Eddie Jordan says the Sixers have no immediate plans to sign Allen Iverson.

Sixers head coach Eddie Jordan told the media prior to tonight’s game against the San Antonio Spurs that the team has talked about “retired” baller Allen Iverson, but there are no plans to bring him in as of right now.

“I have not been oversaturated with Allen Iverson in my mind or conversation with our front office,” Jordan said in comments aired on Comcas SportsNet.  “It’s like any free agent out there, of which there are  a number of them. We’re doing what we do with any free agent. We see what’s out there, but haven’t pushed a button yet on bringing someone in.”

The Sixers interest in Iverson began when the team lost guard Lou Williams for eight weeks to a broken jaw. The team has just Jrue Holiday at the point, and the general consensus is that the rookie isn’t ready yet and is in over his head.

Stay tuned on this one. We have a feeling this story has legs and A.I. could very well end up in Philly, especially if the team continues its struggles on its current rod trip. The Sixers have lost their last five and stand at 5-11 on the season.

Estás en una reunión entre amigos y de repente te das cuenta que llevas un buen rato ’sentadito’ en el sofá sin que ni tu parienta te haga caso. Los corrillos se van cerrando y te dan la espalda y tus comentarios pasan desapercibidos por el ambiente ahumado de la sala. Entonces te haces el fuerte, te levantas y lanzas airado: oye, que me voy, que me piro, no aguanto más, en plan invitado de DEC. Realmente no te quieres ir a ninguna parte, pero echas las redes de tu cabreo para que alguien te de un cachete en la espalda y te invite a una interesante conversación sobre crustaceos marinos. Más o menos esto es lo que ha hecho Allen Iverson. O en eso está, levantado en medio del foro de la NBA, gritando que se retira (lo hizo público en una carta el pasado miércoles en la web de Stephen A. Smith), cuando realmente se muere porque alguien le haga un poquitín de caso. No pide mucho, unos milloncejos de dólares y un puesto de titular. En esas que una ex, la que más le quiso, pero la que le tuve que dejar marchar ir con otra porque su relación no tenía ningún futuro, se está planteando dejarle un sitio a su lado. Hablamos de Philly, de los 76ers. La lesión por dos meses de Lou Williams ha abierto la puerta para que la antigua mansión de AI vuelva a ser su territorio. Desde la entidad de la ciudad de la Campana de la Libertad se ha confirmado el interés, pero no se adelanta a dar el paso hasta que no se complete una conversación entre Iverson y los diregentes y el técnico del equipo, Eddie Jordan. Anónimas fuentes de los 76ers han manifestado en varios medios de Estados Unidos la realidad de esta posibilidad, dentro de otras que están barajando para cubrir la baja de su pointguard titular.

Evidentemente hay pros y contras que estudiar antes de tirarse a la piscina (perdón por el término Sheed Wallace). Iverson ha sido una mosca cojonera en Detroit y Memphis (donde solo disputó tres partidos) por su suplencia y su experimento de Denver no terminó de salir campeón. A sus 34 años parece estar de capa caída, aunque él asegure estar en forma y en condiciones de afrontar retos sustanciales. Jordan le podría facilitar un puesto en el quinteto hasta que Williams se recupere. Entonces tendrá un problema. Además, la relevancia que tendría The Answer en Philly no sería paralela a la que tenía antes de irse de la institución hace dos años, ya que Iguadala, Brand y Young tienen una trascendencia superior sobre el juego del equipo. Iverson deberá aclimatarse a no ser el primer espada en un recinto en el que fue Rookie del año, cuatro veces máximo anotador, MVP de la Liga y disputó unas Finales.

¿Alguien dice que me quiere?

Las ventajas de la operación son obvias. Primero la carga sentimental que para los aficionados de Philadelphia tendría el retorno de uno de sus más recientes símbolos. ESPN recuerda las palabras que pronunció AI cuando, con los Nuggets, realizó su primera y única visita al Wachovia Center tras quitarse la camiseta roja de los 76ers. Entonces besó el escudo impreso en el parqué y dijo que que le gustaría retirarse en ese equipo. Ahora tiene la puerta medio abierta para hacer su sueño realidad. O no.

El peso nostálgico del retorno está siendo valorado en dólares por los dirigentes de los Sixers, el segundo equipo con menos asistencia en toda la NBA (11.800) y el peor si consideramos la capacidad de su pabellón (58%). Iverson revitalizaría el interés en la ciudad por el equipo y traería beneficios. Además no supondría ningún contratiempo en cuanto al tope salarial. La entidad aún puede gastarse 6,6 millones para no pagar la penalización por el impuesto de lujo. Iverson tenía previsto ganar 3,1 millones en Memphis, de los que solo cobró 437.000 tras dar la espantada al no aceptar su rol de suplente y mandar a Tanzania las 3.000 camisetas que los Grizzlies había encargado para rentabilizar su incorporación vendiendo merchandising.

Los Knicks declinaron su contratación la semana pasada al creer contraproducente para los intereses de su plantilla la adquisición de un jugador tan problemático, pese a que les hubiera servido de ayuda para ganar puntos ante Leon Rose, su representante y el de Lebron James. Tras anunciar su retiro de la NBA (la misma página publicó el interés de los 76ers), muchas habían sido las voces que intentaban animar a AI para que reconsiderase su propuesta y ahora apoyan la idea de volver a verle con la camiseta con la que protagonizó sus mejores partidos durante diez temporadas. EL entrenador que lo dirigió en los Sixers, Larry Brown, y el que lo tuvo en Los Hoyas de Georgetown John Thompson incluso tenían la intención de hablar directamente con el propio Iverson para hacerle reconsiderar su idea.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!! Hope everyone gets to eat plenty of turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and pie tonight. 

