Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot
This week’s star goes to rookie Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, who quietly turned himself into an NBA player. After not playing a single minute in 13 of the 76ers first 41 games, it appeared as if the young man might never develop into a quality role player yet alone a starter. However, the forward’s diligent hard work paid off and it now appears he has a bright NBA future.

Luwawu-Cabarrot started the final 17 games of the season, and scored a career high 24 points in the final home game of the year. The rookie also set a new career mark with eight made field goals, and tied his career high in made threes with four, in the 120 – 111 loss to the Indiana Pacers.

In the 114 – 113 season finale loss to the New York Knicks, Timothe tallied 14 points. The guard finished the season strong reaching double-figures in eight of the season’s final nine games. Such an impressive finish after such a challenging beginning is commendable for the Frenchman. 
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April Fools….Part Deux!
The season is now mercifully over, and with it another losing campaign has ended as well. Philadelphia finished the month 0 – 6 and considering they opened the year 4 – 16 through its first 20 games, that should not be a surprise to anyone.  

Just to reiterate from last week’s post “This should be nothing new for NBA fans in this area. April has not been kind to the 76ers. Philly has experienced 10 straight losing Aprils to accompany five straight losing seasons.”

With yet another off-season uninterrupted by a postseason it seems that fans have become accustomed to such results. 
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The Chip’  
Philadelphia finished up the year 2 – 3, losing three of their last four, playing without league M.V.P Moses Malone (tendinitis). The 76ers ended the season with the franchise’s second best record (65 – 17), and Malone became only the third player in the club’s illustrious history (at the time) to win the league’s M.V.P award. Yet, none of the mattered as the 1982 – 1983 season was all about the winning a ‘chip.

The playoffs began with Philly on a bye, and receiving a seven day break, before taking the court against the New York Knicks. Philly won the regular season series 5-to-1 and made quick work of the division foe, sweeping the series. The Knicks kept it close, losing by an average of 5.5, but Moses proved his worth. The center set the tone in game one with a 38 point, 17 rebound performance, for the series Malone would average 31.2 points and 15.5 rebounds.

The next round would bring in the Milwaukee Bucks and their physical 6’11 center Bob Lanier. The Bucks would avoid being swept, winning game three 100 – 94, and Lanier would end his career in spirited fashion holding Malone to an average of 22 points and 14 rebounds per. Nevertheless, a scorching game five first quarter from guard Andrew Toney, who dropped 14 points in the quarter and had 20 by halftime, would thrust the Sixers to their third NBA Finals appearance in four years. 
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The Finals ended officially on May 31, 1983, but unofficially the series ended the moment Philly took the court on May 22, 1983. Dr. J and crew would not be denied this time. Malone outrebounded the entire Los Angeles frontcourt 18-to-15 and the trio of Erving, Toney and Malone combined for 72 of the clubs 113 in the game one victory. The opening game served as the closet L.A. came to beating the 76ers, losing 113 – 107. Philly won game two 103 – 93, game three 111 – 94 and game four 115 – 108 en route to their first NBA title since 1967.

Before the playoffs began Malone was in pain. Suffering from fluid in his knee, or tendinitis depending who was asked, the center would get 14 days of rest prior to taking the floor against the Knicks. During that time the highest paid player in professional sports (at the time) was asked how he thought Philadelphia would fair in the postseason. The Hall-of-Famer uttered one of the greatest quotes in sports history in response “fo’ fo’ an’ fo”. Now time has recounted the statement and relived the championship years, but just how marvelous Malone was during that championship run has become an afterthought.

The Virginia native led the team in scoring 11 of the 13 contests that postseason, and never had less than 12 boards in a game. During the playoffs the Philadelphia forward registered 26 points and an astounding 16 boards per. In the Finals his rebounding went from 16 a night to 18 a night, to go along with those same 26 points per.

When “Mozilla” arrived in the city expectations were high, and he responded. The big man played the most minutes on the team that year, and never scored less than 11 points all season. In total the “Chairman of the Boards” played in 91 games and managed to grab 10 or more rebounds in 87 of them.

The 76ers went from perennial contender to champion in one year because of Moses. The big’s tenacity and workman like effort embodied a city like no other. Thank you Mr. Chairman, and may rest in paradise.  
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Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot
This week’s star goes to rookie Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, who registered two career highs during the seven day period. “T.L.C” has come a long way this season and is still going strong while other rookies have hit the wall.

