last season they probably will be wrong this season.

I never agreed with the consensus – no way this team was winning 50 games -

by jemagee on Dec 31, 2008 5:28 PM PST up reply actions

Sam Dalember is not a starter on a team that wins 50 games

as much as i hate to defend sam right now, but if kendrick perkins is a starter on a team that wins 60 games then dalembert is a starter on a team that wins 50, no doubt

http://www.libertyballers.com/

by Remis on Dec 31, 2008 2:45 PM PST up reply actions

Kendrick Perkins is a better basketball player than Sam Dalembert and he plays with better starters at every position and a better bench and a better coach

by jemagee on Dec 31, 2008 5:28 PM PST up reply actions

yea that’s what i was trying to get you to say. he definetly isn’t a better player than sammy. as horrible as he’s doing so far this season, i would still rather have dalembert than perkins any day of the week.. and you said he’s not a starter on a 50 win team.. i was saying he was since perkins was a starter on a 60 win team, didn’t say anything about a better bench or a better coach or better starters around him.

http://www.libertyballers.com/

by Remis on Dec 31, 2008 5:36 PM PST up reply actions