Deep Sixer

TORONTO -- The good news in the 76ers opening 106-97 loss to the Toronto Raptors is that they overcame a 22-point deficit midway through the third quarter to make a serious game of things.
The bad news is that they got down by 22 in the first place. Still, the Sixers appeared to be lifeless and they kept scrapping.
They showed character, although that lone doesn’t produce W’s in the NBA.
Still, had they opened up and gotten blown out by Toronto, then the team would have had nothing to hang its hat on as it prepares to another difficult game Friday in Chicago.
Twice the Sixers got within one point, the second time with under five minutes remaining.
“I’m pleased the way we came back but we put ourselves in such a hole, and we can’t do that against a team like Toronto,” Cheeks said.
Actually, the Sixers can’t do that against any team. Attempting to survive 22-point deficits is a sure way to disaster in the NBA.
Tightening up the defense is also something the Sixers need to do.
Toronto shot 49.4 percent from the field and was a sizzling 9 for 16 from three-point range (56.3 percent).
The Sixers simply didn’t defend Toronto on the perimeter, allowing the Raptors too many open jumpers.
And remember, Toronto’s best outside shooter, Jason Kapono only attempted five shots (although he made four).
Andre Iguodala had an inconsistent first three quarters, then looked like an all-star in the fourth when he had 12 points, three rebounds and a blocked shot.
The problem is that the Sixers need Iguodala to play like that for four quarters.
In fact they need four consistent quarters from the entire team.
It’s hard to believe that the Sixers could have won this game, but if they shot free throws better (14 for 23) and didn’t commit so many turnovers (17) they might have stolen this game.
Losing doesn’t do much for their psyche, but getting blown out would have a difficult jolt to the confidence.
So they realized that they can compete with what should be a playoff-bound team.
Now the next step is actually beating one of these teams, or any team for that matter.

TORONTO -- Maurice Cheeks, now entering his third year as the 76ers coach, went down to the wire until officially announcing that Willie Green would be his starting shooting guard in tonight’s game at the Air Canada Centre against the Toronto Raptors.
In truth, it’s been known for some time that Green had won the starting job ahead of Rodney Carney.
During the preseason, Green had worked primarily with the first team.
“I thought both of those guys had been great throughout the preseason and up to this point, but I liked Willie Green and liked the progression he has made, the things he was doing,” Cheeks said following this morning’s shootaround at the Air Canada Centre.
Green said he was happy to be starting, but all he wants to do is help the team win.
The real question is whether Green or Carney will be playing in the fourth quarter during crunch time.
Cheeks said he isn’t sure, simply because it will depend on how the players are faring.
He also said there could be somebody else occupying that position if they are playing well.
What Cheeks has made clear is that playing time can still be earned by people. He will no doubt go with the hot hand, even though he has a rotation in his mind.
For a team that is so young, this isn’t a bad idea. That means that Green won’t be relaxing because he has the starting job.
And it also means that Carney will continue to push him. It also means that somebody such as Lou Williams could also see time at shooting guard if he is playing well.
So one spot was earned, but it will still be much more important who finishes than starts and right now that could be up for grabs almost on a daily basis.

All during preseason, the 76ers have spoken about the fact that they pride themselves on coming out every night and playing hard, as if this is a secret advantage in the NBA.
It is true that toward the end of last season the Sixers did come to play virtually every night while many other teams packed it in. The Sixers simply outworked their opponents toward the end of last season.
So it is admirable that the Sixers are hanging their hat on their work ethic, but there is one slight problem with this.
During this preseason, the Sixers often didn’t play harder than the opponent.
Maybe it was because it was preseason, but there was only one game where the entire team came to play. That came when the Sixers beat the Boston Celtics, 96-78 at Connnecticut’s Mohegan Sun Arena.
The Sixers had been 0-4 at that point and showed a true sense of urgency, especially for a preseason game. Yes, we know that K.G. and Paul Pierce didn’t play for Boston, but the Sixers still played extremely hard and well.
Other than that, it’s hard to say that the Sixers played harder than their opponent during the rest of the preseason.
The point is, that the Sixers will have to take it up a few levels on the work meter if they plan on beating many of the more talented teams on their schedule.
We know that it’s sometimes hard to have that same type of intensity in the preseason, but for a team that has sold itself on hard work, simply didn’t outwork many opponents when the games didn’t count.
The Sixers will have to pick it up significantly work-wise when the season begins Wednesday at Toronto against the Raptors. If not, the results from the preseason will translate into the regular season.

The 76ers truly believe that they have a better team this season and that could be true.
The only problem is that most of the other Eastern Conference teams are also vastly improved. On paper, the Sixers don’t have the talent to match any of the teams in the Atlantic Division, and remember, they play those four teams – Boston, New Jersey, Toronto and New York - a total of 16 times this season.
Non-playoff teams of a year ago such as Milwaukee, Atlanta, Charlotte appear improved.
So the Sixers may be a better team, but matching last year’s total of 35 wins will be an extremely difficult task.
The schedule is also difficult with 11 of the first 16 games against teams that made the playoffs last season.
For the Sixers to stand any chance of being competitive, they can’t begin again with a 5-19 record.
The team hopes it can carry the momentum of a 17-9 finish, but again many of those teams the Sixers beat have a much different makeup.
For instance, two of those victories toward the end of the season were against a 24-win Boston team. Think the Celtics may be slightly better this year with the addition of K.G. and Ray Allen?
The Sixers insist they haven’t set a win total as a goal, which is a good thing because it could be awfully low.
There is little depth at center and nobody knows how Samuel Dalembert’s foot will hold up.
Their best players are on the wing and it’s been suggested here that they use more small lineups even though it will make rebounding more difficult.
The Sixers like to point to the fact that they play harder then their opponent.
That might have happened late last season, but it wasn’t the case during an inconsistent preseason.
Too much has to go right for the Sixers just to match last year’s total.
It could happen, but not in the eyes of this reporter. The Sixers look headed for about 32 wins and another May trip to Secaucus, New Jersey for the NBA draft lottery.
The players have the attitude that they would like to prove everybody wrong.
At least there are plenty of skeptics to win over, because few outside those connected with the team have high expectations for a franchise clearly in transition.

