STAR OF THE WEEK: 3/26 – 4/01

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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STAT OF THE WEEK:

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

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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TWEET OF THE WEEK: 

@sixers represent! #TrustTheProcess #sixers #SixersTalk @CNN #cnn pic.twitter.com/yHJdTUoxFC

— Pat W Dougherty (@CineMaverickPat) March 29, 2017