Burried in a losing streak for the record books—likely at the top of the category—has been the dark cloud surrounding the state of the Philadelphia 76ers. Better times are down the line, as they cannot get worse, but the question is when, and how soon?
Their host tonight can provide a model of just how soon it can come. Sixers coach Brett Brown knows all about building a winning program and how one big break, specifically in the lottery, can launch a franchise for nearly two decades.
The San Antonio Spurs are the prime example of how “tanking” can in fact work—with one catch: winning the lottery. After selecting Tim Duncan first overall, the Spurs were set for years to go. It quickly erased a 20-win campaign and cemented the franchise at the top tier in the NBA.
The takeaway, Sixers fans, is that there is hope. The San Antonio Spurs provide them reason to believe the plan will work. It also shows that with the right core of three people, the Sixers can be set for years to come. Manu Ginobli, Tony Parker and Duncan, along with the great Greg Popovich, have guided the Spurs to the forefront of every NBA Championship race.
The Sixers hope they already have two keystones on the court in Michael Carter-Williams and Nerlens Noel. They also think they have the right coach in Brett Brown. Only thing they lack, of course, is their big break in the draft.
They need to win their Tim Duncan of the draft lottery. With a little luck, the Sixers could be watching a “best-case scenario” of their future potential.
Game Notes:
- After his ten-day contract expired, the Sixers elected to not sign Darius Johnson-Odom. He only contributed 15 minutes of playing time on the court, failing to score a point.
- The team will use the extra roster spot to sign 5-10 guard Kevin Ware. A Long Beach State product, he is a two-time Big West Player of the Year winner. Ware has no previous NBA experience.
- Philadelphia is 2-26 in San Antonio over the last 30 years.
- The Spurs have not lost a home game during the Sixers’ 24 game losing streak.
Injuries: Tony Wroten will not play, recovering from a high ankle sprain. Jason Richardson and Nerlens Noel are recovering from ACL surgery and will also not play. The Spurs are completely healthy.
Projected Lineups:
Sixers Lineup
PG Michael Carter-Williams
SG James Anderson
SF Hollis Thompson
PF Thaddeus Young
C Henry Sims
Spurs Lineup:
PG- Tony Parker
SG- Danny Green
SF- Kawhi Leonard
PF- Tim Duncan
C- Tiago Splitter
Prediction: The 76ers continue to play hard but falter late. San Antonio pulls away and wins 111-93.