On the day it was announced that rookie center Herbert Hill would have surgery for a torn meniscus in his left knee, the Sixers got some encouraging news when Samuel Dalembert returned to practice on Saturday.
Dalembert was held out of contact, so a true test will come Sunday when he is expected to take part in the entire practice.
The Sixers and Dalembert keep insisting that he will be available for Wednesday’s opener at Toronto against the Raptors.
Hill will have surgery on Tuesday in Birmingham by noted surgeon Dr. James Andrews. Sixers team physician Dr. Jack McPhilemy will assist in the procedure. The team doesn't have a timetable for Hill until the results of the surgery are known.
What Hill’s injury and Dalembert’s return shows is the fragile position the Sixers are at center.
With Dalembert missing all but one preseason game after experiencing soreness from a stress fracture in his left foot, rookie 7-footer Jason Smith received valuable minutes at center.
And if Dalembert couldn’t go for some reason, Smith and Calvin Booth are the only other centers on the roster. That doesn’t’ count power forward Reggie Evans, who played center in some instances this preseason.
Smith is also suited more for power forward, but at this point, the Sixers can’t be choosy.
And it comes to show how delicate this team is when so much is riding on the health of Dalembert, who was able to start in all 82 games last year.
In the past, Dalembert was looked on as a necessary component. Now he is perceived as one of the team’s strengths.
Before Saturday, Dalembert hadn’t practiced since Oct. 11, so he has missed a good chunk of time.
With Dalembert out, Hill was able to give a few serviceable minutes at center.
What has been impressive about Hill is that he always seems to be around the ball. He averaged 4.2 rebounds in just 9.0 minutes during the five preseason games he appeared in.
As impressive as Hill was, he wasn't going to come close to having the impact of Dalembert.
For now, the Sixers hope that Dalembert is able to round into form and that he doesn’t experience any more setbacks.
Dalembert said that he felt better after getting new orthotics, but the true sign will likely be around a week from now, after the Sixers have played three games in four days.
Dalembert gives the Sixers a rebounding and defensive presence that was lacking during his absence.
Even if he can only give the team 20 minutes a night in the early part of the season, that beats putting together patchwork frontcourt lineups.
And with such a young team, Dalembert is needed this year more than ever, just for the team to have a chance at being competitive on a nightly basis.

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- In a preseason that didn’t an abundance of highlightsfor the 76ers, point guard Andre Miller was a true bright spot.
When one looks at Miller, it always seems as if he isn’t going full speed, mainly because he isn’t that fast.
Yet Miller is one of the most intelligent players in the NBA, and as mentioned here before, easily the most respected player on the Sixers.
Early in training camp, Miller talked about not going full speed right out of the gate and burning out.
He worked hard during training camp and the preseason, did plenty of extra running and shooting after workouts, but as a ninth-year veteran Miller knew how to pace himself.
In his final two preseason games, Miller had his best two performances. And this is no coincidence.
During Wednesday’s 103-90 loss at New York, Miller had 22 points (7 for 14 shooting), four assists and one turnover.
Then in Thursday’s 91-83 win at New Jersey, Miller scored 18 points (8 for 10 shooting) and added three assists.
With the erratic way that so many of the players performed this preseason, there is a question as to whether many of the Sixers are ready when the games begin counting on Wednesday in Toronto.
There is no worry with Miller.
He only averaged 3.3 assists this preseason, but that total will increase, especially if his teammates do a better job of converting his passes.
Coach Maurice Cheeks still has a laundry list of things his team has to improve upon.
Even taking into consideration that Samuel Dalembert missed the final six preseason games, the Sixers need to do a better job with their interior defense.
And perimeter shooting was wildly inconsistent.
The Sixers also have to do a better job of trying to get out in transition.
There are plenty of concerns as the Sixers get ready for the regular season. Miller right now is the least of them

