Philadelphia 76ers News

Jordan focuses on week's four games
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March 19
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"With little else for which to play, 76ers coach Eddie Jordan broke down this week's schedule into a four-game package: two games against the New York Knicks, a game against the New Jersey Nets, and Saturday's game against the Chicago Bulls. On Monday night, the Sixers lost to the Knicks, 94-84; on Wednesday night, they defeated the Nets, 108-97; tonight, they again play the Knicks, this time at Madison Square Garden. The Sixers did not practice yesterday, instead traveling to New York in the afternoon. "This package is a four-game package," Jordan said after Wednesday night's win. "We started off with a loss against New York, and hopefully we can finish 3 of 4 for the week, and that's what ..."
No Magic formula for this season's Sixers
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March 19
Philadelphia Daily News
 columnist Phil Jasner
"AS MAGIC JOHNSON sat at the Wachovia Center press table watching the 76ers defeat the New Jersey Nets Wednesday night, he got a front-row look at what we have been watching this season. The Sixers, a power in the NBA East in Johnson's first four seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, beat the New Jersey Nets, 108-97. He had to sense what Sixers fans were thinking: Play hard, give prize rookie Jrue Holiday all the minutes he can handle, give reasonable minutes to Jason Smith and, at some point, late arrival Jodie Meeks. Make it palatable, and it's OK - no, good - if you don't win. The more you lose, the better chance you have at a better pick in the draft. In this case, a win was acceptable, ..."
Sixers' Williams returns, but doesn't start
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March 18
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"Guard Lou Williams, who missed the 76ers' game Monday because of back spasms, returned to the court last night. He did not, however, return to the starting lineup. "I expected to start," Williams said before the game against the New Jersey Nets. "I didn't see a reason, but we've been changing up the lineup a little bit so I guess this is just another episode of us doing that, seeing if we can find some way to win." Sixers coach Eddie Jordan started a lineup of rookie Jrue Holiday, Willie Green, Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand, and Samuel Dalembert. When asked whether he expected his minutes to be "guarded," Williams said, "I'm sure." He continued: "I'm just here trying my best to continue to ..."
Sixers defeat abysmal Nets
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March 18
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"Whether their draft-lottery-conscious fans like it or not, the 76ers won a basketball game last night. A victory isn't such a common occurrence these days for the Sixers: In the last five weeks, there had been three holidays (Presidents' Day, Valentine's Day, and St. Patrick's Day) and three Sixers victories, making a win somewhat of a special occasion. Make it four. Last night at the Wachovia Center, the Sixers defeated the New Jersey Nets, 108-97, in a game that made it plainly evident why New Jersey is, by far, the worst team in the NBA. The Nets missed layups with ease and defended them with difficulty: The Sixers made 56 percent of their shots while New Jersey made 41 percent. ..."
It's easy to see Williams' frustration with Sixers
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March 18
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"At times, Lou Williams looks like a little kid with a big secret. He so wants to tell anyone, everyone, what he has in his head, but knows better. It's no secret that the 76ers' players aren't happy. No one would expect them to be with a record that is 20 games under .500 despite last night's 108-97 win over the lowly New Jersey Nets. Williams missed Monday night's game against the New York Knicks due to back spasms. The night before in Miami, he started the game but was replaced in the second half by Jason Kapono, who hadn't seen significant minutes in months. Williams' body language on the bench was an easy read - he was not a happy camper. After getting treatment for the past couple of ..."
Sixers do their part to keep Nets on record losing pace
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March 18
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"The Sixers' promotional department missed out on a great idea last night. Line up two season ticketholders and, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, let one drink as many beers as he could during the 76ers-Nets game, and make the other watch the game in its entirety. The last one to vomit would get reimbursed for the tickets. In a battle (if you could call it that) of two of the NBA's lowliest teams, the Sixers improved to 24-44 with a 108-97 win, snapping a five-game losing streak. Sorry to say that the Nets - who fell to 7-61 and are still in the hunt to challenge the NBA's futility record set by the 1972-73 Sixers, who won nine games - are in a better position than the Sixers. This time next ..."
