THE SIXERS: A CASE STUDY IN MISMANAGEMENT

If the Harvard Business School were to offer a course in sports franchise mismanagement, the current Sixers' regime should be a prominent case study. In the spring of 2008, the team galloped into the post-season, threw a scare into the Detroit Pistons, and appeared to be a team on the make. Last year was disappointing, but it still was a .500 team that made the playoffs. But in this just-concluded campaign, the Sixers finished almost 30 games under .500 and in the last few months appeared to be in complete disarray. Eddie "Princeton Offense" Jordan has already been asked to walk the plank and others are bound to follow.

So how did management allow this to happen? Let's count the ways.

1. THE COACHING MERRY-GO-ROUND. Mo Cheeks was fired after only 23 games of the 08-09 season, a most bizarre move. Removing a coach early in a campaign should be done only under the most extreme circumstances. None such existed. Even more bizarre, Cheeks was replaced by Tony DiLeo from the front office who hadn't coached in 10 years. And while everyone insisted DiLeo was not an interim coach, he turned out to be just that. And then DiLeo was replaced by Jordan, an NBA lifer with a system profoundly unsuited for the Sixers' personnel.

The key point is not the competence of Cheeks, DiLeo, or Jordan but the lack of continuity. The Sixer organization should emulate the enduring success of coaches like Jerry Sloan or Greg Popovich who have had time to establish a culture over time.

2. THE POORLY CONCEIVED ACQUISITION OF ELTON BRAND. The Sixers of 07-08 had established a nice chemistry with a special affinity for the running game. It's hard to see how Brand could fit into that scheme even if he were at the height of his skills. Actually, since Brand labored for so long in the obscurity that surrounds the Los Angeles Clippers, one wonders if anyone actually ever saw him play since he left Duke.

3. THE FAILURE TO RE-SIGN ANDRE MILLER. If there was any doubt before, it now crystal clear that Miller was the most important player in the Sixer offense. Of course he had some liabilities, but he was and is one of the elite point guards in the league, someone who can run the fast break and create in the half court as well.

Now it may be that Miller could not have been persuaded to stay at any price, but it does not appear the front office made a concerted effort to retain him. And this leads to #4.

4. THE MISPLACED NOTION THAT LOU WILLIAMS COULD REPLACE MILLER. Williams is one of the team's most valuable assets, a potent scoring guard coveted around the NBA. Point guard skills are not that easily acquired and they do not play into Williams' strengths. Jrue Holiday played well and may be the Sixers' point guard of the future but he too is a long way from replacing Andre Miller.

5. THE SIGNING OF ALLEN IVERSON. This was truly a side show and distraction. It probably significantly slowed the development of Holiday and Williams as it cut into their minutes. Sixer fans have to hope that Williams' confidence, which at times seems fragile, was not permanently damaged by this forgettable season.

To be sure, this team has other issues which have festered for years. But this list is directly attributable to management decisions made in the last two years. Ed Stefanski has a lot of explaining to do.

Sixer Notes - The Ghost of Andre Miller

The Sixers are fading fast with a 4-6 record in an anemic division. When you consider that three of those wins were at the expense of the winless Nets and 1-9 Knicks, there is little to be encouraged about.

Any day now, we might expect Ed Stefanski to announce he is replacing Eddie Jordan with non-interim coach Tony DiLeo so the team can move in a "new direction". So far, the Princeton offense has been about as effective as the Maginot Line was in keeping the German army out of France in World War II.

Andre Miller was recently moved into Portland's starting lineup and coach Nate McMillan is pleased with the results. The Trailblazers are 8-4 and in second place in their division. This serves as an unpleasant reminder for Philadelphia fans of how important Miller was to the offense of the South Philly squad - and how ill-equipped Lou Williams is to replace him.

Sixers Running In Place in the Off-Season

In the aftermath of the disappointing 08-09 season, the Sixers were faced with three major issues - the respective futures of Sam Dalembert, Elton Brand and Andre Miller.

The team reportedly tried to shop Brand and Dalembert, to no avail. The former's market value is severely diminished because of contract size, age and injuries. And even the Yao Ming-less Rockets were not sufficiently tempted to make a play for the seven-footer from Haiti.