We have the forum to criticize things that we see wrong with the 76ers and it’s only fitting that others should have the ability to criticize us. And in reading a blog response, one reader hit a nerve, suggesting we were letting Billy King off the hook.
We just got done writing for two days how the Sixers didn’t get equal value when trading the rights to the 30th pick in the first round for the 42nd pick in the second, which they used to select Derrick Byars, who was waived on Monday.
We said they blew it and what else is there to say? The problem with King is that people want to make personal attacks on him and we have no time for that.
The mistakes made by King have been well-documented, mainly paying his players too much and then being stuck with difficult salaries to unload.
But this reporter was one of the people who applauded the Chris Webber trade. So even though it didn’t work out, there were many out there, including the King critics, who would have done it in a heartbeat.
In e-mails and notes on the blog, a recurring theme is that the Sixers should get rid of King.
Yet last season before trading Allen Iverson, King, Ed Snider and the Sixers braintrust agreed to a three-year plan that included, getting rid of some veterans, clearing cap room and building with young players.
If there were a time to bring in a new decision maker, it would have been before the start of a three-year plan.
King has executed the plan for the future. He could have drafted Al Thornton (who by the way should be a fine NBA scorer) but chose to go for somebody that the team feels has more upside in Thaddeus Young.
There is no question Thornton should have a much better rookie year than Young, but the pick was made for the future. For what it’s worth, Young has the chance to be a good NBA player, but it likely won’t happen this year.
As difficult as it is for the fans to believe, the Sixers have to build toward the future because bringing in patchwork players wasn’t working. If anybody is paying attention, the team didn’t make the playoffs in three of the last four years.
Even not re-signing Joe Smith showed good restraint, although he would have helped the team this year, but also taken minutes away from younger players who need to develop..
So it seems out of whack to tell somebody to executive a three-year plan and then can him a year into it.
And in fairness, people seem to want to point out all the faults (and there are more than enough to mention) but not mention the decent moves.
Getting Jason Smith at No. 20 in the first round now seems like a pretty good move. We’re told that if King didn’t move up one pick and give Miami a second rounder, that there were a few other teams the Heat was willing to trade the pick to.
And one of those teams might have taken Smith. At that point, nobody but Smith really interested the Sixers.
Even though the Sixers weren’t going to get equal value in the Iverson trade, Andre Miller has been a quality addition.
The most important thing would be to begin working on signing Miller to an extension even though he has two years left on his contract. The team has enough young players and needs his veteran savvy and leadership.
But that’s another story for another day.
We’re talking about King at this point . Whether the plan that he is implementing works will likely be determined when the Sixers possibly have more cap room than any team in the league during the summer.
For now the Sixers have a plan and if it doesn’t work, then the critics will be out in full force, not that they aren’t already.
And now in the final year of his contract, King fully is aware of the situation and how the franchise has to show progress.
Everybody realizes a lot is on the line, but to constantly berate King makes no sense, just to appease a bunch of irate e-mailers.

The response to the news that the 76ers have waived Derrick Byars has been a little bit surprising.
While Byars was an excellent college player, it wasn’t as if the Sixers cut Charles Barkley in his prime.
Even if he made the team, Byars would have probably done most of his playing in the NBDL.
Yes, the fans should be angry over the fact that all the Sixers got for the 30th and final pick in the first round was cash.
Yet as explained in the previous blog, the Sixers wanted to stash him overseas so they wouldn’t have to bring him to camp. Now he is free to sign with anybody and don’t discount Byars going to Europe and then returning for another shot in the future with the Sixers.
Also, here’s the answer a few questions on the blog and e-mails that have been received.
One question was – why didn’t the Sixers send Byars to the D-League?
The answer is they couldn’t unless he was on their 15-man roster.
And again, given the choices they had, unless they wanted to cut a player with a guaranteed contract, or cut Herbert Hill, the best choice was to waive Byars.
Another person suggested trading Samuel Dalembert even when he comes back healthy.
My reaction? Good luck trying.
Dalembert signed a six-year contract for more than $60 million and that will be a difficult contract to move. The contract still has four years remaining, including this season.
Plus the Sixers have invested so much time in him, that it’s worth seeing if he can show more consistency, especially since he fared well while competing for Canada in the pre-Olympic Tournament this summer.
Yet another person questioned why the Sixers hold on to Willie Green and Kevin Ollie.
First, Ollie is actually one of the more valuable commodities the Sixers have. He has an expiring contract with about $3,4 million this season and for a team that is trying to clear cap space, that is extremely important.
Plus, he is a great locker room presence and on a young team his guidance is needed.
It wouldn’t make sense to trade Ollie unless somebody blew the Sixers away with a deal. .
As for Green, he should stay and actually start. He came on strong at the end of last year and is now even more confident since he is more than two years removed from his knee surgery.
Green could be a solid contributor playing approximately 22-25 minutes a night.
Somebody suggested that the Sixers should have taken a big man with the No. 30 pick, pointing out that Josh McRoberts, Nick Fazekas or Glen Davis were available.
That isn’t a bad suggestion, but the Sixers didn’t want a third rookie with a guaranteed contract, which is what they would have had to do with the 30th pick.
And yet another astute reader wrote that the Sixers only selected Petteri Koponen because a deal was in the works.
That is correct. The Sixers had no interest in Koponen and only took him because that is who Portland wanted. And then Portland traded the 42nd pick (Byars) and cash for the 30th pick.
Still, for those fans who suggest that the Sixers will regret not keeping Koponen, we’ll reiterate what was stated yesterday – after seeing him in Las Vegas, it appears as if he has a way to go to become an NBA player.
By the way, the comments, whether they agree or disagree with what we write are appreciated. It’s always good to get a cross section of opinions. Anybody who would like a personal response, send put your e-mail address with your comment.
We think that most agree that the Byars deal wasn’t the Sixers finest moment, but it is far from being a franchise destroyer.