Think the Sixers are struggling? Imagine being the Nets
Comment
March 18
Philadelphia Daily News
 columnist John Smallwood
"TO LITTLE surprise, the atmosphere in the 76ers' and New Jersey Nets' locker rooms were remarkably similar. They were both mausoleums - shrines to losing and ineptness, filled with young men who could not fathom how so much had gone so wrong. Bad is bad, and the emotions that go along with that realization is universal. Last night, things were a little brighter for the Sixers. They broke a five-game losing streak with a 108-97 victory over New Jersey. For the Nets, it was another night of a seasonlong nightmare. "It was rough," New Jersey center Brooks Lopez said before quickly hustling off to the secure area in the showers. Not that it mattered. What could Lopez have said that would have ..."
76ers hope to avoid nadir against Nets
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March 17
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"It's remarkable, given the parade of lows the 76ers have reached this season, that tonight they will be presented with an opportunity to fall even lower. A 12-game losing streak at the start of the season? That was not good. A 27-point home loss to the Miami Heat after the all-star break? That was bad. Monday night's 10-point home loss to the New York Knicks? Pretty bad, too. But a home loss tonight to the New Jersey Nets, winners of seven games, losers of 60, a team threatening to become the worst in NBA history? That would be worst of all. And the Sixers will play the Nets without forward Thaddeus Young, who has a broken right thumb. Plenty of dynamics will be in play tonight: Eddie ..."
Sixers' Kapono making most of playing time
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March 17
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"It started the way Jason Kapono envisioned - multiple minutes, showcasing the long-range ability that, coming into the season, had him tied with Steve Kerr as the highest-percentage three-point shooter in league history. In 11 of the first 20 games, the first-year 76er, acquired in a trade for popular Reggie Evans, played 20 or more minutes per game. He had made 27 of 61 three-pointers, good for 44.3 percent. Then the plug was pulled. Minutes dwindled. Right around the beginning of the New Year, coach Eddie Jordan let Kapono know that his time would be seriously altered. In the first 33 games the Sixers played after the calendar turned to 2010, Kapono was an observer in 22 of them, a "Did ..."
Sixers fold to Knicks, 94-84
Comment
March 16
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"It's as if the 76ers are held together by tape. A little pressure from the opposition, even bad opposition, and they collapse under the weight. In a 94-84 loss to the just-as-bad New York Knicks last night at the Wachovia Center, "a little pressure" came in the form of a 17-4 Knicks run to close the third quarter. The Sixers were ahead by 65-56 with 5 minutes, 8 seconds left in the third. By the end of the quarter, the Sixers trailed by 73-69 - and, in their demeanor, one sensed that the game was as good as lost. "It feels like we'll come out and play well and they'll come out and make a run and we're hanging our heads a little bit, almost like, 'Here we go again,' " said Sixers guard ..."
Knicks defeat Sixers, and we can hardly wait for the rematch
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March 16
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"JUST THINK, in 3 more days the 76ers and New York Knicks will face each other again. Hide the women and children. Last night's game at the Wachovia Center between the two teams might have passed for the play-in game into the NCAA Tournament. It really was that bad. It wasn't unexpected. The teams came in with identical records, a combined 40 games under .500. New York was playing the fourth game of a five-game road trip, though it showed no sign of being the same team that won by 34 in Dallas on Saturday. The Sixers did resemble the team that shot 37.2 percent in Miami the night before, hitting only 33 of 86 (38.4 percent) against New York. When all was totaled, the Knicks prevailed, ..."
Sixers should be making a coaching list, checking it twice
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March 16
Philadelphia Daily News
 columnist Phil Jasner
"WHO'S NEXT? The 76ers are going to have to answer that question, either in the next week or so or after the season. The question doesn't seem to be whether Eddie Jordan is gone, just how soon? My problem is that the list of successors supposedly starts with Jeff Van Gundy, Jay Wright or Avery Johnson. No disrespect to those guys, but that could be a tragic mistake. Van Gundy probably would like a chance to win; Johnson apparently wants to be handpicked without going through a process. The Sixers had to interview Wright last year, even knowing he had no interest; both sides had to show they were doing their due diligence. Strangely, the one guy who truly wanted the job was Doug Collins, and ..."
