Iverson Would Rather Retire then be a Bench Player

A.I. returned to action this past weekend after missing 16 games with a back injury, and coach Michael Curry has used him sparingly off the bench in the last three games.

Iverson complained about his minutes on Tuesday after playing 18 against Cleveland. He admitted that he does not like the new role after playing 17 in a 111-98 loss to the Nets on Wednesday.

I’m in a position now that I’ve never been in my whole life. It’s harder than I thought it would be. With the back injury, I have to sit out at the start, then go in, then sit again. It’s tough to really get going. I take my hat off to the guys who can come off the bench and be effective. It’s tough for me. I’m struggling with it.  I’d rather retire before I do this again. I can’t be effective playing this way. I’m not used to it. It’s tough for me both mentally and physically. If I’m able to go out there, I should be able to get it done and I can’t right now. It’s my fault. I have to be able to overcome the adversity and do what I have to do. I just have to find a way to get it done. Not being 100 percent makes it harder and you can see that I’m not 100 percent.

Iverson Fined for 2nd Time as a Piston

Detroit Pistons guard Allen Iverson was fined $25,000 by the league on Tuesday for making inappropriate comments toward a fan in a win at Charlotte.

Iverson made some obscene comments to a fan with 6.2 seconds remaining in the third quarter during the Pistons’ 90-86 victory over the Bobcats on Saturday.  It is still unclear as to what AI really did say.

Celtics Hand A.I. and Pistons the Loss

Rajon Rondo had 18 points and eight assists, outplaying Allen Iverson and the Pistons and leading the Boston Celtics to a 98-80 victory over Detroit on Thursday night.

Iverson had 16 points and four assists for Detroit, which fell to 4-3 since he was acquired from Denver for Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess. Those two helped the Pistons reach the conference finals, where they lost to Boston in six games as the Celtics went on to win their 17th NBA title.

A.I. Still Talking ’bout Practice

During Allen Iverson’s introductory press conference to the Detroit Pistons, the Answer still can’t stop talking about practice…..

Nuggets Trade Iverson to the Pistons

The Pistons have reached an agreement with the Denver Nuggets to acquire guard Allen Iverson in exchange for Detroit mainstays Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess.  Young center Cheikh Samb, selected by the Los Angeles Lakers for the Pistons with the 51st overall pick in the 2006 draft, will also be going to Denver in the deal.

Joe Dumars who was reeling after yet another early postseason exit last year promised an off season shake up and he sure delivered.  Not so sure it was a positive shake up though.  Sending away arguably your best player and floor general in Chauncey Billups for a washed up and aging Allen Iverson.  Not to mention one of your grittiest big men in the deal.  Detroit who was picked to be another top contender in the East might have just fallen off of their high horse with this moronic move by their GM.  Hey it helps the Sixers, I’ll take it.

Denver now looks to have a much better shot in the West adding perennial All-Star Chauncey Billups as a true point guard, something Denver has lacked in recent years.  McDyess also gives Kenyon Martin some help in front court.

Sixers 8th in ESPN’s Power Rankings

Marc Stein of ESPN.com has ranked YOUR Philadelphia 76ers 8th in the NBA in the pre-season Power Rankings.  This is probably the highest the Sixers have ever been on Marc Stein’s over-hyped ranking system, but you know, I’ll take it.

I am a diehard Sixer fan, probably one of the few Philadelphia sports fans where the Sixers are my favorite over the Eagles, Phillies and Flyers (which would be the order of importance to me).  I have never been more pumped for the start of an NBA season then I am for this upcoming season.  The Sixers were hands down the outright winners of the offeason and the team they are about to trot onto the hardwood could be the best in years.  The run and gun style combined with a true post presence really gives me goosebumps when I think of the potential this team possesses.

Mr. Stein ranked us 8th in the NBA, but behind fellow Eastern Conference mates: Boston (1), Cleveland (6) and Detroit (7).  He had this to say about our franchise heading into the 2008/2009 NBA season.

The Sixers were undisputed champs of the offseason, but it’s also true that Mr. Brand might lift last season’s No. 7s only one spot. Philly can finish anywhere from No. 2 to No. 6, like Cleveland, Detroit, Orlando and Toronto.

I think Mr. Elton Brand will indeed lift us higher then then 7th seed in the East.  I’m predicting a 3 seed (behind Boston and Detroit), it’s bold, it’s a tad high, but who ever said lofty expectations were bad.   I think Mr. Brand is the best pickup we possibly could have made.  Not only was he the best FA out there, but he also filled our biggest need at a true Power Forward.