There were a number of e-mailers who the last few months shared a high opinion of swingman Derrick Byars since he was acquired in a draft day trade by the 76ers.
Yet as impressive as Byars was in college when he was named Southeastern Conference Player of the Year by the Coaches for leading Vanderbilt in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, he had little chance of sticking with the Sixers.
So it wasn’t really surprising when the Sixers waived Byars on Monday.
Byars was hurt by the injury bug, but the numbers situation was even more difficult to overcome.
He is a swingman who had to battle the likes of Andre Iguodala, Rodney Carney, Willie Green, Kyle Korver and first round pick Thaddeus Young for minutes.
The Sixers preferred that Byars would have gone overseas to play and if that happened, they would have retained the rights to him. In fact they tried to convince him that this would be the best route, but Byars wanted to attend training camp.
Now he can sign with any team, although somebody who didn’t see many minutes with the Sixers won’t be the most marketable player.
And that brings us up to trading for Byars in the first place. The Sixers selected Petteri Koponen with the 30th and final pick in the first round and traded his rights to Portland for the rights to Byars (who was selected 42nd) and cash considerations.
For those who felt the Sixers should have kept Koponen, think again. After seeing Koponen in the Las Vegas summer league, he appears a long way from being a contributor in the NBA.
That said, the 30th pick was part of the Allen Iverson trade.
So right now, the Sixers have Andre Miller, Jason Smith and cash to show for the trade of Iverson.
Still, had Byars opted to play overseas, the Sixers felt he could use a year of seasoning and would be able to legitimately compete for a roster spot next season.
As coach Maurice Cheeks emphasized, Byars is a good player who was caught up in a numbers situation.
We’ll have to take his word because Byars only played 14 minutes in his one preseason appearance, scoring two points. He had a quadriceps injury during the Las Vegas Summer League and suffered from a lower back injury during training camp so we never got to see the real Byars.
With Byars departure, the e-mails have already come in criticizing the Sixers for not getting enough for Iverson.
They were never going to get fair value, and to be honest, the key to the deal remains Miller. He has two years remaining on his contract and most assume he could be gone by the February trade deadline.
The organization loves the way he plays and he might be the most respected player on the team, so the idea of keeping him beyond the two years is certainly worth exploring.
And Smith has been a little better than advertised, but we’ll withhold real judgment until the real games begin.
Either way, the acquisition of Byars simply didn’t work out because all the Sixers got for the 30th pick in the first round was cash.
And cash, no matter how desired it is, can’t score 20 points on any given night in the NBA.

UNCASVILLE, CONN – Let’s get this out of the way first - there was no K.G. and no Paul Pierce.
Still, the 76ers finally put together a strong effort in Saturday’s 96-78 win over the Boston Celtics at the Mohegan Sun Arena, improving to 1-4 this preseason.
What was impressive was that the Sixers, who looked so confused against Utah going with a small lineup, were highly effective, creating several transition opportunities.
The Sixers outscored the Celtics, 18-8 on fastbreak points.
And Jason Smith continued his strong preseason with 16 points and nine rebounds in 42:35 minutes.
Even when the Sixers have a small lineup of two guards, two small forwards and Smith at center, they are still effective in transition because Smith can rebound and is also skilled enough to start the fast break.
A 7-footer, Smith dribbles effortlessly. One thing is for sure. Smith has earned himself minutes, whether Samuel Dalembert is ready for opening night in Toronto or not.
As for the win, the Sixers were getting tired of talking about losing, even though it was the preseason.
And even though they are smart enough to realize that Boston is a different team with K.G. and Pierce in the lineup, a win is still a win.
“It felt good,” said Kyle Korver who had 11 points and eight rebounds. “No matter what time of the year it is, losing is no fun.”
So this will be the confidence booster that a young team needs, even if Boston was without two all-star parts.
“I told them that you can’t keep going out and practicing hard and not get any results from it,” coach Maurice Cheeks said afterwards. “The way we played tonight gave us some results and it feels a lot better when you win a game, whether it’s preseason or not.”
Despite Boston giving two all-stars the evening off, remember, the Sixers didn’t beat New Jersey when the Nets sat out four starters.
So the moral of the story is that it’s better to beat a team when it’s shorthanded than lose to that squad.
The Sixers realize that defending K.G. is a little different than matching up with Brian Scalabrine. And there isn’t a player in the locker room who doesn’t realize the Sixers have plenty of work to do, including improving on interior defense, rebounding and playing much more consistent.
Still, the Sixers didn’t want to go into the regular season with a goose egg in the win column and now that’s one thing they don’t have to worry about.
Beating the Celtics at full strength, is another matter.

We know that 76ers coach Maurice Cheeks has been using many combinations in the preseason, and giving playing time to a lot of young players.
Still, the team is 0-4 and the inevitable questions are already being asked such as – when will you win a game?
Isn’t there just a twinge of panic for those who are wondering this?
Well, maybe not.
Preseason prognosticators haven’t been kind to the Sixers and the fan base is naturally skeptical to begin with. Going 0-for-the-preseason won’t exactly inspire confidence or boost ticket sales.
For anybody who has been watching the team in the preseason and there haven’t been a whole heck of a lot of you out there, Wednesday’s 101-93 loss at Utah was a step back.
Even Andre Iguodala admitted as much during Friday’s practice. The Jazz starters took a 12-point lead before the teams began going to the bench in the first quarter.
Then in the third quarter, Utah’s starters outscored the Sixers first-stringers by eight points before each team went to the bench.
Now the Sixers have to face the Boston Celtics, who have been playing to win in the preseason.
After that the Sixers have games at New York and New Jersey.
Look for Cheeks to play his main rotation players more in these final three games.
Cheeks hopes to get center Samuel Dalembert back in one of those games, but it won’t happen against Boston.
Dalembert’s absence has been glaring in a position the Sixers have the least depth in.
Cheeks will continue to experiment with small lineups, using two guards and two small forwards together. He will also try different combinations, but in these final three games, winning could become a bigger priority.
Even though it’s just the preseason, the Sixers would be better off if they can experience the thrill of winning at least once before they begin playing for keeps.

