Tor or Phili?

[boshjonesford]

Right now who has a better starting line up (don't be bias)

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

PG Andre Miller
SG Andre Iguodala
SF Thaddeus Young
PF Elton Brand
C Samuel Dalembert


TORONTO RAPTORS

PG Jose Calderon
SG Anthony Parker
SF Jamario Moon
PF Chris Bosh
C Jermaine O'Neal


Who has a better Bench ?

updated depth chart http://www.insidehoops.com/depth-charts.shtml

[The Guilty Party]

In all sincerity, I like the Sixers combination of youth and vets. If O'Neal can return to be the player he was a couple of seasons ago, then perhaps Toronto will be better.

[Cru Thik]

This goes easily to us imo. I think Calderon will take a step back this year being the main PG for a entire season. I think we easily have better SG and SF than they do. I give a slight edge to the Toronto front line if O'neal can stay healthy but that probably won't happen. I give the bench edge to Toronto if Bargs can get his act together.

[boshjonesford]

This goes easily to us imo. I think Calderon will take a step back this year being the main PG for a entire season. I think we easily have better SG and SF than they do. I give a slight edge to the Toronto front line if O'neal can stay healthy but that probably won't happen. I give the bench edge to Toronto if Bargs can get his act together.

from the interviews it seems like he is really confident that he will remain healthy.

[bball4life]

Honestly, the trio of Calderon, Bosh and ONeal is probably better than Miller, Brand and Dalembert, IF ONeal is healthy. If he's still jumping about 4 inches off the court like last season, then Philly has the edge here.

But Iggy and Thad >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> scrubarinos Parker and Moon. So overall, I take Philly's starting 5 any day.

The bench is a little harder to call... as Toronto has some shooters on their bench, I'd give the edge to Toronto, but only slightly. Lou Williams is a great 6th man and having mr. energy Reggie Evans is nice too.

[docwasoverated]

we are just a lil better at the 1,4 and 5..and way better at 2 and 3

[sixerswillrule]

It's a very close call. It could go either way, really. The PG match-up is tough because each player has the advantage in different areas. Most Philly fans would probably give the edge to Miller while most Raptors fans would give it Calderon. I'm gonna go ahead and call it a tie. There is no debate at SG. Parker is a great outside shooter but that is about all he has over Iguodala. At SF, Moon probably had the slight advantage over Young last year, but this is sure to change in the upcoming season.
At PF it is the same case as it is at PG, but I believe a healthy Brand would have the slight edge over Bosh. I'll call it a tie for now. At center, it is a lot closer than most Raptors fans would think. If O'Neal returns to old form, he certainly has the clear advantage. But because has has missed so many games over the past few years, it seems to be a chronic injury so I don't see him ever being the same. Without even considering the games he could miss next year, I doubt that he'll be anything more than a 15 PPG scorer. In that case, Dalembert is definitely right up there with him because of what he brings in terms of defense and rebounding. Both teams have very good benches and I would also have to call that a draw. Overall, it appears that the Sixers have the edge. But it will definitely be an exciting season with these division foes.

[Tension]

Well, Raps have a slightly better bench in Bargnani, Kapono, Graham, and others(this could change if Lou progesses even more throughout next season and Speights turns out great. Not to mention Willie Green might possibly even get a better shot selection), but our starting five is way superior to yours. Andre Miller > Calderon, Iggy > Parker, Thad>Moon, Brand and Bosh are hard to compare, and yes, if JO is healthy then he would be slightly better than Sammy, I say slightly because of Sammy's blocking skills, and defense against the shot. Like in the series against the Pistons, if it was anyone else besides Rasheed, they wouldn't be able to get a shot off against him

[boshjonesford]

we are just a lil better at the 1,4 and 5..and way better at 2 and 3

im sorry but bosh is better then Brand, Obviously AI is better then parker and Young is better then moon but I think JOSE considering the upgrade in minutes will be the same if not better then miller, if JO is healthy and felling good like he promised in his interviews then he is better then SAM D.

[Sixerscan]

A healthy Brand has the same kinds of PER and plays much better defense. So he's better.

[psykosacul]

overall i think its close and a very good question. they have the edge on us in shooting obviously, but i think post play on offense and defense goes to us and i think athleticism is practically a push...however, i think perimeter defense is a pretty big deal. i think we are better in that aspect, and mainly because of that i think i would take the 76ers squad over the raps.

[jmon]

Can someone explain to me how the Raptors have a better bench?

My thoughts were the following...

1) Losing their best bench player in Delfino is going to hurt.
2) Bargiani was the worst player in the NBA to recieve significant minutes last year.
3) Kapono can only shoot and not turn the ball over. Everything else he does is atrocious.
4) They are depending on a foreign PG to come in and back up Calderon, even though he has been poor overseas.
5) Kris Humpries is solid.
6) I know nothing about Nathan Jawai.

Perhaps you guys are expecting progression from Bargiani or something even though he has shown no signs of it?

I think the starting line up is close if JO can produce personally. Calderon was better than Miller last year and it was no fluke. Parker, while not being flashy, is a good NBA starting SG. Moon is a good starting SF. Bosh is a top 30 NBA player. JO, when healthy, is a really good defensive player. If everyone stays healthy and embraces their roles, their starting line up may outproduce Philly's. I am not sure JO will "fit" or stay healthy though. I would pick the Sixers' starting lineup by a decent margin in the end because of Thad getting more minutes and JO most likely not staying healthy.

[Stanford]

The thing is, Moon didn't even have the edge on Thad last year.

[barkley34]

Sixers are definitely better at the 2 and 3. Miller and Calderon are about a toss up but I would give the edge to Miller because he is more experienced.

