Heard in the Cheap Seats

I think everybody should be able to toot their own horn every once in awhile.  So, I will take this opportunity to pat myself on the back for calling every first round NBA series correctly almost down to the game.  Now, to be fair I am sure I’m not the only one.  I don’t think these series were too difficult to predict, but I will bask in the glow of being right for a change.  As Sidney Deane (Wesley Snipes) famously said, “Even the sun shines on a dog’s ass some days.”  The sun is shining on my ass today, even though the rain is pouring down!  Obviously, there was one pick (the Sixers) that I would have gladly gotten wrong, but we all know how that turned out.  It’s time to see if I can keep my perfection going with my picks for the conference semifinals.  So, without further ado…

EASTERN CONFERENCE

ATLANTA vs. CLEVELAND

The Cavs won 3 of the four meetings during the regular season, but it wasn’t easy.  The Hawks are extremely tough to beat at home, so I think they will play well against Cleveland in their building.  The problem is, Atlanta is far too inconsistent, and when things don’t go well for them they tend to implode.  Obviously LeBron James will do what he does, but I also think that Cleveland can create a lot of problems for the Hawks by using Ilgauskas in screen and rolls and even in the post.  Atlanta has a lot of athletic big men, so they will likely try to take advantage on the offensive end by making the Cavs big men move.  I think a lot of people underestimate how good the Hawks are when they defend and are clicking on offense.  But, I am a big fan of Mo Williams’ game, and I feel that he will dominate Mike Bibby in this series and that will be the difference.  I also think rebounding will be a big key in this series.  Cleveland must control the defensive glass, because if Josh Smith, Horford, etc are able to crash the offensive boards effectively, that will create big problems for Cleveland.  As always, turnovers will be crucial as well.  To me, the only chance the Hawks have of defeating the Cavs is if they can find a way to turn them over.  If Cleveland takes care of the basketball they will be near impossible to beat.  Atlanta needs a great series from Joe Johnson.  The Hawks did a nice job offensively against Cleveland during the regular season, but in the playoffs the Cavs will be allowed to be much more physical.  I will not be surprised at all if the Hawks struggle to score for much of the series.  Like I said, I think most people think this will be a complete cakewalk for Cavs, but I see it being a least somewhat tense.  I just don’t see LeBron James allowing Cleveland to bow out in the 2^nd round.  CAVS IN 6

ORLANDO vs. BOSTON

This is a tough one for me to even think about.  On one hand, there is the Orlando Magic, the team that ended the Sixers season led by a pompous coach/porn star look alike.  On the other hand there is the Boston Celtics, and even though my father is from Beantown, and 2 of my siblings live there, I hate everything about Boston sports.  Oh well, I guess I can handle 5 minutes of thought about this series.  The two teams split their 4 meetings during the season, but both Boston losses came in games when Kevin Garnett was either out of the lineup or missed much of the game.  It was obvious in the Bulls series, that without Garnett on the floor, and now without Leon Powe, the Celtics are not the nearly as strong defensively.  Boston sort og transformed themselves in that series into a scoring machine.  After 7 grueling games against the Bulls, do the Celtics have anything left in the tank?  I think they do.  One of the reasons I believe that the Celtics have a good chance of winning this series is that Orlando did not impress in the first round against the Sixers.  However, a big problem for Boston will be defending Dwight Howard.  Will they double team and leave Orlando’s shooters open, or try and play it the way the Sixers did and stay home on the shooters.  With injuries to Garnett and Powe, the Celtics are thin on the front line, and if Perkins gets into foul trouble the Celtics could have serious problems.  On the flip side, for the first 2 games at least, Courtney Lee will be out of the lineup and replaced by J.J. Redick.  The Celtics will abuse Redick with Ray Allen.  Paul Pierce will likely create match-up problems for Orlando because Lewis or Turkoglu cannot guard him.  I think Stan Van Gundy will counter with the length and athleticism of Pietrus off the bench for defensive purposes.  Boston will likely try to figure out ways to get Dwight Howard out of the lane defensively.  I do believe that Orlando can create some issues for Boston as well.  Rashard Lewis has a chance for a big series.  No matter who Pierce has to defend in this series, he will have a tough match-up.  This will be a series of adjustments for sure.  The “X” factor in this series in my opinion is Rajon Rondo.  The dude is becoming a superstar right before our eyes, and the Magic have no one that can guard him.  If Rondo has a monster series, the Celtics win.  If he struggles, the Celtics lose.  I’m betting on the former.  CELTICS IN 7

