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So maybe 2013 wasn't thee year for the Philadelphia 76ers. In the span of one calendar year, the team has gone from a semi-contending contender, to a top lottery pick contender this year, despite the fact they could have possibly had a top pick of their own if it wasn't for Damien Wilkins and those meddling kids.
2014 though? That year is ours to take. The Sixers shall take the new calendar year by the horns, and do with it as they shall please. Their pleasure is likely winning games in short spurts and continuing their brigade to the basement.
Philadelphia had a full week off, and were unable to do much to change the hearts and minds of the national media, most of which placed them at 29th once again this week. In fact, the Sixers are so boring and playing so poor that instead of analysis they're just spitting out stat tidbits.
From Marc Spears of Yahoo!:
Michael Carter-Williams entered Sunday averaging 18.1 points. He was the only rookie averaging more than 14 points as of Sunday.
Thanks Marc!
SBN's Jason Patt resorted to stat dropping as well:
The Sixers ended a 13-game road losing streak on Sunday with a win over the almost equally awful Lakers. Thaddeus Young has been killing it of late, averaging 24.8 points and 7.8 rebounds over the last five games.
NBA.com's John Schuhmann, and the gang at USA Today also felt the Sixers belonged second to last.
The only diversions from the norm were ESPN's Marc Stein, and CBSSports Matt Moore, who had the team going in two opposite directions.
Stein has the team trending somewhat upward, up one spot to 27th this week.
Sunday night's breakthrough in L.A. wasn't just Philly's first road win going all the way back to Nov. 1 at Washington. It was Philly's first win in regulation dating to Nov. 8 at home against Cleveland. The Sixers' only other four wins since were all OT jobs at home (Rockets, Bucks, Magic and Nets).
The more you know.
Moore, for the second straight week, placed the Sixers dead last.
Do you think Sam Hinkie's office has a bunch of photo-shopped posters of draft prospects in Sixers uniforms? I kind of think so.
Probably not, they'd be playing better. Zing!