SALT LAKE CITY -- After they suffered a 101-93 preseason loss to the Utah Jazz, the 76ers expressed admiration when asked about the winners. And for good reason
The Jazz are the type of team that the Sixers (and many other NBA teams) should strive to be.
They play team ball, backdoor opponents to death, and after reaching the Western Conference finals last year, are a threat this season, although San Antonio, Dallas and Phoenix, all have higher profiles out west.
Still, this is a selfless team and the Sixers saw the Jazz looking in midseason form. The score was close, but the Jazz starters thoroughly outplayed the Sixers’ first-stringers.
“They don’t really have a guy who takes a high volume of shots,” said Sixers swingman Andre Iguodala. “They get the ball spread out and the main thing they do is cut hard, feed off each other and they understand the game.”
These are all things the Sixers are striving for. Of course, Utah also has one other small ingredient that puts them in a much higher class than the Sixers – talent.
Carlos Boozer is among the top power forwards and third year point guard Deron Williams is quickly becoming one of the best in the game.
Plus they have a rejuvenated Andrei Kirilenko, one of the game’s best outside shooting centers in Mehmet Okur, along with a number of other solid role players.
“They are a pass-oriented team, but their main guys, Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer still score the ball,” Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said. “When you look at a team that can pass, move, and cut, it’s certainly an example to look at.”
So even though it was a hassle for the Sixers to make the four-and-a-half hour flight to Utah, it wasn’t bad to get an up-close look at a unit that plays so well together.
With such a young team, the Sixers have so little margin for error each night.
They have to play together as a team just to be competitive. Seeing the Jazz reinforces how far the Sixers have to go, but also gives them a role model to attempt to emulate.

SALT LAKE CITY -- It’s been out of necessity, but 76ers coach Maurice Cheeks has done and awful lot of experimenting this preseason and that’s not such a bad thing.
In Wednesday’s 101-93 loss to the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena, Cheeks tried a new player at center, used one lineup without a true center and played more small ball than the previous three preseason games combined.
And since this team is a work in progress, the experimenting will likely continue.
Fans will look at the 0-4 record and assume that the Sixers are in for a long season (which may be a true assumption, but it shouldn’t be based on a preseason record).
The Sixers have yet to play well offensively this preseason and the defense has been nothing to brag about.
Since the Sixers have so many players of similar ability, Cheeks has been experimenting. Against the Jazz he started power forward Jason Smith at center. While Smith took his lumps, he looked much more comfortable after a difficult first half.
If the Sixers need him at center, at least Cheeks knows that he can do it.
Calvin Booth was brought here to be the backup and it seems that he would be most effective if he played only about 15 minutes a night. And who knows if Smith or even surprising Herbert Hill will be able to steal a couple of minutes playing center.
The small lineup, especially one that included Reggie Evans at center, along with Kyle Korver, Lou Williams, Andre Iguodala and Rodney Carney, was intriguing.
The Sixers best players are their guards and small forwards and it makes sense to try to get as many on the court at one time.
Of course going small doesn’t make the Sixers the most imposing rebounding team, and that is something they will have to work on.
Then again the reason for most of this experimenting is the absence of center Samuel Dalembert, who continues to recover from a stress fracture in his left foot.
The team and Dalembert feel that he will be back for the opener on Oct. 31 at Toronto, but nobody knows for sure. And that is why with three preseason games left, Cheeks has continued to use a series of different combinations.
He says he is beginning to set his rotation, but until Dalembert returns there is no way that anything can be concrete.
So Cheeks will continue mixing and matching, looking for the right combinations, although don’ t be surprised if the experimenting goes well into the regular season.

Two games in and the two 76ers who have made the biggest impression during the preseason have been point guard Lou Williams and power forward Jason Smith.
While it’s important not to get too carried away with preseason statistics, it’s no denying the success that Williams and Smith have had.
In two games, Williams has 49 points after a 33-point effort in Friday’s 91-90 overtime loss to the visiting New Jersey Nets.
True, the Nets were without four starters, but that wasn’t Williams’ fault. Or Smith’s.
People keep being hung up that Williams would be better suited to the two-guard spot because of his scoring mentality.
Coach Maurice Cheeks said that Williams could play both positions.
He will likely back up Andre Miller, and it was probably no coincidence that the two played together for a brief stretch against the Nets.
Of course Miller and Williams were also paired together at times late last season. Cheeks is reluctant to put them together for extended minutes because of the potential defensive mismatches.
Still, Williams is playing his way into the rotation and it could cut some minutes of Willie Green and Rodney Carney, who have been battling for the two-guard spot.
Smith on the other hand has been one of the most pleasant surprises.
He is at the point now where he is looking for his shot, something that he didn’t do as recently as the early portion of summer league.
After his first summer league game, Cheeks basically told him to stop being so timid and that seemed to wake Smith up.
He improved as he went along in the summer and came to camp more confident.
He is a contrasting player to starter Reggie Evans, who has no shooting range, but is a tenacious rebounder. Smith has to get physically stronger and a little tougher inside, but those things will come.
He has shown that he can shoot, handle the ball and Cheeks says he’s been happy with Smith’s defense. In the first half alone, against the Nets, Smith had four blocked shots.
Again, two games, isn’t much of a body of work, but while most of the key Sixers have either been injured or lethargic, Williams and Smith are certainly making the most of their preseason opportunities.