The Philadelphia 76ers are in a state of turmoil.  For those of you who do not know, the team is currently 5-10 and is struggling to compete with the teams regarded to be the worst among the league.  Case in point, the recent losses to the Memphis Grizzlies and Washington Wizards.  The Wizards game was a heartbreaking 108-107 loss that the Sixers had a chance to win at the last second but fell when Lou Williams’ shot came up short.  Last night was even more disappointing.  The Sixers played what might have been their most impressive game of the year against the Boston Celtics without Williams, who was sidelined with a broken jaw.  Elton Brand also was out with a hamstring injury, which in all honesty was probably a big reason they played great.  The Sixers led for much of the game, taking a six point lead into the fourth quarter at the Garden, only to squander it late in the game thanks to a late Celtic rally led by Paul Pierce, who scored 27 points and drew a key charge down the stretch, and Rajon Rondo, who led the comeback in the final minutes with six points, including a key jumper from the baseline to seal the game.  The Sixers lost to Boston on the road 113-110.  They played their hearts out last night but it wasn’t enough.  Despite the close score it’s still a loss, something the Sixers have been doing a lot of these days.  They have now lost four in a row by a total of 15 points.  They have been in every game but cannot close them out.  Two of the losses are considered “good” losses, as there is no shame in falling to both Cleveland and Boston on the road by a total of 9 points combined.  However, you cannot lose to teams like Memphis and Washington.  There is no excuse for it. 

So while the team has shown some life in the past few days, they have nothing to show for it.  You can play well against Cleveland and Boston but all that really matters is at the end of the game do you have more points than your opponent.  And for the past four games, the Sixers have come up on the short end.  The team stands at 5-10, 3rd place in the division only because the New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets are two of the biggest joke teams the NBA has ever seen.  Coach Jordan is on the hot seat.  He came in and said this team will be better than last year under Tony DiLeo.  As much as I hate to say it, this team was better under DiLeo than it is under Jordan.  He needs to get this team back on track soon.  The good news is that it is still very early in the season.  We’ve played only 15 games out of an 82 game schedule.  The bad news is that the road is only going to get tougher when we start facing the Western Conference teams soon, and with injuries starting to pile on (Marresse Speights, out 6-8 weeks with a torn ligament; Lou Williams, broken jaw), it’s only going to get tougher, and if a turnaround doesn’t happen soon, the Sixers may be in a hole too deep for them to climb out of.

In a matter of weeks, the driver market has upended itself.  The world champion has left his team and joined the 2008 world champion.  The 2007 world champion is out of racing, his spot taken by the 2005-2006 world champion.  A seven-time world champion is thinking of returning to the grid. 

Got it? 

No one was surprised when two-time world champion Fernando Alonso was announced at Ferrari.  Then, with Kimi Raikkonen seemingly ousted from the scuderia and Toyota announcing its withdrawal from the sport, Jenson Button landed at McLaren.  This earth-shattering news came just weeks after Button won the 2009 title for Brawn. 

My head is beginning to hurt.

At first blush, Button’s move seems hard to explain.  Brawn had thrown him a lifeline after Honda pulled the plug on its adventure in team ownership.  Brawn cleverly exploited the regulations in creating a double-diffuser that placed its car at the sharp end, landing Button his first world championship and a second consecutive British champion.

Button predictably increased his salary demands.  Brawn should have seen this coming, and to not have recognized Button’s increased worth was a mistake.  Perhaps Brawn thought Button would stay out of loyalty.  A quick glance at some of Button’s career moves suggests that he is less than reliable when it comes to cashing in on a promise.

My theory is that Button sensed a resurgent McLaren at the end of the year, once the other teams had caught up to Brawn and Red Bull’s “unfair advantage”.  We saw the title contenders close in on Button at the end of the year.  Possibly, Button calculated that Brawn would never meet his salary demands, whereas McLaren was happy to shell out for two British champions .  Button’s move is characteristic of his career trajectory, similar to his on-again, off-again move to Williams several years ago. 

Raikonnen’s disappearance from the grid next season is hard to explain, although rumors are floating that he will replace Button at the newly rebranded Mercedes F1 team, the three-pointed star having bought Brawn (and presumably thinking Button as well), being shocked to find out that longtime “partner” Ron Dennis had just bought Button for McLaren.  I saw that as a nice “f– you” to Norbert Haug for buying Brawn, and a middle finger firmly directed at Ross for sorting out the double diffuser first.

Now Eddie Jordan, of all people, is saying that Mercedes is in negotiations to sign Michael Schumacher.  The Schumacher-Raikonnen pairing was a near-miss when Michael retired, but it’s obvious from his aborted comeback of earlier this year that the fire burns.   Remember that his comeback was stopped cold by a neck injury.  This could be a pairing for the ages, or a disaster for either driver.

I questioned this story but wondered why Eddie Jordan would put it out without having some sense of the facts.  Eddie’s been known to stretch the truth (in fact, one might argue that’s what got him in to F1), but this is a big chunk of gossip to throw out there without a firm belief in its truth.  Eddie still likes his credibility.

It has all the makings for an incredible 2010.  Alonso in a Ferrari is mouth-watering.  With a decent car, Alonso could easily win his third title and bring the championship home to Maranello next season.  Notice I don’t mention Felipe; I’m sorry but his injuries are too severe for him to be the same driver who nearly won the title in 2008.  Michael in a Mercedes, alongside Raikonnen, is the matchup we all waited for when Kimi went to Maranello.  And two world champions in silver cars, rising above it all.

There are many problems with the Sixers this year, from the types of players that the team puts on the court every night to Eddie Jordan to the team’s propensity to only show up for a few quarters.  The worst part about the whole situation is that this is a team with no identity or leader, and it’s almost the same team we’ve had for a few years, albeit a little worse.

The Sixers started off strong tonight, really sticking it to the Cavs for three quarters.  By all accounts they were playing some really great ball.  Thad, Twitter king Lou Williams, Elton Brand, and Rodney Carney all played well.

If Andre Iguodala is going to be the team’s leader, he needs to step it up in big games.  As for the biggest head-scratcher of the night: why the fuck was Royal Ivey in during the fourth quarter?  Please Eddie, stop it with these shenanigans.

The next game is on Tuesday in Washington.  There will be no King James to worry about there.

“Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism Video” courtesy of Mike Polk

BBC Sport brings you a regular round-up of the gossip in newspapers and on specialist websites around the world.

