Comments on: Sixers Still Gotta Play Ball Amidst All the Iverson Talk

By: Morty

Morty — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:58:04 +0000

Zack: wasn’t trying to be snarky, so my bad if it came off that way. But yes, I do believe those 2 reasons are the Stefanksi goofs. Essentially misreading the strengths of the team, especially when it came to choose his own coach.

By: Zack

Zack — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:27:56 +0000

Dannie, Morty, you two seriously know for sure? More power to you then, ’cause I don’t.

Dannie, instead of in-hindsight observations of what happened, can you come up with something with predictive power along the lines of: “How to Spark Your NBA Franchise on an Amazing Run by Trading Away One of Your Players and Getting a Slow Euro and a Draft Pick in Return”. THAT would be impressive. You can never, ever know where the really good sports stuff comes from, and what form it will take. Sports would be boring otherwise.

By: tk76

tk76 — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:42:14 +0000

I really wonder how low the team can finish this year. They currently have the 4th worse record- and a lot of their wins have been lucky against a weak schedule. Conventional wisdom is that they have too much talent to finish with a bottom 6 record, but with injuries and lousy coaching you never know…

I’m not for tanking, but if this team somehow did end up with a bottom 6 record it could be a franchise saving outcome. You never know with the draft, but that gives you a legit shot at landing a superstar (esp since you could win a top 3 pick.) I look at the decent 19-25 year old complementary talent on this roster and believe that adding a superstar could mean being a contender in 3 years… although it would take some serious good luck.

In fact I can’t see any other plausible way this team becomes a contender in that timespan. Certainly not by adding a 34 year old fomer superstar.

By: Morty

Morty — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:08:43 +0000

Zack: The mistake was not hiring a defensive minded coach, and being terribly terribly wrong about Brand’s ability to recover from his injury. Not too complicated.

By: Dannie

Dannie — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:55:18 +0000

Zack - I actually have a whole post written about the "magical" 07-08 team. I will post it once we hit the 20 game point. I have thoughts.

And sure I get the sports miracle. That miracle would be some magic that lands us Chris Paul or Dwyane Wade or the #1 pick in a draft with a unquestionable stud on the board that year.

Not wishing this cast of clowns actually figure out how to play basketball.

By: Zack

Zack — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:47:28 +0000

I think people overestimate the overall talent on this team regardless of the coach.

Dannie, the feeling I get is not that people are overestimating the talents of these guys, it’s that we’re looking some of that sports magic with this team, some sort of out-of-left-field move that will make this team better. Because that’s how the good stuff starts, no one is ever able to predict the good stuff, it usually just comes out of nowhere, like this team making a run in 07-08 after the Korver trade. Think about how simple that was – we lose talent and we immediately become a better team, and for 2+ months we’re one of the best teams in the NBA. And again, I think this was Stefanski’s biggest goof – not figuring out what happened that season and building on it.

Anyway, I think it’s not overestimating the talent level – I think it’s that people have these sports miracles in the back of their minds, and are just being hopeful there’s one right around the corner for this team.

By: Chris McC

Chris McC — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:13:56 +0000

Re: Iverson Progress?

Just read that too. God, I hope so. I think it was a good move taking McKie along for the meeting.

By: Dannie

Dannie — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:03:33 +0000

Iverson progress?

By: Dannie

Dannie — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:40:17 +0000

I think people overestimate the overall talent on this team regardless of the coach.

I think people overlook the fact that motivation is not something a coach does to a player it's something a player already has (hopefully) and the coach's job is only to identify it and help the player use it to play better (i.e. All of Phil Jackson's challenges and zen master crap).

I question many of the players on this teams heart, drive, motivation and will to win. Either you want to win or you don't. Either you are willing to do whatever it takes or you don't. Either you are about yourself or you are about your team. Either you want to play defense or you don't. Either you focus or you don't. It's a player choice. Our players consistently make the wrong choices.

Eddie Jordan is not a championship caliber coach in my opinion. If he was coaching the Lakers I am sure they would still get to Western Conference Finals at least. It's about players. If the Sixers had better players they wouldn't be 5-12 right now plain and simple. A team with Kobe, Gasol, Bynum etc. etc. could beat the Sixers with no coach.

I hate Jordan and I think he sucks in a big way. But he isn't the biggest of all the problems. The players are. They aren't good enough. Sure Jordan is not maximizing them at all. But if he did then what? First round playoff win with this roster - maybe?

Need better, smarter, more committed players.

By: RRose

RRose — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:02:43 +0000

I don’t think its effort I think its coaching philosophy. A lot of these coaches were part of other coaching staffs in previous years. They seem to bring back the same guys that worked together. I keep saying they need to blow up this entire staff. I wouldn’t mind going with a college coach at this point.