Well, took one of my kids to the Sixers-Celtics Playoff game last night in Philly.
The Atmosphere was electric. Dr. J. was in the House. Brian Westbrook, Brent Celek, Michael Vick and other Eagles were all with Eagles Owner Jeffrey Lurie in Mr. Lurie's box (and Mr. Lurie was getting booed more than Vick, an ominous portent, perhaps, of things to come).
They were playing highlight reels on the Jumbotron of Andrew Toney, "The Boston Strangler", from 1982, the last time that the Sixers had beaten a Boston Celtics team in Boston. He received that nickname for scoring 25 points in quarter v the Celtics.
The Legend: Andrew Toney
Andrew Toney - Vintage NBA documentary featuring commentary by Cuttino Mobley - five parts (46 minutes) rare
Back then, the Celtics played in a humble little arena known as the "Gah-den" filled with the cigar smoke of a clever little fellow "Red Auerbach," whose mission in life, it seemed, was to destroy Philly's playoff dreams each and every spring.
The cunning Red Auerbach consults with the Wily Bill Russell. These two fellows combined to win 117 consecutive NBA titles during the 1960s. Bill also desegregated Boston, was chairman of the JFK for President & RFK for President Campaigns and was host of SNL several times. Bill Russell never failed at anything.
The Sixers would get Wilt; the Celtics would have Bill Russell, KC Jones, Hondo Havlicek, and a whole team of All-Stars. Philly would win one title in the 1960s, Boston would win all the others.
John "Hondo" Havlicek. Played v. Wilt, Dr. J & Doug Collins.
Wilt "the Stilt" Chamberlain after scoring 100 points v. the NY Knicks in 1962. Yes Spike Lee, those NY Knicks. If he played the Knicks of today, he'd score 200 on them.
Dr. J Dunk Highlight Reel Top 10 Dunks
The Sixers got AI--Iverson, the Answer. The Celtics got Paul Pierce, then Garnett, Ray Ray Allen, and finally Rondo. You know the rest. Another trip to the finals, another loss in the finals, and when Pierce went head to head with AI, well, Boston won again.
Iverson Highlights
It's painful to think about. At least we have this to remember:
Larry Bird-Julius Erving Fight followed by Sixers-Celtics Brawl 1980s Old School
Bird-Dr. J Commercial followed by footage of Dr. J-Bird fight with Boston announcer denouncing Moses Malone as a "coward" during fight for putting chokehold on Bird from behind - classic
After one quarter last night, the Sixers were actually blowing the Celtics out of the Wells Fargo Center. They put up 35 points on the Celtics while allowing only 29.
After this, the wheels completely came off.
First Paul Pierce started to be the Paul Pierce of old, scoring inside and out, and seemingly willing his way to the basket.
Then Rondo came alive, seemingly moving faster than everyone. Rondo dropped 17 points on the Sixers in the first half. Not quite Toney-like, but he was moving in a totally different gear than everyone else.
Finally Garnett, who had been sitting due to foul trouble, came back in, and starting hitting shots from distance.
To make matters worse, the Sixers went stone cold in the 2d quarter.
http://www.nba.com/games/20120516/BOSPHI/gameinfo.html
By halftime, the Celtics had put up a thirty plus spot on the Sixers, while the Sixers had scored very few in the 2d quarter. The stunned home crowed watched as the Sixers, who had been up by as much as seven in the first quarter, were now down double digits at the half.
It just got worse and worse in the 3d quarter and it was a 20 plus blowout by the 4th quarter.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/17/sports/basketball/nba-playoffs-celtics-dominate-sixers-in-game-3.html?_r=1
Boston's big three of Pierce, Rondo and Garnett all piled on points, and the Sixers, who had started the night so promisingly, seemed to be in utter confusion.
http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=320516020
There were some bright lights in all of this.
Garnett is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season and the Sixers are free to sign him. Since Elton Brand is also a free agent, the Sixers are free to dump Brand and upgrade to Garnett.
Currently, Boston has three and possibly four future HOFers on their roster, and all four can automatically score at will--Pierce, Allen, Garnett and Rondo.