Ross Brawn says selling out to Mercedes for a reported £70m will secure a “very strong future” for the team.
Full story: The Independent

Kimi Raikkonen has denied his manager’s claims that he is interested in joining the new Mercedes team.
Full story: Planet-F1.com

Swiss driver Neel Jani will test a Force India car in next month’s young drivers’ test at the Spanish circuit of Jerez. India’s Karun Chandhok could be in line to test alongside Jani.
Full story: F1-live.com

Michael Schumacher and Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Buemi are among more than 300 drivers competing at the SKUSA Supernationals karting evening in Las Vegas this weekend. The 0.66 mile (1.1 kilometre) circuit winds around the grounds of the Rio Las Vegas Hotel.

Full story: Formula1.com

Schumi Going Green?

And no… I do not mean environmentally friendly. After initial reports tipped Nick Heidfeld and Nico Rosberg for the drives at Mercedes GP (formerly Brawn GP), rumours have surfaced about another German bumping Heidfeld from the running. Former F1 team owner, and established race analyst Eddie Jordan, has stated his belief that retired, 7 time world champion Michael Schumacher, will now prospectively be the number one at Mercedes, which will place even more certainty on the impending departure of Kimi Raikkonen from F1, for the next year at least. Of course, this is still all up in the air. Michael faces a fair bit of red tape including gaining medical clearance, being released from his current contract at Ferrari… not to mention the physical wear and tear on that F1 will put on his body… how much more he can take has he suits up at the ripe age of 40? While it would be amazing to see the greatest driver of our generation take to the world’s circuits once more, we should remember that all of these talks could be surrounding a consultative move, comparable to his role with Ferrarri currently.

Jordan did comment that the contract would likely only last a year as the general thought is that Mercedes ultimately want Sebastian Vettel as soon as he becomes available… which could be as early as next year depending on any extensions and or/options that are extended in his contract at Red Bull Racing. This also pushes Heidfeld into drivers no-mans land, which is somewhat disappointing because many feel that while he has not always had the most flattering results in the series, that he is a bona fide competitor and that he could without a doubt be a solid contributor to any team in search of winning the constructor’s title. Stay tuned to cheddarbomb.wordpress.com for an upcoming breakdown of Teams and their driver selection to date.

Mercedes Loves Germans

You rock, Eddie, you rock!

Eddie Jordan é um sujeito boa praça, e o que há de melhor na transmissão da F-1 na BBC. Um contraponto perfeito para a insipidez de David Coulthard e o nacionalismo extremado de Martin Brundle. Quando, no meio desta semana, Eddie anunciou que Michael Schumacher poderia retornar à F-1 pelas mãos da Mercedes, vibrei. Gostaria muito, assim como o próprio Eddie, que o alemão retornasse. Sua simples presença, competitiva ou não, traria um charme todo especial ao campeonato de 2010.

O queixudo, porém, não vem. A Mercedes-Benz, neste sábado, deixou claro que não está negociando com o heptacampeão e que a chance de ele guiar para a Cometa GP em 2010 é zero. É pena, porque a segunda vaga vai acabar ficando com o mega sem graça Nick Heidfeld – e, atenção, não estou dizendo que ele não seja competente, apenas que é sem graça.

Claro que uns poderão dizer que a Mercedes está despistando e que o alemão tem chances, sim, de retornar, mas acreditem, meus caros: o cara não volta. Infelizmente.

As opções para o segundo cockpit da Cometa GP são interessantes, pois trata-se de um time que deverá apresentar um carro competitivo. Ao lado de Red Bull, McLaren e Ferrari, deve ser uma das forças do campeonato. O piloto que lá se sentar (ao lado de Nico Rosberg) será, de cara, um privilegiado. Pela lógica, a vaga tinha de ser de Robert Kubica, mas o polonês se amarrou à Renault e dançou. Heidfeld, portanto, parece ser a opção natural para o time alemão – é bom desenvolvedor da carros e é consistente, batendo muito pouco – embora seja pouco agressivo. A agressividade, porém, ficaria a cargo de Rosberg.

Trocando em miúdos, não seria uma dupla fraca não. Rosberg e Heidfeld podem dar muito trabalho aos demais, se o carro da Cometa for bom como o de 2009.

E vocês? Quem gostariam de ver no segundo cockpit da Cometa?

Um ótimo fim de semana para todos!

Michael Schumacher, holder of an insane amount of Formula 1 records, including the most drivers championships won, may be returning to Formula 1 to race with Mercedes-Benz GP, previously known as Brawn GP, but now taken over by Mercedes, hence the new name.

Mercedes has done a lot for Schumacher. He begun his career racing sportscars there, and they helped him get into Formula 1. Now, Mercedes is giving him a chance to return the sport. They want him as their lead driver. Currently, Schumacher is under a contract with Ferrari, but BCC F1 pundit Eddie Jordan says “…I understand he was due to meet Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo with a view to him being released – and that it will be approved because it is in the interests of F1.” Strangely enough, I saw another article which seems to contradict Autocar’s, saying that he has been sacked from the Formula 1 team as advisor. Mind you, it also mentions that he’s still working with them in the road car department, so perhaps that’s the contract they are talking about.

Jordan told the BBC “I also believe Ross and Michael have spoken in recent times and that Michael likes the idea of driving a Mercedes run by Ross. It’s a mouth-watering idea,” and “Schumacher was bitterly disappointed he didn’t get to come back to replace Massa – he’s keen to race again. And this is a dream for both parties.” That, along with his past relationship with Mercedes, may mean that he’ll end up racing for them. I’d really like to see that. Alex had his doubts about Mercedes-Benz GP doing well next season, but if they get Schumacher on, perhaps that disadvantage will be evened out to create some close competition.