As for Miller, if you believe the press reports, the Sixers have not even made a serious offer. It may be that what we've been hearing from both sides is negotiating posturing. And perhaps a significant sign-and-trade deal could be constructed.

But the fact remains that while numerous teams around the league have already made significant improvements, Eddie Jordan's squad is excrutiatingly similar to that of Tony DiLeo.

The personnel moves made in the last few months have been marginal at best. Jason Kapono is a fine long-range shooter and that was a Sixer shortcoming. But Kapono is still a limited minutes role player. In the right situation, he could be a difference-maker the way John Paxson and Steve Kerr were on the great Bulls' teams but this Philadelphia ensemble will never be confused with those Jordan-led Chicago teams.

And despite the glowing scouting reports of draft pick Jrue Holiday, his resume is just too limited to plan your future around him. He could turn out to be the Wachovia Center's version of Paul Pierce - or he could be the reincarnation of Rodney Carney.

In the meantime, Ed Stefanski says the team needs a guard, a swingman, and two bigs. Oh is that all? A wish list like that doesn't exactly inspire confidence in the immediate future.

Right now we're looking at last year's team but with Lou Williams replacing Miller at point which is certainly not an upgrade. No doubt some new role players will be added up front and in the backcourt but the Sixers don't have a lot of bargaining chips with which to deal from a position of strength.

What we're left with is the audacity of hope, and Eddie Jordan's motion offense.

Sixers Search For the Elusive Mr. Right

Now that Jay Wright has reassured us of his sanity by removing himself as a candidate to succeed Tony DiLeo, the Sixers' search for a more generic "Mr. Right" continues, perhaps with the help of eharmony.com. While from a PR standpoint, the Villanova coach would be a dream choice, there is no reason to believe it would have made much difference in the won-lost column. College coaching has little more in common with the NBA than with the Iditarod.

For nearly a decade, the Sixers have gone through coaches the way Elizabeth Taylor went through husbands but the team would been better served if they had stayed with one low-profile professional. I would not presume to speak for Ms. Taylor.

The importance of NBA coaches tends to be exaggerated. In most cases, they make only a marginal difference. Look at the surviving coaches in the playoffs right now - Karl, Van Gundy, Brown and Jackson. Have they been indispensable to their teams' success? Hardly. Denver became a contender the day they unloaded Iverson for Billups. The tipping point for Orlando and Cleveland was adding solid role players for their franchise players, Dwight Howard and LeBron. There was no brilliant strategizing by George Karl, Stan Van Gundy or Mike Brown.

The Lakers attained championship caliber when they managed to acquire Pau Gasol at a fire sale. Even Phil Jackson concedes that his team's effort is uneven. If the Zen Master himself has trouble motivating his troops, what hope is there for mere mortals like Randy Ayers, Jim O'Brien, Mo Cheeks, Tony DiLeo, Kurt Rambis, Dwane Casey, Eddie Jordan or Tom Thibodeau?

The real issue is team personnel and the Sixers' roster right now is loaded with riddles a super computer couldn't solve. Those personnel issues would have persisted, but Cheeks' replacement with "don't call him interim coach" DiLeo and the Elton Brand imbroglio were major distractions that resulted in more questions than answers. Of course, the franchise must name a coach reasonably soon to address the player issues in conjunction with the front office. But if they think that if they sift through enough sand, they can find the one man capable of leading them to the promised land, they are on a fool's errand.

Sixers' Post-Mortem - A Lost Season

The Sixers' 2008-09 season has mercifully concluded - RIP. But the ignominious manner in which it ended - getting blown out at home by a decimated Orlando team - exceeded the norms of human decency. All women and children should have been evacuated from the Wachovia Center by half time. Anyone who paid for their tickets that night now knows how former Wachovia Bank stockholders must feel.

Even though Philadelphia matched their record from the previous year, including the six-game first round playoff loss, the campaign must be considered a major step backward. When Mo Cheeks was replaced by Tony DiLeo in what seems like decades ago, the mantra echoing from the front office was that the team needed a new direction. Unfortunately, what we are left with in the spring of 2009 is NO DIRECTION. The promise, momentum and excitement generated in the latter part of the 07-08 season are nowhere to be seen.