WESTERN CONFERENCE

HOUSTON vs. LOS ANGELES

There is only one team that I can’t stand just as much as the Boston Celtics.  That team is the Los Angeles Lakers.  It was painful to listen to Laker fans run their mouths while I lived there for the past 5 years.  But, I am also not an idiot, so I won’t pretend that the Lakers aren’t a very good basketball team.  I think this series is really about one thing: Can a very good Rockets defense stop the Lakers high powered offense?  We all know what Kobe Bryant can do, but he is far from the only weapon for L.A.  Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom are as skilled offensively as any forwards in the NBA.  Houston has all the components of a great defensive team, but L.A. is very comfortable on the offensive end.  It should be fun to watch Battier and Artest do battle with Kobe Bryant.  The Lakers had problems in the NBA Finals last year with Boston’s physical play.  Houston is certainly physical, and the Lakers will have to keep Houston off the offensive glass.  As good as the Rockets are on the defensive end, the Lakers will combat that with precision passing and cutting.  Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom will be big in this series.  I’m not sure Houston has an answer for Gasol.  The Lakers have never impressed me with their defense, but the Rockets are not the type of offensive team that can really give the Lakers huge problems.  Houston relies on post play and screens.  They need to find ways to get Ron Artest into mismatches.  Houston does not really have players that will penetrate the Laker defense.  All this being said, the Rockets still have a chance.  They need to play mean and aggressive on both ends of the floor.  Houston has the size and strength to frustrate the Lakers.  If the Rockets are able to dominate the glass, this will be a close series.  I am not sure that the Rockets can win a game in Los Angeles and they are going to have to.  One final thought: It’s hard to ever refer to Kobe Bryant as an “X” factor, but in my opinion he is in this series.  The reason is that if these games are close, the Rockets don’t have anyone who can put the team on their back, and the Lakers obviously do.  His name is Kobe Bryant.  LAKERS IN 6

DALLAS vs. DENVER

This is a tough series to pick.  Both of these teams seem to be perennial under achievers.  But, Denver is now led by a proven winner in Chauncey Billups, and Dallas seems to finally be thriving with Jason Kidd at the helm.  This should be a fast paced and exciting series.  Offensively, there is a lot of firepower on both sides, and both teams can defend well at time during a game.  The match-ups are interesting across the board.  Now that Barea is starting, Chauncey Billups may have a big advantage there.  Dirk Nowitzki has struggled in the past with athletic defenders like Kenyon Martin, but Nowitzki is playing as well as I have ever seen him play.  Josh Howard has the strength and quickness to at least make Carmelo Anthony work for his buckets.  The most exciting aspect of this series could end up being the play of the benches.  Jason Terry and J.R Smith will come off the bench shooting for their respective teams.  Denver is tough to beat at home, and the Mavs have notoriously struggled in big games on the road.  Dallas is going to need Dirk Nowitzki to carry them in this series.  Denver won all 4 meetings during the season but they were games that could have gone either way.  In the end though, I think Denver has more balance than the Mavs.  In match-ups where two teams are similar, I look to the point guard, and Chauncey Billups has the upper hand in this series.  I also think that Denver is a better defensive team, and when teams are able to frustrate Nowitzki, the Mavs struggle.  This should be a very fun series to watch and each coach will be trying to find ways to create as many offensive match-up problems as possible.  I just think Denver will be a little bit better in this series. NUGGETS IN 7

There you have it.  I could have done crazy in depth breakdowns but I think I will save up that energy for the Conference Finals and the Finals.  Now, that the Sixers have been bounced, as a basketball my hope is that a few of these series can come close to being as entertaining as the Bulls and Celtics series was.  Enoy the games!

I was at the Wachovia Center for last night’s embarrassing end to the Sixers season.  There were quite a few empty seats in the building, and as the final buzzer sounded I thought maybe they were the smart ones.  I am not going to break down last night’s game because it is pointless.  I am not even going to go too much into anything regarding the Sixers.  There is going to be plenty of time for all that.  I just want to say that I am disappointed and as I sit and think about this season, I really didn’t see any growth in this team. 

What bothered me about last night is the team clearly had no interest in fighting for their playoff lives.  There was no sense of urgency.  I never once saw any Sixer talking to each other on the bench during timeouts.  They looked like a combination of a team running in quicksand and being stoned at the same time.  Trust me, that isn’t a good combination.  What we saw last night from the Sixers is inexcusable.  There is nothing else to say about it.  The one thing I would tell any naysayers during this season was that the Sixers are a young team that fights and plays hard.  I can’t even say that anymore.  Not after last night’s game, and especially not after what they said after the Magic embarrassed them in their home building.

“I”m going to sit down with Ed and discuss what I think will get us over the [hump].”- Andre Iguodala

Really, Andre?  Dude, you are a good player, but come on!  Who the hell is he?  What has Andre Iguodala done to earn the right to even utter those words?!

“We weren”t always there.”

“We had mental lapses.”

“We had inner turmoil.”- Andre Iguodala

Maybe try being a leader and doing something about it instead of using it as an excuse after the season ends in a disappointing way.

“The coaches are responsible for guys [being] prepared and playing,”  “They have to hold guys accountable. It’’s been that way all year, so you couldn”t expect anything different.

“You have to step up and get into guys. If [as the coach] you don”t have that type of personality, to be able to go at guys . . . “

 “At the same time, it’’s your position. You”ve seen the mistakes and all that going on. Was anybody getting talked to about that? To me, this is losing if you have situations like that.”

“[The lack of that] has bothered me, and I”ve told them it’’s bothered me, that it’’s something you”ve got to deal with,”

“When you see the lack of effort, the lack of concentration, the lack of being able to get things done, and to stick with the same thing, to me you”re just trying to play guys, and I don”t feel good about it.”

“You don”t know if you”re going to get back to this position,”  “This is my 14th year. It’’s not guaranteed that I”ll be in the playoffs again. To not get the effort, to see how things went, the lack of hustle, that leaves a distaste.

“I”m not a coach, I don”t make the substitutions. But if you”re going to do it like that, then that’’s the way it’’s done, then you get that type of game. You”re going to get whupped, plain and simple.