Samuel Dalembert was visibly upset and for good reason The 76ers center thought he was on the road to recovery from a stress fracture in his left foot that he suffered while playing for Canada this summer in the Olympic qualifying tournament.
He had been running well in camp and even played more than 18 minutes in Monday’s opening 101-92 preseason loss to the New York Knicks.
Yet shortly into Thursday’s practice, he complained of pain and pulled himself out. Dalembert said he was just being cautious, and that he didn’t want to hurt it more.
What this shows is two things. He isn’t out of the woods concerning the injury and he is frustrated.
“I think I have to be smart about it and know when to stop or not,” Dalembert said.
What is the biggest disappointment is that Dalembert was in great physical shape after competing for Canada, playing eight games in nine days.
He complained of pain following his final game on Aug. 30 and the injury was diagnosed soon after, upon his return home from the tournament in Las Vegas.
NBA players take such a pounding and as stated earlier, there has to be a concern that something like this could linger.
Dalembert is staying positive that he will be ready when the Sixers open the season Oct. 31 in Toronto against the Raptors.
Here’s one question – what if he isn’t? Or what if he is limited in what he can do?
One of Dalembert’s strengths in the past has been his energy and the ability to run the court, especially for a center.
If he has the thought of injury in the back of his mind, it would take away from his aggressiveness.
And if the injury takes longer than expected to heal, then the Sixers would face a depth crisis at center, with only Calvin Booth and undersized Herbert Hill on board.
Again, it’s dangerous for a non-doctor such as this reporter to start speculating on an injury, but at the least, the Sixers may want a backup plan in case this lingers.

In the early part of the preseason it’s easy to see what has been the best position for the 76ers – point guard.
Andre Miller is arguably the most respected player on the team for the way he runs an offense and his knowledge out on the court.
And Miller had a solid opening performance with a game-high 17 points in the opening 101-92 loss to the New York Knicks.
Lou Williams showed some toughness by bouncing back from a painful eye injury to score 16 points in relief.
Williams has come into camp with a serious, purposeful attitude and he appears to be one of the better-conditioned players on the team.
In fact the way he is playing, one would think that coach Maurice Cheeks has an easy decision to make Williams the backup to Miller.
And while that is likely to happen, Kevin Ollie is making things difficult.
According to Cheeks, Ollie had one of the best camps until suffering a groin strain late in camp.
Ollie sat out the opening preseason game, but participated in Tuesday’s open practice and resumed his stellar play.
“I felt good out there,” Ollie said.
While Williams gives the Sixers a more explosive player and scorer at the point, Ollie has the type of old-school knowledge of running a team that is invaluable.
Giving minutes to three point guards would be almost impossible, but Ollie isn’t conceding anything and that has made Williams better, realizing that the position won’t be handed to him.
While Cheeks talks about the Sixers working on things such as transition defense, spacing and conditioning, the play of the point guards has been one of the positive development of this preseason.

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Nobody should draw too much from one preseason game, which in the 76ers case is a good thing. The Sixers didn’t particularly play well offensive or defensively in their opening 101-92 loss to the New York Knicks at the Colonial Center.
Afterwards, coach Maurice Cheeks says his team has to get in better physical shape.
Who knows about the mental state after the Knicks showed a strong inside game despite the absence of center Eddy Curry, who was sidelined with a shoulder injury.
The Knicks also beat the Sixers down the court, especially early in the game when both teams were using the starters.
The good news is that Cheeks said he was pleased at the reserves – Lou Williams, Jason Smith, Thaddeus Young and Calvin Booth – to name a few.
The bad news is that the starters didn’t distinguish themselves. Andre Miller had a team-high 17 points, and added 3 assists, but four turnovers.
Willie Green had his moments, including a tomahawk driving dunk, but he missed several open jumpers.
Kyle Korver didn’t play because he has a slight groin strain and his absence shows how much more difficult it is to spread the court without him.
“The Knicks did a good job of spacing and we have to do the same,” said Andre Iguodala, who had an indifferent performance, 9 points, two rebounds, three steals, two blocks and two turnovers.
Korver’s outside shooting ability does wonders for spacing. It also helps that he is more accurate from the perimeter than any of his teammates.
The Sixers have to show that they can hit from the perimeter because they won’t be a dangerous team inside.
Reggie Evans, for all the grit he shows as a rebounder, struggles to produce any semblance of offense. The same goes for Louis Amundson, which means that rookie Jason Smith could find his way into the rotation.
Smith had a solid debut, seven points, seven rebounds and plenty of energy that ignited the team.
By the way, the Knicks, who finished behind the Sixers last year, appear to be vastly improved, especially with the addition of Zach Randolph, who had 17 points (7 for 10 shooting) and five rebounds against the Sixers.
This first preseason game showed what everybody knew already – that the Sixers have a long way to go
This is not earth-shattering news. At least there are six more preseason games and this young team will need them all in order to develop the needed chemistry by the time the regular season approaches.