If Andre Miller does not return, the Sixer offense requires major reconstruction. Even if he does return, there are numerous personnel issues - the proper roles for Brand and Iguodala, the enigma that is Dalembert, how to use Speese. The list is endless.

The Sixers have boxed themselves into a corner and in the short term, it's hard to see a way out. They rolled the dice with the Elton Brand signing and now they have to make it work, even if it kills them - which it might. They gave Iguodala the kind of the money to do things which he is not capable of, like take over the offense. And they replaced Mo Cheeks in mid-stream with a front office exec with minimal, and not necessarily relevant, coaching experience.

Coach DiLeo seems like a good man who did an adequate job. But there is no reason to believe that Cheeks, who was saddled with the Brand experiment early on, would not have done at least as well. Neither DiLeo nor Cheeks will ever be confused with Red Auerbach, but for the most part, NBA coaching is overrated - continuity is more important. Coaches should be changed intra-season in only the most extreme circumstances. This instance did not qualify.

Throughout the year, the party line from announcers, coaching staff, and front office was that no matter what the won-loss record was, these players always gave maximum effort. Well in a do-or-die game six, the Sixers could have phoned in their performance. Opponents' shots went uncontested and the best we could get was finger-pointing after the game. Truly a lost season.

The Re-Emergence of Thaddeus Young

Going into this season, there was probably no player on the Sixers with greater upside than Thaddeus Young. As a rookie in 2007-08, he struggled early in the season and saw limited playing time. But in the second half of the year, Young thrived in the team's new up-tempo system where his athleticism was on full display. In the off-season, he worked on his outside shot and this paid dividends as the 08-09 campaign kicked off. However, this was short-lived as the team in general, and Young in particular, went into a deep funk, probably at least partly due to difficulty in adapting to the presence of Elton Brand. The Georgia Tech star averaged only in the low double figures for the first couple of months and then picked it up only to the 14-15 ppg level with a poor shooting percentage. He seemed confused, indecisive and was settling for too many three-point attempts.

But in the last 4-6 weeks Young seems to have regained his confidence. He is going to the hoop with authority, taking advantage of his speed and elevation, and his left-handedness. In March, he has been averaging 20 ppg and scored 29 last night in the win over the Timberwolves. The Sixers now have a very solid threesome of Young, Miller and Iguodala who are capable of scoring 60 or more points in a game and this triple threat presents a challenge to opposing defenses.

In order to make a run in the playoffs, these three need to keep their foot on the gas pedal, but they will need help. This is where the coaching staff needs to think outside the box. Lou Williams and Marreese Speights are excellent offensive players who need more minutes. Yes, you sacrifice some defense and rebounding but it's worth the risk. They don't necessarily have to start but it should be possible to up their playing time. Williams is only averaging 23 mpg and Speights 15 mpg. Williams in particular is such an explosive scorer that if he saw 30-33 minutes, he could well score 17-20 ppg. The rest of the roster - Dalembert, Green, Ivey, Marshall, Evans - is just too inconsistent.

Sixer Malaise, Bobcats in Rear View Mirror, Pitt's Tourney Chances

Sixer Malaise

The Sixer win over the Raptors Wednesday night comes under the dog bites man category. But the home team needs any kind of win right now, so they can't be too fussy over the caliber of the competition. Likewise, Sam Dalembert had a monster night, for him, 18 pts and 13 rb, but against pretty much phantom opposition. But it shows how important he can be for the team, particularly when Miller and Iguodala are having sub-par nights. For reasons which are not altogether clear, this Sixer team just does not seem as dangerous as they appeared 4-6 weeks ago. They are not as energetic, perhaps because the two Andres - their two most important players - are pretty banged up. The team's defense is spotty and yes, their outside shooting deficiencies keeping resurfacing. At times, Andre Miller looks like their most reliable shooter and that's not a good sign.

It's been said over and over again but the Sixers have to run if they're going to make any noise in the next couple of months. To fully exploit Thaddeus Young and Iguodala, they should be filling the lanes. And if the break isn't there, they should push the ball up anyway. They should be doing this on every possession but it's not happening, not even close.