“If you see mistakes and you don”t address them when it’’s going on, guys get comfortable . . . That’’s why you lose seven games while you”re trying to move up [in the seedings].- All made by Theo Ratliff

I understand what Ratliff was saying, but please enough with the finger pointing.  The Sixers for the most part did not stand up and hold themselves accountable.  Now we find out, that certain players on the team feel that other players lack focus. 

Believe me, that was just a sampling of the quotes from the spoiled mouths of the Sixers.  I am just glad I wasn’t holding anything that could have been thrown thru the window when I read them.  There is blame to go around on all sides here.  I personally don’t think Tony DiLeo should be back.  I think they need a tough minded proven coach who will figure out if these kids have any desire to be winners.  There are some pieces on this team, but tons of problems.  Questions surround this team at every position.  Like I said, we will be discussing all that in the months to come.  For now, I will just say I am disappointed and shocked at what I saw from this team, and especially at what I heard from their mouths after the fact.  I have been wanting this team to grow, and based on how this season ended, you would be hard pressed to convince me that they did any growing at all this year.  I am not sure if they “get it”.  I am going to step away from thinking about the Sixers for a bit, but we will definitely be looking at this team and its future very soon.  Until then, maybe we should just watch the Bulls and Celtics series to remind ourselves what NBA basketball is supposed to look like.

Game 6 between the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers had all the makings of a trap game. Dwight Howard, the Orland Magic’s best player was suspended due to his flying elbow and Courtney Lee was sidelined with a fractured sinus—also a result of a wayward elbow from Howard. The game was on the home floor of the Sixers where the team was 24-17 during the regular season. All signs pointed to a probable Sixers victory, but as my brother pointed out yesterday, signs can be deceiving.

A team official should check the tarmac in Orlando for signs of the Philadelphia 76ers, because they sure as hell didn’t show up in Philadelphia. The 114-89 beat down they received at the hands of the Magic should be evidence of that. It was as if the Sixers failed to comprehend the task at hand—win or go home. They were facing a Magic team devoid of the best shot-blocker in the league yet seemed content to settle for jump shots. A team that shoots the ball as inconsistently as the Sixers should never rely on the perimeter game to win and especially not against a team lacking a real inside presence.

On the defensive end of the floor, the problems were worse. With Dwight Howard in the lineup, the philosophy was to deal with him one-on-one and not abandon the Magic’s plethora of outside shooters. But without him in the lineup, the Sixers find out wise to ignore the three-point line all together. J.J. Redick had a field day from beyond the arc and most of those opportunities came with nary a hand in his face. I realize that Redick is not the star he was in his Duke days, but surely the Sixers have seen some tape of him knocking down threes.

From the perspective of the Sixers, the one positive of Dwight Howard’s presence in the lineup was that it forced discipline. As mentioned above, the Sixers had it drilled into their heads that he was not to be double teamed. Without him in the lineup, the Sixer threw discipline to the wind. There was no constant reminder to stay at home. There was no low-post anchor that touches the ball 35 times a game to demand the defense remain rooted on their man. The Sixers displayed an entire lack of discipline on a night that demanded execution.

Outside of Andre Miller, every Philadelphia 76er needs to take a hard look in the mirror today and question why they failed to show up last night. Why was the prospect of a Game 7 in Orlando not enough incentive to turn in your best effort? These are professional athletes, but they are also humans. They fell victim to the mind games my brother warned of yesterday.

That does not make it any less disheartening or inexcusable.

The human psyche is a funny thing. That is why I am a little worried about tonight’s Sixers game. The Orlando Magic will be without their “Mr. Everything”, Dwight Howard, and with out Courtney Lee, their starting two guard who has played very well in this series. So, on paper, naturally the Sixers should win. The odds say they should win and most fans and experts can’t see how they could lose a home elimination playoff game to a team that is missing two starters. I mean, it has seemed like without Dwight Howard, the Magic wouldn’t be a very formidable opponent, and tonight he will be in street clothes (although it remains to be seen if anyone is injured by his elbow when he is getting in and out of his chair). I am like most people in that when I think about tonight’s game I realize this is a game the Sixers should be able to win. But, my experience in playing and watching sports has me a little worried.

Yesterday, on 950 ESPN Radio, Mike Missanelli referred to what he called “the back up goalie syndrome”. I had the same thought in my mind. Most people, including professional athletes have a hard time controlling their mind. Unfortunately, when the mind isn’t entirely focused, the actions of the body follow suit. You see, everyone expects the Sixers to win tonight. The Sixers have been battling and trying like hell to figure out a way to conquer Dwight Howard, and now they know he won’t be on the floor tonight. They can breathe a little easier. Two things can happen in a scenario like this: 1) The team who is playing short handed and is given no chance to win collectively plays above their heads and out of their minds because they all know they have to at least twice as good as usual to have a chance; 2) The team who is playing with a decided advantage feels too comfortable and confident, expects the other team will just mail it in, and their lack of intensity and focus causes them to play poorly. Like I said, it’s a human nature thing. It isn’t something that can be explained, but we all know it happens. The human psyche works both ways in this scenario because on one side a team fails to play up to its normal capabilities due to an over confidence, and on the other side you have pride. From the time we are young kids, we as people do not like to be told we can’t do something. It fuels our fire. If games were merely about talent, the same team would always win. But, they don’t. That’s why in sports we have phrases like “letdowns”, and “trap games”, and “playing down to the competition”. It is also why there are so many occasions when teams adopt a mantra that “nobody believed in us”. Tonight’s game has all the criteria for any of the above phrases. If the Sixers had Michael Jordan on their roster, I wouldn’t be the least bit worried. But, they don’t, and I am. I think back to games that I played in over the years where what I am talking about took place. I think about the countless times it has happened in every professional sport. How many times have you uttered the phrase, “How the hell did they lose that game?”

