J.J. Redick
This week’s star goes to J.J. Redick! The VERY well paid free agent acquisition shot a blistering 65 percent (13/ 20) from three for the week. Even through struggles the former Duke Blue Devil progressed. The guard dropped 20-points (2/2 from three) in a 107 – 86 win against the Utah Jazz, but “struggled” from the field going 4-for-11 in a 101 – 81 victory against the Portland Trail Blazers. Despite those struggles the high priced marksman went 3-for-6 from the arc.

In his final curtain call of the week J.J. put on a show. Playing against his former Orlando Magic club, a team that only allows 35 percent from downtown, Redick made an astonishing eight three-pointers on 62 percent shooting from deep. The shooter finished with a game high 29 and the Sixers rolled again to a 130 – 111 victory, their third win in a row for the week.

​When Philly inked Redick the organization envisioned these types of outputs. The upcoming week features a match-up against the division and conference leading Boston Celtics. The Celtics are not the only formidable opponent the squad will see, both the Cleveland Cavaliers and a surprising Detroit Pistons team come to Philly. As good as J.J. was this week, the stakes are higher and the guard will need to duplicate his play for the Sixers to have a chance t extend their current winning streak.    

 Not Just a Passing Fancy
It has become trendy for wordsmiths and pundits to discuss the recent passing efficiency of the Philadelphia 76ers, and rightfully so. One attribute that has gone underreported has been Philly’s rebounding dominance. The 76ers currently lead the league in rebounding with 48.8 per clip, and are averaging 51.0 boards per game for the month of November.   

What makes this statistic so compelling is the San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, and these Philadelphia 76ers are the only teams to rank in the top ten in both total rebounds and assists. The aforementioned three teams are a combined 38 – 20, which lends credence to the belief that such production has a direct correlation to winning games.

​Rebounding and ball movement are key cogs to success. Being able to not only go get the ball off the glass, but to also be effective in sharing it is consistent on winning teams. The Sixers appear to have a player who habitually plays a winning style of basketball, and that style has permeated throughout the roster. 

Michael Carter-Williams and Allen Iverson are the only Philadelphia 76ers to win Rookie of the Year honors. While there is no documented rhyme or reason as to how one acquires the prestigious award, a season’s worth of statistical dominance and team success are not a bad place to begin an argument. Keeping with the dominance theme, each week we will examine the top rookie performers in the previous seven day period.

​This week’s top rookie performer was Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma. The surprise and steal of the 2017 NBA draft shot 55 percent from three point land, en-route to an 18.7- points and 33.7-minutes per output for the week. The power forward’s seven day period was highlighted by a game high 22-point (4-for-7 from three) performance in a 103 – 94 win against the Chicago Bulls. The Lakers finished the week 2 – 1. 

​Here are some of the other top rookie performers (statistics are for the week): 

It has been exactly 20 seasons since Hall-of-Fame guard Allen Iverson first blessed the NBA hardwood and ignited the city of Philadelphia. From the moment the Virginia native donned a Philadelphia 76ers uniform fans everywhere had a feeling Iverson was special and their basketball prayers were finally answered.

​The organization struggled mightily through five consecutive losing seasons before selecting the six foot powerhouse out of Georgetown, first overall. It appears the franchise has found another transcendent player, in first year “guard” Ben Simmons. Oddly enough this year’s prized rookie guard hits the court after yet another five consecutive losing seasons.

As spectators enjoy the greatness and infancy stages of Simmons’ career, it is hard to forget the last time Philly had something (or someone) this special to root for. So while we partake in the now, it is impossible to not reminisce the before.

The Texas Triangle   
The 76ers headed to Texas for a three game road trip and lost all three games. Nevertheless, Iverson put on a show. The trip started in San Antonio against a 2 – 13 woebegone Spurs club. The Sixers’ rookie hoisted 21 shots on his way to 26-points and 11-assists, but Philly would drop the contest 113 – 103.

24 hours later the 76ers would lost another close one, this time to the Dallas Mavericks 106 – 102. A.I. continued to pass the rock well…….too both teams. The lead guard finished up with 11-assists and seven turnovers. In true Iverson fashion, the No. 1 overall pick also netted a game high 36-points to go along with those seven giveaways. A familiar face was waiting for Philly in Houston in former Sixer Charles Barkley. The forward was not very hospitable to his old club though. The Rocket posted 21-points and 10-rebounds helping Houston to a 123 – 108 win. Iverson and crew never led in the game and were paced by the guard’s 36-points (6/13 from three).

