Week Six NBA Power Rankings: Sixers Receive High Marks
by Jordan Sams on Feb 6, 2012 11:56 AM PST
in Philadelphia 76ers Links
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PrintThe Sixers finished the first half of their brutal eight-game stretch against the league's elite teams with a sterling 3-1 record. They destroyed Dwight Howard and the Magic – before letting up the last three minutes. They destroyed Derrick Rose and the Bulls. They destroyed the Hawks, in Atlanta, in the second game of a back-to-back. Yet all anyone wants to point to is their second 20+ point loss to the Miami Heat this season.
Look, the Heat are, hands down, the best team in the NBA. The Sixers were without Spencer Hawes and received a total of ZERO points from their starting center, Tony Battie and starting power forward, Elton Brand, yet they were only down four points after three quarters. They were blown out in the fourth. So what. That doesn't take anything away from the three impressive wins they had last week, along with the fact that they hung with the Heat for three quarters.
For the record, the Pacers lost to the Heat by 35, the Spurs lost by 22, the Lakers trailed by 21 after three, and the Mavs trailed by 32 after three. How come the media doesn't discredit those teams every time they have a nice win?
Anyway, make the jump to see where the Sixers rank amongst the national media.
John Schuhmann, NBA.com - 4th (3rd in East)
The No. 1 defense in the league has allowed 118 points per 100 possessions in two games against the Heat. Other than Friday's loss to Miami, it's been so far, so good as the Sixers play seven straight games against some of the best teams in the league. Saturday's win in Atlanta was the most impressive.
Tom Ziller, SB Nation - 5th (3rd in East)
A few statistical Power Rankings have Philly on top, and for good reason: the Sixers have been excellent, with the league's top defense and a dope, balanced offense despite missing Spencer Hawes, who started the season brilliantly for Doug Collins' squad. Philadelphia has been the biggest surprise of this season to date, and it's more fun to watch them than it has been since A.I.'s heyday.
Chris Sheridan, Sheridan Hoops - 6th (3rd in East)
In last week's rankings I wrote: "I don't care what they do all week except for Friday, when they play the Heat, who beat them by 21 two weeks ago." So what did they do two nights after defeating Bulls? Folded in fourth quarter and lost by 20. That means Kobayashi had a better week at Wachovia than them. Tough week: Lakers, Spurs, Clippers, Cavs. Next 20-point loss to Heat is scheduled for March 16.
John Hollinger, ESPN - 3rd (2nd in the East)
Marc Stein, ESPN - 4th (4th in the East)
The bad news for the validation-craving Sixers: They've seen Miami twice and lost twice by a combined 41 ... compared with a combined 24 points in their other five losses. The good news: Everyone bangs on Philly about its easy schedule so far, but it did just wrap wins over the Bulls and Hawks around Heat rout No. 2.
Composite: 4.4 (3rd in East)
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Dear Chris Sheridan,
Please don’t let Skip Bayless write for you, ever again.
by Blunt Philly Guy on Feb 6, 2012 12:14 PM PST via iPhone app reply actions
You read his Clippers ranking?
He also said they wouldn’t make the playoffs after they gave up Gordon for Paul. Apparently the guy’s night the brightest.
Sheridan is garbage
If you follow his logic, then the Bucks should be a top 5 team in the league merely by virtue of defeating the Heat twice.
by PhillyWarrior on Feb 6, 2012 1:02 PM PST up reply actions
I’m glad the sixers are playing at Wachovia again. Only if we could use that time machine they have to make the world a better place.
Pretty amazing that a team which has accomplished so much can still be considered underrated…
"Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body."
― Seneca
That’s fine, let em underrate us. These are the same people that have continuously shat upon us year after year, and that mentality is still overriding their objective thoughts. We’ll welcome them on the bandwagon once they feel its cool and acceptable to say we are legit. Meantime, the true fans know what’s going on.
The difference...
…between the Sixers and all those other teams? 1) most of those teams have been elite for years, so no one questions their credibility. 2) those other teams didn’t come out of nowhere after being predicted by EVERYONE to be a .500 team at best. 3) those other teams all have at least one superstar player.
I’m not at all surprised that the national talking heads are down on the Sixers. It looks like they’re winning with smoke and mirrors. Which is why everyone points only to the Heat blowouts as being relevant. These are the only games that are going the way they’re supposed to go. Seriously, who’s their superstar? Iguodala? Hawes? Tha BOSS? Lavoy Allen? This is not a team that has any business winning anything in the superstar-driven NBA. Yet they are 17-7. It must, therefore, be an illusion, and They’re Not As Good As They Look.
I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, there will be no trade for Monta!
I’ve only looked at Marc Stein’s rankings but how can he possibly have the Sixers behind the Pacers? Better record (though by only half of a game), head to head win (even though it was without Granger), and the Pacers have lost twice at home to Orlando, a team in which the Sixers had absolutely no problems beating.
I follow the logic on the Pacers….they have some really good road wins (Bulls, Mavs, Celts, Magic, Wolves. Don’t necessarily agree with it, but that’s probably why. Sixers haven’t played many good teams on the road yet. If the Sixers take care of business and then continue to play well on the road, then it would be reversed.
by clintdelicious22 on Feb 6, 2012 1:50 PM PST up reply actions
these mean nothing
all in all these rankings are rubbish and mean absolutely nothing. however, i’ll take top 5 in the national media any day. keep goin sixers. iggy, put ur nuts in kobe’s mouth tonight
Oh man, we totally suck because we lost to the heat twice by 20 points. Those are the only two games that matter, so we’re not actually a good team. It has nothing to do with the “experts’ logic” that we don’t have a super duper star on our team and therefore aren’t as appealing to the goofballs who they pander their writing to.
"If Iguodala were a legitimate "true" 17 PPG scorer, we’d be a better team. When at least 8 of those points come off the fast break, his true offensive production is a reality: 8-11 PPG." - LeQuan Glover
And if you subtract fast break points, the Sixers lost by way more than 20 points, so they really suck.
I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, there will be no trade for Monta!
eh
probably heat games are the only time that’s not true
on that note
imagine if the Heat played with the intensity of the Sixers? They would win by 20 every night.
It seems pretty clear that the Sixers are the 2nd best team in the East. Chicago has a better record, but the Sixers beat them. Indiana is very impressive as most of their games have been on the road. Still, they lost to the Sixers as well. They’ve also dispatched Orlando and Atlanta. Only Miami is better in the East.
As far s the West goes, we haven’t played them enough to have a real opinion. The Lakers game last night shows the Sixers are competitive with the West, San Antonio and the Pacific Division leading Clippers are up next. The Sixers will have a day off in between each game so should be rested and healthy. If they knock out the Spurs and Clippers there will be no doubt they are a contender.
You declaring the Sixers better than Chicago after beating them once is probably the most Ricko thing you could do.
by Michael Levin on Feb 7, 2012 2:03 PM PST up reply actions
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