I am going to the game tonight, and I, like everyone else, am already thinking about the possibilities of a Game 7. I just hope that the Sixers players have a completely different mindset, because if they don’t, then my worry could become a reality.

It’s pretty simple: There are a few things that I have liked about the Sixers play against the Magic, and a few things I haven’t liked.  I have refrained from writing about this series until now, because I wanted it to play out a little bit.  I didn’t want to just breakdown each game on its own.  Coming into this series, I picked the Magic to win in 5 games, so obviously I didn’t see much that led me to believe the Sixers could pull off an upset.  The Sixers have won more games than I thought, and have made this an interesting series.  I give them credit for that.  But, I have to say that I have doing a lot of reading during this series.  I have been reading a lot of the blogs out there that I respect, and there is a lot of stuff floating around that I just don’t agree with.  So, let me just kind of run through some different points that I have on my mind regarding this series.  It’s easier for me to do it this way because they are all over the map, so it just makes more sense.

-          I want to start off on a positive note.  I am happy the Sixers have made this interesting.  I give them credit for coming into this series believing they could win and playing hard.  I have no doubt that they will come out in Game 6 and fight the Magic tooth and nail.

-          With the above being said, I think a lot of people are missing something.  There is one reason why this series has been interesting: The Magic allowed it.  As tough minded as the Sixers came into this series, the Magic were the opposite.  They aren’t a playoff tested team, and they started this series playing as if the Sixers would just roll over.  They didn’t play smart basketball and the Sixers outworked them.  In the last 2 games, that has changed.

-          I like the Sixers defensive strategy in this series.  They decide that for the most part they would not send a double team Dwight Howard’s way when he had the ball on the low block.  The Sixers know that meant they would have to shuffle big men in and out due to foul trouble, and that Howard would have some big games.  The strategy is a sound one because it has allowed the Sixers to stay at home on the shooters.  For the first 4 games of this series, the Magic did not really hurt the Sixers from long range.

-          Like I said earlier, an NBA playoff series is full of adjustments, and the Sixers and Tony DiLeo are losing that battle.  It was clear early in the series, that guarding Andre Iguodala was a problem for the Magic.  The adjustment they have made is to double and trap Iguodala as much as possible.  Now, there are times where it has seemed like this strategy isn’t working for the Magic, but I think it has.  You need to look no further than the fact that the Sixers have struggled mightily on the offensive end ever since the double team was employed.  You can look at stats until you are blue in the face, but I know what I see.  Yes, Iguodala had 26 points and went to the line 13 times in Game 4, but many of his trip to the line came when he forced the issue.  The Sixers have one primary offensive weapon and the Magic know it.  I would never watch a game where the Sixers can’t score 80 points and say that the double team isn’t working.  When the Sixers have screened high for Iguodala, the Magic are now using Howard to double aggressively.  It has largely forced the ball out of his hands in those sets.  The Sixers have not adjusted much to this at all.  They are still getting Iguodala the ball in situations that make it too easy for the Magic to defend.  This is what I mean when I say that DiLeo is losing the adjustment battle.  I’ll have more on adjustments in a minute.

-          The above defensive strategy has turned the Sixers into a jump shooting team.  That is exactly what the Magic wanted.  The Sixers have really done nothing to change this.  They are playing right into Orlando’s hands.  Most of the time, the Sixers are trying to play one on one basketball and it isn’t working. 

-          I just don’t understand why the Sixers think they can do the same things in every game of a seven game series and have success.  This is going back to the adjustments.  Stan Van Gundy saw how the Sixers were defending the Magic and has made a huge adjustment and it paid big dividends last night.  The Sixers have been switching on almost every screen, so the Magic have started using Rashard Lewis in those screens.  It has allowed Lewis to have a mismatch on the block, and he is either abusing his defender or kicking for a wide open 3 when the Sixers sent a double team like last night.  Where are those types of adjustments from DiLeo?  The Sixers have made a few small ones, but nothing to write home about.  Why not dictate to the Magic, rather than play right into their hands.  Maybe use Young and Miller in post up situations more, since neither Alston nor Lewis can guard them down on the block.  That would make Orlando have to adjust.  How about letting Iguodala bring the ball up some of the time, so that if the Magic want to double they will have to bring that double team from far away and if they don’t Iguodala can easily penetrate and get the Magic scrambling.  I just feel like the Sixers are making it easy for Orlando, and from what I have seen from the Magic, if you make them earn it, they may wilt under the pressure.

-          Other than in Game 1, Lou Williams has been awful.  I am a huge fan of Williams, and I think he can help the Sixers in a ton of ways.  There are two reasons he is struggling: 1) He is falling into the trap that most of the Sixers are and that’s settling for jumpers; 2) He needs to get stronger because even when he has been able to get to the rim, he isn’t finishing when he takes a hit, and you aren’t going to get those calls in the playoffs.

-          In 2 of the Sixers losses, they have been crushed by the Magic on the offensive boards.  That is inexcusable to me.  Orlando is one of the worst offensive rebounding teams in the NBA, so to allow them to get a ton of second chances just can’t happen.

