The week 2 NBA power rankings are out and the Sixers have actually moved up from week 1, where they just about considered the second worst team in the league. They’re still cellar dwellers, but slightly more respectable cellar dwellers this week.
Despite four straight 20-point games from Brand — his longest such streak since April 2007 — folks in Philly already have dialed down the playoff talk. Year 1 under Collins and Thorn is suddenly an “audition season.”
Suddenly? Playoff talk? Where did this guy hear people talking about the Sixers as a playoff team?
Still getting flashes from Evan Turner and big offensive numbers all around, especially from Elton Brand. But Andre Iguodala is hurt and doesn’t look to be happy, and the 76ers are clearly still very much in rebuilding mode.
Elton Brand has been the Sixers’ best player this season, which is both good news and bad news. Good that Brand is regaining his old form, but bad that Andre Iguodala hasn’t shined as brightly. And to make matters worse, Iguodala just had his consecutive-games-played streak end at 252 after he was forced to miss his team’s game on Sunday due to a sore right Achilles’.
SBNation – 11 (14) (by conference)
Did Evan Turner just Wally Pipp Andre Iguodala? Turner got his first start of the year for an injured Iguodala on Sunday, and the 76ers beat the Knicks in MSG. It’s just one game, but it underscores the problem Doug Collins faces when trying to get the rookie enough minutes. Maybe it’s time to move Iguodala elsewhere. The problem is that few teams want to take on that contract.
Sign of things to come? Rejuvenated Elton Brand scores 20 or more in four straight as Sixers go 2-2 against fellow Eastern lightweights.