Source: Autocar and Mibz

It seems there are some news stories flying around the Formula One paddock that may or may not be true. One thing that we do know at this point is that Kimi Raikkonen has decided to take a sabbatical from F1 for 2010 and go to the WRC. His decision is based on the fact that he was pushed out by Ferrari, was too expensive for every other team and couldn’t come to contract terms with McLaren before Jenson arrived on the scene. He has stated that he could return in 2011, but only if he is driving for a team that has a shot at winning a title. This logic also runs through his WRC hopes and he, I assume anyway, will sign with Citroen if he wants the best car. I am on the fence about him going. I was never a true fan of his, but he did bring a really mellow, laid-back, Finnish attitude to the pits that was really refreshing… plus, he could wear a hat like no other. His Kimi-cap fashion was something to see in every press conference. As far as rumor is concerned, there is some speculation going around that Michael Schumacher will actually return for the 2010 season. But the shocker is that it won’t be in a red car with a prancing horse at the front. If he does come back though, he could be pared with Ross Brawn again at Mercedes (formerly Brawn). Eddie Jordan, the outspoken former team owner and BBC pundit, has made it known that he believes Schumi will be back on the grid, but that it will be in a Silver Arrows with Mercedes Grand Prix. Personally, I would hate to see this happen, but it isn’t like Michael can drive for the prancing horse because both seats are filled. If Luca di Montezemolo had his way and gotten the third car he wanted, this would not be an issue, but because that won’t be an option, Schumacher to Mercedes looks like a possibility that cannot be denied. Also, it has come about that, although Schumi renewed his contract with Ferrari, it has nothing to do with the F1 team anymore and is solely focused on the road car division. This leaves his racing wide open and he could be the person to fill one of the two seats that is now open at Mercedes GP because of the departures of both Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello. Do I think Schumi will do it? I think he will certainly give it a shot, I mean, he desperately wanted to come back this year and was unable, but his neck injury meant that he had to return to the sidelines. But that will be healed soon, so he will probably give it a good run. Now, do I want Schumi to return in anything that isn’t red and comes from Maranello? Of course not. But that’s the way things work these days. The coming weeks will really tell the whole story, but it is an interesting development and could be one of the biggest stories of the off season if it comes to fruition. Just imagine what Schumacher and Brawn can do with a car that came away with both the driver’s and constructor’s championships last year. It could be a hell of a season if that’s the case. Stay tuned.

Eddie Jordan, former team owner and BBC Sport pundit has said Michael Schumacher is going to Mercedes Benz for the 2010 season.

The outspoke Irishman says that meetings are in progress as I write these words to release Schumacher, 41, from his contract with Ferrari.

The most successful driver of all time to make a massive return to the sport with the new team for 2010 and be reuinted with his former top technical man Ross Brawn.

It is unknown how much Mercedes will pay Schumacher, but it could be around £50million-£100million.

“It started with a meeting between Michael, Ross Brawn and Daimler chief executive officer Dieter Zetsche at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

“At the moment, it is not possible for Michael to drive for Mercedes because he has a consultancy contract with Ferrari.

“But I understand he was due to meet Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo with a view to him being released – and that it will be approved because it is in the interests of F1.

“I believe that is being planned at the moment.

“I also believe Ross and Michael have spoken in recent times and that Michael likes the idea of driving a Mercedes run by Ross. It’s a mouth-watering idea.

“Schumacher was bitterly disappointed he didn’t get to come back to replace Massa – he’s keen to race again. And this is a dream for both parties.

“Michael and Mercedes have go way back – he drove for their sportscar team before he raced in F1, and they were responsible for getting him in to F1. They paid the then Jordan team to give him his debut in 1991.

“He has won all these titles but never driven in F1 for Mercedes.”

the idea is that Schumacher will drive for 2010 before Sebastian Vettel is brought in for 2011.

I can’t believe Schumacher is coming back, and I am down right sad that he must have lied about his injuries and the fact he would never drive again back before Valencia after Massa’s accident.  If Schumi showed loyalty to his team then he wouldn’t even be considering this.  To Ferrari and to Ferrari fans he is a God, but not coming back on minute and then accpeting a massive salary to drive a whole season the next looks a bit dodgy.

As of the moment it is 100% unconfirmed.

Former F1 team boss Eddie Jordan believes next year’s Championship will include an all-German as well as an all-British team.

Monday’s announcement that Mercedes-Benz had taken over Brawn GP added weight to rumours that the new German team would opt for an all-German line-up in Nico Rosberg and Nick Heidfeld.

However, Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug was quick to deny the reports insisting: “We want to have the best ones and we definitely do not want to have the pure German team.”

But despite Haug’s assurances, hours later reports in the British press claimed that Jenson Button had given up on a race-seat with rebranded Mercedes GP team. Instead, he has agreed a three-year deal with McLaren.

And should he head to McLaren it would hand the British team an all-British line-up as he partners Lewis Hamilton.

“Clearly Mercedes have been planning for some time to buy in to Brawn and of course they are looking for two German drivers,” Jordan told BBC radio.

“So if that’s a German team, that opens the door for Jenson to go somewhere like McLaren and creating this wonder team of British stars.”

Have your say and share your views in the comments  – get writing now…

Reference Source: Planet-f1.com

Sixers guard Lou Williams dropped 18 points and dished out six assists in the Sixers 97-94 win on Friday.

While the Sixers have slipped into obscurity the last few years, and especially the last few weeks as the Phillies made another prolonged playoff push, they may finally be seeing a nice young nucleus develop.

Thaddeus Young and Andre Iguodala were known commodities entering the season. Lou Williams, stepping in as a starter in place of the departed Andre Miller, is starting to show flashes of being a legit starter.

Williams posted team-highs in points (18), rebounds (9) and assists (6) as the Sixers (3-2) squeaked out a 97-94 victory over the winless New Jersey Nets (0-6).

Granted, the Nets aren’t exactly the best measuring stick in the NBA, but Williams still had six assists and no turnovers. Playing 38 minutes without a turnover against any NBA team is something to build around, especially for a point guard finally getting extended playing time for the first time in his career.

Williams’ play kept rookie Jrue Holiday on the bench per coach Eddie Jordan’s decision.

Iguodala added 16 points, and sharpshooter Jason Kapono dropped 14 in the win.

The Sixers next play at Detroit on Sunday at 1 p.m.

With an off day in the 2009 World Series, this seems like a good time to recap the Sixers first three games.  Before I get into the Sixers, I want to give a shout out to Cliff Lee.  He is without a doubt the best pitcher we have seen in a Phillies uniform since the days of Curt Schilling.  No matter what happens in the rest of the series in New York, Cliff Lee deserves all the credit in the world for getting this team as far as it’s come.  Let’s keep thinking positive and focus only on Game 6, one game at a time.  Lets Go Phils!