Things looked promising prior to hitting the road and after back-to-back wins the idea of a 0 – 3 road trip did not seem possible. This was only the beginning as Philly was on the cusp of a long losing streak.

Joel Embiid
This week’s star goes to Joel Embiid! The big man posted 33-points per during the seven day period, with 13-rebounds and three blocks as the Sixers finished the week 2 – 1. The center shined bright in the Cali sun and showed when HEALTHY the court is his playground. Embiid hit the Staples Center floor against the Los Angeles Clippers on the heels of scoring just 11-points two nights earlier in a 135 – 114 loss to the Golden State Warriors. The 11 points were the big man’s second lowest scoring output of the season.

Playing against two-time All-Defensive first team member DeAndre Jordan the 76er center scored a then season high 32-points and grabbed 16-rebounds. The franchise big scored his previous game total of 11-points in the first quarter and set the tone as Philly rolled 109 – 105. As good as the center looked against the Clippers it was a mere dalliance with greatness compared to the Lakers performance.

A 32-point road performance is impressive, but a 46-point follow-up is downright captivating. Philadelphia’s franchise big man put on a show with a 19-point fourth quarter serving as the encore to seal the 115 – 109 win. The first 76er to score 40-points in a game since Allen Iverson will most certainly be the headline, however the story is the 23-year-old’s ability to remain healthy thus far.

​The schedule offers a solid contest against the Portland Trailblazers. The Blazers come to town with skilled seven-footer Jusuf Nurkic, who should test the Sixer cornerstone. 

Inside the 46
It is common knowledge that Joel Embiid has a penchant for taking the ill-advised……….too early in the shot clock……..we can get that shot at any time three-pointer. As of yet his shot selection has not drastically impacted the team in the win/loss column.

In a league where few centers take pride in having a post presence, it is not rare to find a seven-footer that lives or dies with their jumpshot. However, the Joel seemed intent on establishing his post dominance against the Los Angeles Lakers. Of Embiid’s 20 shots that night 11 were inside the paint. This is a far cry from the three ball hoisting player that showed up in a 124 – 116 loss to the Golden State Warriors.

​That contest would see a 7-for-16 performance with only six of those 16 attempts coming from the paint. Whenever a player’s scoring prowess is mentioned in the same breath as Allen Iverson it is commendable, hopefully the big man continues to reside in that rare air.

Michael Carter-Williams and Allen Iverson are the only Philadelphia 76ers to win Rookie of the Year honors. While there is no documented rhyme or reason as to how one acquires the prestigious award, statistically ranking ahead of your contemporaries would not be a bad place to commence an argument for your candidacy. Below is a breakdown of where current Philly rookie phenom Ben Simmons ranks against the top five first year performers for the week and year. (Statistics are broken down for the week and the year to date WEEK/YEAR).

Ben Simmons – 76ers
22.5/18.7 - PPG
9.8/9.2 - RPG
7.0/7.6 - APG
37.2/34.8 - MPG
2 – 1/8 – 7: RECORD

Lonzo Ball – Lakers
6.5/8.9 - PPG
8.0/7.1 - RPG
6.0/7.1 - APG
31.8/33.1 - MPG
1 – 2/6 – 10: RECORD  

Dennis Smith Jr – Mavericks
12.6/14.1 - PPG
5.4/4.3 - RPG
3.0/4.4 - APG
30.8/28.6 - MPG
1 – 3/3 – 14: RECORD

Jayson Tatum – Celtics 
14.6/13.9 - PPG
6.2/5.8 - RPG
0.2/1.3 - APG
31.4/30.3 - MPG
4 – 0/15 – 2: RECORD

Lauri Markkanen – Bulls
10.0/15.6 - PPG
4.7/8.0 - RPG
2.0/1.6 - APG
24.3/33.0 - MPG
1 – 1/3 – 10: RECORD 

De’Aaron Fox – Kings
8.8/11.0 - PPG
2.2/3.0 - RPG 
3.6/4.7 - APG
26.2/26.6 - MPG
1 – 3/4 – 12: RECORD

It has been exactly 20 seasons since Hall-of-Fame guard Allen Iverson first blessed the NBA hardwood and ignited the city of Philadelphia. From the moment the Virginia native donned a Philadelphia 76ers uniform fans everywhere had a feeling Iverson was special and their basketball prayers were finally answered.

