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Game Time: 8:00PM EST
TV: CN8-PHI, NBALP
Radio: WPHT 1210 AM

Records
76ers: 23-30 (Won 5 Straight)
Wolves: 10-41 (Lost 5 Straight)

Previous Meetings
Dec. 12th @ PHI: 76ers 98, Wolves 94

Probable Starters



The AS Break is over and so it's time to start drinking that Kool-Aid again. The win streak is at 5 and there's no reason to think it won't hit 6 hence...

My Prediction: 76ers by 10+



7. 23-30
8. 23-30
9. -0.0
10. -1.5
11. -2.0

Why does everybody think it's fool's gold? The Sixers can't help it that the East is WEAK. It's not like they are only playing the crap teams. They SHOULD be winning these games against the crap teams. So how is it Kool-Aid if there SUPPOSE to win these games...

6ers by 15+. It really feels good to want them to win again (even if i think it's bad for the team's future).

Before the season, the Sixers could have been the worst team in the East...it wasn't LIKELY but it wasn't out of the realm of possibility with the young guys and lack of veteran talent. No game was a "supposed to win" until they started developing an identity.

THFM wrote:Why does everybody think it's fool's gold? The Sixers can't help it that the East is WEAK. It's not like they are only playing the crap teams. They SHOULD be winning these games against the crap teams. So how is it Kool-Aid if there SUPPOSE to win these games...

First of all, I've been on the playoff bandwagon for a while now.... that said, this is Fool's Gold because a team with a record of 23-30 at the All-Star Break should have little business talking about the post-season. The only reason we can seriously discuss the Sixers as being a playoff team is because the East is pathetically weak.

The Sixers are supposed to win tomorrow night's game @ MIN but they aren't supposed to beat teams like Dallas. As you will see in the month of March, the Sixers will be playing a lot of teams they are supposed to lose to.

Is that Ryan Gomes or Craig Smith starting at PF for the Wolves? It seems like the past several games that Thad has started the Sixers are playing teams with smaller PF's...

PrimeTime21 wrote:Is that Ryan Gomes or Craig Smith starting at PF for the Wolves? It seems like the past several games that Thad has started the Sixers are playing teams with smaller PF's...

Thad starts at PF no matter what. He even started and played against Dirk.

Thad can match up with someone like Dirk but what happens when they play Duncan, Garnett, Stoudamire?

We'll worry about that when we're actually good enough to be mentioned in the same breath as the Spurs, Suns, Celtics.

PrimeTime21 wrote:Thad can match up with someone like Dirk but what happens when they play Duncan, Garnett, Stoudamire?

Evans would probably have to start in those games. Slide Thad to the 3 and Willie to the bench.

I realize that running and gunning WAS the Suns style of play but I doubt it will be when Shaq is on the floor.

Does anyone else remember the 2002 playoff series against the Celtics in which the Celts went with a small lineup and made Mutumbo a HUGE liability on the floor because of speed? I think the Sixers will try and do a similar thing with bigger teams rather than put Evans in the lineup and try to actually match-up against superior teams.

The Guilty Party wrote:I realize that running and gunning WAS the Suns style of play but I doubt it will be when Shaq is on the floor.

Does anyone else remember the 2002 playoff series against the Celtics in which the Celts went with a small lineup and made Mutumbo a HUGE liability on the floor because of speed? I think the Sixers will try and do a similar thing with bigger teams rather than put Evans in the lineup and try to actually match-up against superior teams.

I don't think it was just Mutumbo's lack of speed that let them get away with that strategy though GP. I think it had more to do with the fact that Mutumbo wasn't a good offensive player. You try that same strategy against guys like Duncan,KG,Gasol,Amare etc.,, and you get mauled. Gasol scored like 32 against Dalembert earlier this year you start putting Thad on those type of long players and he will get lit up in the post.

PrimeTime21 wrote:Is that Ryan Gomes or Craig Smith starting at PF for the Wolves? ...