Now onto the Sixers.  I’ll admit I have not been able to watch any of the first three games due to the Fall Classic but have caught all the highlights and read all the articles, so here is what I have to say about the first three games.  After a terrible opener in Orlando, the Sixers rebounded nicely with wins against Milwaukee and New York.  However, there are several issues to address.

Number 1: Defense

It hasn’t been there at all for the two games against Orlando and New York.  The Magic shot 55% from the field, and 55% from the 3-point mark, torching the Sixers in a lopsided 120-106 game that was never as close as the final score.  Against the Knicks, they blew a 23 point lead to allow them to force overtime.  Thankfully, Andre Iguodala and Lou Williams brought their A-games, combining for 59 points, 21 rebounds, and 11 assists to lead the team to a 141-127 overtime victory at Madison Square Garden.  The team is struggling to defend both inside the paint and from beyond the arc, something that they need to remedy immediately.  They did play a great defensive game against Milwaukee, taking their home opener by a score of 99-86 behind strong performances byAndre Iguodala (19 pts, 9 reb. 7 ast.) and Samuel Dalembert (10 pts, 12 reb., 2 blk.).  One of the most important things I noticed about that game was that Dalembert only had one foul.  He went on to have a great game and had a +18 for the night.  In the two poor defensive games against Orlando and New York, Dalembert has 5 and 6 fouls, respectively.  This led to his inability to contribute, which hurt the Sixers defensive game tremendously.

Good start overall offensively, as it seems the team has adjusted well to Eddie Jordan’s Princeton offense.  But the team has to be able to defend the opposition better.  Otherwise they have no shot.

• Boston va muy en serio. Rasheed Wallace y Marquis Daniels están sumando, no se ve en las estadísticas pero su trabajo está siendo realmente bueno. Además Pierce está muy enchufado y Rajon Rondo se nota que se está jugando un contrato. Aún se espera a Kevin Garnett.

• Miami y Denver han empezado fenomenal. Miami con un Wade sin forzar ayudado perfectamente por un Jermaine O’neal en una segunda joventut y Denver con un Carmelo Anthony estratosférico se presentan como alternativas a los principales candidatos al anillo.

• Cleveland está muy irregular y su banquillo no rinde, y Lakers echa de menos a Gasol mientras Artest sigue sin acoplarse.

• Houston está dando la cara (2-1)  sin sus dos estrellas (Yao Ming y McGrady) gracias a un Trevor Ariza que se está adaptando a las mil maravillas a su nuevo rol (23.3 puntos por partido).

• Orlando sigue con su racha de victorias que empezó en la pretemporada y lleva ya 11 partidos consecutivo ganando (8 en pretemporada y 3 en liga regular). Dwight Howard oposita para MVP (21.6 puntos y 16 rebotes de media).

• Washington y Oklahoma aspirantes a ser la sorpresa de la liga. Ambos equipos con un 2-1 en su casillero están mostrando un juego muy dinámico. Wizards ha recuperado al mejor Gilbert Arenas y al mejor Brendan Haywood que junto a Mike Miller y Antawn Jamison puede causar problemas a cualquiera. Además Andray Blatche está a un nivel asombroso y ya coge número para ser el jugador con mayor progresión, de momento 21 puntos por partido y más de 6 rebotes. Thunders por su parte están liderados por un Kevin Durant que tiene todo para ser un jugador que marque época y está siendo muy bien secundado por sus escuderos Westbrook y Jeff Green, dos de los jugadores más infravalorados de la liga.

• Memphis tiene buena pinta. Aún sin debutar Allen Iverson, el equipo de Marc Gasol está mostrando un nivel más alto de lo esperado. El propio Marc Gasol se está mostrando inconmensurable en la pintura con 20 puntos y 11 rebotes en apenas 29 minutos. Zach Randolph y O.J. Mayo también están ofreciendo un gran momento de forma. Si siguen jugando así no descartemos a los Grizzlies para playoffs.

• Otro equipo que pinta bien son los Sixers de Philadelphia. Eddie Jordan sigue demostrando que es un gran entrenador para este tipo de equipos y a su llegada a Philadelphia le ha dado galones a los jóvenes que no han tardado en responderle con grandes actuaciones. La rapidez de Louis Williams, el dinamismo de Thaddeus Young y la movilidad del pívot Marresse Speights están siendo la gran punta de lanza de este equipo que además cuenta con un Elton Brand recuperado y un Andre Iguodala que cada vez toma mejores decisiones.

• New York Knicks y Nueva Yersey Nets son dos auténticas bandas. Ambos equipos vivirán de lo que puedan mejorar sus jugadores jóvenes: Gallinari por parte de los Knicks y Douglas-Roberts por parte de los Nets. De momento, muy bien ambos.

• Sacramento es posiblemente la plantilla más floja de la NBA y aún así Sergio Rodríguez no goza de minutos. Los Kings tienen depositadas sus esperanzas en Tyrekee Evans, un base-escolta con un potencial enorme que le pondrá difícil el rookie del año a Blake Griffin.

• Y hablando de Blake Griffin (lesionado para dos meses), sus Clippers no levantan cabeza y son sorprendentemente el peor equipo hasta la fecha. Un equipo con jugadores de la talla de Kaman, Baron Davis, Marcus Camby o Eric Gordon cuesta creer que no hayan ganado todavía.

La jugada de lo que llevamos de temporada a cargo de Manu Ginobili (San Antonio Spurs):

The Philadelphia 76ers are about ready to kick off the 2009-10 campaign Wednesday night in Orlando.  The Sixers, under new head coach Eddie Jordan, started the preseason 4-0 and finished with a 5-3 record.  Jordan has said that he is pleased so far with what he has seen, but we won’t truly know how good they are until the regular season begins.  The team has made their final roster decisions, so let’s go through each position to see who will be playing for the Sixers this season.

