Apter Outlook Part I: Sixers

This is probably the team people in the city care the least about but the addition of Iverson has surely brought more people to Wachovia Center for games. The most recent news out of this team is that Iverson was named a starter to the all-star team, they have gone 5-5 to date in January and have notched big wins over the Mavericks, Nuggets and Hornets. Eddie Jordan has not really been given much credit for the state of this team but he deserves some props for working through a whole lot of inconsistency, which is the biggest problem for this young team. Not being able to close out games has been a huge issue but there are signs of this getting better every now and again. In the recent weeks, they have blown over 20-point leads to teams like the T-Wolves and the Blazers. Rather than trying to shoot three-pointers, this team needs to go down low the players that are playing at the highest level. At this point, Sam Dalembert and Elton Brand have played a huge part in the recent play of this team. With Sam's predicament with family in Haiti, he has done a great job of playing with intensity and heart. The team is starting to learn to give the ball to the player with the hot hand. I am just sick and tired of seeing the same old thing from players like Willie Green. He hits his first few shots and goes 4-4 and then will shoot 0-7 for the rest of the game and then keep shooting three's in situations where it is not needed. This team needs to be more consistent on the defensive side of the ball and start to rely more on the low post game. Looking past the record, this team is playing below the level it could and that is the bottom line. In a few years, they may make there way up to be the five or six seed in the mediocre eastern conference but they need to improve a lot before that happens. Young players like Thad Young and Lou Williams have provided a much needed spark as starters and Speights has been consistent off the bench.
APTER THOUGHTS: This team has a lot to work and if they improve, they can make the playoffs and maybe win a game or two in the series but I do not see them advancing. Most people say that they should just play for the lottery but I say play it out. I think the 76ers will play tough and finish the season around 35-47.