# 76ers roster has potential to play NBA-caliber defense



## Sixerfanforlife (Jun 23, 2005)

With training camp upon us, it is time to focus in-point on the 2007-2008 76ers squad, many have predicted that the 76ers season would end up at a similar rate as to last season. 

But, as it is evidenced, with the potential of the players and their past NBA career, there is infact, a legitmate starting 5 that can play defense, and it would bring back the days of the 2000-2001 76ers squad. Everyone remembers, we had Dikembe Motombo/Theo Ratliff (both of them, at the time were HOF bound) defensive centers. We had George Lynch and Raja Bell, Bell most notably is a key-player for the Phoenix Suns. We can re-create that chance, we can re-create that team. 

I have studied the 76ers players, 1-by-1, highlighting their strengths, weaknesses, and latest scouting reports. And there is indeed a lineup (Can Maurice Cheeks use it?) that will allow us to regain the journey, on the road, back to the NBA finals. 


Starting Lineup:

C: Samuel Dalembert (Why: Samuel Dalembert has always been one of the league’s established shot-blockers (when healthy of course), but he’s also been foul-prone. According to the Sixers.Com scouting reports, Samuel Dalembert has improved his individual defensive capabilitys, most notably, he has developed a “low-post” game. This will be the most crucial area for 76ers fans to watch for. If Samuel Dalembert is: A: Offensively coordinated B: Defensively efficient C: Confident, then the road to the finals is starting to open up.

PF: Steven Hunter (Former Starter: Chris Webber) Steven Hunter, during the last 20 games of the season, showed offensive prowlness, averaging around 12/5. This season, Steven Hunter has apparently worked hard on his rebounding and developing an even nastier game offensively. While the low-post offense from Steven Hunter will be most appreciated, the thing that 76ers fans will like about Steven Hunter, is that, like Samuel Dalembert, Steven Hunter can block shots. If Steven Hunter and Samuel Dalembert can re-work the success that they did against the Chicago Bulls, then they have a great chance to help us win some basketball games. 

SF:Rodney Carney (Former Starters: John Salmons, Kyle Korver, Matt Barnes) Clearly, Rodney Carney, even in his rookie year is better then the 3 fore-mentioned. Rodney Carney is memphis’s all-time leading 3pt scorer, and one of the most efficient forwards in college basketball. Rodney Carney will be expected to take his game to a whole-nother level, as he will be asked to help Andre Iguodala cover guys like: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade….Eh, I’m not gonna scare this rookie anymore, but the point is clear, Rodney Carney will be asked to do everything this season, and the scary thing?: He can do everything. Carney will be a big part of this basketball team, in particular, defensively. 

SG:Andre Iguodala (Former Starter: Allen Iverson) Andre Iguodala will be asked to participate in his 3rd full season, and here’s an interesting fact: He has never came off the bench in his career. Andre Iguodala is one of the game’s finest athletes, but that’s not all he is, he has a deadly perimeter game, great inside scoring game, and a finesse defensive player. Typically, like 76ers rookie Rodney Carney, Andre Iguodala has a chance to be one of the game’s greats. And if these two, break-out, we’re gonna be breaking out too. 

PG: Allen Iverson (Former starter:Kevin Ollie) Allen Iverson will be moved BACK (Argh, Mo should’ve kept him there in the 1st place) to the point guard position this year. Averaging 33 PPG and 7.8 APG, Allen Iverson continues his natural dominance and is continuing to show his passion for our great game. In his 11th NBA Season, he’s only came off the bench 4 times in his NBA career. (I’ll edit this article, by giving you his season stats, and the actual games in which he came off the bench: Note: No, not in the Chris Ford fued, AI decided not to play that game). This year, Allen Iverson will be passing to, not limited too: A (Hopefully) offensive efficient Samuel Dalembert, a thriving Steven Hunter, an aggressive Andre Iguodala, and a young Rodney Carney.




Overall: This lineup can play defense, but it’s also a very explosive offensive unit. (By keeping Chris Webber out of the lineup, see how we can spread the ball? EH, Webber SUCKS). This lineup, in a class by itself, can dominate the weakened eastern Conference, Miami is older, Detroit’s done, Chicago’s not yet ready, Indiana doesn’t have fire power. We can easily win this Eastern Conference. Of course, that’s if it all goes according to plan, and since 2001, since when has that happened?

