* Maybe EJ was the right coach – the Sixers took advantage of their athleticism in 07-08 in only two of three possible ways: causing havoc and turnovers on defense, and turning those opportunities into fastbreak points.  Now, they have the potential to use a third way – by having our athletes constantly moving in a half-court offense; those extra half-steps and slightly looser angles and openings for passes SHOULD improve our half-court scoring efficiency.  I hope to see much less of the take-turns offense with its aimless, wasted passes.  What I envision when I think of what’s coming up is the success Georgetown had when John Thompson III implemented the Princeton Offense there (brief Time article here).  There’s the potential for an amazing success story here, too.

* We might start with 1, 42, 21, 9, and (I can’t believe it happened, no no no, Stefanski, it’s okay, just swallow that $5M) 23, but it feels like we can match up DEFENSIVELY with anything the other team throws at us at any time during the game.  We counter smallball with Sam/Brand/J.Smith and a combo of Iggy, Carney, Royal, Jrue and Willie.  We’re getting every rebound, we’re picking off sloppy passes, no one’s getting off an easy shot – it’s a fantastic counterattack.  You could probably throw that at a normal lineup too until they got comfortable with it.  Some more fun with lineups:

END-OF-GAME: Iguodala, Sam, Kapono, Carney, Royal (No effin’ way Lou’s in there, do you guys remember how he had his hands on his knees during that Boston game when Iggy was trying to get off his hero shot? UNFORGIVABLE)

THE BRAND & LOU LINEUP (these guys need their space, and we’re going to play ‘em ‘cuz we paid ‘em; Lou’s gotta be paired w/someone who plays defense): Brand, J.Smith, Kapono, Lou, and Royal/Carney

GET-A-STOP: Sam, Brand, Iguodala, Carney, and Jrue/Royal

ONE OF MO CHEEKS’ BEST LINEUPS FROM 07-08: J.Smith, Thad, Iguodala, Carney and Lou

I don’t have Speights in there.  I don’t wanna see a lot of the guy – I gave him one year, and he played no defense; he stole a few balls, blocked a few, but was generally Antoine Walker-esque on the working end of the court.  I got all excited by Hollinger’s ratings of the guys, but this is one of those cases where those fancy gleaming stats don’t accurately reflect what a no-presence softee he was.  I like the offense – given the opportunity, he’s going to be one of those great all-offense, no defense forwards (Ricky Davis, Cedric Ceballos, the aforementioned Antoine Walker, Orlando Woolridge…  I feel like I should know more of these guys, I guess my memory’s going…).  It’s fitting that the two guys he’s most compared to, Amare and Al Jefferson, aren’t exactly known for their defense, either.  But those guys are forces to be reckoned with and have enough of that Malik Rose-, Jerome “Junkyard Dog” Williams-type of hunger to be game-changers on a regular basis.

* Another signing I really liked: the Primoz Brezec signing.  No more Reggie Evans at center.  Smith and Speights can slide over to their more natural PF positions, and will play better.  Those two cats play better and we win more.  All PB needs to do is be an effective backup C, and I think he will.  Simple stuff.

To sum: with the Carney signing, the Sixers have added just enough dimensions to their team to become a pretty tough matchup for anybody.  I think they get the East 4th seed this year and make it out of the first round.  I wouldn’t put the Eastern Conference Finals past this team.

I wish some of the people in Philly could spend a season in my shoes, about five games a year is all I get to see on tv during the regular season.

resounding no:  Dalembert, Williams, Iguodala, Kapono 
n0:  Brand, Carney, Brezec, coaches, administration
some:  Speights, Ivey
yes:  Young
resounding yes:  the indubitable Mr. Willie Green
just hatched/no conclusion:  Holliday

As for the taking of time to build a contender, Eddie “The Shot” has set back the clock towards that end on an alert fan base.  Longtime loyalists are running for the hills, with reason.  The once-solid tradition of the 76ers has been overexploited and mauled through time and a rolodex of changes on numerous fronts, with sycophantic, undynamic 
employees (trending to inner circle locals) littering the payroll.  Team hasn’t mattered in the big picture since Croce, a once-vital positive force, lost his power grab to a half-interested Snider and Brown, a fine coach, got out while he had options, seeing a declining talent base ahead (due, largely, to some of his and Billy King’s decisions and 
transactions).  I watch because I love basketball and have been a fan from team’s inception, but I don’t love what I see at present.

A lot of people now bust on a “graying” AI, but, through all his misdirection and faults, he took the court and left the court with ‘the eye of the tiger’ – and was supreme, more often than not.  How many present Sixers carry that winning court disposition … or that weight?
For his rare talents and on-court determination and rebel adherence to his personal code (like it or not), he’ll always be remembered.  Hope he rebounds to become more of his former self this season in Memphis, though Father Time blows the whistle on all.

I agree that we’ll most likely be a middle of the road team, but it takes time to build a contender. We don’t have a buddy like Kevin McHale giving away future H.O.Fers. We have to do it the hard way.

listed 2nd team:  might not run the table during “March Madness” … Speights, best of lot, which says a lot.  Holliday, no Anfernee Hardaway.