Bobcats in the Rear View Mirror

Charlotte is a hot team and has moved into the playoff picture. While it's very unlikely, if the Sixers collapse, the Bobcats could catch or surpass them. It would be both ironic and embarrassing if Larry Brown's crew was to upstage his old team.

Pitt's Tournament Chances

The University of Pittsburgh has had another outstanding season under Jamie Dixon. He, like Jay Wright, does a remarkable job without the benefit of the top heavy talent at the likes of North Carolina and Connecticut. Pitt hasn't gotten past the Sweet 16 in recent years but this year they are projected #1 seed and many are predicting them to be a Final 4 team. I hope they're right, but I don't think so. They just don't have a margin for error as they are small and depend so heavily on Sam Young, DeJuan Blair and Levance Fields. But Blair is prone to foul trouble and Fields is hurting. Young is their best player and a real blue chipper, but unless they get exceptional production from their role players like Wanamaker and Dixon, too much pressure will be put on Young to carry the offense. Of course, much depends on brackets and match-ups, but I think this very likeable group of overachievers will come up a little short, again. Unfortunately, last night's loss to West Virginia in the Big East Tournament only reinforces this thinking.

Trade Deadline Approaches But Sixers Should Stand Pat

With Elton Brand officially out of the equation for this year, the Sixers are now officially a running team again - in effect the same team that was so successful last year. And in recent weeks, they have been replicating that success. But a number of national and local commentators seem to have concluded that the home team has limited upside with its existing roster. They will make the playoffs, of course, probably in the 7th spot, but would then lose to Boston, Cleveland or Orlando, or so these pundits conclude. However, a cursory look at the standings shows this to be far from a foregone conclusion. The Sixers in fact have a very legitimate shot at finishing as high as 4th so they wouldn't even have to face one of the Big 3 in the first round.

But why not raise the bar and set more ambitious goals? A Sixer upset of the Cavs, Celtics or Magic is not unrealistic, for two reasons. First, because of the turmoil in Philly this year surrounding the Brand integration, or lack thereof, the team has not had the chance to recapture last year's momentum. They are in the process of doing that now, and as their confidence builds, there is room for significant upside over the next couple of months.

Second, and perhaps more important, the team's young players are better than they were last year. Andre Iguodala is approaching veteran status and playing his best ball. Thaddeus Young and Lou Williams are showing more maturity to go with their explosive offensive games. Willie Green and even Royal Ivey are solid role players. Sam Dalembert, limiting his role to shot blocking, rebounding and alley-oop dunks is contributing again. Then there is Marreese Speights who may be the perfect counterpoint to Dalembert's offensive underachievement. Speights is the wild card for this team if he can limit his immaturity mistakes. He is already creating match-up nightmares for the opposition. The Sixers didn't have Speights last year when they lost to the Pistons in 6 games, so he brings a major new dimension to the team.

And finally there is Andre Miller. Iguodala fans make take offense but Miller is the GPS for this team - passing, scoring, rebounding, defending, making good decisions. Here's a question. Which point guard in the Eastern Conference, or the Western Conference for that matter, is outplaying Miller this year? The first one with the correct answer wins two tickets to Cher's 15th Annual Farewell Concert ................ Time's up. The correct answer? No point guard is doing more for his team than Andre Miller, All Star balloting not withstanding.

Yes, the Sixers could use additional outside shooting. Yes they could use more size at guard and forward. But not at the expense of the delicate chemistry it's taken a half of a season to regain. They should allow the trade deadline to come and go and make their playoff run with this group. Any major personnel moves should be delayed until the off season.

Another Look At Elton Brand

Elton Brand Revisited

The Sixers, from the coaching staff to the players, are - surprise, surprise - saying that they will be a better team with the return of Elton Brand to the lineup. It is possible that this will turn out to be true, if not now, then down the road. But what it also almost indisputably true is that the team has been playing easily their best ball of the season in the course of winning seven in a row with Brand out with a shoulder injury. The Sixers are now playing the way they finished last season - loose, running with abandon, aggressive on defense. Contributions are coming up and down the roster and even Sam Dalembert has been getting into the flow. None of this could be found early in the season with Brand in the starting lineup and it probably cost Mo Cheeks his job.