Point Guard

Starter: Lou Williams

This will be by far the the biggest question for the Sixers this season.  The loss of veteran point guard Andre Miller to free agency has caused a lot of questions among critics as to whether or not the Sixers will be able to fill that spot capable of producing the same numbers as Miller.  Rather than put all the burden on one player, the Sixers will most likely rotate in and out different players to play point guard in the beginning of the season.  If one player appears to stand out from the rest, look for that man to become the full time starter.  However, for now, Lou Williams will get the start and see the most playing time at point guard.  This will be Williams’ first season as a starter, and depending on his play, we’ll see if he remains there throughout the duration of the year.  Williams was very effective coming off the bench for the Sixers last season, averaging nearly 13 points per game.  He has also done well so far this preseason.  I am glad to see Lou get the opportunity to start after putting in several years coming off the bench.  I expect him to have no trouble scoring, forcing turnovers, or hitting clutch free throws with the game on the line.  What concerns me about Williams is his poor shooting percentage, especially from beyond the arc, as well as his ability to take care off the basketball.  He also will probably struggle early on in running the offense, including the fast-break which Andre Miller ran so well, until he gets comfortable playing over 30 minutes every night.  It will be a struggle for Lou early on, but hopefully he will be a quick learner and adapt to the change from being a reserve to an every day starter as soon as possible.

Reserve: Jrue Holiday

Backing up Williams, will be 1st round draft pick Jrue Holiday.  While the team has high hopes for Holiday down the road, this will probably be a building year for the Sixers top draft choice.  Holiday is still very raw, having only played one year at UCLA before leaving for the NBA.  He was regarded as the best high school player in the country in 2008, but struggled to live up to the hype last season at UCLA, having a very mediocre year for a very mediocre Bruin team.  The Sixers love his potential to dominate, but still realized he is a work in progress.  It may take a couple seasons before Holiday is able to play to his potential.  Until then, he will serve as a backup seeing limited time in the beginning of the season.  Depending on how well he plays, Holiday could see his minutes increase as the season progresses.

Shooting Guard

Starter: Andre Iguodala

No surprise here as Andre Iguodala begins his sixth season with the 76ers.  The Sixers will turn to Iguodala to provide the majority of their points every game.  Iguodala has usually been an 18-19 points per game player, a number the Sixers would like to see increase this season.  If Iguodala ever wants to be among the elite of the NBA guards, he will need to improve both his 3 point shooting and free throw percentage.  Iguodala averaged barely over 30% from beyond the arc last season.  This has to improve as the team cannot continue to get poor three point shooting from its backcourt.  In addition, he was inconsistent from the free-throw line all year, including the playoffs.  He shot 72% from the free throw line, about 3% fewer than his career average.  As the Sixers go-to player, Iguodala needs to be able to hit free throws to close out games.  Recall all the games last year that the Sixers lost on a buzzer beater.  Buzzer beaters usually occur because a team failed to close out the game at the free throw line.  Hopefully Iguodala will have improved since last season, which should result in him averaging over 20 points per game, something the Sixers have lacked from one player since the departure of Allen Iverson.  One thing we should not have to worry about are Iguodala’s defensive abilities.  He continues to improve each season, and should draw the opposing team’s top perimeter threat each game.

Reserve: Willie Green

Willie Green will be a solid backup for Iguodala.  He should see between 15-20 minutes per game unless he struggles, which could allow for Jason Kapono to get more playing time.  Green has struggled in the past when he was chosen to start games, but has usually excelled when coming off the bench.  Green can be inconsistent in terms of his scoring production, but can be counted on to take care of the basketball when he is in the game.  He is, however, a major defensive liability, so it is critical that Iguodala stays out of foul trouble so that Green will not have to play for a large portion of the game.

Reserve: Royal Ivey

Ivey should see limited time off the bench for the second straight season.  He can provide a little offense but is of little value beyond 10 or more minutes of playing time.

Small Forward

Starter: Thaddeus Young

Thaddeus Young is the player I expect to improve the most from last season.  He is entering his third season in the NBA, and has gotten better each year thus far.  Now it is time for him to the next great leap forward.  He shoots a great overall field goal percentage (49.5 % last season), but I would like to see him get more involved with the offense.  Despite averaging over 15 points per game, the former Georgia Tech star would often take fewer than ten shots per game.  Getting him more involved in essential for the Sixers, as he is also the best 3 point shooter (34%) of their five starters.  The best thing that Thad has going for him is that he is only 21 years old.  He hasn’t even come near to reaching his prime.  This gives all of us great optimism that he will continue to progress and become a great NBA player.

Reserve: Jason Kapono

Kapono will see a lot of time off the bench this season, mainly in place of Young.  The Sixers’ newest acquisition should help the team improve from its league-worst ranking in 3 point shooting.  Kapono is a pure 3 point shooter, and he won’t hesitate to take plenty of shots from beyond the arc.  This can really add a new dimension to an offense which is mainly known for its fast-break abilities.

Reserve: Rodney Carney

Carney returns to the Sixers looking to get his NBA career back on track.  He is good for eating up some minutes while grabbing some rebounds and providing offense from down low and beyond the arc.  He is currently nursing a strained hamstring, which will limit his minutes for the first few weeks of the season.  But Coach Jordan has liked what he’s seen from Carney and says he will see significant playing time this season.

Power Forward:

Starter: Elton Brand

Elton Brand is healthy (for now) and ready to make an impact on this Sixers team.  He was signed last season to give the Sixers a dominant low presence that they have lacked for many years now.  Instead all he gave them was inconsistent play and a spot on the injured reserve list for most of the season.  Now that he is back, Brand needs to step up his game and give the Sixers a consistent presence in the post that both provide easy points, as well as making it difficult for the opposition to dominate the Sixers down low they way they have recently (Dwight Howard in last year’s playoffs).  For the 29 games that Brand did play last season, all his numbers were significantly less than his career averages.  He needs to be scoring between 16-22 points each game, along with around 10 rebounds each night.  The only way the Sixers will have a chance to contend in the Eastern Conference is if Brand has a great year.  The Sixers need to have that low post presence that can go to for easy buckets and to limit all the big forwards (i.e. Howard, Kevin Garnett, Shaquille O’Neal) they will face in the East.

Reserve: Marresse Speights

Last season’s first round pick Marresse Speights should take big strides this season.  His offensive skills alone will get him more minutes this season.  If Brand or Dalembert struggle, Speights may see himself play over 20 minutes a game.  He has tons of potential and on a team that is desperately looking for a consistent scoring big man, Speights is going to play a big role on this year’s team.