-          I don’t want to make this a huge issue because it will be a discussion for the offseason, but can everyone please stop thinking the Sixers will go anywhere with no low post presence?  I am not saying Elton Brand is the answer, although I think he will prove to be a huge addition next year, but I think everyone gets caught up in the excitement of how good the Sixers are in transition.  Sorry to tell everyone, but if that is the only way they can consistently score, they have no chance to win an NBA playoff series.  It is another reason why the Magic have figured out an easy way to defend the Sixers and Howard can roam the paint.  Think about this series for a second.  Who would guard Brand in the post?  Lewis?  Turkoglu?  They certainly wouldn’t use Howard because that tales away his best asset as a defender on the weak side.  This is also the reason why I would like to see the Sixers post up Miller, or Young, or anyone who has an advantage on the low block.  When you are able to create that in your offensive set, it forces the defense to make a decision.  Instead, the Sixers hardly ever post up and allow the Magic to keep them on the perimeter.  Too easy.

-          I realize Dwight Howard is a beast, but I won’t accept that as a reason the Sixers aren’t getting to the rim.  He is on the Orlando Magic, deal with it.  Figure out a way to get the Orlando defense to move around and scramble.  Having Iguodala come off screens and then try and beat a double team himself or kick it to a guy who can’t shoot, won’t get it done.  You can’t play a drive and kick game if you have terrible outside shooting.

I could probably go on forever, but I won’t.  The Sixers have had their chances to upset the Magic in this series, but have not taken advantage.  It is disappointing as a fan, but I won’t sit here and make it sound like this Sixers team deserves to win.  They haven’t earned it.   But, the Sixers came to play and I won’t take that away from them.  I just feel like there are a lot of similarities between this series and the entire season.  The Sixers can go into L.A. and beat the Lakers, but lose all 4 games to the Nets.  They don’t seize opportunities when they are there, and in facing the Orlando Magic there was an opportunity.  I didn’t realize how soft and undisciplined this Orlando team was.  I hope the Sixers can come out with a great performance in Game 6 and then see what happens in Game 7.  In order to accomplish that, though, there will have to be some major changes, because at this point, Orlando is very comfortable on both ends of the floor.

The NBA playoffs are finally here and the Sixers have made it to the second season for the 2 consecutive years.  Once again, the Sixers are a heavy underdog.  Last year, they surprised a lot of people by taking the Pistons to 6 games, so what will happen in their series against the Orlando Magic? 

The Magic are a very different team since losing Jameer Nelson before the All Star break.  Before Nelson’s injury it looked as if the Magic had a real chance to contend for the best record in the Eastern Conference.  Rafer Alston has done a nice job filling in for Nelson, but the Magic are not nearly as dynamic as they were with Nelson running the show.  What the Magic do have going for them is Dwight Howard.  Although, the Sixers have defended him well in their 3 games during the season, it has led to the Magic having a field day from beyond the arc.  That is exactly how the Magic play, and we all know that the Sixers do not defend three point shooters well at all.  After one game against the Magic this season, Tony DiLeo remarked that the Sixers have to “pick their poison” when defending the Magic.  I’m not sure I agree.  I think if your objective is to stop Dwight Howard from going off at the expense of leaving the shooters open, it plays right into the Magic’s hands.  The Magic surround Howard with 4 shooters, including Rashard Lewis who is as dangerous as anyone in the league when he gets going.  I went back and checked, and the Sixers went 11-22 this season against the top ten 3 point field goal percentage teams in the league, including 3 losses to the Orlando Magic.  Some of those teams were not very good basketball teams either.  The bottom line is that the Sixers do not match up well with the Orlando Magic.  They have lost 8 of their last 9 games against them.  With or without Jameer Nelson, this is a tough match up for the Sixers.  Both teams struggled down the stretch, but the Magic were missing Howard for a game, Turkoglu for a game and Lewis for 2 games.  So, do the Sixers have a chance to pull off the upset?  Here are a few keys…

TURNOVERS- The Magic have a tendency to turn the ball over.  The Sixers need to win the turnover battle and jump start their transition offense.

DEFENSE- This is really their only chance in this series and it includes a million different things.  Every series has adjustments, so DiLeo will have to make them throughout.  But, as I said previously, I don’t think they stand a chance if the focus on Howard too much.  The Magic will shoot 30 threes a game if you collapse on Howard.  I think DiLeo should throw every defender he has in has in his arsenal and use up as many fouls as possible.  Be physical with Howard, and understand that occasionally you will give up some easy buckets to him.  But, what I wouldn’t do is double and triple team Howard and leave the shooters open.  That is a recipe for disaster.  I would hit Howard with double teams once in awhile to change up the looks.  The Sixers need to show up in this series defensively, because if the Magic are able to hit 50% of their shots, this will be a blowout.  Another important aspect defensively will be the Sixers transition defense.  The Magic are not necessarily a running team but what they like to do is spot up for threes on the brak as well as hit Howard on a quick low post.  It is important that the Sixers communicate and match up quickly in transition.

OFFENSIVE GLASS- I think the Sixers should have an advantage here.  Orlando is not a great rebounding team other than Dwight Howard.  The Sixers need to hit the glass hard and look to create as many second chance opportunities as possible.