In a 113 – 105 loss at Toronto, against the Raptors, Luwawu-Cabarrot dropped a career high 23 points and tied a career high seven made field goals. The Frenchman did most of his damage in the first quarter where he scored 11 of his 23. The small forward’s strong play continued throughout the week scoring 19 points in a 141 – 118 loss to the Brooklyn Nets and 18 points in a 102 – 90 loss to the Chicago Bulls.

The first round pick notched his second career high of the week, this time on the defensive end with four steals. The France native is receiving invaluable playing time as the season winds down, and should be much more comfortable next year.    
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April Fools!
The season is mercifully coming to an end, but not without fully establishing just how bad this team is. Philadelphia is 0 – 4 in the month of April, 2 – 8 in their last 10 games and a whopping 7 – 18 in their last 25 contests. To think some actually said they would be a playoff team when this tanking-ish started four years ago.

This should be nothing new for NBA fans in this area. April has not been kind to the 76ers. Philly has experienced 10 straight losing Aprils to accompany five straight losing seasons. It is difficult to conceive better days may be ahead, or to even consider anyone on this roster is worthy of being retained. However, different circumstances may just yield better results. 
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Iced  
The playoffs could not come soon enough for the Sixers, who finished up the seven day period 3 – 1. The week began with a 96 – 84 win in Cleveland followed by a 116 – 108 win in Milwaukee. Moses Malone served as the catalyst in both wins tallying 26 and 11 in Cleveland to go with 34 points and 17 rebounds in Milwaukee.

The Sixers returned to the Spectrum and got all they could handle against two former ABA giants in the San Antonio Spurs and Indiana Pacers. A last second three pointer from George “the Iceman” Gervin would give the visiting Spurs a 112 – 109 victory. Oddly enough, that three was the Iceman’s only attempt of the night as the small forward netted a game high 32 points. The loss ruined any chances the 76ers had of securing the best record in league history. Two nights later a 19-win Pacers team would take Philly to overtime, but eventually lose 126 – 118.

Malone again was the star of the show grabbing 24 rebounds, 13 offensive, and showed the home crowd why he was worth every bit of the hype that surrounded his acquisition.   
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Richaun Holmes
This week’s star goes to Richaun Holmes. The forward did not have an overwhelmingly statistically strong week, but his effort and energy were present in all four contests. Injuries and fatigue have opened the door for Holmes and he has responded well. Richaun’s numbers averaged 17 points and eight rebounds for the week in roughly 31 minutes a night. The second round pick’s exuberance and activity have given Philly fans something worth watching.

The 76er forward tallied a game high 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a 99 – 92 loss to the visiting Atlanta Hawks. That performance highlighted the week for Holmes as the Sixers finished 1 – 3.  
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Beware the Ides of March!
The current group of 76er players are trying………….that is about the best one can utter when referencing what has transpired of late. The Sixers went 6 – 11 in the month of March, which is not as awful as it seemed when watching the games. In fact, Philadelphia managed a 3 – 3 record at home with wins against the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks.

For the month Dario Saric was the team’s leading scorer (18.4) and Robert Covington was the squad’s leading rebounder (7.1), but it was the play of Holmes who benefited most from the rash of injuries that plagued the month. The combination of forward Shawn Long and Holmes would shoot 64 percent and 60 percent from the field respectively. 
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Those Damn Nets!  
For the second week in a row the Sixers finished 2 – 2, with one of those two losses coming from the New Jersey Nets yet again. The week began with a routine 94 – 80 win against the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers. Then the unconquerable Rod Higgins (a rookie mind you) would drop a game high 25 points in leading the woebegone 26 – 46 Chicago Bulls to a 97 – 95 victory.

​​Philly responded the following night with a 120 – 113 win at home against the Atlanta Hawks, only to lose again to Jersey’s finest.

The Nets apparently had some sort of mind control over the eventual champs, and would win the season series 3 – 1 against Philly. In this contest it was the deadly combination of Buck Williams (20 points and 18 boards) and Mike O’Koren (20 points) that did our boys in. Making things even stranger the 76ers would outrebound the Larry Brown coached group 55 – 46 and tally 104 points only to still lose.

Good thing the madness never reached the playoffs that season, or things may have gone a little different for Philly. The same thing could not be said the following year, which is a story for another day. 
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Robert Covington, Nik Stauskas, Richaun Holmes & Dario Saric
This week’s star(s) are comprised of four players whose effort far exceeds their talent. Nik “I’m not good enough to have a nickname” Stauskas, Richaun Holmes, Robert Covington and Dario Saric are this week’s winners. These four have played through everything from restricted minutes to playing out of position, and somehow managed to do it all while never complaining publicly.