When the Sixers streaked improbably into the playoffs last season and gave the Pistons a bit of a scare in the first round, the conventional wisdom was that the home team had maxed out. For them to go deeper the next time, they needed another piece to complete the puzzle. When Elton Brand became unexpectedly available, it was not unreasonable to think he could be that piece - a blue blood, blue chip player with a low post game. And when Brand joined the club, he did what he is payed to do, a double-double every night and maximum effort at both ends. But the team's chemistry was disrupted and players seemed confused about their roles. Perhaps in the course of Brand's second tour of duty, everything will fall into the place. There is really no good reason why it can't. But there is also the nagging concern that the Elton Brand acquisition could turn out to be a very expensive mistake.

Random Thoughts

The vicious hit suffered by Baltimore running back Willis McGahee late in yesterday's playoff game cast a pall over an afternoon and evening of football. If the NFL fails to implement policies immediately to eliminate such gratuitous violence from the game, it will be a gross dereliction of responsibility.

Measuring the Sixers' Progress

Sixer Status Check:

With 4 wins in a row culminating with a strong performance against the much improved Atlanta Hawks, the Sixers are showing some consistency at both ends of the court, particularly on offense. They are making three's and scoring in the open court. But the fact of the matter is that the team is just now approaching the level of play it displayed in the last three months or so of last season. And this is almost half way into this season. In the short term, they need to show they can sustain this level for the next couple of weeks. Then they will face the added challenge of incorporating a healthy Elton Brand into the lineup without upsetting the team's chemistry. In other words, here we go again.

Random Thoughts:

In the late stages of the Villanova-Louisville game on Saturday, a timeout was called. Play resumed but just a few seconds later, there was a stoppage of play and another timeout was called, this one the required TV timeout. Then came the final two minutes and another flurry of timeouts ensued. Presumably the sponsors love all this time to peddle cars and beer but it really disrupts the flow of the game for the players and fans. It's long past time for something to be done about it and not just in the college game. But don't hold your breath.

Joe Gordon, an old-time baseball player with the Yankees and Indians, was just voted to the Hall of Fame by a Veterans Committee. This is not about whether he deserves the honor. But Admission to the Hall is too subjective, if not downright whimsical. Gordon died 30 years ago and cannot enjoy his honor. At least Jim Rice, who had to wait 15 years, can. Criteria for admission should be clarified and streamlined, and players should not have to wait this long.

Rocky Mountain Breakdown, Sixers Lose in Denver

A very tough loss on Friday night in Denver in a game the Sixers seemed to have under control in the third quarter. But blowing a 17 point lead in the NBA, particularly on the road, with more than a quarter to go is not much more unusual than dog biting man. Some comments:

For a change, the Sixers shot respectably from the three-point line, 5-12. Unfortunately, the Nuggets went lights out, 15-31, a club record. That kind of shooting is tough to defend but Philly should have made some defensive adjustments to counter Denver's long-range barrage, particularly at crunch time. The home team scored 37 points in the fourth quarter.

Sam Dalembert played 27 minutes and totaled 13 rebounds and 2 blocks, respectable numbers. Less respectable was his offensive "output", 2 points on 1-5 shooting. He also made a huge mental error in failing to contest a dunk by Kenyon Martin late in the game. Marreese Speights scored 12 points in 18 minutes and continues to show real offensive flair.

The Sixers had another poor foul shooting night, 18-30. One assumes that the squad spends adequate practice time at the foul line. Beyond that, foul shooting is what it is. To say they would have won if they made more from the charity stripe, as some do, is like saying that if they played better they would have won.

Tony DiLeo says it doesn't matter if the team wins right now as long as they continue to improve. The emphasis on patience by the Sixer management is admirable. It was not as evident a few weeks back when they expressed a need for "new direction" and showed Mo Cheeks the door 23 games into the season.