Philly is a great young team but it needs a HOF level player, a guy with an established Win Share level of eight or more per year, and ten in good years. That would be Garnett. He is a defensive and offensive force, and even at 35 years of age, has at least five years left in the tank. He can score from outside, from inside, and backed up by Lavoy Allen and Spencer Hawes, Garnett does not have to play 48 minutes to be effective for the Sixers.
Ray Allen is also a free agent after this season. He's older and less consistent than Garnett, but also half the money. He's good for @ five win shares a season. Adding these two players means adding fifteen wins to your team.
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/FreeAgents-12-13/nba-free-agents-2012-2013
It also means taking them away from Boston.
Other free agents available after this year include Jameer Nelson (five win shares a season) and Tim Duncan, though it is unlikely Tim Duncan is going anywhere but San Antonio again.
Next year Dwight Howard, Manu Ginobilli, Josh Smith, Kyle Korver and Luke Walton are all available. Dwight Howard is the one player in all of basketball that I would sign if I were a GM. He's still very young and has an established WS level of 11 per year, mainly on defense, which means he adds eleven wins per year to your team. He's not an offensive force, but he is to defense and rebounding and passing what Bill Russell once was. Smith is a younger and more effective version of Elton Brand, and has an establish WS level of 7. Korver has become a much better player since leaving the Sixers. He still drains the three, but now he plays tight D and is good for 5.5 WS per year. He's a bargain at $5 million per year. Finally, Luke Walton is Bill Walton's son. You sign him on that alone. He's connected to an intangible greatness that is connected to John Wooden, the Pyramid and the Secret.
The Sixers have some decisions after this year. Lavoy Allen & Jodie Meeks are restricted free agents. I would do everything to keep Lavoy Allen, the pride of Pennsbury HS and Temple University. Allen is per 48 minutes the most effective Sixer in this years playoffs and the Sixer most likely to be a superstar in the years to come. Meeks is a good scorer but scorers can be replaced so it's not necessary to match his sheet.
The Sixers unrestricted free agents include Tony Battie, Elton Brand, Spencer Hawes and Lou Williams. Battie and Brand should be let go. Brand has been effective, but he is in an age-related decline from last season and at age 33 after several injury plagued seasons, the Sixers need to sever ties. Spencer Hawes is still pretty young and vastly improved, and next to Allen, the most effective player in this years playoffs. He should be resigned. Finally, Lou Williams has improved substantially over the 2008 version of Lou Williams that went to the playoffs under Mo Cheeks--his PER is up, his WS/48 minutes are up, and he has been relatively effective in the playoffs. He is also the best pure shooter and best pure three point shooter on the Sixers, plus he has playoff and big game experience.
Of the free agents listed above, Jameer Nelson seems like an obvious fit because he is from Philly. Andre Miller is available also but he's a few years older than the last tour he took in Philly and he may no longer be effective. Nate Robinson is too small though he's a good player.
Looking at the rest of the playoffs, no one should count out the Sixers. Boston will be tired for Game 4. Everything now turns on Game 4. If the Sixers can pull out a win and tie things up, then this could still be a long series. If the Celtics win Game 4, then look for the Celtics to close this out in Boston in Game 5.
This is a good Sixers team. It is the first Sixers team in many, many years to hold the opposition to under 100 ppg for a season. Sixers teams that have done this for a season have, as a rule, done very, very well in the post-season. Indeed, most NBA teams that do this perform well in the post-season. This is because defense wins in the post-season.
The one piece of the puzzle missing for the Sixers is perhaps a go-to scorer for the playoffs, but otherwise they have all the pieces in place. Experience will come but the Sixers are a team on the rise. And, lest we forget, they knocked the first seed Chicago Bulls out of the playoffs in the first round, and won a game in Boston they had no expectation or right to win. The other game was a one point loss they could well have won.
The Sixers have exceeded all expectations. The credit must go not only to their players for playing team ball, but to their coach, Doug Collins, who was the greatest shooting guard who ever played for the Sixers.
Doug Collins, Dr. J, et al. defeat Dave Cowens, John Havlicek, Jo Jo White et al and the rest of the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Playoffs on May 1, 1977 on their way to the NBA Finals. Doug Collins knows the Secret of Beating the Celtics. He's done it before. He and Dr. J. beat Dave Cowens and Hondo Havlicek. 'Nuff Said.
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