DURHAM, N.C. -- It’s easy to get carried away by seeing things in training camp, which is why a player such as 76ers point guard Andre Miller is good to talk to and get some perspective on the state of the team.
When asked as training camp was breaking at Duke University about the young talent on the team, Miller gave an honest assessment.
“It’s too early right now to tell,” he said.
Miller doesn’t say a whole lot, at least off the court, but when he does, everybody listens. He is entering his ninth year in the NBA and the Sixers are his fourth team, so he has seen his share of training camps.
His message is simple – wait until some games are played before making any judgments.
All we have from a week in training camp are initial impressions. It won't stop us from making some judgements, but take it for what it's worth, which at this stage is very little.
The biggest impression is that coach Maurice Cheeks is going to have a difficult time distributing minutes, even in the preseason.
The Sixers have so many players at a similar skill level, but as Cheeks often reminds everybody, the games will separate the competition.
Here are some early impressions based on what we were able to see. (Only a portion of the workouts are open to the media).
*Miller’s leadership is invaluable to this team. Even veteran players look to him for guidance. He is among the most intelligent players in the NBA.
*Thaddeus Young and Jason Smith might be ready for a spot in the rotation quicker than originally anticipated. Both played well and caught the eye of Cheeks and the coaching staff.
*Kevin Ollie won’t relinquish the backup point guard spot to Lou Williams very easily. Prior to sitting out the final practice with a groin strain, Ollie was having as strong a camp as anybody on the team, according to Cheeks.
*Samuel Dalembert still has a way to go to get back in the flow of things, but considering that he is coming off a stress fracture in his left foot, his work in camp has to be encouraging.
*Willie Green seems to have the edge at shooting guard over Rodney Carney. Green seems so much more confident of his knee, which wasn’t the case last year. He has surgery on Aug. 16, 2005 and now more than two years later, says he is a different player.
*Herbert Hill might have the edge over fellow second round pick Derrick Byars for potentially that final roster spot. Hill is still a work in progress, but he goes for the ball strongly on the offensive and defensive glass.
*The Sixers need a lot of work in their perimeter game, but then again, just about every NBA team could make the same claim.
This was only from a week’s worth of observations. The team’s strengths and weaknesses will be more evident as the preseason games are about to begin

DURHAM, N.C. -- He hasn’t generated many headlines, but 76ers rookie power forward Jason Smith is quietly having a good training camp.
So is the Sixers’ other first rounder Thaddeus Young, although both have different styles. Young has not backed down one bit and hasn’t been afraid to take the ball to the basket in scrimmages.
Smith is a little more deferential, willing to allow his teammates to shoot, but he has also shown the ability to hit the medium range jumper.
When penciling in a rotation at the beginning of the year, it was originally thought (by this reporter) that Smith would need time before he can see meaningful minutes. The way he’s been playing, Smith could change this line of thinking.
Of course what happens in an inter-squad scrimmage isn’t the same as the game, but Smith has certainly made a favorable impression on the right people.
“I have noticed him a lot,” coach Maurice Cheeks said. “He is a big guy who can put the ball on the floor, can shot and is getting better at rebounding. He is a very knowledgeable kid who picks up things quickly and players like to play with him.”
Smith was the same way when he began in the July Las Vegas SummerLleague. He never demanded the ball and just tried to fit in.
At 7-feet and with solid medium range shooting ability, he is able to draw opposing power forwards away from the basket. Cheeks even says he could play some small forward, although with the number of players the Sixers have at that position, it’s unlikely he will get much of a look there.
Power forward could be a different story.
Smith will have to become accustomed to the physical part of the game, but practicing every day with Reggie Evans will accelerate the learning process.
Right now Smith doesn’t have the grit of an Evans or even Louis Amundson. However, Smith is far advanced offensively compared to those two.
The team is less than one week in camp, so it’s too early to draw any conclusions, but it’s safe to say that in the early portion, Jason Smith hasn’t hurt himself with the way he has played.

DURHAM, N.C. -- Samuel Dalembert had a good day of practice on Friday and the only better news for him would be a pain-free morning on Saturday.
The 76ers center participated in his first intersquad scrimmage on Friday and showed good movement, while playing for long stretches.
Dalembert had done very little during the first three days of training camp at Duke University, so his performance Friday was greeted with enthusiasm.
Most know that he is recovering from a stress fracture in his left foot that was diagnosed after participating for Canada in the pre-Olympic qualifying tournament
From the portion of the scrimmage that the press was able to view, Dalembert had good mobility, and was aggressively looking to get position down low.
Dalembert is so important to the team because there is little depth behind him. Calvin Booth may be a solid backup, but he’s not somebody that should be playing upwards of 30 minutes per game.
Dalembert needs to work on his wind because he had been in a boot and cast until the day before training camp.
To his credit, he has been coming to camp every afternoon for treatment, even when the Sixers only have one workout per day.
His play in Canada this summer gave him renewed confidence.
“I just learned so much in the summer and my confidence is really high and I really think I can help not only defensively, but on offense.”
Dalembert is one of the major keys this season. He doesn’t have to be ready by Monday’s opening preseason game against the New York Knicks in South Carolina.
Yet he does need as much work during the preseason without putting too much strain on his foot. It’s a delicate line and Friday’s practice was at least the first step in the right direction.