Sixers Offer Little Resistance to Celtics

The Sixers played the best team in the world last night and the results were entirely predictable. In the Tony DiLeo era, the team has beaten two bad teams, lost to a bad team, and lost to a great team. It was certainly hard to find any silver linings in Boston. Curiously, the Sixers got off to a fast start, as they have repeatedly this season. In the first quarter, Andres Miller and Iguodala were white hot, finishing off fast breaks, Iguodala above the rim and Miller with his clever below-the-rim maneuvers. But like a comet burning itself out, it was downhill from there. From then on, it was the Celtics on the run and the Sixers in slow motion. It hardly seemed to matter whether the coach was Cheeks or DiLeo, or whether Brand or Green were in the lineup or not.

Aside from the first quarter last night, the Philly offense continues to struggle for its identity. Look no further than Reggie Evans outscoring Thaddeus Young 12 to 7 and Evans accomplishing this in half as many minutes as Young. Thaddeus, who started the season well, has been floundering for weeks, reduced to a long-range shooter which he decidedly is not. Until this Sixer team figures out how to get Young involved in the offense to the tune of at least 15 points a night, they are not going to succeed.

The three-point line continues to be a nemesis for the Sixers, at both ends of the court. They shot 0-11 last night, their second consecutive shutout. Perhaps even more damaging, they allowed 7-14 shooting from the Celtics. Admittedly, Boston creates many matchup problems, but this has been a problem against other teams as well.

But make no mistake, these Celtics are at the top of their game as they make history. It's hard to see what could derail them aside from major injury.

DiLeo Loses First Game

Tony DiLeo was an undefeated NBA coach going into Saturday night's game against Indiana. And no doubt the Las Vegas oddsmakers figured he would stay undefeated. The Sixers were at home, they seemed to be building a little confidence in the last few games, and the Pacers were a 9-17 team. And there was more. Indiana was decimated by injury or illness with three top players out and a couple more under par. Not since Washington wintered at Valley Forge has such a rag tag team passed through the Delaware Valley. The only thing missing was the fife-and-drummer. Actually, life was less complicated for General Washington as there was no 24 second rule or three-point line back then. If Larry Bird had been in town on Saturday, no doubt he would have been activated.

So naturally the Sixers lost. This was the kind of game that is very frustrating to analyze. The home team seemed to do a lot of things right. They started the game according to script, running up a double digit lead early but of course in the NBA that means little. In the second quarter, they went flat, allowing the Pacers back in. Iguodala and Miller had strong games, with the latter notching a triple double. Dalembert had one of his best games of the year, with 14 rebounds in 36 minutes. Speights scored 12. Williams cooled down from his recent torrid pace but still was a factor offensively. In fact, a half-a-dozen Sixers scored in double figures, not a common occurrence. Only two negatives really stick out. One was a bagel from three-point land, 0-8. The other was giving up 26 points in the fourth quarter whereas in the previous two games they had held their opponent under 20 points in the final quarter. The bottom line last night was the Sixers really didn't have an answer for T.J. Ford who scored 25 and buried the winning pull-up jumper with Iguodala's hand in his face.

A four-game winning streak would have been nice, but the rubber hits the road in Boston on Tuesday night where the Sixers will take their mid-term examination.

Three in a Row for Sixers

The Sixers edged the Wizards on Friday night:

Lou Williams scored 26 points in 28 minutes, his second breakout game in a row.

Five Sixers scored in double figures.

Marreese Speights scored 17 points on 7-9 shooting.

The marginalization of Samuel Dalembert continued; he played but 11 minutes.

Perhaps most significant, for the second straight game, they held their opponent to less than 20 points in the fourth quarter.

But it's hard to assign much weight to any of these developments until they play some teams they're not supposed to beat. They are going to face that challenge this week.

Brand Injury Lets Stefanski Off the Hook

One of the ironies of the Elton Brand injury is that it muddies any attempt to compare the DiLeo era with the Cheeks era. Or is it the DiLeo/Stefanski era? If the Sixers should struggle for the next month or so, it can be excused because of Brand's absence. If they should find their groove, would it confirm they are a better team without Brand, or that they run more effectively without brand, or that DiLeo's "attention to detail" is paying off? Or would it show that minus Elton, Mo Cheeks could have built on the success that earned him two contract extensions last season? Etc, etc, etc. In any case, it probably gives Stefanski some cover for the Cheeks firing since it's so hard to make any straight-up comparison.