BE AGGRESSIVE- It’s the playoffs.  The Sixers need everyone to be as aggressive on both sides of the ball as possible.  Take the fight to Orlando.  I don’t care if the miss shots, get it blocked, get called for a charge, or even a flagrant foul, they must show Orlando that they are ready to play.  Orlando has never struck me as a particularly tough team.  The Sixers need to be the tougher team.

I could go on and on, but I won’t.  Orlando is the better team.  They have shown themselves to be better than the Sixers on both sides of the ball.  In order to take this series, Andre Iguodala, Andre Miller, Thaddeus Young, and Lou Williams are all going to have to be at the top of their games.  Not just for one game, but for the entire series.  So, is it possible that the Sixers win this series?  Yes, it’s possible.  Do I think it will happen?  No, I don’t, but I will as happy as everyone else if they surprise me and pull it out.

PREDICTION: MAGIC IN 5

I have to admit that as I am typing this, there are already 2 NBA playoff games in the books.  The Cavs crushed the Pistons and the Celtics went down in overtime to the Bulls.  Still, I’m sure no one thinks I was going to pick the Pistons to take out the Cavaliers and I’m still picking the Celtics, so don’t accuse me of cheating.  Well, you can, but I won’t listen.  So, I wanted to quickly get out my first round picks, with the exception of the Sixers series because we will take a closer look at that series tomorrow.  I won’t go into great depth on my picks in this round, but at least they will be out for all to see and then bet the opposite if they want to win money.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

CLEVELAND vs. DETROIT

Like I said, currently the Cavs are already up 1-0 in this series.  Honestly, this is an easy series to pick.  I know that Rip Hamilton was talking a couple weeks ago about how the Pistons are the team that nobody wants to play, but I think the Pistons quit on this season a long time ago.  On the other hand, you have a Cleveland team led by a determined LeBron James.  The Cavs are far superior in every single area, except experience.  This is not the same Piston team who went to 6 straight conference finals.  The leader of those teams, Chauncey Billups, is now in Denver, and these Pistons don’t defend like they used to.  There is a lot of pride in players like Tayshaun Prince and Rip Hamilton, so they may make a couple games close, but in the end, I think the Cavs get a series sweep and await their next opponent.  CAVS IN 4

BOSTON vs. CHICAGO

Boston has already lost in a great overtime game, and this was a series that was tough for me to pick.  When the news broke that Kevin Garnett would likely miss the entire playoffs, I started looking at this series as a possible upset.  Derrick Rose continues to play better and better, and the Bulls are fast and athletic and have streaky outside shooters in Ben Gordon and John Salmons who can throw up points in bunches when they are hitting.  I think the key for the Celtics is going to be to make Derrick Rose as much of a jump shooter as they can.  They have the athletes to play great help defense as they have shown, and it is imperative that they make the Bulls hit shots.  Another key will be to keep the Bulls off the offensive glass.  The Bulls have some extremely athletic in Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas who can hit the glass hard and create a ton of second chance opportunities.  Perkins, Powe, and Davis are going to need to be strong on the defensive boards.  One huge key for the Celtics will be the play of Rajon Rondo.  With Garnett out, Rondo will need to play more of a scoring roll, and he must play well.  If Rondo has a tough series, the Celtics don’t stand a chance.  I still think the Celtics, led by Pierce and Allen will be able to figure out a way to beat the Bulls.  The Bulls will have a few games in this series where the outside shot is not falling and when that happens for them, they become a lot easier to defend.  CELTICS IN 7

ATLANTA vs. MIAMI

This is an interesting series.  The Hawks took the Celtics to seven games last year and gained valuable playoff experience in the process.  They are a very tough team at home and they can run or play in the half court by running their offense through Joe Johnson.  On the other side, the Heat have Dwyane Wade.  There are people who think that Wade will carry the Heat to the second round.  Joe Johnson will likely guard Wade, but you can bet that the Hawks will be doubling Wade as much as possible in order to get the ball out of his hands.  Other than Jermaine O’Neal and Wade, most of the Heat are not playoff tested, and I’m not sure they are playoff ready.  I think the Heat will struggle to score in this series. HAWKS IN 6

WESTERN CONFERENCE

LOS ANGELES vs. UTAH

I am going to keep this one simple.  The Jazz were playing better basketball last year and lost to the Lakers in 5 games without Andrew Bynum.  The Jazz can’t seem to defend and have no prayer of winning games on the road.  There are terrible matchups all over the court in favor of the Lakers.  Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, oh, and some guy named Kobe Bryant will be able to score at will against the Jazz.  Last year’s series was actually entertaining, but this year will not be.  LAKERS IN 4

DENVER vs. NEW ORLEANS

I kept wavering on this one, but the main reason was because I kept thinking about previous Nuggets teams.  But, this year’s version is much different than those in past seasons.  They are now led by one of the most clutch performers and an NBA Finals MVP in Chauncey Billups.  Even crazier is the fact that the Nuggets actually play defense this year.  Denver will be running at every chance they get in this series, and no matter how great Chris Paul is, I just don’t think New Orleans has enough scoring or depth to keep up with Denver.  I think Carmelo Anthony is going to have a huge series.  Chris Paul and David West will have their moments as well, but not enough to come out on top. NUGGETS IN 6

