The Answer to the Pistons

[declansharbor]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

This is beyond ridiculous. In 1999, they made it to the East semis. In 2000, they did again, going to game six. In 2001, they made it to the NBA finals, with the best record in the East. In 2002, they took Boston to a deciding game in the first round of the playoffs. In 2003, the lost the division title by a game and took the Pistons to six games in the East semis. What the hell have they done since Iverson has been gone? Started playing like a team? A team that can't finish .500 and barely gets a sniff of the playoffs? You'd rather have that than going deep into the conference playoffs or making it to the NBA finals? LOL at tapped into potential that went unused for some time. And did WHAT with it? NOTHING. This post actually made me mad. Like him or hate him but know what the hell you are talking about. Please. Have some basis of truth in what you say.

Simply put, yes. I want a team that will get better together by learning from each other, not a team that relies on one me first, superstar player. This team assembled now is in a much better position to grow and make some real noise in the immediate future than any Sixer team he has ever played on. That is what we as fans want. We want the guys who fulfill their obligations and actually practice, and thrive to make each other more complete players. Not guys that just show up every night to pad their own stats and care more about their box score than teh betterment of the team. (He's not exactly the guy I want shooting the ball when the game is on the line either, but that could just be me though. I want a guy that can shoot over defenders outstretched hands without the fade away, a low percentage shot)

Okay King, sorry I ruffled your feathers ...I've been a lifelong fan of the 76ers and have watched them relentlessly for years. I should have purveyed my statements as opinions, and that is where I lie in fault here. I have a clear disdain for the guy, and I shouldnt have let that put the blinkers on all of his phenominal career accomplishments. He is a GREAT talent, and that will not go overlooked. He is one of the greatest 'small man' talents to ever play the game and is a shoe in for a trip to Springfield on his first ballot of eligibility. With that said, he's just not the easiest of great players to build a winning team around and sustain a few years of success with. Put him on the Lakers last year in Kobe's place and do they even make the playoffs? I think not, but could be wrong. Take Peirce off of the Celts and fill him with in with AI, do they win it all? Its hard to say, as I dont think that Peirce is a better player than AI, I just think he would have messed up the chemistry of the team. I'm sure I'll catch some guff for that, but its my opinion and we're all entitled to one, just as anyone that read your posts knows.

My OPINION is that the Sixers are ALOT better off moving forward without him, then with him. Sure, when you lose a superstar like AI, there is going to be some sort of fallout/regression. In the LONG RUN, they will be a better team without him. These young kids will develop a rapport with guys like Brand and Andre Miller, where as they would have played second fiddle to AI and his sometimes comical shot selection. (I swear thats where Iggy got it from ) They will begin to gel with each other now, grow as a TEAM, as opposed to sitting back and watching AI do his thing night in and night out. That's all I can ask for, for now, and think that this year is when the growth will become visible.

I'll probably get ripped for it, but so be it. That's where I stand on the Sixers with and without the great AI. To me, there is no right or wrong answer/opinion to the discussion of the state of the Sixers, at least for a few years. We will have to wait and see on these post-AI Sixers, see how they fare. I also think that the future is more of a bright one with Stefanski at the helm instead of Billy King, and that can add to as to why they may take an anticipated step forward.

PS... I am eager to see how Roscoe and Prince benefit from/adjust to the acquisition. It makes the East a bit more interesting for sure.