PHILADELPHIA—When they wake up and pinch themselves this morning – to the surprise of everyone but themselves – Brett Brown, Michael Carter-Williams and the rest of the Philadelphia 76ers will discover no, this was not a dream. They really did just beat LeBron James and the two-time defending champion Miami Heat, 114-110, at a raucous Wells Fargo Center where many had come to celebrate this franchise’s past but instead wound up cheering on one of the most improbable victories we may
A year ago at this time, the Philadelphia 76ers were filled with optimism. Coming off a postseason run that left them four minutes short of the Eastern Conference finals, front office personnel were still slapping each other’s backs about the way they had not only landed big man Andrew Bynum, but at the same time unloaded Andre Iguodala and Nikola Vucevic. With Bynum in the paint, an array of 3-point shooters on the wings and emerging guards Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner
PHILADELPHIA —News that Allen Iverson is finally out of “answers’’ and will soon officially announce his retirement to start his Hall of Fame induction clock running brings a flood of thoughts and memories to mind. After all, when you cover a guy for more than a decade, observing his NBA career from the start … when you watch him evolve from a pure gunner with no concept of team play to a legitimate MVP recipient on a team that goes to
PHILADELPHIA – No, that wasn’t a puff of white smoke emanating from the Philadelphia 76ers offices when their 118-day vigil finally came to an end Wednesday. It was more like they were waving the white flag, as if to say “Okay, we surrender. We’ll hire a coach, even though we all know the goal is to stink so bad this year we have the best chance to win the lottery, and a good coach might mess up the plan…’’ With that, “Nice
PHILADELPHIA – The hard truth of life in the NBA is that once you’re down, it’s nearly impossible to get back up. The haves always seem to have it. The have-nots seem to be perpetually buried near the bottom. Or worse, in the middle of the pack, where there’s little chance of finding that rare gem in the draft and not much hope in free agency, either. [Read more…]
PHILADELPHIA—Andrew Bynum was supposed to be their Moses, the one who would help bring the Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA’s Promised Land. That was General Manager Pat Williams’ mindset when he pulled the trigger on the 1982 off-season deal that made Moses Malone a Sixer. That set in motion a chain of events that would bring Philadelphia its first—and as it’s turned out over the next three decades, LAST—championship since Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer and Chet Walker led them
NEGA-DELPHIA—That’s how a former local pro football player turned talk show host refers to this town, which never met a glass filled to the brim without thinking there’s still something missing. Of course, with one championship from its four major pro sports teams in the last 29 years (the 2008 Phillies), there’s good reason for skepticism. Especially when it comes to pro hoops, where the 76ers have been mired in mediocrity for most of the past two decades – other than
PHILADELPHIA – “Now wait a minute.” That’s your cue that Harvey Pollack is about to launch into a story. And he’s got a million of them. The man who’s been more symbolic of the NBA than even the logo — since he’s been around since the very beginning – has a mind that never stops. Just ask him one simple question and be prepared for a detailed answer so complete it will make your head spin. [Read more…]