The week opened up with a 105 – 99 win against the hated Boston Celtics, thanks to a strong effort from “the Process” poster child Robert Covington. The small forward registered a +18 performance as he tallied 16 points and seven rebounds. Covington would hit a huge three pointer with 3:41 left in the fourth quarter to put Philly ahead for good at 94 – 91.

Despite receiving double-doubles from athletic big man Richaun Holmes (24 points, 14 rebounds), the sporadic T.J. McConnell (16 points, 10 assists) and the aforementioned Covington (24 rebounds, 13 rebounds) Philly would lose on the road to the Orlando Magic (112 – 109). That “L” was followed up by another road loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder (122 – 97). In a losing effort it was guard Nik Stauskas time to shine with a team high 20 points.

The week ended with a rare 117 – 107 road win against the Chicago Bulls. With the Bulls’ All-Star Jimmy Butler on the floor it was Saric who stole the show. The EuroLeague star notched a team high 32 points to go with 10 rebounds.  
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Long-ing for an Opportunity
Shawn Long’s story is no different than the millions, or better yet scillions, of young ballers throughout the world who dream of hooping in the NBA. On a roster filled with a group playing for their collective NBA lives the newly acquired forward has found a way to appear hungrier.

Long seems to have nestled into his role well and even had an 18 point explosion in Chicago against the Bulls. Philadelphia is playing out the string of their remaining games, but the Louisana native’s hustle has not gone has not been for not. The reserves play and most certainly has secured him an invite to an NBA training camp next year.  
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King-ed  
This week witnessed the Sixers win two games by a total of five points, and lose two games by an average of 11 points. In a 121 – 119 road win it was Andrew Toney who picked up the slack, filling in for an injured Dr. J. The guard dropped 39 points as Philly escaped with a two point victory. Unfortunately, the momentum did not carry over to the Big Apple.

The 76ers lost their first of two games this week to teams led by the Kings. The New York Knicks opened up the game with a 33 – 14 first quarter lead, then followed a scorching Bernard King to the win. King would shoot a blistering 16-for-18 on his way to 33 points. The 37 – 31 New York crew walked away with a convincing 89 – 76 victory.

The Sixers needed 25 points and 14 rebounds from center Moses Malone and overtime to defeat the visiting Milwaukee Bucks 104 – 101. Then the second King, this one being Albert, came to Philly and handed the 76ers their second loss of the week.

Playing without Bobby Jones and Julius Erving, the Sixers failed to have a player score 20 or more points for the second time this week (the first was in a loss against the Knicks). Philadelphia also saw their streak of 24 straight home wins snapped. The New Jersey Nets were paced by Buck Williams (24 point, 19 rebounds) and Albert King (22 points, nine rebounds) in the 101 – 92 win.   
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Jahlil Okafor & Dario Saric
This week’s star marks the return of Dario Saric and Jahlil Okafor. As the season winds down effort and energy are not always prevalent on teams under .500. However, this has not been the case with Philadelphia. Yes, the Sixers have experienced their fair share of double digit losses but more times than not the effort is there. This week that effort finally paid off as Philly went 2 – 1 during the seven day period.

In a 118 – 116 win, Philly snapped a five game road losing streak and received Herculean efforts from Okafor and Saric. Big Jah scored 23 points on just 12 shots, while Dario notched 29 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Just two nights later the effort was the same even if the results were not. In a 106 – 104 road loss to the Golden State Warriors, the Philly box score read almost like Deja Vu for both players. This time Okafor added four blocks to his 22 point performance, and not to be outdone Saric’s line would read 25 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two blocks.

The effort, energy and production all came together at home in a 116 – 74 win against the Dallas Mavericks. In one of the few blowout wins this season, both players scored 10 points.  
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Dario’s Historic Second Half
Dario Saric was the forgotten selection of the Sam Hinkie era, but the forward’s Post All-Star performance shows he may wind up being the only selection worth remembering. What the former EuroLeague star has done since the All-Star break has been remarkable and historic.

In the last 25 years the only Sixers with a higher scoring average then Saric (19.6) post All-Star break are Allen Iverson (24.2 points per) and Jerry Stackhouse (19.7 points per). Okafor’s 20.3 points per last year in only six games are also worth mentioning, but such an output by Dario speaks volumes. Equally as impressive is the forward’s rebounding effort. The Croatian has the highest rebounding average (8.3) of any other Sixer in the last 25 years.