It's Gomes. MY BOY Craig Smith comes off the bench.

Been sayin' his name all season, and now we get to watch him up-close... Nothing spectacular. Just really, good dirty-work. A banger. Exactly what this team needs.

Craig Smith becomes a RFA this summer, and people balk at the idea of trading for him now....

But with the increasing teams who will be players this off-season (Kings, Grizzlies, etc.)... there is no guarantee whatsoever that the Sixers will net him. Minnesota probably won't pony-up too much loot because he's redundant next to Al Jefferson, but they could still match any offer. That leaves MIN, MEM and SAC in the running.

I say nab this guy. He seems available. MIN fans seem to be conceding the possibility of letting him walk this summer. Jefferson is their guy.

McHale might take Carney for Smith considering he's under contract. Quite frankly, I think Craig Smith will be a better PF in the NBA for our needs than Jason Smith and I'd swap them straightup. I know that's delicate to say around here with all the Jason Smith adoration, though. I'd also send the Utah pick for Craig Smith in a flash.

Again, he's not Karl Malone. But look what's out there. He's the best of what's around. Get it done, Ed.

Fire BK wrote:

PrimeTime21 wrote:Is that Ryan Gomes or Craig Smith starting at PF for the Wolves? ...

It's Gomes. MY BOY Craig Smith comes off the bench.

Been sayin' his name all season, and now we get to watch him up-close... Nothing spectacular. Just really, good dirty-work. A banger. Exactly what this team needs.

Craig Smith becomes a RFA this summer, and people balk at the idea of trading for him now....

But with the increasing teams who will be players this off-season (Kings, Grizzlies, etc.)... there is no guarantee whatsoever that the Sixers will net him. Minnesota probably won't pony-up too much loot because he's redundant next to Al Jefferson, but they could still match any offer. That leaves MIN, MEM and SAC in the running.

I say nab this guy. He seems available. MIN fans seem to be conceding the possibility of letting him walk this summer. Jefferson is their guy.

McHale might take Carney for Smith considering he's under contract. Quite frankly, I think Craig Smith will be a better PF in the NBA for our needs than Jason Smith and I'd swap them straightup. I know that's delicate to say around here with all the Jason Smith adoration, though. I'd also send the Utah pick for Craig Smith in a flash.

Again, he's not Karl Malone. But look what's out there. He's the best of what's around. Get it done, Ed.

No Gracias.

Jason Smith may never be more than a bench player- but he has the potential to contribute minutes at back-up center- which makes him more valuable than a role player who can't play center.

Sixers start out slow because of the AS break, but finish strong.

Sixers by 8

If we want to make the playoffs, we're gonna have to stretch this winning streak to 9 or 10. Minnesota, New York, Orlando and Miami, Orlando are all teams I believe we can beat (Orlando we're definitly the underdogs, but it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility to beat them).

March is gonna be a huge challenge for this team, and I just hope we can come out over .500 in the month.

Then April is pretty tough, but we finish against a Cavs team that hopefully will have their spot locked up, and the Bobcats.

My mood always shifts back and forth between pessimism and optimism, but the Sixers CAN and SHOULD make the playoffs.

Since the answer to our problems is not likely to come from this years draft, and we are mostly plaing our young guys- might as well enjoy the ride.

By the way, since I'm feeling down and am thinking about how bad the Iverson trade was... do me a favor?

When you watch tonight's game and see Al Jefferson do what Al Jefferson does... think about how much better you would feel about this franchise's future if he were the starting 4 for this team. Sure, we wouldn't have Miller or Jason Smith but I believe we would have had #7 pick (Foye; also in this game) in the '06 draft, Jefferson, and Telfair.

Foye/Telfair
Iguodala/Williams/Green
Young/Carney
Jefferson/Shav
Dalembert/Blount

Don't worry, a big win tonight and you will be drinking up and forgetting your worries.

No doubt. I'm a shell of my former self and miss the Rose Bowl.