Sadly, never.


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## Mr. Hobbes (Jul 1, 2005)

Webber and AI were the league's leading scoring duo last year. Hunter and Dalembert won't do much on offense. Carney is still unproven. No firepower.


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## BEEZ (Jun 12, 2002)

Sixerfanforlife said:


> With training camp upon us, it is time to focus in-point on the 2007-2008 76ers squad, many have predicted that the 76ers season would end up at a similar rate as to last season.
> 
> But, as it is evidenced, with the potential of the players and their past NBA career, there is infact, a legitmate starting 5 that can play defense, and it would bring back the days of the 2000-2001 76ers squad. Everyone remembers, we had Dikembe Motombo/Theo Ratliff (both of them, at the time were HOF bound) defensive centers. We had George Lynch and Raja Bell, Bell most notably is a key-player for the Phoenix Suns. We can re-create that chance, we can re-create that team.
> 
> ...


 What are you talking about. Chris Webber will start, AI was never at the 2 last year, he was always a the 1. I do agree with Carney starting but thats just by default almost.


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## Sliccat (Oct 16, 2004)

BEEZ said:


> What are you talking about. Chris Webber will start, AI was never at the 2 last year, he was always a the 1. I do agree with Carney starting but thats just by default almost.


He's talking in the hypothetical.


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## mini_iverson213 (Sep 18, 2006)

interesting....
C-webb will start and hunter wont thats 4 sure
even if ur projected lineup seems good (it may as well be) maurice cheeks may think otherwise. 
Im fairly new to the sixers (been following them for about a year now) but to me trading webber would be a good move. We have stephen hunter to fill his spot at power forward in and we could benefit from maybe another good offensive (or maybe even defensive) player. Not saying that anyone on our starting team is bad...


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## Kunlun (Jun 22, 2003)

I agree that the Sixers should have Hunter start in place of Webber, but I don't think that Webber will take well to that idea and will refuse to play if it happens.


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## BEEZ (Jun 12, 2002)

Kunlun said:


> I agree that the Sixers should have Hunter start in place of Webber, but I don't think that Webber will take well to that idea and will refuse to play if it happens.


 So you put both of your foul prone, limited offensively Centers in the starting lineup and things will be better?


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## Kunlun (Jun 22, 2003)

BEEZ said:


> So you put both of your foul prone, limited offensively Centers in the starting lineup and things will be better?


It worked well last season.


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## Sliccat (Oct 16, 2004)

BEEZ said:


> So you put both of your foul prone, limited offensively Centers in the starting lineup and things will be better?


Better than injury prone, defensively limited Power Fowards, maybe.


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## Ruff Draft (Nov 21, 2004)

That would be the key line-up if Webber was gone. However he isn't going to come off the bench for anyone in this point in his career.


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## BEEZ (Jun 12, 2002)

Kunlun said:


> It worked well last season.


 What games were you watching? When Hunter started playing more, Dalembert played less.


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## Kunlun (Jun 22, 2003)

BEEZ said:


> What games were you watching? When Hunter started playing more, Dalembert played less.


When Webber was injured Hunter and Dalembert started next to eachother for a few games. We won more than we lost.


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## BEEZ (Jun 12, 2002)

Kunlun said:


> When Webber was injured Hunter and Dalembert started next to eachother for a few games. We won more than we lost.


 They played exactly 3 games together while Webber was out, Sixers went 1-2 Hunter avg 27.9 minutes while Dalembert avg 24.4 in those 3 games. So Im not sure of what you are talking about


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## Sixerfanforlife (Jun 23, 2005)

Beez: Stop going hypothetical on us, you saw, what we all saw, 2 shot-blocking centers who got touches around the rim when they were playing each other. Chris Webber's no longer a starter. If I were coach, well, Webber might be a 6th man. That's if Webber's lucky to have a good attitude. But Hunter/Dalembert/Iguodala would be one hell of a defensive front-line.


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## billfindlay10 (Jan 24, 2003)

I am not a Webber fan....but you don't take 20 and 10 out of the starting line-up. You may see Webbers minutes per game going down this season, but you will not see him cominf off of the bench.