Heat blasts past 76ers, 104-91
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March 15
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"The destination the 76ers reached last night against the Miami Heat was familiar - a 104-91 loss - but the path veered slightly. After months of using a relatively set rotation, Sixers coach Eddie Jordan appeared to adjust his lineup to the inevitable failure of this season: He sat guard Willie Green and, often, center Samuel Dalembert. Instead, he played rookie guard Jodie Meeks, forward Jason Kapono, and big man Jason Smith. The Sixers dusted off some early-season lineups, introduced a couple of new ones, and retired a few old ones. Green was listed as "did not play - coach's decision" while Dalembert played 20 minutes, 32 seconds. Kapono scored 17 points in 24:43, starting the second ..."
When it Dwyanes it pours as Heat beat Sixers
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March 15
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"As you drive up to American Airlines Arena, home of the Miami Heat, it's impossible not to notice the large cruise ships that are docked just south in Biscayne Bay. They conjure up thoughts of sun, fun and vacation. You have to wonder how close those thoughts are to the minds of the 76ers players now, as they creep closer and closer to an offseason that might be more interesting than the season has been. Last night against a Heat team that is fighting for a playoff spot, the Sixers played hard - but not well for long enough spurts to keep them within true striking range. The Heat have something the Sixers do not, a bona-fide star, and they rode Dwyane Wade's 38 points in 36 minutes to a ..."
Iguodala showing more aggression for Sixers
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March 15
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"In Friday night's loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Sixers' forward Andre Iguodala attempted a season-high 24 shots, leading to a game-high 30 points. Though he has been a solid player statisticswise during what has been an abysmal season, coach Eddie Jordan has been urging Iguodala to show more aggressiveness, particularly in the scoring area. "We've talked in terms of him trying to be more aggressive," said Jordan. "In previous games I thought I took him out of his comfort level, but he certainly responded and that's what we need from him, to be more aggressive and score the ball." In a loss last week at Indiana, Jordan sat Iguodala for the entire fourth quarter and alluded to Iguodala ..."
The best the Sixers can hope for next year is mediocrity
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March 14
Wilmington News Journal
 columnist Martin Frank
"The train wreck of this 76ers season is almost over, at which point management will try to pick up the pieces, duct tape everything together and go forward with most likely a new coach, perhaps a new general manager, but definitely a new philosophy. Maybe this will lead to a return to the mediocrity that the Sixers achieved in the past two seasons when they were right around .500 and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. It will be hard to expect much more. Because while the coaches may change -- the Sixers could be on their fourth since the start of the 2008-09 season if they fire Eddie Jordan -- the players will remain the same. This reality will be on display this week ..."
A season-long train wreck
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March 14
Camden Courier-Post
 
"The train wreck of this 76ers season is almost over, at which point management will try to pick up the pieces, duct tape everything together and go forward with most likely a new coach, perhaps a new general manager, but definitely a new philosophy. Maybe this will lead to a return to the mediocrity that the Sixers achieved in the past two seasons when they were right around .500 and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. It will be hard to expect much more. That's because while the coaches may change -- the Sixers could be on their fourth since the start of the 2008-09 season if they fire Eddie Jordan -- the players will remain the same. This reality will be on display this ..."
The backlash from Iverson report
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March 14
Philadelphia Inquirer
 columnist Stephen A. Smith
"Once upon a time it was hard to decipher what was more difficult to stomach: the foolish, detrimental behavior of a professional athlete or the apologists disguised as their inner circle, eager to excuse the inexcusable. And then there came Allen Iverson, who didn't make it difficult at all. We can sit around and pretend that Iverson was victimized last week. That somehow he was outed and his personal business was thrown out into the street. But the truth is, from missed practices to excessive tardiness to a flagrant disdain for authority in any venue he's frequented in the past decade, nothing new about Iverson's habits was revealed in the last few days. If only the same can be said about ..."
