The Sixers may be starting to get serious. Well, as serious as you can get when you have no plans to compete and frankly have very little interest in winning more than 20 games.
Off to a horrendous 0-10 start to the season, the Sixers are easily the biggest laughing stock in the NBA. So much so that the television show Pardo The Interruption routinely rip and mock them, sarcastically saying, “Sixers vs. Spurs tonight, who you got to win the game?”
What really made matters even more laughable was the fashion in which they lost their last three games in the “Texas Triangle” road trip. First, they hype up the returns of Michael Carter-Williams and Nerlens Noel, to give the casual fan a reason to watch, but then they do not start them the first game back and lose by 53 points, as the game was over before it started. Brett Brown then elects to sit them to start the next two games, and the one game they have a chance to win, Brown, in the most literal sense, punts the ball and the game away to earn a technical. The Sixers conclude the road trip with a 30-13 first quarter deficit, again with their two most important pieces on the bench.
Well, according to Bob Cooney, they may at least be getting on a more serious track as they return home to face the Celtics tonight.
Watching shootaround, I would think MCW, Noel, Thompson, Mbah a Moute and Sims are your starters tonight.
— Bob Cooney (@BobCooney76) November 19, 2014
So they, seemingly, will at least put forth their most significant figures in the lineup tonight. In this scenario, Tony Wroten will return to what is likely his long-term role, and that is to be a spark off the bench. At the very least, starting Noel and Carter-Williams give the anti-tankers one less conspiracy theory to run with, that they are not starting their best players. After all, it’s time for a win just for the sake of not having constant losing hovering over the players and organization. If anything, for a distraction from how long the process will be, in favor or not.
Game Notes:
- During the road trip, Philadelphia was outscored 107-80, on average.
- After allowing 66 points in the paint last game, the Celtics average nearly 50 points allowed to opponents inside. Noel and Sims should have one of their better games as a duo in this young season.
- Last season, Rajon Rondo nearly averaged a triple-double against the Sixers, averaging 9.0 ppg, 13.7 apg and 10.3 rpg.
- The Sixers actually won the season series last year, taking 3 of 4.
Injuries:
Rookie Marcus Smart will not play for the Celtics, nursing an ankle injury. Joel Embiid (foot), Jason Richardson (knee/foot) and Jerami Grant (ankle) will all miss the game for Philadelphia.
Projected Lineups:
Boston:
PG- Rajon Rondo
SG- Avery Bradley
SF- Jeff Green
PF- Jared Sullinger
C- Kelly Olynyk
Philadelphia:
PG- Michael Carter-Williams
SG- Hollis Thompson
SF- Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
PF- Nerlens Noel
C- Henry Sims
Prediction: Though the Sixers had their way last year against Boston (Evan Turner hitting a buzzer-beater being a reason why), Boston’s roster is still superior and will handle this one with a 10-15 point victory, 112-98
