The top story surrounding the recent NBA draft lottery has been the unlikely selection of the Washington Wizards with the top pick, and the subsequent fall of the NJ Nets to the third selection. This ongoing drama has stolen the water cooler action among many NBA fans, but the true winner of the draft may have been the Philadelphia 76ers.
Coming into Tuesday's lottery the Sixers had a 5.3% chance of receiving the top slot and were expected to go somewhere between the sixth or seventh pick. As the choices fell and teams received their picks the Sixers, somehow in a chance of fait, were chosen to take the second pick of the upcoming draft (June 24, 7p.m. ESPN). For many reasons this was even better for the team then somehow receiving the top slot.
The Sixers, looking to show a sign of their future, sent rookie point guard Jrue Holiday as their representative in the draft. Holiday was the teams first round pick in 2009 and is one of the glimmers of hope for a team that finished last season at a dismal 27-55.
As the picks fell and ESPN flashed to a shot of Kentucky freshman John Wall, the discussion among the media was how he would fit in each of the top three teams (Washington, Philadelphia, N.J). As this discussion went on none was more nervous of Wall's selection then Jrue Holiday.
If the Sixers somehow received the top pick they would have been expected and even pressured to take the 6'4 Kentucky guard John Wall. As soon as NBA assistant commissioner Adam Silver announced the Sixers won the second pick you saw a rush of relief roll over the face of Jure Holiday.
As much of a sign of relief it was really a sign of job security as the second pick would give the team the opportunity to take Ohio State shooting guard Evan Turner, a pick that would give the Sixers a back court to grow with. Holiday looked elated as the fact that his job may have become the most secure within the organization.
Turner was last seasons NCAA player of the year and is, in many opinions, the top player in this year’s draft. At a slender 6'7 210lbs Turner has been compared to Portland Trailblazers Brandon Roy. Roy was the 2007 rookie of the year and the major reason the Blazers made the playoffs this season.
The draft will commence five weeks from today and if all pieces fall into place the Sixers may finally have a combo of young players to look forward to. This is an easy decision for the Sixers and with this pick could make the teams ongoing coaching search more appealing to possible suitors.
Only time will tell but with the ongoing success of the Flyers and the Phillies season well under way the Sixers finally have a point of discussion in the Philadelphia sports scene.
NBA Draft Lottery Selection:
1. Washington Wizards
2. Philadelphia 76ers
3. New Jersey Nets
4. Minnesota Timberwolves
5. Sacramento Kings
6. Golden State Warriors
7. Detroit Pistons
8. L.A. Clippers
9. Utah Jazz (from the Knicks)
10. Indiana Pacers
11. New Orleans Hornets
12. Memphis Grizzlies
13. Toronto Raptors
14. Houston Rockets
Going into tonight's NBA Draft Lottery many people in and around the league thought that it was only a matter of destiny that the hapless N.J Nets would receive the top pick, and doing so take Kentucky PG John Wall. Those dreams and futures were set aside as the Washington Wizards grabbed the top spot in the upcoming NBA Draft (6/24 7 p.m. ESPN) giving them the rights to take the consensus number 1 pick.
With the Wizards making the top pick shock and the Nets slipping down to 3 the story of the Sixers draft was quickly pushed under the rug. Philadelphia had a 5.3% chance of receiving the top pick but lucked out in having their card pulled second giving the team the chance to select what many feel may actually be the best player in this years draft, Ohio State SG Evan Turner.
Like most I sat in my home waiting to see where my team fell. The first few picks went as expected and I was content with the fact that the Sixers would fall somewhere between 5-7 giving them a chance to take a developmental player like Cole Aldrich or Al-Farouq Aminu, a PF of the future to take over when the Elton Brand saga finally ends. The seventh pick came and went as I was sure that the Sixers would be next, yet as the names kept coming (Detroit, Golden State, Sacramento) I began to think in my head... wow maybe we can get a top 3. I frantically started thinking over the prospects and imagining what players like DeMarcus Cousins could do for this team and then the commercial break came and I looked at my t.v. ...
Like the scene out of rocky IV when Drago says to Stallone "I must break you" I gazed into the eyes of the Nets Russian billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov and saw how nervous he was. Then I looked into the face of Abe Pollin's widow Irene and thought about what a top pick would mean for not only her but the Wizards franchise. And finally I looked at the face of Sixers rookie Jrue Holiday and above them all he seemed the most nervous and scared. Holiday, last years 17th pick, is one of the only glimmers of hope for the Sixers and at the point the team was sitting with a 1/3 chance of HAVING to pick another PG.
After the break I was glued... Pick 3 - N.J. Nets... THIS GUY IS PISSED... the dreams of John Wall, Jay-Z and LeBron in Brooklyn are now gone and good for us, LeBron doesn't deserve a fairy tale. Also I thought about how they might be screwed because picks 3-5 are mostly big men and centers and that is one of the only things that is going right for the Nets right now.