Things are looking bright Sixer Fans and I’m jumping on the bandwagon now, wait, I was always on the Sixer bandwagon… anyway, see you on opening night.

Wrap it Up

Well 215 fans, who woulda thunk it?

Tonight, yyyyyour Philadelphia 76ers take on the Hawks in Atlanta, and with a victory tonight the 76ers will clinch a playoff berth.

With the Sixers magic number at 1 over both the Indiana Pacers and New Jersey Nets, a win tonight and the Sixers are in for the first time since 2005, quicker then any of us imaged post-Iverson.

It won’t be easy as the Sixers are on the road against one of the hottest teams in the NBA, a Hawks team that has won 9 out of their last 11 and are in a battle for the 8 seed in the East, also with Indiana and New Jersey. The man the Sixers will need to look to keep in check tonight is ‘The Game’ look-a-like, Hawk forward Josh Smith, who has been averaging 20 points, 6 boards, 6 assists, and 6 blocks a game during that stretch.

If the Sixers do fall short tonight, they can still clinch today with a loss by BOTH the Pacers, in Milwaukee and the Nets, in Detroit. If the Sixers come up short tonight and either the Nets or Pacers win, the Sixers next opportunity to clinch will come tomorrow night, this time at the Wachovia Center against the same aforementioned Hawks.

Some Sixer Facts – PHI 95, BOS 90

• Down 10 points in the 4th
• 19 – 0 run highlighted by 10 straight from Iggy to take an 89 – 80 lead with 5:00 to go.
• 1 of 6 teams to win IN Boston this year
  • Detroit, Charlotte, Washington, Toronto, and Utah being the other five (all playoff teams except Charlotte – Ray Allen did not play in this game)
• 18 – 5 since the All-Star Break.  2nd best record in that span only to the Houston Rockets (who also won 22 in a row)
• Currently hold the 6th seed as Toronto has dropped 2 straight, meaning we would not face Detroit or Boston in Round 1.
• 1 game behind the 5th playoff spot currently held by Washington
• ABOVE .500 FOR THE 1ST TIME THIS SEASON (36 – 35)

Oh, you wanted highlights…

To Make the Playoffs, or Not Make the Playoffs?

As the 76ers start their unofficial second half of the season tonight in Minneapolis, we seem to have deja vu about how the Sixers should approach the final 29 games of the NBA season.

Last year, the dust was still settling from the Allen Iverson trade to Denver, and the Sixers found themselves within punching distance of the 8th and final playoff spot in the East. However, the census around the city was the Sixers should play their young talent extensively and try to position themselves for the best LOTTERY pick possible. In other words; TANK.

They finished the season playing hard and inspired basketball and ended up 35-47.  This landed them five games out of the final playoff spot, gave them very few balls in the lottery drawing, and knotted them the 13th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. Not quite what the ferocious Philly fans (myself included) had in mind.

Coming off this years All-Star break the Sixers are 23-30 and are in a three-way tie for the 7th seed in the pathetic Eastern Conference at the moment.

So what to do this year???

After landing two additional first round picks last year, people were foaming at the mouth at the chances of a top 7, or 8 pick, a mid-first rounder, and a late first rounder. They ended up with the13th pick and the 21st pick after the lottery and a couple draft day deals.

This year, the Sixers need to build for the future going forward.  The best way to do this in my mind is to do all they can to get that into the playoffs and gain some experience (however short it will be) that is so valuable to a young and growing team.  The Sixers have been sort of stuck in sports hell; that being mediocrity. And once again,  the Sixers are on pace (even if they don’t make the playoffs) to be assured an 11th, 12th, or 13th pick again. However, a team full of Lou Williams, Thaddeus Youngs, Andre Iguodalas, and Rodney Carneys; gaining playoff knowledge from most likely the Pistons or Celtics over four games, is something that could potentially be extremly valuable to the growth process of these young players and could pay off huge dividends down the road. 

Back in heyday of Larry Brown, when Allen Iverson was running the team with a flurry of randoms and in-experienced guys at his side, playoff disappointments were a normal conclusion to the end of a few boring, middle of the pack seasons.   They were swept back to back years by the Pacers, but they continually matured and grew together as a team and eventually put it all together and made that memorable 2001 Finals run.

In order to have that the same growth and learning curve  like the ’01 Sixers had, a playoff berth for this years version (no matter if it is a 4 game sweep) will definitely be more beneficial to this group, then falling out of the playoff picture and into another lottery debacle like last year.