The organization struggled mightily through five consecutive losing seasons before selecting the six foot powerhouse out of Georgetown, first overall. It appears the franchise has found another transcendent player, in first year “guard” Ben Simmons. Oddly enough this year’s prized rookie guard hits the court after yet another five consecutive losing seasons.

As spectators enjoy the greatness and infancy stages of Simmons’ career, it is hard to forget the last time Philly had something (or someone) this special to root for. So while we partake in the now, it is impossible to not reminisce the before.

The Diesel and some Magic come to Philly  
Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers arrived in Philly for their first encounter with the “bul A.I.”. The future Rookie of the Year did not disappoint as the 76ers walked into halftime with a 54 – 44 lead. The second half was a different story unfortunately, as the Diesel made 5-of-6 freethrows in the fourth quarter and snatched a game-high 20 rebounds leading Los Angeles to a 100 – 88 victory. Iverson had a game-high 27 field goal attempts, displaying early in his rookie year the guard had the heart of a champion.

Next up were the Orlando Magic, who entered the contest a surprising 7 – 3 after losing O’Neal. The Magic proved to be formidable for Iverson, forcing the guard into seven turnovers and a fourth quarter benching. Nevertheless, Philly got the win 100 – 91 despite what appeared to be subpar performance from the former Georgetown Hoya. With back-to-back games of 10 assists, against two of the leagues better teams it was hard to convince the star his style was not successful.

A match-up with the Vancouver Grizzlies “The Answer” did not provide the efficiency head coach Johnny Davis was looking for. The lead guard managed to shoot better than 50 percent, going 8-for-14, but that pesky turnover problem continued to haunt Iverson. He would finish the game with 10 turnovers, but Philly would hold on for the 96 – 90 win. The Sixers were a respectable 7 – 8, but the talk of the league was the enthusiasm and excitement Iverson had generated. 

Dario Saric
This week’s star goes to forward Dario Saric. The 6’10 starter played well, despite Philly finishing the week 1 – 2. Through the struggles it appears Saric has hit his stride after some early season strife. The second year pro shot 18-for-36 during the seven day period, including a 25 point breakout performance in Utah.    

The EuroLeague star grabbed 10 rebounds to go along with his game-high 25 points in the 104 – 97 road win against the Jazz. Unfortunately, Utah was the lone win of the week for the 76ers. Nevertheless, Saric would notch a second double-double in a 109 – 108 loss to the Sacramento Kings.

The Croatian also shot 47.6 percent from the three point line for the week and provided a strong defensive effort despite the losses. As the sole bright spot in Golden State on Saturday, Saric will have to match that effort in the upcoming week. The Sixers return to the floor Monday in Los Angeles against a reeling Clippers club. Dario will undoubtedly be tested against Clippers forward Blake Griffin and center DeAndre Jordan.

​We will see if the 76ers forward’s stat line of 17.3 points and 7.7 boards on 50 percent shooting follows its way down the I-5 to L.A.

Four Scores and Six Losses……
There are a plethora of meanings and symbols behind the number four. The only number that represents its value in the letters it illustrates can stand for anything from stability to strong foundations. From the four home games the Sixers have played thus far to the four game difference in home and road contests the number four is quite prevalent.

Philly has four more offensive rebounds per game at home than they do on the road and the odd frequency of four doesn’t stop there. The 76ers have four more field goal attempts in losses than in wins, they average four more rebounds in wins and hand out four more assists in their wins.  

The number four also equally represents good and bad luck, which no one can contest has also been a staple for the season. 

Michael Carter-Williams and Allen Iverson are the only Philadelphia 76ers to win Rookie of the Year honors. While there is no documented rhyme or reason as to how one acquires the prestigious award, statistically ranking ahead of your contemporaries would not be a bad place to commence an argument for your candidacy. Below is a breakdown of where current Philly rookie phenom Ben Simmons ranks against the top five first year performers for the week and year. (Statistics are broken down for the week – W and for the year to date – Y). 

