Sixers hope strong finish carries over into new season
The Philadelphia 76ers have missed the playoffs two straight years, and are starting a new chapter in their franchise history. For the first time since the 1996-97 season, the Sixers will begin a campaign without All-Star guard Allen Iverson.
The 76ers have a completely new look that began taking shape after the team dealt Iverson to the Denver Nuggets on December 19, 2006. The Sixers, who acquired point guard Andre Miller, veteran power forward Joe Smith (who signed with Chicago in the offseason) and two first-round picks in the Iverson trade, will get a taste of what it's like to start a season without the superstar guard.
Last season, the Sixers finished with a 35-47 record, and team president Billy King and head coach Maurice Cheeks are on the hot seat. Cheeks, who spent four seasons as the head coach in Portland, is 73-96 in his two campaigns on Philadelphia's bench.
After trading Iverson, Philadelphia compiled a 30-29 mark and finished the season by playing its best basketball, The Sixers won 17 of their final 26 contests to give them a positive outlook on the upcoming season.
"Our goal is to pick up from last year," said starting center Samuel Dalembert at Sixers media day. "Just keep getting better."
The 26-year-old Dalembert played in all 82 games in 2006-07, and averaged 10.7 points and a team-high 8.9 rebounds. He showed a lot of improvement after the Iverson trade, as he became a bigger part of the offense. Dalembert did suffer a stress fracture in his left foot, but is probable for the start of the new season.
Rising star Andre Iguodala, sharp-shooting Kyle Korver, Miller and Dalembert are Philadelphia's nucleus. Iguodala also stepped up after the Iverson deal, as he became the leader and No. 1 option on offense. The 23-year-old Iguodala averaged 18.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 76 games last season,
Miller, who will be entering his ninth year in the league, is consistent and makes his teammates better with his excellent play-making ability, while Korver is a dangerous shooter from the perimeter and is instant offense.
Cheeks and King know what they are going to get from their main core. What about the younger players?
If Philadelphia wants to improve on last season, it is going to need players like Rodney Carney and Louis Williams to start producing on a consistent basis. Carney is a versatile,athletic player who can play shooting guard or small forward. The 6-7 Carney, who averaged 6.6 points in 67 games during his rookie year, is looking to be one of Cheeks' top players.
"I want to be a key contributor this season," said Carney. "I look at myself as a lock-down defender. I would like to earn a starting spot."
Williams will turn just 21 years old on October 27th. He is entering his third season in the NBA, and may be ready to assume the backup role behind Miller. The 6-1 Williams has played in 91 games in his two years in the league. He showed a lot of promise at the end of last season, and expects continued improvement.
"Learning from guys like Andre Miller and Kevin Ollie has helped me," said Williams. "Those guys have been in the league nine and 10 years.
"I want to be solid all 82 games and contribute all regular season. I have learned where Korver wants the ball off screens and when to get Andre (Iguodala) the ball on the break. I like our chemistry."
On draft night King added Thaddeus Young, Jason Smith, Derrick Byars and Herbert Hill. Young, who played one season at Georgia Tech, was selected with the 12th overall pick and has a great upside. However, the 6-8 forward is a project and is not expected to make a big contribution.
The seven-foot Smith was originally selected at 20th overall in this year's draft by the Miami Heat. His rights were traded to Philadelphia in exchange for the rights to Daequan Cook, who was drafted at No. 21 by the Sixers, along with a second-round pick in 2009 and cash considerations. Smith, who spent his college days at Colorado State, will get minutes at center and power forward during his rookie campaign. Byars and Hill are fighting for spots on the team.
King did make a trade that should help his club. On September 10th, the Sixers acquired forward Reggie Evans and the rights to forward Ricky Sanchez from the Nuggets for forward Bobby Jones and center Steven Hunter. The 28-year-old Evans is a hard worker who is not afraid to get physical down low and has a knack for rebounding. Evans collected 7.0 rebounds in 17.1 minutes per game last season, and averaged a career-best 9.3 boards as a member of the Seattle SuperSonics during the 2004-05 campaign.
It looks like it is going to be a very tough season for King, Cheeks and the Sixers. Boston has returned to the elite with its big moves during the offseason, while other Eastern Conference teams also improved their rosters through free agency and trades.
Iguodala is now Philadelphia's leader. He needs his supporting cast to raise their collective game and contribute. If Carney and Williams can make an impact and some of the rookies surprise, maybe the Sixers can sneak up on some teams.
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