It has been reiterated again and again that the Sixers, in a lockout-shortened season, will have an advantage because they've got CONTINUITY (buzz word) and fresh legs. With an entire starting lineup returning from last season's playoff team (for better or worse, in one spot in particular), the young 76ers core knows each other inside and out.
But just how young are they? According to Hoopism, the Sixers are only the 11th-youngest team in the league at a mean age of 26 years and 124 days old, depending on if it's a leap year. But when that's adjusted for minutes played, they drop down all the way to number four on the list at 25 years and 51 days old. While most teams have young guys playing Words With Friends on the bench and old guys on the court, the Sixers have just the opposite.
Check the cool, liney chart here. The Sixers are only one of nine teams who get younger on the court, and they have the second-steepest drop at 1.2 years younger behind the Hawks, who are the second oldest team in the league. Philly, however, clocks in just behind the Wizards, Timberwolves, and tonight's opponent, the Sacramento Kings in terms of youngest minutes-adjusted roster. While those three teams are or will be buried near the bottom of their divisions, the young and spunky Sixers are leading the Atlantic.
With Elton Brand as the only player over 30 to receive regular minutes, Doug Collins leans heavily on Jrue Holiday (21), Jodie Meeks (24), Evan Turner (23), Thaddeus Young (23), Spencer Hawes (23), Nikola Vucevic (21), and Louis Williams (25) to carry a huge load for this surprising team. Five of their top six scorers are 25 or younger. Meanwhile, Tony Battie and Andres Nocioni swap stories on the bench of what the world was like before reality television. Adorable!