Ben Simmons – 76ers
15.7/17.4 - PPG
6.7/9.0 - RPG
6.7/7.8 - APG
30.6/34.1 - MPG
1 – 2/6 – 6: RECORD

Lonzo Ball – Lakers
11.8/9.7 - PPG
7.5/6.8 - RPG
9.0/7.4 - APG
35.3/33.5 - MPG
1 – 3/5 – 8: RECORD  

Dennis Smith Jr – Mavericks
21.5/14.8 - PPG
6.5/3.7 - RPG
7.5/5.1 - APG
30.8/28.4 - MPG
1 – 1/2 – 11: RECORD

Jayson Tatum – Celtics 
13.8/13.6 - PPG
4.5/5.8 - RPG
0.8/1.6 - APG
26.4/30.0 - MPG
4 – 0/11 – 2: RECORD

Lauri Markkanen – Bulls
10.0/14.5 - PPG
4.7/7.8 - RPG
2.0/1.5 - APG
24.3/33.0 - MPG
0 – 3/2 – 9: RECORD 

De’Aaron Fox – Kings
9.7/11.9 - PPG
2.3/3.3 - RPG
5.7/5.2 - APG
26.1/26.8 - MPG
2 – 1/3 – 9: RECORD

It has been exactly 20 seasons since Hall-of-Fame guard Allen Iverson first blessed the NBA hardwood and ignited the city of Philadelphia. From the moment the Virginia native donned a Philadelphia 76ers uniform fans everywhere had a feeling Iverson was special and their basketball prayers were finally answered.

​The organization struggled mightily through five consecutive losing seasons before selecting the six foot powerhouse out of Georgetown, first overall. It appears the franchise has found another transcendent player, in first year “guard” Ben Simmons. Oddly enough this year’s prized rookie guard hits the court after yet another five consecutive losing seasons.

As spectators enjoy the greatness and infancy stages of Simmons’ career, it is hard to forget the last time Philly had something (or someone) this special to root for. So while we partake in the now, it is impossible to not reminisce the before.  

The third week of Allen Iverson’s rookie year opened up in the Mecca, also known as Madison Square Garden, and A.I. put on a show. The guard scored a then season-high 35 points (including an impressive 5-for-9 from three) to lead Philly to a 101 – 97 win against the New York Knicks. The Knicks were helpless against the Answer as point guards Charlie Ward and Scott Brooks both fouled out of the contest in just three quarters, trying to defend the dynamic Iverson.

A.I. struggled mightily for the rest of the week, shooting a combined 14-for-37 in the two remaining games of the week. Philadelphia lost 110 – 98 to the Marcus Camby led Toronto Raptors. Camby was selected directly after Iverson (second overall) in the 1996 draft. Things did not fare much better in Cleveland as the boys lost 105 – 89 to the Cavaliers. This contest would also see Allen separate his left shoulder and be sidelined for up to a week rehabbing the injury.    

Joel Embiid  
The 76ers were rolling this week and not even three straight playoff teams could stop them. Philly finished the week 3 – 0 and are currently immersed in a four game winning streak. Their first such streak this early in the season since the 2011 – 2012 campaign. Which also marks the last time Philadelphia made the playoffs, losing in the second round to the Boston Celtics in seven games. Prior to the lockout year, the last four game winning streak was in the 2005 – 2006 season.  

Youth is being served at the Wells Fargo Center and the head chef is Ben Simmons. No one benefited more from Simmons’ play then oft-injured center Joel Embiid. For the seven day period, Embiid dropped 20.3-points on 58-percent shooting. The big man also posted 10 boards, five assists, two steals and two blocks for good measure.   

Joel’s week was highlighted by an 11 point fourth quarter in a 119 – 109 win against the Atlanta Hawks. The teams entered the fourth quarter tied at 93. The 76ers needed every bit of those 11 buckets to walk away victorious. The social media star shot 5-for-8 and snatched five rebounds in the deciding quarter. All but two of the center’s attempts came from within the paint. These are the types of games fans hope to see more of from Embiid. Especially if this group has any playoff aspirations for THIS season.     