NBA's all-time worst team saw it coming disaster coming early
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March 14
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"This was the Philadelphia 76ers' preseason, 1972. Other than aging guard Hal Greer, who eventually would be inducted into the Hall of Fame, there were no other signs of the 1966-67 76ers, one of the greatest teams in the history of the NBA. The players, and certainly not the first-year coach, had no idea they would someday be sadly known as the all-time worst. • • • • "Kevin Loughery and I were in the backcourt, and all through camp we kept hearing that one of us would be traded," Dave Wohl recalled. "Every day, Kevin would look at me and say, 'I'm getting traded.' I'd say, 'No, it's me.' " They knew that things were not right, that Roy Rubin, a success at Long Island University, was ..."
Sixers' blunder hands Cavs win
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March 13
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"It's not often that Christmas comes early, but it did for the Cavaliers in the city of Brotherly Love on Friday night. With a shade over 24 seconds left in the game, the Cavs holding a 98-95 lead and the 76ers with the ball and looking for a chance to tie the score, the Sixers' Jrue Holiday threw a pass right into the waiting arms of Cavs guard Delonte West. The Sixers were forced to foul immediately, and West made two free throws to seal the Cavs' 100-95 victory in a game that they did not deserve to win. ''What a beautiful game. It was pretty from all aspects,'' West said grinning. The Cavs should consider themselves fortunate to escape Philadelphia with their second consecutive win, ..."
Mistake-prone Cleveland Cavaliers beat losing-prone Philadelphia 76ers
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March 13
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Back on Monday when the Cavaliers cobbled together an impressive victory down three of their best players against a quality team -- the San Antonio Spurs -- it almost seemed like the effort should've been worth two wins. On Friday against a poor team like the Philadelphia 76ers, the effort they gave seemed like it should've earned only a half win. But they all count the same and the Cavs stuck another one on the left side of the standings by surviving a bevy of their own mistakes to edge the 76ers, 100-95, at Wachovia Center, where they have now won seven times in a row. There are a couple of ways to look at it. On one hand the Cavs (51-15) illustrated why they are the NBA's best team, ..."
Better isn't best
Comment
March 13
Camden Courier-Post
 
"We have only seen glimpses of this type of game from the Sixers -- when they're running and scoring and showing their potential in this lost season. There they were, down by three to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team with the best record in the NBA, with 20 seconds left. The sellout crowd -- another rarity -- was on its feet cheering when 19-year-old Sixers rookie Jrue Holiday threw the ball away. While that sealed the Sixers' 100-95 loss, it also served as a sign of what might have been, which begs a question: Why haven't the Sixers played this way more often? "I think we've played hard in some of those other games we've lost," Sixers forward Elton Brand said. "But at home, against a ..."
James comes back after resting ankle
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March 13
Camden Courier-Post
 
"LeBron James took a week off to rest his sore ankle, taking advantage of a break in the schedule as the Cavaliers had only two games since last Friday. That put his return against the 76ers Friday. But James could have sat out one more game. The Cavaliers are playing the Celtics on Sunday, which would seem like a much more important game than playing against the Sixers. James was asked if he considered getting a few more days of rest before returning Sunday against the Celtics. "It doesn't matter if it was the Sixers or my son's team," James said in reference to his 5-year-old son LeBron Jr. "I was playing (Friday)." Cavs coach Mike Brown said the week off was merely a rare opportunity for ..."
Sixers hang tough before falling to Cavs
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March 13
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"Last night, the Wachovia Center was filled not only with people, but also with energy. After weeks of listless basketball by the home team, superstar LeBron James and his NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers entered town and extracted the best from the struggling 76ers. Their best wasn't enough for victory, but it was enough for entertainment. In the sold-out arena, the Cavaliers (51-15) held on for a 100-95 victory as James scored 23 points and added 10 assists. The Sixers dropped to 23-42. "Well, we started off by playing with a lot of energy, with a lot of pop and spirit," Sixers coach Eddie Jordan said. "We did a lot of good things." There were double-clutch dunks, alley-oops at eye level, ..."