Assuming Brand and JO are healthy their 4-5 combo is a little better because Daly still has those occasional mental mistakes.

Unless Bargs starts to turn it up than our bench is better. We have 2 starters from last year sliding down to our bench with Willie/Reggie. Plus, Lou,Smith and Speights should be solid.

I think Toronto's roster was deeper a couple years ago with Ford, Garbajosa, Mo Pete etc.,,

[Sixersftw]

i think athleticism is practically a push...

?? The raptors are a good team but athletic?

bosh, moon, and bargs is fairly athletic for his size vs. four players in our starting lineup, lou, smith, and speights.

I guess they have joey graham as well i forgot he was even in the league though.

[jmon]

The thing is, Moon didn't even have the edge on Thad last year.

Arguable. Moon did a lot of things better than Thad last year. Thad did some things better as well. It really comes down to how much you value scoring. Thad was the better scorer. Moon did plenty of the "other things" better.

[boshjonesford]

BOTTOM LINE Moon is a better defender and young is a better scorer and this works out for toronto because their starting line up has alot of offense and could uses moons defense

[IggyTheBEaST]

sixers for sure

[psykosacul]

i think athleticism is practically a push...

?? The raptors are a good team but athletic?

bosh, moon, and bargs is fairly athletic for his size vs. four players in our starting lineup, lou, smith, and speights.

I guess they have joey graham as well i forgot he was even in the league though.

i didnt mean actual athleticism as much as the ability to fly up and down and push the pace. everyone talks about that being the sixers game, but position by position the raptors are as fast/quick in a transition style game as most any team in the league

[51X3RF4N]

Hmm..Healthy JO is just as good as EB. But overall I think they are tied. If JO isn't 100%, EB easily takes it. Bosh vs. Dalembert is easily Bosh. However, Dalembert has shown he has what it takes to be a top 10 Center in the league, and Bosh is truly more of a PF IMO. Even though they'd be matched up in games.

Iggy>>>Parker.
Thad and Moon are tough to compare. I feel like what you see from Moon is all you get, whereas I think Thad can be MUCH MUCH more than what we have seen from him.

Miller v. Calderon....tough call. For our system, our players, our style, and our current run to the playoffs, Miller is better for us. Calderon fits your team well also.

I would say by the END of this upcoming season, given time to develop young players and add chemistry, we will see Philly as the better team, IMO.

I see Thad>>Moon. I see Iggy>>Parker. I see Brand>JO. I see Bosh>Daly and Miller=Jose.

We have an edge in starters. The thing is, when you factor in team play, I see the Sixers being the better team overall. Daly fits SO well next to Brand, a more offensively developed Thad fits SO well next to Iggy, and all 4 of them work well with Miller.

Bench wise...

I think Speights, Evans, Smith beats Humphries, Bargs, and Jawai. I think this because at this point in time, Evans is a better option off the bench than Hump. Speights is better than Jawai IMO. And Smith << Bargs. But still, we have 2 of the 3 as better options.

Graham and Kapono are obviously nice choices off the bench. I like LW better than Kapono in terms of the future. And although many of us hate on WG, he did have his best season statistically last year while starting. He may be even better off the bench this year as there will be a lack of pressure. Statistically it may not show, but he may play better, as he has in the past, coming off the bench.

I would give you the edge in OVERALL bench. But I personally would take our bigs and LW off the bench over your bigs and Kapono anyday. Just me though.

If you look into the future a bit...

Thad is a potential All-Star, and I think he's well on his way. Iggy is a good defender with length, athleticism, and a developing offensive game. Brand may be an All-Star in the East depending on how he comes back from his injury and adjusts to a new system and players. Miller may or may not be here. Daly will stay right about where he is for the next 3-5 years IMO. Won't really improve, but won't really decline much either. LW should become a really good career 6th man. Speights has the chance to push Daly for the C spot, while Smith is destined to be a career role playing backup.

Hopefully Evans and Green will be gone in 2 years. I can see us drafting a True PG of the future in next year's draft, and there are plenty available.

I can also see us attempting to extend Miller, and if we can't, using the money from his contract to either make a deadline trade, or let him walk and use the cap space on a FA signing or trade.

I can see us using LW as a backup SG, so we should attempt to target another PG to play backup.

Also, we should go after another SF for a backup role.

In 2 years, I see this as the Sixers lineup....

Daly/Smith
Brand/Speights
Thad/2010 draft 1st round
Iggy/LW
09 Draft 1st round/FA

I think a team build around EB with Iggy, Thad, and Daly could certainly make noise in the playoffs for the next 2 years. And developing Speights into Brand's replacement is genuis. He needs time to develop, and when he does, watch out. Also, having LW off the bench is a good move.

I honestly think this team is playoff bound at least 4 of the next 5 years.

Now, onto the Raps...

Bosh/Bargs
JO/Humph/Jawai
Moon/Graham
Parker/Kapono
Jose/ ??

Assuming Parker, Moon, and Graham are resigned...

You will have a good combo of bigs. And Moon developing.

The only thing you'd need is a PG, which could come in the 09 1st round also.

So you'd roll out with...

Bosh/Bargs
JO/Humph./Jawai
Moon/Graham
Parker/Kapono
Jose/09 1st.

Then, before 2010 offseason, JO is a FA. If this team doesn't work out, you can trade his expiring at the deadline and hope that Jawai has improved enough to start. Or you could get more picks out of it and try to go for a big FA signing in 2010.

Both teams have the basis for a good playoff run in the next 4-5 years. However, if I had to pick one lineup, being completely unbiased in my decision, I'd take Philly's.