DURHAM, N.C. -- As expected, there was plenty of rust that had to be shaken off during the 76ers first intersquad scrimmage Thursday evening at Duke University.
The media was able to view the last 20 minutes or so and a couple of things were clear, none more than how much control Andre Miller was taking on the court.
Miller is somebody who is highly respected by all this teammates and he was in control running the offense, shooting from the perimeter and driving to the basket.
Kevin Ollie, who many feel will be the third point guard behind Miller and Lou Williams, played with energy and was successful driving and from the perimeter. He said early on that he won’t concede anything and if Williams is to earn the backup spot, he’s going to have to fight off Ollie.
Coach Maurice Cheeks talked about how a lot can’t be dissected from this first scrimmage, simply because the players aren’t used to running up and down the court in such an intense situation.
And make no mistake, this was a spirited scrimmage, even though by the end, the players were fatigued.
“I think the biggest thing that stands out most is conditioning,” Cheeks said. “They are just getting used to it.”
The Sixers also received nonstop energy at the power forward position from Reggie Evans and Louis Amundson.
Neither will win any awards for their finesse, but they bring the interior toughness the team needs.
It’s the first of many team scrimmages and while no conclusions should be made, the fact that the intensity was so high pleased Cheeks.
That’s at least a positive start.

DURHAM, N.C. -- In reading some of the responses to the blog, there is no consensus about the 76ers. Some fans think the team could compete for a playoff spot while others feel they will be hard-pressed to come close to last year’s 35 wins.
As for the team?
The truth is that nobody knows. Everybody in training camp has expressed confidence that this young team will not quit against more talented opponents.
The players seem genuinely angry that the majority of the basketball pundits are picking the Sixers for the Atlantic Division basement.
Coach Maurice Cheeks and the players aren’t into the predicting business, but there is a quiet confidence in this camp that they will prove the so-called experts wrong.
One thing is for sure is that the players have taken things seriously and are in good condition. That contrasts from news out of Knicks camp that newcomer Zach Randolph isn’t in the best of shape.
Wow, what a surprise.
The bottom line is that the Sixers have a real chance to sneak up on teams. That said, it is still difficult to see them competing for one of the eight Eastern Conference playoff spots.
Then again this is a statement being made on the third day of training camp. The exhibition season will be crucial, not only because so many players are competing for minutes, but because the team is looking to establish an identity, a style and a winning attitude.
That’s why any current predictions will have to be revisited prior to the Oct. 31 regular season opener at Toronto.
Everything, including the attitude and player’s outlook couldn’t be better at this point. For a team coming off a 35-47 season, that’s at least a good start.

DURHAM, N.C. -- Nobody, including 76ers coach Maurice Cheeks knows the exact role of first-rounder Thaddeus Young this season, but the 12th overall selection in the NBA draft has made a good early impression on his coach.
Last week Young tweaked his ankle and didn’t know when he would be ready to go full tilt.
On Tuesday’s first day of camp, Young participated in most but not all the drills. By Wednesday, Young was doing everything, moving well and not backing down to more experienced players.
“He got hurt before camp and got back,” Cheeks said. “I didn’t think he’d be doing the things he has been doing now. He got himself ready to play and hasn’t missed a beat.”
Cheeks talked about a few players, including Young, who fought through fatigue during the second day of workouts at Duke University’s Cameron Indoor Stadium.
“Fatigue kind of set in and he kind of got himself back into it,” Cheeks said of Young. “He is a tough-minded kid who has the ability to hit a wall and get up and keep on going.”
That is an important trait since the Sixers are bound to hit some walls this season. And there is no doubt that the 19-year-old Young may eventually crash into that well-known rookie wall.
For now, he’s trying to hold his own each day in training camp.
“He’s a better defensive player than I probably thought and he has a good offensive feel for the game,” Cheeks said.
Cheeks insists, and there is no reason to doubt him, that the playing time of Young and most of his teammates will be determined through training camp.
Showing the coach a willingness to play defense, to come back sooner than expected from injury and to gut out a practice when the initial fumes have been exhausted, is a good way to make an impression.
It will be a crowded mix to earn playing time at the small forward spot for Young, but he has shown plenty of heart to shake off what could have been a bothersome injury and compete.
Cheeks says the games will determine the minutes of many of the players. Young will have plenty of opportunities to show if he is ready to compete in the NBA. At least for now, the ability to compete in practice at less than 100 percent has made a decent first impression on his new coach

DURHAM, N.C. – Everybody continues to express optimism on the injury front concerning Samuel Dalembert, including the Sixers center himself.
In a training camp that isn’t expected to be overflowing with storylines, the recovery from a stress fracture in his left foot by Dalembert, is right now on top of the list.
Dalembert had limited participation in the opening day of training camp at Duke University’s Cameron Indoor Stadium.
He continues to express confidence, while preaching caution. And right now, with how much he means to the team, he has to do both.
At least he knew not to overextend himself, even though there is nothing Dalembert would like more than to be out on the floor at all times.
“The ankle was starting to get weak so I knew I had to stop,” he said.
After a couple of weeks in a cast and then in a boot, Dalembert’s foot and ankle need to get stronger. He has to have the confidence that he can push off the ankle and that the foot can take the incessant pounding.
“I had to give it a test,” Dalembert said. “I was happy to see how things went.”
Dalembert hopes to be 100 percent by the regular season opener Oct. 31 at Toronto, but there is no guarantee.
He is doing everything possible to return full-time on the court, including day-long rehab. The players practiced from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Dalembert returned later in the afternoon for more rehab.
It’s possible that one of the most important people this training camp will be Sixers head athletic trainer Kevin Johnson.
There was hope expressed by coach Maurice Cheeks that Dalembert would be able to pick up the pace later this week.
For now, that seems like a best-case scenario. It is imperative that Dalembert doesn’t come back too soon. Yet, it’s just as important that he can maintain his conditioning which is difficult when not constantly running up and down the court.
The Sixers have to hope that time heals this wound and that the injury isn’t something that lingers into the regular season