Sixers Notes: Jordan says Meeks may see more action
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March 13
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"Since arriving from the Milwaukee Bucks almost a month ago, shooting guard Jodie Meeks has played 16 minutes with the 76ers. Meeks has appeared in five of the team's 11 games, averaging 1.8 points in 3.2 minutes a game. Before last night's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, coach Eddie Jordan said Meeks was likely to get more time on the court. "You'd like to get him in there with maybe three minutes to go in the quarter or half, or maybe if you're up a lot, you'd like to get him in there," Jordan said. "But right now, when we're down and we have a deficit, I still want to go with our guys to show we're still fighting in there. "You know what happens when you put a rookie in with ..."
Sixers fall to Cavaliers, but it was entertaining
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March 13
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"WHILE THE Sixers sort out their coaching situation (Eddie Jordan was still the coach as of midnight), there was a basketball game that offered a 48-minute respite, a treatise on the unprecedented basketball show offered by LeBron James and a strong rebuttal from what was supposed to be a winning exacta for the Sixers. Winning, however, has long since become irrelevant at the Wachovia Center. Still, they filled the joint, coming out on a dismal night to see the King, the brightest star in the sports galaxy, at least until Tiger starts hitting golfballs in public. As part of the deal, the 20,433 got to see Andre Iguodala and Elton Brand play like it was always hoped they would play. Until, ..."
Larry Brown to Philly?
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March 12
Charlotte Observer
 
"It was an odd experience at Bobcats coach Larry Brown's pregame media availability: The Philadelphia Inquirer had just reported 76ers coach Eddie Jordan would be fired by the end of the season, and Brown - the most successful coach in recent Sixers history - was asked to size up that team. "They've had phenomenal drafts and they're in a good situation financially. I don't think they're very far away," Brown said. "I know what kind of owner (they) have, I know the fans are as good as any. I look at their roster and I see the chance for improvement very quickly." Maybe all that was idle reminiscing, but I couldn't help but think how much Brown misses his wife and kids, back in Philadelphia ..."
76ers near a decision on Jordan
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March 12
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"Comcast-Spectacor and the 76ers are balanced on a ledge. In the next few days, they will either fire coach Eddie Jordan or step back and wait until the season ends. Former Sixers coach Larry Brown, now coach of the Charlotte Bobcats, advised Comcast-Spectacor chairman Ed Snider against firing Jordan before the season ends, according to a source close to the situation. Brown told Snider to keep Jordan, play the young guys, and make the necessary changes in April, the source said. According to other sources, the organization is weighing two schools of thought: Keeping Jordan through the season and demanding that he give more playing time to younger players such as Jodie Meeks, Jason Smith, ..."
What if Sixers keep Jordan for one more year?
Comment
March 12
Philadelphia Daily News
 columnist Bob Cooney
"THERE IS no question that it is totally unfair - borderline ludicrous, in fact - to ask 76ers fans to practice patience. Heck, 27 years is a long time since the team's last championship, and another one doesn't seem to be a remote possibility for a long, long time. But we're going to do it anyway. We only ask that you take off your fan hat and put on your business cap, just for a few minutes. Common preference among fans is to get rid of Eddie Jordan and Ed Stefanski immediately, like yesterday. Totally understandable. The team's 23-41 record is a far, far cry from what was envisioned before the season. The defense has been terrible, the offense nondescript, the move to bring back Allen ..."
Rumors persist about Jordan
Comment
March 11
Camden Courier-Post
 
"The rumors are persisting that 76ers coach Eddie Jordan will be fired after the season, if not sooner. Jordan has heard the published reports saying management will fire him at the end of the season, but he refuses to think about them. Sixers president and general manager Ed Stefanski has refused to comment on those rumors. Jordan, meanwhile, said he's focusing on preparing the players for each game. The Sixers were 23-41 following their 102-87 loss to the the Charlotte Bobcats Wednesday. They have lost seven of eight games and 10 of 13. Jordan also defended his staff. "Look, if you know how to handle it, it won't bother you," Jordan said. "You stay strong. There's an old poem I read a ..."
Sixers' Jordan takes report in stride
Comment
March 11
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"Before last night's game against the Bobcats, coach Eddie Jordan addressed yesterday's report in The Inquirer that he was likely to be fired at the end of this season, if not sooner. "If you know how to handle it, it won't bother you," Jordan said. "You stay strong. There's a poem I read a long time ago about the oak tree. I've been around long enough, done enough diligence and work, that our roots go deeper than you can see and you stand strong." Jordan has been fired twice: by the Sacramento Kings in 1998 and the Washington Wizards in 2008. "We've been around long enough," Jordan said of his staff. "We've got calluses." Jordan denied that he had lost the team, which was also reported ..."