Quick Takes:

The Boston Celtics are looking scary good right now and are on track to be on a 19 game winning streak going into the their Christmas day matchup with the Lakers. The emergence of Rajon Rondo as a scorer as well as a defender, playmaker and yes rebounder has provided Doc Rivers with offensive and defensive balance coaches dream about.

The NBA and the NFL each have seven teams with winning percentages under .300. This makes for a lot of uncompetitive games. Clearly both leagues have too many teams and not enough quality players. If parity is truly a goal of the leagues, they have a funny way of showing it. The NBA in particular should do some soul-searching. Last year, two perennial doormats - Memphis and Minnesota - provided key players (Gasol and Garnett) to the eventual championship finalists, the Celtics and Lakers, while receiving virtually nothing in return. It may be a truism that the rich tend to get richer but this was ridiculous.

Sixers Beat Bucks: Lou Williams Breaks Out

The satisfaction of two consecutive wins for new coach Tony DiLeo was muted by the injury to Elton Brand. Some notes on the game:

In the previous game, Andre Miller had taken just a handful of shots and failed to score double figures for the first time in a while. A number of commentators remarked that this was Miller's proper role, strictly a distributor of the ball. I don't agree. Last night, Miller scored 19 including 12 in the first quarter when the rest of the Sixer offense was AWOL. Miller needs to go to the hoop to be effective. And even though he is not a high-flyer, he is one of the best finishers on the team.

The Sixer defense really stepped up in the fourth quarter, a key to the win. The Bucks were held to 15 points but we can't get too excited about this yet because this was, after all, the Bucks.

The bench contribution was enormous, shades of last season. Speights scored 12 points, mainly from just running the floor and being active. Reggie Evans is hard to explain. He gets zero points for artistry and he can't throw the ball in the ocean. But somehow he makes things happen. He's kind of like the Joe the Plumber of the Sixers. Come to think of it, given the NBA salaries, Reggie has a lot more reason to be concerned about higher taxes than the real "Joe".

And then there is Lou Williams who had a season high 25 points. Williams started out tepidly this year but for the last few weeks, his offense has been getting into gear. Lou may well be the Sixers' most talented, most creative offensive player although he probably doesn't know it. When his outside shot is working he is almost unstoppable. Based strictly on merit, he should probably be starting but he may be just as important coming off the bench in the mold of some of the classic NBA sixth men such as John Havlicek. Just so Williams gets enough minutes and is around at crunch time.

The Cheeks Firing - Window Dressing 101

Mo Cheeks is one of the classiest and most likable personalities in sports in general, and in Philadelphia sports in particular, and in the best of all possible worlds he would have coached for a decade or more in the city where he made an indelible mark, and then left on his own terms.

But pro sports is big business with little place for sentiment. If a team is losing, particularly in the NBA, the ex-coaches' trap door opens wide and down the next victim slides ending up in the recyclables bin. More than a dozen NBA head coaches have been down the chute since the end of last season. Mo knows the drill and we're certainly not talking economic hardship here. Still, something is wrong with this picture.

Late last season, the Sixers were the toast of the town, a team with lots of upside and little downside - young with a sprinkle of wise veterans, athletic, loose, deep, and gaining confidence. This was an especially dangerous mix going into the playoffs and no doubt the Pistons anticipated trouble. They got that trouble but ultimately they were able to hold off the Sixers. But the Philadelphia team showed they were the real deal and there was the feeling that Cheeks' squad, not to mention the entire city, couldn't wait for the 08-09 campaign to begin. In the meantime, the coach's contract had been extended not once but twice. They began the season very tentatively but then they went on a mini-streak and got over .500 and things were looking up. But then an absolutely horrific 10 games and Mo is gone.

Now Cheeks certainly deserves plenty of responsibility for the slide. But at what point in the last 3 weeks did Mo Cheeks forget how to coach? At what point in the last 3 weeks did he lose the respect of his players? Management had enough confidence in Mo just a few months ago to extend his contract. Now they need a "new direction"? So new coach Tony DiLeo is "change you can believe in"? On Saturday night, in the win over the hapless Wizards, Bob Salmi remarked on how Dalembert was running the floor for coach DiLeo. Was Dalembert unable to run the floor for Mo? Did Cheeks tell him not to run the floor? It just doesn't add up.

