Sixers Say Goobye To Mr Cheeks ……………

Well it’d appear that  another NBA franchise has  seen fit to  fire their coach.  And  the Philadelphia 76 er’s have decided  in  jettisoning their coach  rather  than keeping him until  midway through the season.  That  being said  it was  expected  that this team would  be contending within the Eastern Conference  and their division as a  whole.  But  they’ve  been a  disappointment  and  underperformed much to the dismay of  their  fans  and  the  public at large.

 

Andray Blatche of the Wizards is fouled by Samuel Dalembert of the 76 ers’…….

Andray Blatche of the Wizards is fouled by Sixers’ player  Samuel Dalembert  during the game played  between  the two  teams.  The 76rs’ would go on to win the game 104-89 . picture appears  courtesy of  nbae/getty images/ Thomas Rassmussen ……………

 

 

Much like another  statistic Maurice  Cheeks  was thrown to the wolves  in spite of  the fact  that  the  team’s  malaise  didn’t rest upon his shoulders but  that  of a  team  that has yet  to find its stride.  Their big money signing of  Elton Brand has yet  to  show  the  prowess upon  which  he was a desirable commodity prior to the start  of the season.  But thus  far the All Star hasn’t  put up  the  numbers  that  many  expected would become the norm. That  being  said  Cheeks  is now the  fifth coach to have been fired this  season.  And we’ve barely  reached  the  quarter mark  of the  season.

 

 

Brand blocks a shot  by  the  Wizards’ Darrius Songaila  during  the third quarter of  the  game  played  in Philadelphia.  picture  appears  courtesy of  ap/photo/Tom Mihalek  …………..

 

 

 

In the Atlantic Division  they sit at  the bottom  of the division having posted a 10-14 record. And already  they’re  twelve games behind the  high  riding  Boston Celtics, who lead the division with a 22-2 record and  are 10 games  ahead of their closest rivals  within the  division the New Jersey Nets.  And as we know the fans  in a city like  Philly  aren’t  always  forgiving of their  sport’s  franchises  when they  prove to be a disappointment.  They  have  a way  of  showing their  dark side  which can be  very  disconcerting  for  even  the  most  discerning  of  individuals.  The  team  was built  with an  eye on  the future  and  in  some  eyes  they  were  viewed  as  a  team that could contend.  They showed much of  that  promise with their gallant display  in the  postseason  last  year.  Albeit  that they  lost in the first round of  the playoffs.  It  was felt  that they  could build on the future and  the  nucleus  was in  place  with a young roster  of  players  led  by  Andre Iguodala , Samuel Dalembert  and  the  veteran leadership  of  Andre Miller.

 

 

Sixers’ interim coach  Tony DiLeo calls for a timeout during the first quarter in the  Sixers’ game  played  against the Washington Wizards. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/Nate  Campbell ………………

 

But the promise  that  was  shone in the latter  part  of  the season and  into first round of  the  postseason has been  nothing  more than aberration  for the  most part  this season.  They’ve  struggled  on both sides  of the  ball  and it  can be said that  there’s a lack  of confidence  from the  team. But most  of all  it hasn’t  helped that  Elton Brand  hasn’t brought  about  the presence  and leadership  sought  as  a perennial  All Star. As alluded to before the sole responsibility of  the team’s problems hasn’t stemmed from the  lack of coaching  ability of  Cheeks.  But  the lack of  a  cohesive presence  by the  team on the court. Interim coach Tony DiLeo has been entrusted  to lead this team now  as the  coach and it has  to be said  that he’s  been entrusted with  none too easy of a task  at  this juncture. If  he’s to succeed then the team will  have  to  respond  and show a great deal  of  consistency.  And for a first  time coach with  next  to little coaching experience. It has to be said that  his chances  of  success  border on slim at best.

 

Elton Brand of  the  76ers makes the jump shot over the  outstretched arms  of the Wizards’  Antawn Jamison.  Brand  would have  a very good night  offensively for his team on their homecourt  scoring  27 points for the  team. picture appears  courtesy of ap/Tom Mihalek ……………

 

Cheeks may well have been shown a great disservice by the franchise and  with  General Manager Ed Stefanski and the fact  that it was his decision to abruptly fire the coach. Surely he  could’ve waited given the circumstances  that the  team found themselves ?   They’d  yet  to see the  team  play with all of their main starters  being  on the court  at the same time.  But these  decisions when made  can never  be reversed.  Cheeks may  well go  on to rebound from this  all and find himself in a new position at some  time in the future.  He’s well respected  coach  whose  knowledge of the  game  is  unparallelled. And he  also has the  respect  of his  peers as well  as players around the league. So one can summize that he will  find  himself with a  position of  some capacity  around the league.

 

Juan Dixon of  the Wizards  makes  a  gallant  effort to deflect  the  ball away  from  Lou  Williams  of the  Sixers  during  the  game which the  Sixers  would go on to win 104-89.  picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/Tom Mihalek  ………………

 

For  their part  the  Sixers  have proven to be something  of  a  real  disappointment to  their fans and fans in general around the league.  Much  was  expected  of the  team.  Having made  the postseason  they gave  a real  accounting of  themselves albeit  that  they lost in the  first  round.  But  there  was  much  promise shown by  the team and it was felt  under  the tutelage  and leadership  of  Cheeks  that  they would  do well  this  season.   Alas with injuries prevailing  and  no real  consisistency  to  their  play.  We’ve  seen  the  team  underperform  to  such  an  extent  that  their  poor  record  seems  a microcosm  of the  real  underlying problems  within the franchise. 

 

Interim coach  Ed Tapscott  is on the sidelines  as  his Washington Wizards’ team takes on the  Philadelphia 76 ers  in  a  game  played in  Philadelhia. picture appears  courtesy of ap/photo/  Tom Mihalek  ……………

 

And as much  as we’d  like to  regale  about the  fact  that  the  Eastern Conference  doesn’t  seem  to possess a number  of  quality teams. It has  to be  said that  one of  the  problems  behind  that may well  be from the  mere  reason  that  many of  the  franchises  therein  have  a nucleus of  young  players  on their rosters. The inexperience  is showing  and  at  the  same time the rigors  of  playing  within the  NBA  has alredy  began to set  in. The Boston Celtics and  the  Cleveland  Cavaliers are  the  class  of  the  conference.  But  where  we see  much  of  the  competitive spirit  being  shown  by  the  Western  Conference   week in week  out.  There  you have the  likes  of the  Los Angeles  Lakers , San Antonio Spurs ,  New Orleans Hornets,  Dallas Mavericks ,Utah Jazz and the Phoenix  Suns.  Comparatively  one  could say that  the  East  doesn’t  possess  that sort of  quality  ? 

 

 GM Ed Stefanski introduces Tony DiLeo as  the  team’s new interim head coach for  the rest of the season. picture appears  courtesy of ap/photo/Tom Mihalek  …………….

 

 

Last night we saw  the  Sixers show a great  deal  of resolve in overcoming  the  Washington Wizards.   Their win was encouraging for interim  coach  Tony DiLeo. And one would hope  that with it comes  a renewed  passion by  the  players  and  the  organization as a whole. And with GM Ed Stefanski make  the decision that the franchise will now have  to  live  and die with. It doesn’t  bode  well for the team where  in  the city  of  brotherly  love  the fans aren’t  always  enamored  of  their teams  when it comes  to  their professionals  sports’ franchises.   For Cheeks  who’s  a   well  respected  coach and  admired  by  his  peers , he’s  well  remembered  within the city  and  much  beloved as  a favorite  son.

  

 

 

 

 

 

tophatal  ……………………………