Reserve: Jason Smith

Smith has a very solid rookie season before missing all of last year with a season ending ACL injury in the preseason.  The 7-0″ Smith will see limited time off the bench, mainly to eat up minutes for Brand and Dalembert when they’re in foul trouble.

Center: Samuel Dalembert

Dalembert is back as the starting center once again for the Sixers and the same question remains as always: Can he stay out of foul trouble so that he can actually make an impact on the game?  Well if history is any indication, then the answer will continue to be no.  Dalembert’s biggest strength is his ability to control the paint defensively.  However, he has not been able to do it without constantly fouling the opposition.  This leads to a massive reduction in his minutes and never allows for him to get into the game.  When Dalembert is able to stay out of foul trouble, he usually plays very well.  He can score down low as well as rebound on both ends of the court.  If Dalembert can finally stay out of foul trouble, he can help the Sixers solidify their front court play which well greatly improve their chances to win against the top teams in the league.

Reserve: Primoz Brezec

The Sixers signed the seven foot Brezec to give them a defensive presence off the bench when Dalembert goes out for foul trouble.  He will be expected to fill the role that Reggie Evans played last season.  Expect him to come off the bench and provide rebounds and some scoring.

5 Keys to the Season

1.  Elton Brand–>Brand must play well for the Sixers to have a chance to contend this year.  It’s as simple as that.  Enough said.

2.  Consistent point guard play–>The team took a big hit when they did not resign Andre Miller, who was the quarterback of the fastbreak that was so big in the Sixers offense for the past two seasons.  They will need Lou Williams to come through for them, otherwise it will be tough for this offense to get on track.

3.  3 point shooting–>The Sixers have ranked last in the league for the past two seasons in 3 point shooting.  The addition of Jason Kapono should help that ranking improve, but it is still not enough.  Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young, and Lou Williams need to be able to hit 3 pointers for this team.  Iguodala especially must improve, so that defenses will be forced to play the Sixers on the arc, rather than around the paint in anticipation of a drive to the basket.

4.  Smart Defense–>The team needs to play defense without fouling.  The Orlando Magic were always shooting free throws during last year’s playoff series.  Samuel Dalembert especially must stay out of foul trouble so that he will be able to assert himself as a major defensive presence in the paint.

5.  Strong Start–>The Sixers play a relatively easy schedule in the first month of the season.  If they’re able to start strong while working out any problems at the same time, they will give themselves a great chance to contend for a top-4 spot in the conference.  If they start slow, they will still probably make the playoffs but will find it very difficult to get one of those top spots which would allow them to avoid playing Cleveland, Orlando, or Boston in the first round.

Regular Season Prediction: 45-37 to finish 2nd in the Atlantic Division behind Boston and 5th in the Eastern Conference behind Cleveland, Orlando, Boston, and Atlanta.

Andre Iguodala and the Sixers lost three of their final four preseason games.

Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand and the rest of the Sixers looked like they were adapting to new coach Eddie Jordan’s Princeton-style offense with ease earlier this month.

The team has now hit a wall as it prepares to start the regular season on Wednesday against the defending Eastern Conference Champion Orlando Magic.

After starting the preseason 4-0, the Sixers have dropped three of heir last four, including a 110-88 decision to the New Jersey Nets on Friday.

With the amazing Repeat Run the Phillies are giving Philly right now, not many people have paid attention to the Sixers. Ed Stefanski and crew should send Ruben Amaro a fruit basket for keeping the eyes and ears away from the team.

On a positive note, new starting “point guard” Lou Williams averaged nearly 14 points a game in nearly 27 minutes. Of course, he also averaged an amazing 2.3 assists per game. That number will not cut it for a starting point guard. He better get better at distributing the ball.

Elton Brand showed signs of being back from two injury-riddeled sesons and averaged 9.5 PPG, and 6 rebounds in nearly 25 minutes. The Sixers need their big men to swipe the glass. If Brand plays 38-40 minutes a game, then I guess his stats would prorate to nearly a double-double. Still, he needs to dominate inside if the team has any chance to do something.

Finally, rookie Jrue Holiday averaged 6.6 PPG and 2.3 APG in nearly 17 minutes.

It’s hard to live in Philadelphia and not focus your attention on the Phillies run at another championship this season. Everywhere you go the conversation starts with the Phillies and might end with the beloved Eagles. But this is October, which means basketball season is right around the corner. The “other “team in the city, you know the Sixers, will kick off their season in about a week. So let’s take a look at this team who has surprised everyone thus far with a 5-2 pre-season record.

Going into training camp there were many questions the Sixers needed to answer before opening up their season against the Magic in Orlando next Thursday. There was the enigma of an unfamiliar offense from new head coach Eddie Jordan. Also wondering if first year starter at point guard Lou Williams could handle this team from the start of a game after Andre Miller exited for Portland this past summer. Then there is the question about Elton Brand, who was coming off a major shoulder injury after coming over from the Los Angeles Clippers in free agency last summer.

Not your typical questions for a NBA team heading into training camp.

But so far an effective preseason has the Sixers looking like a potential playoff team in a competitive Eastern Conference.  Thaddeus Young had his best season a year ago averaging career-highs in all offensive categories.  Now Young seems destined to surpass the explosive Andre Iguodala has the go too guy for the Sixers.

What will help Young and the Sixers is a healthy Elton Brand. Before coming to Philadelphia, Brand was considered one of the best big men in the NBA. He has always been plagued by injuries, but coming into this season Brand seems to be the healthiest since his early days in the league. With Brand healthy Sixers’ fans might see a double-double in the box score every night.

Andre Iguodala had a disappointing playoffs for the Sixers last year after receiving a monstrous contract in the offseason. Iguodala have been quiet thus far about his expectations for this season, but have been steady on the court.  There aren’t many teams who can keep up with Andre Iguodala in transition. Fast breaks normally end with a high-percentage shot, and for a team who doesn’t shoot the ball particularly well, you’ll take as many easy buckets as you can.

The biggest question facing the Sixers is how effective Williams will be as the starting point guard with Miller gone?  Williams is very athletic, but it’s obvious that Philadelphia is hoping rookie Jrue Holiday can be their point guard of the future. Williams has the size for the role, but doesn’t see the floor as well as you’d like your ball-handler to and he’ll be a steep drop off from Andre Miller in that department. Backup point guard Royal Ivey will bring strong defense, but isn’t someone that will log a lot of minutes for the Sixers.

