STAR OF THE WEEK: 2/26 – 3/04

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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STAT OF THE WEEK:

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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THIS WEEK IN 1982 – 83 (THE CHAMPIONSHIP YEAR):

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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TWEET OF THE WEEK: 

Sixers win 105-102 over Knicks #Sixers #NYKvsPHI #NBA pic.twitter.com/PFQm0d8BJs

— VizualKillah (@wesmarshall5) March 4, 2017