When you consider what the forward has accomplished in such combustible times, it is not unreasonable to expect better results when the storm passes.  
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Back on Track  
After a small blip on the radar the 76ers jumped right back on track with four wins this week. Beginning with a 97 – 93 victory at home versus the Washington Bullets, followed by an offensive explosion in Indiana. In a 132 – 128 win against the Pacers it was Philly guard Andrew Toney who stole the show. Toney scored a game high 42 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. Moses Malone snatched a game high 22 rebounds as the 76ers grabbed the tough game.

Toney would again rescue the Sixers from defeat, this time at home and against a familiar foe. Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics were in town and Philadelphia was not at full strength, playing without an injured Dr. J and a sick Maurice Cheeks, Andrew was left to carry the load. The guard responded with a game high 33 points, including 12 points in the fourth quarter to lead Philly to victory.

The week would end in Milwaukee with Malone grabbing 15 rebounds and the Sixers grabbing a 105 – 97 victory.  
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Richaun Holmes, Robert Covington, Shawn Long
This week’s star goes to the trifecta of Richaun Holmes, Robert Covington and Shawn Long. The Sixers went 0 – 3 for the week, and it was extremely difficult to find just one player who had three consecutive strong outings. Nevertheless the show, or article in this case, must go on and adjustments were made.

The week opened up Monday with a 112 – 98 shellacking at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks. The contest was never in doubt as the Bucks took a 60 – 43 halftime lead on their way to a 24 point victory. Newly acquired 76er Shawn Long stood out for all the right reasons and took advantage of his one shining moment. The 6’9 forward was making his NBA debut and finished up with 13 points and seven rebounds in only 15 minutes of action. The rookie also ended the game with a +11, which should make the Twitter world very happy.

Philadelphia returned to action three nights later in Portland, and this time played with much more fire. The Trail Blazers would get the victory 114 – 108, but not before a last second putback in regulation by Sixers’ small forward Robert Covington. The bucket would send the game into overtime. “RoCo” ended the night with 24 points and 13 rebounds, but Philly would lose its third straight game.

Saturday the Sixers were in Los Angeles to take on the Clippers. The game featured 21 lead changes, until the fourth quarter arrived. The Clippers used a 10 – 0 run to open up the fourth and outscore Philly 37 – 21 in the final period to secure a 112 – 100 win. 76er reserve Richaun Holmes was the star of the night with 24 points and nine rebounds in the losing effort.  
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Road Woes  
14 seasons have passed since the 76ers last had a winning road record, and with another group of rookies on deck for next season there appears to be no relief in sight. The month of March and specifically the week that passed witnessed the Sixers lose back-to-back road contests, as they currently sit in the midst of a five game road losing streak.

However, things could be on the upswing with upcoming road games against the Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets there is a chance things could get better for Philadelphia. 
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Jersey Blues  
This week marked the first time all year the 76ers lost back-to-back games. After a 115 – 110 loss to the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia took a second L this time to the New Jersey Nets 112 – 106. Maurice Cheeks was the only Sixer to score more than 15 points, as the point guard scored 17. Moses Malone, who had been a beast all season, could only grab two rebounds in the second half and eight for the game, far below his 15.7 per game rebound average. Jersey was led in scoring by Buck Williams and Albert “Yes Bernard is my brother” King as both players scored 22 points.

Philly returned to its winning ways the following night defeating the Detroit Pistons 123 – 114. The duo of Malone and Erving also returned to form, as the forward had a team high 35 points and the center had a team high 23 rebounds. After a four night breather the 76ers ended the week with a 95 – 86 win versus the Washington Bullets.  
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Dario Saric
This week’s star goes to Dario Saric, with honorable mention to the tanking poster child known as Robert Covington. “RoCo” started the week with a 15 point performance, peaked at 19 points and ended the seven day period with a dismal eight point game in a 136 – 106 loss to the Detroit Pistons. Which is what brought us back to the “last Hinkie draft pick left standing”.

Saric played in all four contests this week, which is a feat in itself these days. Now that the 76ers have reverted back to tanking mode, the forward’s performances have been all for not. Philadelphia would go 1 – 3 on the week, and even that record does not tell the whole story.

In a 119 – 108 loss at home to the Golden State Warriors the Croatian would drop 21 points on a paltry 6-for-15 shooting, but Saric’s never say die attitude was on display yet again. The Sixers would enter the fourth quarter trailing 93 – 80. The forward scored ten points in the final period in what would amount to a futile comeback attempt.