The upcoming week offers a Saturday night road showcase against the world champion Golden State Warriors. Philadelphia has not beaten the Warriors since the 2012 – 2013 season and that streak doesn’t appear to be coming to an end this season. However, how this young group responds in hostile territory will be the story and will be how they should be judged.       
​

The Beneficiaries
It took four seasons before guard J.J. Redick scored 20 points in an NBA game and it took six seasons before the sharpshooter crossed the 30 point plateau. In total it took 345 games for the former Duke Blue Devil to do what happened in a mere seven games in a Sixers uniform.

Not to be overlooked was the performance of forward Robert Covington. The HBCU alum shot a blistering 50-percent from the three point line for the week. Covington was not bashful from beyond the arc attempting 11 three pointers against the Hawks and another nine against the Indiana Pacers.

The ball movement or better yet Ben Simmons’ ability to get guys the rock in position to be successful has been on full display. Players tend to move a little faster and run a little harder when they know the ball will find them. Both Covington and J.J.’s numbers are a reflection of good shooting and terrific ball movement.
​   

Michael Carter-Williams and Allen Iverson are the only Philadelphia 76ers to win Rookie of the Year honors. While there is no documented rhyme or reason as to how one acquires the prestigious award, statistically ranking ahead of your contemporaries would not be a bad place to commence an argument for your candidacy. Below is a breakdown of where current Philly rookie phenom Ben Simmons ranks against the top five first year performers for the week and year. (Statistics are broken down for the week and for the year to date).

Ben Simmons – 76ers
19.0/18.0 - PPG
10.3/9.8 - RPG
9.7/8.2 - APG
36.9/35.2 - MPG
3 – 0/5 – 4: RECORD

Lonzo Ball – Lakers
6.3/8.8 - PPG
4.7/6.6 - RPG
4.7/6.7 - APG
28.2/32.8 - MPG
2 – 1/4 – 5: RECORD

Dennis Smith Jr – Mavericks
13.5/13.3 - PPG
3.3/3.1 - RPG
2.0/4.6 - APG
24.8/27.9 - MPG
0 – 4/1 – 10: RECORD

Jayson Tatum – Celtics 
12.7/13.7 - PPG
4.7/6.6 - RPG
2.7/1.9 - APG
27.8/32.0 - MPG
3 – 0/7 – 2: RECORD

Lauri Markkanen – Bulls
17.3/16.3 - PPG
8.0/9.0 - RPG
2.7/1.3 - APG 
34.2/33.0 - MPG
1 – 2/2 – 6: RECORD

De’Aaron Fox – Kings
10.0/12.7 - PPG
2.8/3.7 - RPG
5.0/5.0 - APG
27.3/27.0 - MPG
0 – 4/1 – 8: RECORD
​

It has been exactly 20 seasons since Hall-of-Fame guard Allen Iverson first blessed the NBA hardwood and ignited the city of Philadelphia. From the moment the Virginia native donned a Philadelphia 76ers uniform fans everywhere had a feeling Iverson was special and their basketball prayers were finally answered.

The organization struggled mightily through five consecutive losing seasons before selecting the six foot powerhouse out of Georgetown, first overall. It appears the franchise has found another transcendent player, in first year “guard” Ben Simmons. Who oddly enough hits the court after yet another five consecutive losing seasons.

As spectators enjoy the greatness and infancy stages of Simmons’ career, it is hard to forget the last time Philly had something (or someone) this special to root for. So while we partake in the now, it is impossible to not reminisce the before.  

The third week of Allen Iverson’s rookie year opened up in the Mecca, also known as Madison Square Garden, and A.I. put on a show. The guard scored a then season-high 35 points (including an impressive 5-for-9 from three) to lead Philly to a 101 – 97 win against the New York Knicks. The Knicks were helpless against the Answer as point guards Charlie Ward and Scott Brooks both fouled out of the contest, in just three quarters, trying to defend the dynamic Iverson.

A.I. struggled mightily for the rest of the week shooting a combined 14-for-37 in the two remaining games of the week. Philadelphia lost 110 – 98 to the Marcus Camby led Toronto Raptors. Camby was selected directly after Iverson (second overall) in the 1996 draft. Things did not fare much better in Cleveland as the boys lost 105 – 89 to the Cavaliers. This contest would also see Allen separate his left shoulder and be sidelined for up to a week rehabbing the injury.    
​