SAN ANTONIO vs. DALLAS

Do the Spurs have any kind of a run in them without Manu Ginobili?  Well, Tony Parker and Tim Duncan can never be counted out, and you can bet that Greg Popovich will devise a defensive scheme to make things difficult for the Mavericks.  Dallas is playing probably their best basketball of the season right now.  Jason Kidd has looked like he has developed some nice chemistry with his teammates and Jason Terry is on fire.  Jason Terry is the “X” factor here.  If he continues to come off the bench and knock down shot after shot I think the Mavs will be tough to beat.  I am not sure the Spurs have that run in them this year.  MAVS IN 6

PORTLAND vs. HOUSTON

This has the makings of an excellent series.  Portland seems to be everyone’s pick to challenge the Lakers.  This will likely be a coming out party for Brandon Roy for the people that have yet to see him play.  I think rebounding will be crucial in this series, as well as Houston’s experience.  Portland is probably a year away from making a playoff run.  If Ron Artest is allowed to play his physical style, the Rockets defense becomes very hard to score on.  This will be a physical series, but in the end Houston’s experience prevails. ROCKETS IN 6

With 12 games to play in the regular season the Philadelphia 76ers dropped two winnable games against the Detroit Pistons and the Charlotte Bobcats.  At the time, the losses were detrimental because they dropped the Sixers out of the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference. 

But after those two setbacks, Philadelphia rattled off three consecutive victories and appeared destined to fight its way back into the fifth spot.  The two poor losses were a distant memory—nothing more than a small misstep on the path to the playoffs.  As it turns out, those three wins were the aberration and not the two losses.  The Sixers were on the verge of a free fall that very few people saw coming (well except for me). 

It would be easy to point to the injury of Thaddeus Young as the catalyst for this free fall.  His injury did coincide with the sudden slide to playoff doom.  But the injury to Young is more of a convenient scapegoat for Philadelphia fans than a viable explanation.

The lack of effort on the defensive end cannot be explained by Young’s injury.  The complete and utter lack of rhythm on offense surely cannot be pinned all on the absence of Young.  The spike in dumb turnovers would not suddenly vanish had Young been in the lineup. 

The Sixers were playing bad basketball before Young was injured and his departure made it worse. 

But should we really be surprised by this rapid descent?  Why is it that a team can look so good against the Lakers and so bad against the Nets?  There are two reasons: the first has to do with effort and the second with the personnel of this team. 

Because this is a young team, they have peaks and valleys in their effort level.  This is not to say they are mailing it in when they lose—but like all young players, have difficulty sustaining max effort for an entire season.  The best teams are able to maintain an energy level throughout the grueling NBA season.  The Sixers found that energy level against the Lakers but left in the locker room against the Nets.

Consistent effort is paramount in the NBA, but it is not the biggest problem plaguing the Sixers right now.  Want to know what is?  They simply are not that good.  The reason this team is so streaky is because its best players are not consistently good at the fundamentals of basketball.  On any given night, Andre Iguodala can put up 35 points, 10 boards, and 6 assists.  But he can also easily throw in an 8 point effort that is highlighted by 10 turnovers.  When athletic ability is your only gift—you will hit cold streaks.  And therein lays the problem. 

The Philadelphia Sixers are comprised of a bunch of players that are excellent athletes and only average basketball players.  On some nights, their athletic ability allows them to masquerade as great basketball players.  But in a long NBA season, the truth almost always reveals itself and it has been rearing its ugly head as the Sixers stumble into the playoffs.

I’m extremely glad that I took the time last week on this site to break down the remaining schedules of both the Heat and the Sixers in the battle for the 5^th seed in the Eastern Conference (note: the previous sentence is complete sarcasm).  I was way off base on my predictions, although I did award the 5^th seed to the Heat due to tiebreakers.  What a battle it turned out to be! (There’s that sarcasm again)  The Sixers have now lost five straight and have fallen into the 7^th seed in the conference.  The only bright spot in an otherwise dreadful stretch of basketball has been the play of Lou Williams.  Other than Williams, the Sixers have been pretty hard to watch.  It really is a disappointing way to finish the season.  The Sixers clearly are not a talented enough or deep enough team to make up for the loss of Thaddeus Young.  Young is supposed to possibly return tonight against the Boston Celtics, and the Sixers desperately need a jolt of energy.

It is easy to make the case that the Sixers stumble down the stretch is solely due to Young going down with an injury, but I think that’s being too kind. 

While the injury definitely played a role, I see a bit more than that.  Young’s injury coincided with the Sixers clinching a playoff berth, and while the players talked a good game about wanting to play well and win the 5^th seed, they feel pitifully short of backing it up.  They took their foot off the gas.  Losing Thaddeus Young is not the reason that the Sixers have given up over 101 points per game since his injury.  Yes, it’s true that there are more mismatches on the defensive end of the floor with Evans, Speights, and Ratliff getting extended minutes, but in reality the Sixers have simply been lazy on defense.  They have lost a scorer on the offensive end in Young’s absence, but when I watch them on the defensive end it is comical.  They haven’t looked like they had an ounce of energy since the Hawks game that Young was injured in.  It’s frustrating because I have felt all along that if they could have won the 5^th seed and faced the Hawks, they could have made it to the 2^nd round of the playoffs which would have done wonders for the future of this team.  That was a lot of “woulda, shoulda, coulda” in one sentence, and none of it matters now. They are a barely average team that relies on winning one way, and if that isn’t working, they completely cave in.  I will still watch to see how the Sixers perform under pressure in the playoffs and I still hope for some sort of fire from the team in their last 2 games.  Maybe the return of Thaddeus Young will spark the Sixers energy and confidence, or maybe the Celtics and Cavs will aide them since they have nothing to play for at this point.  Either way, putting injuries and excuses aside, this has been a regular season of disappointment and missed opportunities.