Elton Brand is the only tangible difference from last year's squad and presumably his acquisition was primarily a front office decision. Clearly, a major issue has been integrating Brand with his new teammates. The difficulty of accomplishing this integration should not be underestimated and sometimes the only road map is trial and error. It may not have seemed so at the time, but obtaining a player like Brand was a huge gamble. The young Sixers were an unorthodox mix of players with an unorthodox style of play. Unless there were some behind-the-scenes issues we are not aware of, the front office should have understood that Cheeks needed more time to splice Brand into the system. Not a quarter of a season.

Most of the time, changing coaches is just window dressing. Perhaps there will be a short-term bounce. Or perhaps Tony DiLeo will turn out to be Red Auerbach and John Wooden rolled into one, but skepticism is advised. And if DiLeo fails, then what? Larry Brown will be brought back to save another franchise, just like he resurrected the Knicks and the Bobcats? Larry Brown - now that's change you can believe in.

In the meantime, if we could somehow recoup all the money the Sixers have payed to ex-coaches and ex-players, we could bail out General Motors, Chrysler and the Wachovia Center's namesake.

Sixers-Cavs, Another Ugly Loss

It's hard to say which is worth less these days, Sixer tickets or General Motors stock. Perhaps the Sixers should ask Congress for a bailout. Some notes on Friday night's ugly loss to the Cavs:

Willie Green rebounded from a poor effort with a fine shooting game ending up with 19 points, but most of it was early in the game. Unfortunately this was offset by Andre Miller who was not offensive-minded, taking only 8 shots and making 2.

Except for Thaddeus Young with 10 points, the Sixers got virtually nothing from their bench. Yes, Lou Williams was out but up until a few weeks ago, depth was considered a strong suit for this team. Now it's anything but.

Dalembert actually started strong but faded and ended up with but 6 points. Elton Brand scored 11 but on horrible shooting. Speights didn't score. There is just no consistent production from their big men.

Brand, his offensive struggles not withstanding, puts out maximum effort. But in general, the team looks lethargic. They are getting beat on the offensive boards and they are not getting enough loose balls. There is no absolutely no excuse for this.

There is also absolutely no excuse for scoring 72 points in a 48 minute NBA game.

Sixers' Lineup Change No Panacea

The Sixer meltdown continues. Some notes on last night's game:

Moving Iguodala to small forward makes sense and starting Willie Green is reasonable. Iguodala had an excellent game and it is a better position for him although he has been playing very well recently anyway. The problem is that Green scored but two points and unfortunately that has been his MO throughout his career - excruciating inconsistency. You can do all the shuffling you want, if your shooting guard can't shoot you're in trouble.

The only Sixers earning their pay right now are the two Andres and of late, Lou Williams. Dalembert continues to be AWOL - last night 2 points, 2 rebounds. Elton Brand's offense was AWOL last night but to his credit, his hard work produced 10 rebounds. Thaddeus Young is in a real funk and is shooting far to many outside shots.

There are still far too many defensive breakdowns.

The Sixers shot %10 from three-point range.

Lebron James is the 8th wonder of the modern world; as a matter of fact you can throw in the ancient world as well - say, just after the Great Pyramids. If he were a foot shorter, his speed and quickness would still be blinding. Forget about the Knicks. David Stern should create a special league just for Lebron.

21 Games In and the Sixer Glass is Half Empty

Here's a measure of how disappointing the Sixers' season has been to date. They are tied for last place in the Atlantic Division with the Raptors, who just fired their coach. Ahead of the Sixers in the standings are the Knicks, who are paying Stephan Marbury $21 million not to play, and the Nets, who were the consensus pick to finish in the cellar. Oh yes, and there are the Celtics who have already clinched a playoff spot. Looking at the rest of the Eastern Conference, there are only four teams with records worse than Philly, the Bobcats, Wizards, Pacers and Bucks. Complementing this on-court ineptitude has been anemic attendance at the Wachovia Center.

Perhaps the Sixers can draw inspiration from the Eagles who were given up for dead just a few weeks ago. But 21 games into this season which began with such lofty expectations, there are far more questions than answers.