In the week’s lone 105 – 102 win, against the equally dysfunctional New York Knicks the probable rookie of the year scored the same 21 points, but also snagged 10 rebounds. This time he would shoot a more potent 7-for-14 and remained a force in the fourth quarter. Saric would lead all scorers with 12 and all rebounders with six on their way to the win. 
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Three Points
Philadelphia is one of the league’s worst three point shooting teams. The 76ers rank 11th in makes which is solid, but 23rd in percentage. The sheer volume of attempts per game (29.3 per clip, good for 7th in the league) is jaw dropping considering Philly does not have a player that ranks in the top 20 in makes or percentage.

No player gets those threes up more than Robert Covington. The small forward is 19th in the league in total three point attempts. This was never more evident than this week, as Covington totaled 24 threes for the week. This was good for an average of six a game. In all the 76er forward would go 9-for-24 for a modest 38 percent. 
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Boston Strong  
The week would see the Sixers 10 game winning streak come to an end, thanks to the hated Boston Celtics. Nevertheless, it began with the Sixers starting point guard, Maurice Cheeks, dropping 32 points at home against the Golden State Warriors in a 115 – 104 win.

Next up was division rival the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden. Bernard King and crew were no match for the combination Dr. J and Moses Malone. The two 76ers would combine for 41 points and 23 rebounds leading Philly to their 10th straight victory, 106 – 94.

Then disaster struck at the Boston Garden. The lead would change hands 12 times and see Larry Bird register a game high 32 points. The 115 – 110 Boston win would snap Philadelphia’s 10 game winning streak.  
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Dario Saric
This week’s star goes to Dario Saric……………..yup again and again! The forward started two games this week and responded with two double-doubles. Saric continues to improve with each game and has been a pleasant surprise for even his biggest fan.
In a 120 – 112 home win against the Washington Wizards the Croatian shot 10-for-19 on his way to a 20 point performance. Although the forward struggled from the three point line, shooting 0-for-4, his presence was still felt in the paint. Saric would tie for a team-high 11 rebounds, including a dominant first quarter that saw the forward grab six rebounds.  

That winning feeling did not last long as Philly would lose to the Knicks 110 – 109. The 76er rookie registered his second start, and in return notched his second double-double of the week. Shooting an unimpressive 7-for-17 it was Saric’s effort and energy that would keep Philly afloat. The forward grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds, including nine in the second half, en route to a 19 point, 15 rebound game.

As the season winds down this is where most rookies hit the dreaded wall, however that has not been the case with Saric. The rookie forward’s play continues to improve and his confidence continues to grow. 
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Double Up………… Times Four  
The availability of Dario Saric has drastically helped the “Legend of Dario Saric” grow. As the excuses mounted as to why Nerlens Noel’s value was so low, Saric continued to produce. As Joel Embiid speaks more and plays less, Saric continues to produce. Finally, as Jahlil Okafor proves game in and game out that he simply does not want to be here, Saric continues to give maximum effort.

The result to such consistency was four straight games of 10 or more rebounds, which is something the three aforementioned players have yet to accomplish.

Effort and availability are afterthoughts when judging an NBA player. Some General Managers tend to lean heavily on athletic ability and natural talent, while others refer to the numbers and projections. What Dario has managed to illustrate is being healthy and giving everything a player has is just as important as any other measurable. The ability to care and the ability to play can be instrumental in a player’s development.

Hopefully his production and effort are rewarded with a Rookie of the Year award. 
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Moses versus Everybody  
This week was a microcosm of just how great of an addition Moses Malone was for the Sixers. Three games, three wins and most of all an MVP performance in all three from Malone.

The center grabbed 19 rebounds and scored 23 points in a 104 – 89 drubbing of the Knicks, and followed that game up with another 23 point output, this time with 10 rebounds as Philly rolled at home against the Dallas Mavericks 133 – 101.

​The week was highlighted by a 116 – 111 win against the Chicago Bulls. Malone scored 34 points and grabbed 22 rebounds in the win. The contest would mark the end of Dr. J’s streak (321 games) of scoring 10 or more points, Erving would leave the game with a scratched cornea after scoring eight points.

Moses led the Sixers to an undefeated week going 3 – 0 and extended their current winning streak to eight games. The center’s numbers for the week were 26.6 points and 17 rebounds on 64 percent shooting.
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Dario Saric
This week’s star goes to Dario Saric, yet again! The forward has taken the reigns as the team’s best and most consistent player. In a 105 - 99 win at home against the Charlotte Hornets the Croatian grabbed a team high 11 rebounds to go with a team high 18 points.