2008-09 Record: 41-41, Lost to Orlando in First Round

Key Additions: Rodney Carney, Jason Kapono, Primoz Brezec

Key Subtractions: Andre Miller, Reggie Evans

Key Rookies: Jrue Holiday

Probable Starters: Lou Williams, Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young, Elton Brand, Samuel Dalembert.

Prediction: 3^rd Place in Atlantic.

Pic: Sports Illustrated
Pic: Depressed Fan

It’s been awhile since my last post and I apologize for that.  Between battling a reoccurring illness, midterm exams, and the Phightin Phils I have been pretty busy.  But I’m glad to be back and even more glad to see the Sixers get off to a positive start in the preseason.  Before I get into the Sixers though, I must first mention the amazing comeback last night by the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of their NLDS matchup against the Rockies.  This team showed it’s true character by pulling one of the most remarkable comebacks in recent memory in a road playoff game after surrendering a lead just an inning before.  Let’s hope for similar success beginning Thursday night when the Phils go to Dodger Stadium to face Los Angeles in Game 1 of the NLCS.

On to the Sixers.  Before finishing training camp, the Sixers added former draft pick Rodney Carney, along with PF Stromile Swift.  They also gave F Dionte Christmas, F Brandon Bowman and G Sean Singletary spots on the preseason roster.  New coach Eddie Jordan seems to have this team moving in the right direction, opening the preseason with a 4-0 record for the first time since 1978.  I know it’s just the preseason but there are still a lot of positives to take away from these first four games.  For one, the Sixers seem to have their opening day starting lineup set as they have used the same starting lineup in all four games.  Jordan has Thaddeus Young, Elton Brand, and Samuel Dalembert starting up top, along with Lou Williams and Andre Iguodala in the backcourt.  These guys seem to be developing a good chemistry together, as they are all averaging between 25-30 minutes.  More importantly, Elton Brand is having a terrific preseason thus far.  In tonight’s win against the Knicks, Brand scored 20 points (8 for 12, 4 for 5 from the line) and grabbed 8 rebounds.  He also showed his physical side tonight, fighting for rebounds with Knicks forward Jared Jeffries that resulted in Jeffries catching a few elbows to the face which required four stitches.  If Brand can show this same toughness every game of the season, he may finally be able to give the Sixers that dominant low-post presence that they have lacked for a long time, something they will need if they want any chance against the top teams in the East.

The Sixers will look to continue their preseason success on Friday when they head west to face the Phoenix Suns.  On a side note, Stromile Swift was waived by the team on Monday, leaving Christmas, Singletary, Bowman and Carney to compete for the final spot on the team.  Rodney Carney missed tonight’s game with a strained hamstring.  He is participating in contact drills and should be ready to play on Friday against Phoenix.  Royal Ivey is also nursing a sore hamstring.

The Philadelphia 76ers have roots to the beginning of the NBA with the Syracuse Nationals.That team featured Hall of Famer Dolph Schayes and won a NBA title in the 50’s, but it was not until the team relocated to Philadelphia in the 60’s after the city lost the Warriors to the San Francisco. They won a title in 1967 with Wilt Chamberlain anchoring an team that featured players like Hal Greer and Billy Cunningham. Of course the team only won once in that era primarily because of the Boston Celtics dominance.

Projected Lineup:

PG :

Lou Williams: the loss of Andre Miller leaves a deep hole for Philly to fill, expect rookie first rounder Jrue Holliday to see decent time at this position as well.

SG:

Andre Iguodala: as I already expressed in my article on Kevin Martin when speaking on shooting guards, Iguodala is one of the rising stars in the league. The game winner against Orlando didn’t hurt either, it only proves that he is truly the new AI in Philly.

SF:

Thaddeus Young: the game winner against Orlando really boosts my opinion on Thaddeus Young. An average at best SF who will split time with the newly acquired Jason Kapono.

PF:

Elton Brand: If Elton Brand can stay healthy, IF Elton Brand can stay healthy, the 76ers could become a legitimate upset threat and in my opinion could contend in the Eastern Conference.

C:

Samuel Dalembert: proved himself last year to be one of the few centers that could at least hold their own against Dwight Howard. A double-double threat almost nearly night and a valuable player.

Key Gains:

Jrue Holliday, a solid selection out of UCLA who is a scoring threat.

Jason Kapono, a career veteran sharpshooter and beneficial piece to any team.

Key Losses:

Andre Miller, although there was an overall feeling that his time in Philly had expired.

Key Quote:

I’m not really worried about none of that under-the-radar kind of stuff

-Maurice Speights, Sixers Forward

Last week in Singapore, EJ was wearing a cobalt blue shirt with white jeans at Saturday’s qualifying. The blue shirt was all right, it actually went quite well with his coloring. But somehow white pants are just “off” on EJ. I just don’t like them. And yes, I don’t have anything better to say than “I just don’t like them.”

Then DC must have gotten fashion inspiration from EJ (from experience, I know this is NOT necessarily a GOOD thing) because he decided to wear white jeans on race day! I guess it looks marginally better on DC because he has the height to pull it off… but come on DC. Don’t take cues from EJ (though he is kinda fashionable for an old chap).

It appears that EJ is trying to be young and hip with his surfer boy O’neil cap. At least I think it’s an O’neil cap. The logo/text are pretty hard to read, shame on the design person. There’s some camo-ish sort of pattern going on… but somehow the cap looks a bit small for his head…

Do you like designer glasses? EJ does… and I do too, I currently wear a pair from La Font. Seriously, if I am going to wear glasses, I might as well have cool ones. Like HK pop star William So, I think glasses can be an accessory item since they frame the eyes.

For those that must know, EJ is wearing glasses from Mykita. Mykita is based in Germany and supposedly their frames are “hand made in Berlin,” whatever that means. I had considered Mykita frames myself, but I didn’t like their acetate frames (they do have some sleek minimalistic styles in metal though). Check them out on their official website… EJ is also featured on there under “Celebrities.” Since it’s a flash based site, click “Eddie and the Robbers” to see his photo. =X