I veered over at Jrue Holiday... he's sweating... He sees his job and future flash before his eyes and then it was time for the second pick. It's like it all went in slow-mo, Adam Silver, like a bald Moby designed god announces... The Second Pick Will Be Made By The Philadelphia 76ers. WOOOOO.
This was a huge moment for not only fans of the Sixers but more importantly Jrue Holiday, you saw a wave of calm wash over his face as he realized that his job is pretty much the only safe one on this team. I mean I am very happy for Washington and I think that Wall will be a quality player for their team and with Arenas back next season it will work out amazingly well for them but the first pick was not something the Sixers needed or truthfully wanted.
There are good and bad things coming out of the Sixers number 2 pick that I feel may still hold them back from righting this ship.
1. This is a great chance for the Sixers to set up a back court of the future with Holiday at the PG and Turner at the SG. I feel that both of them are young and coach-able talents that could work well depending on the new coach.
2. Having the second pick makes the coaching position seem more intriguing for potential suitors. You give yourself a young nucleus and the feeling that there is no pressure to win right away. The Sixers could potentially have a strong lineup next season and with the contracts that will come off the books after next season it could be a great chance for a young coach to build a team from the ground up.
3. The second pick does give Ed Stefanski some job security, this is a no brainier pick and this is a decision he cant possibly mess up. If this turns out well and the team improves he will skate by and run this team for as long as Ed Synder's NHL playoff boner lasts. Hell if the Flyers win the Cup Snyder might just give the team away cause god knows the Flyers are like two wins away from giving the Sixers the Clippers syndrome (... for those of you that don't know this philosophy, The Clippers share the Staples Center with the Lakers and the building has purple seats and a locker room that doubles the Clippers) basically they will become the permanent CSN bastard child, but that's all for another day.
4. Drafting Turner will finally give the Sixers the leverage to part ways with Iggy. With a young back court of Turner and Holiday it would move Andre to the 3 spot, a position they drafted Thad Young for, who frankly fits better. If this team is going to ever rebuild, which this would allow them to do, parting ways with Iguodala (or at least not resigning him) is the smart thing to do. I think about drafting Tuner and I think that for once Iggy is not needed and as a fan that is a HUGE sign of relief.
By The Way: Just as a side note, after the lottery I spent 45 minutes on Chad Fords NBA Draft Lottery Machine (not once did the Sixers move out of either the 6th or 7th pick). And every time I tried again they seemed to always select Cole Aldrich.
I will be posting a mock draft tomorrow, its late and the Giants went 12 innings so i'm tired.
Sixers Fans... Just a taste of what we have to look forward to.
After a mildly surprising result of the Dallas v. San Antonio match-up we have our second round bout set between the veteran savvy Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs. I know I picked Dallas to be in the match-up but so did 99% of the NBA writers in the league so I don't feel so bad about my pick.
Matchup #2: #3 Phoenix Suns v. #7 San Antonio Spurs
Both of these teams are full of veteran and playoff experienced players and that will be the factor in making this series not only long lasting but memorable. The Suns were beaten by Spurs in the semifinals in 2007 and lost in the opening round in 2008 and this will be the ninth overall meeting between the two franchises. San Antonio does have the advantage winning the last four post season matchups between the two clubs but this years Phoenix team is quite different and much more balancaed then their squad in the last two years.
As much as we talk about the Steve Nash empire that is the Phoenix Suns the two time league MVP will not be the deciding factor if the Suns are going to make it to the Western Conference finals. We all know that Nash will get his 15 assists and knock down nearly everything from the line and the Spurs know this. The key to their seasons hopes will be Amare Stoudamire. The mildly bi-polar power forward will be put to his ultimate test as he will be put in one-on-one situations against "The Big Fundamental" Tim Duncan. San Antonio has owned the Suns because of Amare inability to get anything productive done against Duncan. Amare has the size and ability to get into the lane and make plays but Duncan has mastered all of his tricks and will do so again in this series.
Now I know I said Steve Nash wont be the biggest factor because he will be schooling the young Spurs point guard George Hill for most the of series. Hill has been affective since taking over the starting role from Tony Parker but his talent is going to be tested against a veteran like Nash.
With Duncan getting the nod when it comes to low post and Nash getting the pick when it comes to the offensive side there will be many intangialbe that will make this series very interesting. Jason Richardson has been on fire as of late averaging a double-double in their opening round series against the Blazers but it has to be noted that Portland was playing depleated in the opening round and his totals will be less when he will be one-on-one against Manu Ginobili.
I also think that the Suns have a distinct advantage when it comes to the reserve situation. The Suns "second team" as they like to be called is a highly productive and sound group of young players and guys like Goran Dragic and Lou Amundson are just years from being the next class of players set to run this team. They are efficient and give their starters ample time for rest which will be key. The Spurs are thin off the bench with Tony Parker and DeJuan Blair touting the prime minutes of the bench. So like I said in the opening round, if San Antonio makes it past this round it will be on the back of Tim Duncan and only Tim Duncan.
Prediction: If Tim Duncan controls the tempo, Spurs in 6.