While the team did not fare as well in Boston against the Celtics, losing 116 – 108, Saric continued to play well. The forward would again lead the team in scoring (20 points) and rebounding (11 rebounds) despite coming off the bench. The rookie would cap the week off with a 17 point performance in the Rising Star Challenge.

When Saric arrived many thought, including yours truly, his struggles would come from adjusting to the speed of the NBA game and the athleticism of the players. This has been a problem at times, but the 76ers’ rookie has more than made up for it with his pure basketball instincts and aggression.
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Double Up  
As the value of Nerlens Noel, Jahlil Okafor and even Joel Embiid is continuously discussed/debated, the production of Dario Saric seems to have not gotten its earned recognition. In grabbing 10 or more rebounds in back-to-back games this season, the rookie accomplished something that neither of the three aforementioned players have managed.

Besides simply being available each and every contest, Saric has provided a necessary scoring punch. The Croatian has dropped 20, 18, 19, 26, and 20 in his last five contests. The All-Star break may be a bit of an energizer for Dario and the forward should come back ready to finish out what may amount to a Rookie of the Year winning campaign.  
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Teamwork makes the dreamwork  
The week began with the Sixers sending their head coach Billy Cunningham and four players to the 33rd NBA All-Star game. Moses Malone, Maurice Cheeks and Dr. J would start the game with Andrew Toney coming off the bench. The Doctor (25 points) would steal the show and lead the Eastern Conference to a 132 – 123 victory. Julius was the game’s leading vote getter receiving 707,012 and would also take home the MVP honors.

The week would also feature two games, and subsequently two more wins for the 76ers. Philadelphia was its usual dominate self, winning both games by 20 plus points.

In a 116 – 95 win against the visiting Denver Nuggets starters Erving, Malone, Toney and Cheeks would shoot a combined 65 percent from the field (26/40). The game was never in doubt as the Sixers would lead 44 – 19 after the first quarter.

Playing against Malone’s former employer, the Houston Rockets, the win required slightly more effort. This time back-to-back 33 point quarters would springboard Philadelphia to another 20 point win 127 – 98. Moses would again lead all scorers with 26 points and 13 rebounds. 
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Dario Saric
This week’s star goes to Dario Saric! The Croatian once again proved his worth and continues to get better with each game. For the week the forward averaged 19 points on only 13 shots per and finished up with a +9 in the Philly’s four games this week.

Through all the hub bub regarding who is staying and who is going, or who is playing and who is sitting the legend of Saric continues to grow. The week began with a 17 point loss to the Detroit Pistons. Philadelphia would trail by as many as 20 points after three quarters, however Dario would lead the team in assists with four in the loss.  

The remaining three games of the week would see the forward lead or tie for a team high in scoring. The highlight of the week was a 112 – 111 rare road win in Orlando. The 76ers needed every bit of the forwards game high nine fourth quarter points to secure the victory.

Each week Saric’s confidence seems to grow stronger and stronger. It is hard to imagine just where the club would be without him.  
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24 to life
Despite popular belief, there have been few bright spots when it comes to players who were expected to be cornerstones of the franchise. The inconsistency has been overwhelming at times, except when it comes to rookie Dario Saric.

The forward scored a career high 24 points in a much needed win against the Orlando Magic. The forward then followed up that performance with a 19 point six rebound output in a 117 – 109 win against the Miami Heat.

In total Saric has four games of 20 or more points, two of those four came this week. As the season unfolds one constant has been the effort and growth of the Croatian.  
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Scrapple Play
The week began with a scrappy 97 – 96 win in Seattle against the “Downtown” Freddie Brown (20 points) led SuperSonics. Playing without an injured Bobby Jones Philadelphia would need all hands on deck. Seattle would place six players in double figures, cause eight first quarter turnovers and hold the duo of Moses Malone and Julius Erving to a combined 12 for 34. However, that would not be enough as the 76ers would receive a Herculean rebounding effort from Malone (20 rebounds) and timely buckets from rookies Marc Iavaroni and Russ Schoene on their way to victory.

​After cruising at home against the Atlanta Hawks (106 – 93), Philly would get tested in the Chi. It would take 24 second half points from Dr. J on his way to a game high 34. The Hall-of-Famer would shoot 12 for 14 from the field and Philly would defeat the Bulls 116 – 110 to finish the week undefeated.
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