Sinking Fast
Comment
March 11
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"The 76ers have nothing to play for. Not a playoff spot, not the forward progress of a coach's system, not even a home crowd. Last night at the Wachovia Center, there were more empty seats than smiling faces. Not that there was anything to smile about. The Sixers were embarrassed by the Charlotte Bobcats, 102-87. They trailed by as many as 29 points; on multiple occasions in the fourth quarter, the Sixers cut the deficit to 15. The loss was the Sixers' second in a row and seventh in eight games. Since Feb. 10, their record is 3-11. The Sixers dropped to 23-41. The Bobcats, led by Gerald Wallace's 28 points, improved to 32-31. Before the game, Sixers coach Eddie Jordan said his team was ..."
Don't overlook Luukko's liability for 76ers
Comment
March 11
Philadelphia Inquirer
 columnist Stephen A. Smith
"The amazing thing about the 76ers these days is not that they are pathetic, embarrassing, and downright laughable. It's that as the losses mount, while faith in them plummets by the second, the players don't appear to have a problem with the situation at all. There's no other explanation for what transpired last night against the Charlotte Bobcats at the half-filled Wachovia Center, and against a coach, Larry Brown, who took this team to the NBA Finals in 2001. The Sixers were down by 85-58 at the end of three quarters to a .500 team, clearly having given up - and alarmingly looking like a team that is trying to get coach Eddie Jordan fired. Although that may happen - and it will be a ..."
Brown's ties to Philly make his opinions count
Comment
March 11
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"WHEN LARRY BROWN speaks, particularly in a part of the country where he used to coach (oh, wait a minute, he's coached in all parts), people gather. It was no different when the former 76ers and now Charlotte Bobcats coach met with the media before last night's game. Brown was here for six seasons, the highlight being 2001, when he was named the NBA's coach of the year, guard Allen Iverson won the MVP award and the team advanced to the Finals, losing in five games to the Los Angeles Lakers. The two had a tumultuous relationship during Brown's time here, but did wind up forming an inexplicable bond that both have talked glowingly about through the years. Earlier this season, when Iverson ..."
Comcast-Spectacor's Luukko says no decision on Sixers coach Jordan yet
Comment
March 11
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"The rumors and speculation are out there, with only the tail end of the season remaining. Eddie Jordan's job reportedly is on the line, with Comcast-Spectacor supposedly already having decided to fire him in the first year of his 4-year contract to coach the 76ers. Peter Luukko, chief operating officer and president of the company, denied that a decision has been made. "No, we haven't [made a decision]," Luukko told the Daily News yesterday. "We have not done any of that. I've had a lot of people telling me things, and I'm getting calls, but we have not made a predetermined decision." However, anyone who has paid the slightest attention to the team can feel the vibes. Some sources say the ..."
For Sixers, things bleak on court, too, in loss to Bobcats
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March 11
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"THIS HASN'T BEEN the best of weeks for the 76ers organization, amid reports that coach Eddie Jordan's job is in jeopardy and that general manager Ed Stefanski is under severe scrutiny. It got worse after the team played 12 minutes against the visiting Charlotte Bobcats at the Wachovia Center last night. Charlotte, which holds the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Confernce, had a nearly flawless first quarter. The Bobcats made 11 of 15 shots (73.3 percent), including four of their five three-pointers, got nine assists on those baskets, and got to the foul line an astonishing 13 times, making 11. They led by 37-23, the most points the Sixers have given up in an opening quarter ..."
If plan is to fire Jordan at season's end, Sixers should just do it now
Comment
March 11
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"I TAKE PETER LUUKKO at his word. Yesterday, the president and chief operating officer of Comcast-Spectacor denied print and broadcast reports saying the company had already made the decision to fire 76ers coach Eddie Jordan at the end of the season. I'll take someone who puts his name to his words over the unnamed sources who have no accountability, every time. But if this is just a case of semantics and wordplay and Jordan isn't going to be the coach next season, I say end it now. With the Sixers at 23-41 after last night's 102-87 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats, this season was buried in the scrapheap a long time ago. Still, giving up on a season should not mean giving up on the franchise. ..."