“This is a game we won’t forget about and also will forget about.”  Uhhhh…What?!  That is what Tony DiLeo was quoted as saying following Sunday night’s awful loss to the New Jerset Nets.  Now, I know what DiLeo meant, but that doesn’t make it any less funny to read.  That is one of those quotes that can make your head spin, very similar to the way the Sixers play can do the same.  I chose not to write a single word after the loss to the Nets, because it really didn’t deserve any space on this website.  Plus, I probably would have been arrested for vulgarity had I written anything at all.  Instead I want to simply look at the remaining six games, and the Sixers chances of snagging the 5^th seed in the Eastern Conference.

There are a few factors that play into the remaining games as I see it.  I am basing all my predictions on possibilities.  Three of the final 6 games will be against Boston and Cleveland and there is a chance that the Sixers may not be facing their best squad, but it remains to be seen.  Here’s how I think it will play out between the Sixers and Heat in the battle for the 5^th seed…

Tuesday, April 7th

Sixers @Charlotte- Tonight’s game is huge.  While it is not a must win for the season, I believe it is if the Sixers want any chance of beating out Miami.  The Bobcats are going to fight tooth and nail, as they cannot afford any more losses if they want to sneak into the 8^th seed.  I think/hope that the Sixers come out with aggression and play from in front and win a close game.

New Orleans @ Miami

Obviously Miami has the same motivation in their final 5 games as the Sixers do.  But, tonight I think a good New Orleans team will win in Miami.  New Orleans is fighting for playoff seeding as well.  They currently sit in 6^th in the West, but can as high up as 3^rd if they play well down the stretch.

Sixers- 41-36     Heat- 41-37

Thursday, April 9^th

Sixers @ Chicago

It is looking like the Bulls have secured either the 7^th or 8^th seed in the Eastern Conference, but they aren’t going to be assured anything at this point.  It will be a tough road game, but I am going to go with the Sixers in this one.  Andre Miller is going to put up big numbers against the Bulls.

Sixers- 42-36     Heat- 41-37

Friday, April 10^th

Cleveland @ Sixers

The Sixers have no shot in this game.  Not only is it a road/home back to back, but it is against the best team in the conference.  The Cavs are fighting to beat out the Lakers for best overall record in the NBA.  They have only lost one game (albeit to the Lakers) at home, and have their sights set on the NBA Finals.  You better believe they want home court advantage.  Sixers will be beaten handily in this one.

Miami @ Boston

The Celtics are tough at home, and they definitely want to ensure having the home court advantage in a possible 2^nd round match up with the Magic.  I think Miami is going to play tough in this one, but the Celtics prevail.

Sixers- 42-37     Heat- 41-38

Sunday, April 12^th

Sixers @ Toronto

The Sixers have a lot to play for, and Toronto has absolutely nothing to play for.  That should be a recipe for a win, although you never know with this Sixers team.  I will give them the benefit of the doubt and put this one in the win column.

New York @ Miami

Dwayne Wade will make sure that Miami takes care of the Knicks in front of the home crowd in a big game. 

Sixers- 43-37    Heat- 42-38

Tuesday, April 14^th

Boston @ Sixers

There is a pretty good chance that this game will mean something in the playoff seeding for the Celtics.  I will base my prediction on that premise and say that the Celtics take down the Sixers in order to secure the 2^nd seed in the Eastern Conference.

Miami @ Atlanta

This game could very well be a first round playoff series match up.  Depending on where the Hawks stand at this point, this game could be to lock up home court for the first round.  I think the Hawks will want to make sure the Heat don’t feel good on Atlanta’s home court.  Atlanta wins a close game.

Sixers- 43-38     Heat- 42-39

Wednesday, April 15^th

Sixers @ Cleveland

The more I looked at the schedules for each team, I decided that the race between the Lakers and Cavs for best record in the NBA could very well come down to the final regular season game.  With that theory in mind, the Sixers will not win in Cleveland.  If they have already clicned by this point and decide to rest some players, the Sixers may have chance.  I am not sure that will be the case.

Detroit @ Miami

If everything breaks down the way I have laid it out, then this would be a huge game for Miami.  At this point, Detroit will likely already know it can do no better than the 8^th seed, and will pack it in like the Pistons tend to do.  Miami wins their final regular season game.

Sixers- 43-39     Heat- 43-39

So, that would mean the Sixers and Heat end their battle tied.  The two teams split their season series, so the next tiebreaker would be conference record.  If we use my scenario, the Heat would finish with a conference record of 28-24, and the Sixers would sit at 27-25.  Obviously, this would mean that the Sixers would finish 6^th in the East and face either the Magic or Celtics.

I am hoping that it plays out differently, of course.  I am simply laying out what my prediction would be if you put a gun to my head (please don’t, I don’t want to have to get physical).  I know I am making a big deal out of this whole thing, but it’s because I truly believe that if the Sixers can somehow get the 5^th seed, they will win their first round series.  I believe just winning a series and getting to face Cleveland in the 2^nd round will benefit all the young Sixers heading into next season.  This team needs to grow and learn what it feels like to win a playoff series, and getting the 5^th seed is the only way for the Sixers to do that.