The 10-man rotation, starring the teeming dislike for Dwight Howard (Ball Don't Lie)
The News A look around the league and the web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.
C : Sports on Earth . David Roth on the unique and (since he became a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, at least) ubiquitous dislike for Dwight Howard. A distaste with no real precedent in recent NBA history.
PF : Philadunkia . Phil Jackson probably does not want to coach an NBA team at this stage in his career, preferring to probably take his talents to a front office, he probably does not think much of the Philadelphia 76ers’ roster, and he assuredly wants no part of coaching Kwame Brown or potentially Andrew Bynum ever again. But … is there a chance he comes to Philly?
SF : Mavs Moneyball . If you feel like laughing until you cry, Dallas Mavericks fans, look at some of the worst-case scenario selections Kirk Henderson put together for your 2013-14, post-free agency roster.
SG : Blog a Bull . If you feel like laughing until you cry, Chicago Bulls fans, look at Derrick Rose’s finest plays from the 2012-13 regular season.
PG : True Hoop . Kevin Arnovitz with five things to watch for Thursday’s pivotal Game 3 between the Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies. Two takeaways: Vinny Del Negro has stepped up, and Marc Gasol badly needs to step up on the offensive side of the court.
76ers assistant coach Aaron McKie thinks the team needs ‘a dog’ (Ball Don't Lie)
The News Whether you think the Philadelphia 76ers overachieved or underachieved last season, you've got room and evidence with which to make an argument. A glass-half-full type might look at the Sixers' 2011-12 campaign and marvel at the team's stingy defense (No. 3 in the league in points allowed per 100 possessions), balanced offensive attack (eight players averaged at least eight points per game) and run to the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, where they pushed the Boston Celtics to a deciding seventh game. A more pessimistic sort might get hung up on the 15-17 post-All-Star-break record that sent Philly crawling into the postseason as the East's eighth seed, the relatively punchless offense that finished 20th of 30 NBA teams in offensive efficiency and the lack of a go-to scoring option that could deliver buckets when the Sixers' sets bogged down.
Head coach Doug Collins sounded like a half-empty guy, telling Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News during a recent sitdown at the Sixers' practice facility that he "felt [last year's] team had reached its peak" and "we knew we were going to have to make changes." Philly certainly did that, letting sixth man Lou Williams and long-range shooting threat Jodie Meeks walk, amnestying starter Elton Brand, bringing in embattled center Kwame Brown to pair with the re-signed Spencer Hawes and, in the biggest move of all, trading cornerstone Andre Iguodala, second-year center Nikola Vucevic and rookie Moe Harkless in a monster four-team deal that sent Dwight Howard to L.A. and brought Andrew Bynum to the Sixers, who immediately welcomed him with open arms. Ch-ch-changes .
Assistant coach Aaron McKie would like to see something else change, too. The 13-year NBA veteran, who spent parts of eight seasons in Philly, told Cooney that he's somewhat troubled by "a sense that our guys don't want to step on each other's toes." The 2000-01 NBA Sixth Man of the Year wants to see Philly's players be a bit more willing to bare their fangs, so to speak:
We have nice guys, but I always say we need someone to turn into a dog, to get teeth into their belly. That's when we're going to take that next step. We enjoy these guys and there's nothing that they wouldn't do for you, but they have to get that mentality, that killer instinct inside of them.
Kwame Brown and Spencer Hawes will both start for the 76ers, says Doug Collins (Ball Don't Lie)
The News The Philadelphia 76ers have overhauled their frontcourt substantially this offseason on the strength of just two moves: amnestying Elton Brand and signing Kwame Brown . When the latter move was announced, most assumed that Brown would fit as a backup big man, which he's actually fairly qualified to do despite his reputation as an all-time bust. Then, to the consternation of many, reports broke that Brown was actually being signed so that he could start at center, with previous starter Spencer Hawes moving to power forward, a position he has never played.
None of it made much sense. But it's a real thing, and head coach Doug Collins confirmed the plans on Tuesday. From John N. Mitchell for The Philadelphia Inquirer (via SLAM ):
The News The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to a $6 million, two-year contract with former No. 1 overall draft pick Brown. Agent Mark Bartelstein announced the move Friday.
Our View Brown will be reunited with Sixers coach Doug Collins. Collins was Brown's first coach in Washington in 2001. Brown has averaged 6.8 points and 5.6 rebounds over an 11-year career. The well-traveled Brown was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 draft by the Washington Wizards. Bartelstein said one reason Brown was eager to join the Sixers was because Collins was like a "father figure" to the center.
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