Iverson tweets of 'tough times'
Comment
March 10
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"Allen Iverson, who has officially parted ways with the 76ers for the rest of this season, issued a statement via his Twitter account late Monday night. He acknowledged "tough times." Last week, news accounts indicated that his wife, Tawanna, had filed for divorce, and The Inquirer, citing sources, reported that Iverson was dealing with drinking and gambling problems. Around 11 p.m. Monday, Iverson's Twitter account released this statement: "To my fans: You all know that my life isn't perfect. I am going through some very tough times right now, like I am sure that we all do from time to time. However, I will stand tall like always with 'rhino' thick skin. Even though I have become used to ..."
76ers stumble, falter against Pacers
Comment
March 10
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"Watching the 76ers play and then listening to Eddie Jordan talk about it afterward is akin to watching a movie in which the sound track is out of sync with the picture. Something is definitely, undeniably, off. Last night at Conseco Fieldhouse, the 76ers not only threw the ball out of bounds on multiple possessions, but also they threw away any chance of beating the Indiana Pacers, losing by 107-96. Although they played a bad team that was missing its best player, Danny Granger, the Sixers were down by double digits for much of the second half. The Pacers, led by Dahntay Jones' 25 points off the bench, improved to 21-43. The Sixers (23-40) trailed by as many as 15 points in the fourth ..."
Sixers coach Jordan on way out, sources say
Comment
March 10
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"Comcast-Spectacor is ready to fire 76ers coach Eddie Jordan, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation. Several other sources also indicated that the organization will "seriously evaluate" Sixers general manager Ed Stefanski, who hired Jordan less than a year ago. One of these sources indicated that the company had considered terminating Jordan earlier, but likely was "deterred" by the early-season firing of former Flyers coach John Stevens. Comcast-Spectacor owns both franchises. These sources indicated that Jordan could be fired before this season ends - if it becomes obvious he has lost the team - but more likely after the final game of this dismal season. One of ..."
Pacers show Sixers the Princeton offense
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March 10
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"We've heard of games that have that "playoff-type" atmosphere, especially near the end of the season. Last night's game at Conseco Fieldhouse had more of a "lottery pick" atmosphere, as neither the 76ers nor the Indiana Pacers resembled a team with a playoff dream. Both are well behind the playoff pace in the Eastern Conference and are basically playing to see where they will pick in the June draft. Indiana was slightly less bad than the Sixers, getting 25 points from reserve guard Dahntay Jones and 24 from swingman Brandon Rush in grinding out a 107-96 win. It was just the third victory in 14 games for the Pacers, who were coming off a four-game West Coast trip. For most of the night, the ..."
Sixers' Brand already planning offseason improvement
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March 10
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"Elton Brand has been in this position too many times for his liking during his 11 seasons in the NBA. The Sixers' forward finds himself playing out the string of another season, as last night his team played its 63rd game with little chance making the playoffs. "For myself I just want to continue to play hard and get better, and that, hopefully, will help us win a lot of games," he said before last night's game against the Pacers. "We're going back to the [Princeton] offense again, so we keep learning because we shied away from it for a while. So I'm trying to get that down pat at the four [power forward] and the five [center] spots. It's all about just trying to stay positive and upbeat, ..."
Sixers' Speights still positive despite second injury of season
Comment
March 9
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"Marreese Speights' season hasn't been much different than that of many other players and coaches in the organization - that is to say it has been frustrating, borderline maddening. But the second-year forward/center out of Florida has been able to keep that devilish grin present throughout the season. He is the team leader in fist-pounds and high-fives and any other sort of congratulatory demonstration he can think of. As the team prepared at Conseco Fieldhouse yesterday for tonight's game against the Indiana Pacers, though, Speights sat his 6-10, 245-pound frame on the sideline of the practice court, his right knee wrapped in a huge ball of ice. He will be out tonight and will not ..."