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## Sixerfanforlife (Jun 23, 2005)

His stats don't indicate his performance during the season. He limited the offensive touches of several other players GREATLY.


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## cpawfan (Jun 20, 2004)

29 other teams would be very happy to see a Dalembert-Hunter starting front court for the Sixers.

Put another way, even Iverson couldn't score enough points each game to make up for 1) the lack of offensive production from those two and 2) the amount of points Hunter would give up each game


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## billfindlay10 (Jan 24, 2003)

Sixerfanforlife said:


> His stats don't indicate his performance during the season. He limited the offensive touches of several other players GREATLY.


So did Mike James in Toronto last year, but we would have been worse if we did not have him. We now reloaded with T.J. Ford....I think Ford is a better replacement for James then Hunter would be for Webber.

Regardless of who starts, It would appear that the Sixers are headed for the Lottery!


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## BEEZ (Jun 12, 2002)

Sixerfanforlife said:


> Beez: Stop going hypothetical on us, you saw, what we all saw, 2 shot-blocking centers who got touches around the rim when they were playing each other. Chris Webber's no longer a starter. If I were coach, well, Webber might be a 6th man. That's if Webber's lucky to have a good attitude. But Hunter/Dalembert/Iguodala would be one hell of a defensive front-line.



Clueless. Explain how I am being hypothetical when I out facts?


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## Kunlun (Jun 22, 2003)

cpawfan said:


> 29 other teams would be very happy to see a Dalembert-Hunter starting front court for the Sixers.
> 
> Put another way, even Iverson couldn't score enough points each game to make up for 1) the lack of offensive production from those two and 2) the amount of points Hunter would give up each game


Well, if they can defend well enough we won't need to score so much. The last Sixers team that went to the Finals had hardly any offensive minded players.


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## cpawfan (Jun 20, 2004)

Kunlun said:


> Well, if they can defend well enough we won't need to score so much. The last Sixers team that went to the Finals had hardly any offensive minded players.


Well Hunter certainly won't.


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## BEEZ (Jun 12, 2002)

Kunlun said:


> Well, if they can defend well enough we won't need to score so much. The last Sixers team that went to the Finals had hardly any offensive minded players.


 This isnt the same NBA and I'm really tired of hearing that same old excuse. 2000-2001 was a good year to be a fan of this team, but honestly since then we have not duplicated that success and just about every team in the NBA has gotten better. That team in last years NBA wouldnt have came out the east. It was horribly weak. As a fan of the team, its been time to stop living and bringing up the past to justify the NOW.


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## Sixerfanforlife (Jun 23, 2005)

The past does justify the now, to say it's IMPOSSIBLE to create a defensive team (Which you are stating Beez) is a lie. The Detroit Pistons did it, we could too. And the way you do it in today's NBA, is 2 signifcant shotblockers, which we have the capability of doing. The Spurs teams that won the 1999 and 2001 NBA titles had Duncan/Robinson/Bowen as their front-court, tell me that it can't get any better defensively.


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## Coatesvillain (Jul 17, 2002)

Sixerfanforlife said:


> The past does justify the now, to say it's IMPOSSIBLE to create a defensive team (Which you are stating Beez) is a lie. The Detroit Pistons did it, we could too. And the way you do it in today's NBA, is 2 signifcant shotblockers, which we have the capability of doing. The Spurs teams that won the 1999 and 2001 NBA titles had Duncan/Robinson/Bowen as their front-court, tell me that it can't get any better defensively.


The Spurs didn't win the 2001 NBA title, the Lakers did by beating the Sixers. When the Spurs won their first championship the starting front court featured Sean Elliott and not Bruce Bowen, in 1999 Bowen was on the Celtics.


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## Sixerfanforlife (Jun 23, 2005)

In anycase, Defense wins championships, this roster has the potential to play defense.


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## BEEZ (Jun 12, 2002)

Sixerfanforlife said:


> In anycase, Defense wins championships, this roster has the potential to play defense.


 SO you were wrong, like you are 90% of the time. Just start acknowledging it


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## Sixerfanforlife (Jun 23, 2005)

Done.


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