The Sixers hit the court Saturday night to play the Shaqless Cavs and still looked helpless.  The last week has not been good to the 76ers and the season is looking longer and less friendly.  Every number you can look up favors Cleveland in this case, from average points allowed to average points scored.

There is a reason why Cleveland is 9-4 and leads the Central, and Philadelphia is 5-7 and struggling to stay with the pack in the East.   Shaquille ONeal missing his fourth straight game with a strained shoulder does not prohibit the Cavs from being a winning franchise, even losing LeBron James,  Cleveland can field a competitive team, whereas the 76ers without Iguodala are chum for the rest of the league to feast on.

Iguodala leads the Sixers in points scored, rebounds, assists, three points tried and made, minutes played, defensive rebounds and steals.  The last time the team had a player this dominant was pre Iverson, a fellow known as a Dr, even though he never attended medical school.

The difference between this team and the championship team of the 80’s is the supporting cast pales in comparison.   That champion team had Dr J as a forward/guard supported by Andrew Toney, Maurice Cheeks,  Darryl Dawkins, Ollie Johnson, Bobby Jones and Doug Collins.  This team in support of Iguodala has  the likes of Thaddeus Young, Elton Brand, Samuel Dalembert, Marreise Speights and Lou Williams.

Brand and Dalembert may turn out to be serviceable players, but how many of the names above do you think will be remembered in 30 years ?  These Sixers got outscored by 13 points in the first quarter by a struggling Central team faced with multiple injuries to it’s starting cast.  These Sixers allowed 3 cavs to score in double figures in the first 15 minutes of the game.   They had a good second quarter to close that gap, but the momentum seems to still be on the Cavaliers side.

The halftime score is  54-51 Cleveland.  Hopefully they can stay close, and make a run at the end to gain the lead and hold on, but unlike the past philly basketball teams that were able to dominate by sheer strength, will, and flat out talent, this team has to contend with strategy, ball control, and luck just to stay in the game.   I would love to see them win 50+ games, but reality tells me this will be a team that struggles to gain .500 and then will struggle to remain above .500.  They may see some playoff action, but they will participate as an underdog, and will not be expected to go deep into the playoffs, because, honestly, they are just not that good.

In a city that currently has the recently reigning world champion Phillies, perennial contenders in the Eagles and a nasty and ready to go Flyers squad, the Sixers will most likely be largely overlooked.  And until management makes that trade for a serious player, they will probably stay the fourth best professional team in town.

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