OK so I went 3-1 in my opening round match-ups but I have to say I think my Thunder prediction was right on. Last nights game was insane and if it wasn't for a misplay on defense allowing Pau Gasol to float in the lane uncontested we could be talking about a game 7 in LA. But that's all in the past so lets look at the next round of the 2009-10 NBA Playoffs.
Matchup 1: #1 L.A. Lakers v. #5 Utah Jazz.
I among many NBA writers out there felt this match up was going to happen and I even predicted the resilience of the Utah Jazz. If a team has ever advanced on intangibles its this Utah Jazz team. They are the most resilient team in the league and pushed themselves every minute to get into this match up. The tandem of Boozer and Williams was spot on last series but they are coming in taking on the defending NBA champs which could make (and will make) for a tougher upset then what they had against the gassed Denver Nuggets.
#1 L.A. Lakers- Don't take the Thunder series as a sign of weakness for L.A.. Every team in the Western Conference playoffs won 50+ games this season and from 1-8 each team had a chance to make it to the finals. The Thunder were a budding superpower with all the hype and expectations we gave them and lived up to them pushing the aging Lakers to the brink of an almost unbelievable upset in round 1. Letting that all sit in the past the Lakers did show us many things in the last series that will be very important in round 2.
Andrew Bynum is back and his injuries seem to be behind him. Bynum averaged 12 points and 9 boards against OKC and battled a much younger team that was dominant on offensive boards. He looked fresh and will be expected to work the low post as Carlos Boozers' shadow in the semis, and as much as I think Boozer has the advantage against Bynum, with Pau Gasol lurking in the low post for much of the game I think Bynum will have another productive round.
The Lakers bench has been mildly productive so far with Lamar Odom settling back into his role as the 6th man quite well making the most of his time on the court. Also I was surprised to see how effective Shannon Brown was in a series I thought he would be way to over sized. He only averaged around 15-20 minutes a game but was affective with 6.2 ppg. Brown caused trouble with his ability to drive into the lane and get to the line when the starters were resting converting on 10-14 Ft. (.714).
You cant talk about the Lakers without talking about Kobe. Bryant was his old self on offense, even though at times he did seem a little slow, but with a team that was an average on 8 years younger then him that was to be expected. Bryant played some relentless defense and was able to neutralize potential all-star Russell Westbrook. The good thing about the next series is that other then Deron Williams there is no real number one shooting threat for the Jazz and most of the series Ron Artest will be guarding Williams so expect Kobe to make plays in space to help his team against the Jazz.
#5 Utah Jazz: No real upset with them taking down the Denver Nuggets, they played well against them using their speed and not so surprising efficiency to take down a team in Denver that played without motivation. I think we all saw that the series was going to be over once Nene went down and the Jazz acted accordingly dismantling Denver in game 6.
You knew what Utah was bringing with Deron William and Carlos Boozer but I think coming into the opening round many people were unsure how they would react without Andrei Kirilenko or Mehmet Okur. Carlos Boozer is a low post threat but he is not a center type asset, hes a pure PF and did an excellent job working in the low post.
Who can honestly tell me they knew anything about Kyrylo Fesenko before this series started. I know the guy only played like 18 minutes a game but for an unknown he was mildly affective.
I think Paul Millsap had a bit of a disappointing series and if the Jazz are going to make it any further then the second round Millsap is going to need to step up his game and become more affective down low. He average 17pts and 9 boards a game but that will be depleted when he has to play against seven footer Pau Gasol. Not to mention, at times, work one-on-one against either Ron Artest or Andrew Bynum.
The Matchup:
For the average NBA fan you know who Deron Williams is, and that he is an undersized yet overachieving superstar. In this series you won't be disappointed as D. Will will show you that every game. The duo of Carlos Boozer and Williams will make this match-up tough but they need to capitalize on a few things if they have a chance to take down the defending champs.
L.A. just finished a tough series and Utah needs to come at them quickly to wear the Lakers down. We saw with OKC that Kobe is not the best when defending a quick point guard off the dribble so expect to see Deron Williams pressuring Kobe in the lanes and going to the line. If he can do this, and get players like Paul Millsap and Wesley Matthews involved then the Jazz could win a few games... notice I said only a few games.
Utah was impressive against Denver but the Lakers are a lot different from the Nuggets. The Lakers are the deepest, strongest and most experienced team in the league and have a little too much to throw at the Jazz to make this a balanced contest. I expect to see players like Lamar Odom having another strong series. He will play extended minutes and face many mismatches when it comes to both teams resting their starters, and lets be honest most of Utah doesn't deserve to start, so when their "bench" is on the court the Lakers will pick them apart. Odom has the size and speed to control the post when Boozer is resting and if he is on the court with either Artest or Bynum then the Lakers points-in-the-paint will be astronomical.
I wish I could say Utah has a shot but the Lakers are destined for the Finals and we all know it.
Result: Lakers in 5-or-6 depending on if Utah wins game 1.