Carter, of worst team in NBA history, wants to keep place in record books
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March 9
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"It seems so improbable to some of the 76ers who lived through the 9-73 season of 1972-73. The NBA has expanded from what was then a 17-team league to 30. The talent pool has been spread out and diluted. Fred Carter, the Sixers' leading scorer in their historic season, prefers that the recognition for being the worst team in history remains intact. Two reasons: He wants to be remembered, even if it's for that, and he doesn't want to see another team suffer that level of agony. The 1992-93 Dallas Mavericks and the '97-98 Denver Nuggets barely escaped the ignominy, each finishing 11-71. But this season's New Jersey Nets, 7-56 after last night's loss at Memphis, could win fewer than nine. The ..."
Former Sixers GM DeJardin feels Nets' pain
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March 9
Philadelphia Daily News
 
""The Nets," Don DeJardin was saying, "are going through basketball hell." He would know. DeJardin was the general manager of the 76ers in 1972-73 when they went 9-73, the worst record in NBA history. The current New Jersey Nets seem to be threatening that mark. They are 7-56 after last night's loss at Memphis. "We had a tremendous struggle, to put it mildly," said DeJardin, now retired. "But our approach, once we recognized the struggle it would be, was to work toward the draft. I believe we had the best draft in Sixers history." In 1973, the Sixers made Doug Collins the No. 1 overall pick in a draft that went 20 rounds. They chose Allan Bristow, George McGinnis and Caldwell Jones in the ..."
Nets threatening infamous 9-73 Sixers of 1972-73
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March 9
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"THIS WAS THE 76ers' preseason, 1972. Other than aging guard Hal Greer, who eventually would be inducted into the Hall of Fame, there were no other signs of the 1966-67 Sixers, one of the greatest teams in the history of the NBA. The players, and certainly not the first-year coach, had no idea they would someday be sadly known as the all-time worst. "Kevin Loughery and I were in the backcourt, and all through camp we kept hearing that one of us would be traded," Dave Wohl recalled. "Every day, Kevin would look at me and say, 'I'm getting traded.' I'd say, 'No, it's me.' " They knew that things were not right, that Roy Rubin, a success at Long Island University, was terribly overmatched. ..."
Can anyone find the right Answer?
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March 9
Washington Examiner
 columnist John Keim
"Former NBA and Georgetown star Allen Iverson apparently has more problems than just a pending divorce from his wife. We already knew about his sick child, though no one has yet said what's wrong with his 4-year-old. Now comes a column by the Philadelphia Inquirer's Stephen A. Smith (OK, put aside your feelings on the former ESPN yapper for a moment). Smith wrote that Iverson's problems also include alcohol and gambling. Last year an Internet report said that Iverson had been banned from a Detroit casino, which he denied. However, now Smith said Iverson has been banned from casinos in Detroit and Atlantic City."
Iverson needs more than a prayer
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March 8
Philadelphia Inquirer
 columnist Stephen A. Smith
"His closest confidant asked the basketball world to pray for Allen Iverson, as if no one has all these years while seeing this train wreck coming. He acted as if the former 76ers star hadn't needed a significant dose of prayer, luck, and divine intervention until now. And as the rest of us are forced to bear witness to a disintegration, the rapid decline of a career clearly lacking nurturing, the time has arrived for Iverson's inner circle to stand up and be counted, to provide some semblance of tough love - by any means necessary. Unless those people are willing to write his epitaph instead. Just listening to Gary Moore, Iverson's business manager and the person he trusts most, they may ..."
Knee injury puts Speights out of game
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March 8
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"With 6 minutes, 46 seconds left in the second quarter of yesterday's 114-101 victory over the Toronto Raptors, 76ers big man Marreese Speights went down near the left block, clutching his right knee. Speights, who had been making an offensive move toward the basket, immediately lifted his arm, calling for medical help. The gesture indicated that Speights felt the injury was severe. Speights was helped to the locker room, where it was determined he had a sprained knee. The timetable for his return was not immediately available. X-rays were negative. As of last night, the Sixers had not announced a pending MRI exam and Speights was still scheduled to travel with the team to Indianapolis. ..."