Philadelphia 76ers: First Round loss to Detroit



Team Overview: The 76ers made two huge moves this off-season. The first was re-signing Andre Iguodala and the second was signing Elton Brand. Iggy gained confidence and leadership experience as the go-to guy last year. He developed into a star and led the team to the playoffs and even challenged Detroit in the first round. Lou Williams showed flashes of greatness reminding me of Devin Harris and Samuel Dalembert is improving but the addition of Brand in the post will help his production. Philly also has several role players that can eat up good minutes and fit within the team mentality.



Guys they can’t lose: Iguodala, Brand, Andre Miller, Williams. Iggy and Brand are obvious. But the point guard combo of Miller and Williams may be the most dynamic in the East. Miller has experience and knows how to run a team. He will be able to lead quietly with his play and allow the stars to flourish. Williams can come into the game and provide quickness and excitement. He is fun to watch and can make tough shots. He averaged double-digits in points and is nearly impossible to guard. That duo begins to wreak havoc on defenses and make scoring much easier for the stars.



Guys they should lose: Donyell Marshall and Maurice Cheeks. Quick, name one team Marshall has helped win. Marshall is a lazy player who floats around the perimeter. He disguises himself as a three-point threat but realistically, he will just be eating minutes that should be going to hustle players or young guys who need time to develop. As far as Maurice Cheeks, he does not necessarily need to be fired, but he has a habit of talking to fans during games and that must be distracting to him and his team. Watch the game Mo and focus on the next play. Don’t be a Chatty Cathy with the season-ticket holders.



Burning Questions:

Who will be the leader and how will he handle the role? Iguodala has been the man on this team since Iverson left and if he can gain the trust and respect of Brand, he could emerge as a superstar in the NBA. A big man could be the leader, but there will likely be a power struggle if Brand tries to take the leader role from Iguodala.



Will late-season success carry over to this year? The Sixers made a great run last year and almost caught the Pistons off-guard in what would have been a huge upset. If that momentum is carried into off-season workouts and training camp, the Sixers should have motivation to play with intensity and would yield many wins early in the season. However, Philly plays in a tough division with Boston and Toronto where wins will be hard-fought every night.



2008-2009 Prediction – Second Round -- The Sixers showed great chemistry and determination last season. As long as Brand does not upset one of those, the fans that booed Santa Claus could be in for a treat. If guys like Thaddeus Young, Lou Williams and Dalembert continue to develop and play like they did at times last year, this team will have plenty of players to rely on. Then it becomes a matter of who steps up in key situations. The 76ers are certainly on the rise in the East and have a great future ahead of them. This year will open some eyes and show the beginning of a new era in the East. With Boston only having another year or two left on top, it will be between Philly and Toronto to step up as the next East powerhouse.



Atlanta Hawks: First Round loss to Boston



Team Overview: The Hawks surprised everyone by making the playoffs, but only winning 37 games was not that surprising. What was more surprising was the Hawks taking the Celtics to seven games in the playoffs. But this was not a great team. Sure, they have talent and athleticism, but that’s it. With Josh Childress bolting for Greece, the Hawks were left without a key role player. But the main unit remains intact, led by veteran Mike Bibby at point. Joe Johnson is a good scorer, but he is no superstar and will need help to lead the Hawks back to the post-season.



Guys they can’t lose: Johnson, Horford, Josh Smith. Horford was my pick for Rookie of the Year, because his impact on a successful team was more significant than Durant’s impact on a terrible team. Horford gave the Hawks a reliable post presence on both ends and a tough mentality that other players can see. Smith is a dynamic player who could go for a triple-double any night. But he could also get shut down any given night. He needs to develop consistency but he is still an exciting player that puts fans in the seats making Atlanta a tough place to play.



Guys they should lose: It’s tough to say any guy is negative for this team. Right now, they have a lot of youth that could develop into winning players. Marvin Williams was successful and earned a lot of respect in the clubhouse. He shoots the ball well from inside the arc and attacks the lane, which earns him a lot of trips to the free throw line, from which he shoots over 80%. Mike Bibby is not a great shooter, but he has been in tough games before and can take some of the burden off Johnson, while helping the young players gain confidence. Still, this team is missing depth and needs to make a trade to compete this year.



Burning Questions:

Can the Hawks keep up with the improved East? A big knock on this team was that it would have not even come close to making the playoffs in the West. But giving the Celtics a scare in the first round helped their national respect. But many teams in the East are improved and the Hawks may not be able to compete. They are too young and not consistent enough to win big games. The Hawks have a solid home-court advantage, but that will only steal them a couple wins.



How big of a loss was Josh Childress? Not only did Childress provide energy off the bench, he had the best field goal percentage (57%) on the team, by a wide margin. That is efficient scoring that someone will have to pick up or the Hawks will find themselves down by a few extra points every game. Childress was also a good rebounder and defensive player who did not turn the ball over much. If someone can step up and provide those lost buckets, it won’t be a major loss, but that player is not on the roster, yet.



2008-2009 Prediction – Miss Playoffs (36-46) -- The Hawks are about as good as they were last season. They have more experience and the younger players now know what it takes to compete in the NBA. But other teams have improved at a greater pace. And with wins not as easy to come by and other teams getting more of them against West teams, the Hawks will be left of the post-season.