What happened this week:
- Monday: Loss in Dallas, 97-94
- Wednesday: Loss vs. Toronto, 108-98
- Friday: Win vs. Milwaukee, 115-107
- Saturday: Loss in Indiana, 106-98
This is perfect, actually. They were close every night, but lost more than they won. When they did win, they were kind enough to do it in super dramatic fashion. They are 3-9 since they three game streak to open the season, and if the can maintain that pace, we are looking at a 23 win team, which on average would leave the Sixers as the league's 4th worst team. That would be just fine.
1. So….. Doug Collins sucks?
I always have had a fondness for Doug Collins. Doug was always my favorite announcer, and I was super excited when he returned to Philly to coach the Sixers in 2010. I felt like Doug was doing a great job after the 2011-12 season when we had nearly made the ECF. I thought like Doug took a bad team and gave them direction, the only critique would be the lack of any sort of contribution from the youngest guys on the team.
The first worries about Collins started after the Bynum trade, when the Inquirer ran a scathing story slamming Collins, complete with plenty of juicy quotes from Andre Iguodala, criticizing the coach.
Then the debacle that was 2012-13 happened, Collins got zero from his team, and his reign as the king of Sixerland has left the team in limbo. Obviously the Bynum trade was a disaster, but at least it was aggressive. The indictment of Collins is really based on the successes everyone involved with the Sixers has had since they left, or since Collins left. Here are some facts:
- The Sixers were DEAD LAST in scoring last season, this year they rank 7th, with less talent btw.
- Evan Turner is playing the best basketball of his career.
- Spencer Hawes is playing the best basketball of his career.
- Andre Iguodala is playing the best basketball of his career.
- Nikola Vucevic has been fantastic since leaving the Sixers.
- This
The worst part of this is that we are 6 months away from Spencer and Evan's contracts expiring, and we aren't sure if they are stars, starters, or simply role players on a roll due to the lack of developement under Doug Collins.
2. Spen-cer Hawes… clap, clap… clap, clap, clap!
Friday night's win vs. the Bucks was a fantastic live experience.
- The girls dance team broke out these crazy windmill/crumping/idontknowhat moves that rocked the house. My entire section was captivated.
- There was this awesome older lady on the jumbo-tron all night dancing and partying.
- I looked like a basketball savant to my buddy Steve, I told him as we drove in that Evan only scores to the right of the basket, and Evan delivered by going 4 for 4 from the right and 1 for 7 from the left. Steve was amazed.
- Big daddy flashed the crowd as always, then the older lady did too!
- This:
3. Scary comp contracts
We have reached the point where I feel like keeping Spencer or Evan could be as valuable to the future of the franchise as trading them would be. So if we did resign one or both, what are some recent contract to look at as a guide to what they may end up commanding on the open market.
Evan Turner:
- Monta Ellis- 3 years/$25 million
- J.J. Redick- 4 years/27 million
- O.J. Mayo- 3 years/ $24 million
- J.R. Smith- 4 years/$24 million
- Manu Ginobili- 2 years/$14 million
- Tyreke Evans- 4 years/$44 million
One of these things does not belong here, 5 of these things are kind of the same…
If Evan gets an offer for 3-4 years at 7-9 million, I think then Sixers match it. If somebody (and it only takes one) offer ET what Tyreke got, then you have to let him walk.
Spencer Hawes:
- Tiago Splitter- 4 years/$36 million
- Al Jefferson- 3 years/$41 million
- Nikola Pecovic- 5 years/$60 million
- Chris Kaman- 1 year/$3.1 million
Look, big men get paid. I think if Spencer can end the year averaging 17 and 9.5 with 40% from three, he is looking at $9 million per at a minimum. The crazy part is that I think I would match it. I would take this 2013 version of Spencer under the contract Splitter got all day.
4. R.I.P. Kwame
My boy is gone. If only Doug Collins had signed him for 5 years instead of only 2, then maybe Kwame would still be with us. Now we are left with only memories…
Um, actual I guess that should have read memory, singular. I honestly can't remember any other single play featuring Kwame. Fuck him.
5. Seriously, This is the Year of SPENCER!!!
In retrospect, I should have seen this coming. I give you "the omen":
Spencer followed that with the "season debut":
Spencer then buried the Bulls with this dagger:
Then noted patriot Spencer defended 'merica vs. Canada:
And then… one more time with feeling!:
I can't lie, I love me some Spencer Hawes.
SIXERS!!!!
I know we lost most recently, but this is my blog, and I want to sing!
Thanks for reading see you next week!
