Wednesday, October 11, 2006

A glimpse of the future?


Picture this: Wachovia Center, playoffs 2010. On the bench cheering is Allen Iverson. On the floor wowing the crowd, Rodney Carney. In the stands, people wear shirts and hold signs declaring themselves believers, affectionately known as Carney Folk.

If you believe in Tuesday's exhibition win against the Suns, this could be the future you've envisioned. Sure Carney, the Sixers rookie, only scored 14 points, but keep in mind that it was in 12 minutes, and he was 6-of-9 from the floor. Most importantly, he wasn't afraid to hoist up a 3-pointer with the team trailing in the final minute. Fearless leadership; the kind of skill that no coach can teach. Carney also added 7 boards and a block. That's production.

The Sixers as a team though are potentially worrisome. For some reason, maybe it's the underwhelming offseason or the lack of change from a team that finished 9th in the Eastern Conference last season, but the 76ers look to repeat as the NBA's best impersonator of an amusement park ride. The roller-coaster has already started as the team dropped a game to FC Barcelona this week, then beat the Suns and CSKA Moscow.

Looking at the staff, Head Coach Mo Cheeks has surrounded himself with some great minds. John Loyer is a scouting specialist. Henry Bibby (yes, Mike's dad) has coached for 22 years. Jim Lynam is a former Sixers coach who has more than 20 years experience. And last but not least, Moses Malone, a player who helped bring the last championship to this trophy-starved city, and who should help Samuel Dalembert reach his full potential.

All things considered, the Sixers should go 42-40 and earn a playoff birth. If not, look for changes from top to bottom next offseason.